Patriots officially a top 10 Defense!

[Dutchmaster617]

Oh sure, our present team will have no problem with PITT, BALT, and GB.

What does GB have to do with anything? I am not an ESPN slave, I actually see it a slim chance they make a SB, only place we could face them. They are just like us in 10 and 07, a lot of hype but finesse and blowing their load too early.

Pittsburgh and Baltimore are tough regardless of our defense (see SF's elite D losing last night), because they can turn Brady into a game manager, and if that happens we lose no matter what.

 

[Ivan]

Hey, for your own good, don't latch on to me as your lifeline. I'm more persona non grata with the Jonestown-level homers than you are.....

Excellent analogy. Belichik is Jim Jones and he has fooled Patriot fans into believing in him while leading their franchise to certain death. Fortunately we have your Steve from Fall River like piercing intellect to see right through his charade and give us the unabashed truth about how much they suck despite the many misleading wins and championships which in reality are meaningless because they were really derived from luck and poor opposition.

Thank you so much for saving us from believing in the false savior coach who in real reality is just a franchise killing charlatan. You rock.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

Excellent analogy. Belichik is Jim Jones and he has fooled Patriot fans into believing in him while leading their franchise to certain death. Fortunately we have your Steve from Fall River like piercing intellect to see right through his charade and give us the unabashed truth about how much they suck despite the many misleading wins and championships which in reality are meaningless because they were really derived from luck and poor opposition.

Thank you so much for saving us from believing in the false savior coach who in real reality is just a franchise killing charlatan. You rock.

Your sarcasm was so sharp I was thinking, after the first few lines, you must be the Divine Leader of the ABC (Anti BB Cult). After it dawned (duh!) on me it was sarcasm, the point you were trying to convey has validity. The Patriots have had unprecedented success under BB. With that said, I think the less than enamored with BB bunch would point to:

A) Less than stellar draft pick track record
B) Lack of Super Bowl appearances since the 2007 season
C) Defenses that have been mediocre to poor the last several years
D) Being too stubborn on cap spending by letting certain players walk
E) It's all been Tom Brady, and BB is just riding his coattails

Outside of E there is a reasonable argument to be made that BB has recently (last few years) made more mistakes than he and his staff were able to overcome through coaching - game planning - in game strategy. With that said, count me as very happy BB is at the helm of the Patriots. If it makes me a kool aid drinker then I'll take mine with ice.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

Here's a look at all the SB champs including their offensive and defensive ranking according to points/yards.

I added up all 45 rankings in each column and divided it by 45 to get a look at the average ranking, the results are at the bottom.

34 defenses with the best record won championships and 29 offenses did it as well.

The mantra "defense wins Championships" is a bit of an over exaggerated myth looking at the numbers. Appropriate would be "balanced teams win Championships" with a top 10 O and D that is. Any way, just some stats to play with.

The one thing that jumps out at me, outside of the points vs yard allowed discussion, is you don't need to be really good at both offense and defense to win the SB...... but you better be the best or very close to the best in one or the other. Since it is reasonable to believe the 2011 Patriot D will not be dominant (Middle of the road is reasonable), the Patriot offense better regain the form they had in the first month of the season.....else we will need to be statistical trailblazers.

 

[supafly]

The one thing that jumps out at me, outside of the points vs yard allowed discussion, is you don't need to be really good at both offense and defense to win the SB...... but you better be the best or very close to the best in one or the other. Since it is reasonable to believe the 2011 Patriot D will not be dominant (Middle of the road is reasonable), the Patriot offense better regain the form they had in the first month of the season.....else we will need to be statistical trailblazers.

Exactly why I fear that the ineffectiveness of the WR's will be much more of a faltering point than the popular fan and media choice of defense. There has GOT to be another wrinkle or positive attribute thrown in the mix on that side of the ball; whether it be stretching the field, finding more ways to get the usual guys open underneath (which seems to be have taken away via press man coverage by throwing timing routes off), or going back to the screens and RB flat passes of old. I just don't see taking what the defense will give us via Welker or Gronkowski carrying us to the SB this yr.

The offense, Brady in general, and the ability to put up points in bunches is obviously the strength of this team, and has been for many yrs. When you start messing with that/ having problems with that, you are going to be in a world of hurt come playoff time, at least that's what I fear.

