Pats have decent shot at #1 Scoring D in NFL this year

[BlueThunder]

I have my doubts about this D as well...for some reason it doesn't give me confidence they can perform well against good QB's...........Which good QB's and teams have they beaten so far? Big Ben didn't play in the Steeler's game.....The only other very good QB was Wilson.....and we saw the results in that game............

One good thing moving forward is that Lewis looks like he will be a factor in the running and passing game....that should keep the opposing team's offense on the sidelines for longer stretches........The Patriot's defense's best friend probably will be the TOP stat....

 

[Sciz]

THEY HAD LITERALLY ZERO PRESSURE ON FITZY