Yes, it is absolutely wonderful that the defense is coming on, and that they are getting closer to becoming "middle of the pack." That is very promising, and allows us to always at least have a chance if we can get to the mid 20's on the offensive side of the ball. However, with the recent 5-6 game stretch of the offense having problems (Brady 4 games in a row with a fumble, sacks are up, INT's and poor choices are up, effectiveness of WR's is certainly down) also becoming closer to "middle of the pack" (certainly not saying that they are, just that they have become closer to it), this takes away from our obvious strength.

I fear that by doubling Welker, the targeting of Gronkowski will eventually bite us in the ass if/when a team forces a couple of errant throws/picks, or is simply better suited to defend him in general. There is no outside game, and the running game usually does not perform up to par when faced with a tough run defense opponent.

Hopefully, we will see the continued emergence of a running game come into play down the stretch in the last 6 games, and be another effective weapon come playoff time. That, and the improvement of the defense would at least give us a reasonable shot. Otherwise, I am feeling a bit pessimistic regarding the offensive output from Brady and the WR's. I know that Gronk is incredible, but I don't know if we can ride his coat tails all the way to a SB?

Hopefully, I am just over reacting...

 

[supafly]

What does GB have to do with anything? I am not an ESPN slave, I actually see it a slim chance they make a SB, only place we could face them. They are just like us in 10 and 07, a lot of hype but finesse and blowing their load too early.

Pittsburgh and Baltimore are tough regardless of our defense (see SF's elite D losing last night), because they can turn Brady into a game manager, and if that happens we lose no matter what.

Well, I agree with you to a certain extent, but stats show that 2/3 of all teams that start 10-0 do make a SB appearance, so that certainly bodes well for Green Bay.

I agree with your thinking in the vein that I am not 100% sure that they have faced top-notch competition, so that's what I am holding onto there. If you remember, it took them a goal line stand vs. New Orleans just to walk away with a week one win. Other than that and their 10 pt win vs Chicago, I haven't seen much 'real' competition from anyone else vs them this yr. And no, I never considered DET any real threat to them, in case anyone is thinking that..

The problem is that it really doesn't get any harder for them in the next 5 games. I was looking forward to the NYG and CHI games as those 2 being pretty much the only 'harder' games on their schedule, but now that Cutler is out, you can pretty much check that one off now too. Next week's game vs the NYGiants (who may be in desperation mode after a MNF loss to N.Orleans), is the only chance they'll have to be beaten in the regular season, and the odds of that happening are probably slim at best anyway. And even IF that were to happen, that wouldn't have any bearing on their Super Bowl chances anyway.

Once they get to the playoffs, they'll have 2 games at home at Lambau Field to get to the SB, so that bodes well for them obviously. And the 1st game will probably be against some lower level competition anyway. Could you imagine Dallas, Atlanta, etc actually beating Green Bay in the playoffs? Me either...That would leave one realistic shot at having a team like New Orleans or San Francisco (who I don't see as any real threat either, due to their lack of scoring capability vs them) with a shot at taking them down.

I actually thought that N.Orleans or Chicago would be the best two choices of beating them in the playoffs, but with the injury to Cutler etc, that leaves the Bears as a bit of an unknown all over again. Like I said, SF may be able to slow them down, but their inaptitude of being able to score too much on the Green Bay defense doesn't make them the best choice for an upset, in my opinion.

As much as I don't wanna believe it like you, I don't see any other choice but for Green Bay to have a pretty easy path to the Super Bowl. At best, they'll be tested ONE time by either N.Orleans or Chicago in the NFCCG, and that will be in Lambau.

 

[supafly]

What does GB have to do with anything? I am not an ESPN slave, I actually see it a slim chance they make a SB, only place we could face them. They are just like us in 10 and 07, a lot of hype but finesse and blowing their load too early.

And to be fair, our 2007 team (vs much better competition throughout the yr) was a once-in-a lifetime in the grasp call, coupled with an obvious holding call/helmet catch away from doing everything that Green Bay is doing; so I don't get your "a lot of hype and finesse + blowing their load too early" analogy at all. Their defense is not half as bad as some people make it out to be, with a capable front line, Matthews making plays as a LB, and Williams and Woodson in the secondary. They don't look to me as if they're blowing anything too early, and that's on either side of the ball.



The path to a SB appearance is all but locked up for them, and the path to a SB victory is getting much closer too. I couldn't see us hanging with them, and I couldn't see anyone else but Baltimore or Pittsburgh even giving them a good game as representation from the AFC.

In my opinion, New Orleans will be their biggest threat by far, and with N.Orleans playing outside at Lambau etc even that may be pushing it.

 

[goheels22002]

Hopefully, we will see the continued emergence of a running game come into play down the stretch in the last 6 games, and be another effective weapon come playoff time. That, and the improvement of the defense would at least give us a reasonable shot. Otherwise, I am feeling a bit pessimistic regarding the offensive output from Brady and the WR's. I know that Gronk is incredible, but I don't know if we can ride his coat tails all the way to a SB?

Hopefully, I am just over reacting...

The arrival of the running game is precisely why the defense will continue to move up the charts and the prospects for a playoff victory against any of the likely AFC opponents are better this morning than they were seven or eight weeks ago.

The quick-strike offense is great for the viewers, but keeps the defense off the field less than they need to be to regroup and make adjustments from what the coaches are seeing from the press box and in the photos.

Against KC, the Patriots ran 35 running plays for a 154 yards. The beauty of the upcoming stretch is that the best run defense the Patriots will see before the playoffs is the Miami Dolphins. The Patriots can continue to work on the rotation and situations for using Woodhead, Vareen and BJGE - three different styles for the opposing defenses to prepare.

I see the Patriots becoming complex offensively over the remaining six weeks with time of possession shifting in favor of the Pats. That works to keep the defense fresh and upping pressure on the opponent. The 4-3 is improving as the front seven gain experience as a unit. The DB situation is the glaring weakness, and the best way to help with that is with an improving pass rush.

As for the playoffs, it is all about match-ups. It looks like Oakland, Texas, Baltimore, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati right now. (I was rooting for Buffalo to get a shot, but injuries seem to be undoing that possibility.) None of those teams is any less flawed than the Patriots

 

[Ring 6]

Your sarcasm was so sharp I was thinking, after the first few lines, you must be the Divine Leader of the ABC (Anti BB Cult). After it dawned (duh!) on me it was sarcasm, the point you were trying to convey has validity. The Patriots have had unprecedented success under BB. With that said, I think the less than enamored with BB bunch would point to:

A) Less than stellar draft pick track record

compared to what?

B) Lack of Super Bowl appearances since the 2007 season

no SBs in 3 years is reason to lynch a coach?

C) Defenses that have been mediocre to poor the last several years

Facts do not support this

D) Being too stubborn on cap spending by letting certain players walk

This is a joke right? Please give me the list of all the players 'let walk' because of 'stubbornness on cap spending'. Please define what that means too? If I don't overpay some players in order to not afford others that is stubborn?

E) It's all been Tom Brady, and BB is just riding his coattails

Outside of E there is a reasonable argument to be made that BB has recently (last few years) made more mistakes than he and his staff were able to overcome through coaching - game planning - in game strategy. With that said, count me as very happy BB is at the helm of the Patriots. If it makes me a kool aid drinker then I'll take mine with ice.

It sounds like you want to ride him out of town, but are too embarrassed to actually say it.

 

[JackBauer]

I think the message here is don't let Andy Johnson ever find you posting negative things about BB and/or the Patriots.

 

[supafly]

The arrival of the running game is precisely why the defense will continue to move up the charts and the prospects for a playoff victory against any of the likely AFC opponents are better this morning than they were seven or eight weeks ago.

The quick-strike offense is great for the viewers, but keeps the defense off the field less than they need to be to regroup and make adjustments from what the coaches are seeing from the press box and in the photos.

Against KC, the Patriots ran 35 running plays for a 154 yards. The beauty of the upcoming stretch is that the best run defense the Patriots will see before the playoffs is the Miami Dolphins. The Patriots can continue to work on the rotation and situations for using Woodhead, Vareen and BJGE - three different styles for the opposing defenses to prepare.

I see the Patriots becoming complex offensively over the remaining six weeks with time of possession shifting in favor of the Pats. That works to keep the defense fresh and upping pressure on the opponent. The 4-3 is improving as the front seven gain experience as a unit. The DB situation is the glaring weakness, and the best way to help with that is with an improving pass rush.

As for the playoffs, it is all about match-ups. It looks like Oakland, Texas, Baltimore, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati right now. (I was rooting for Buffalo to get a shot, but injuries seem to be undoing that possibility.) None of those teams is any less flawed than the Patriots

Great post. I'm all for it!!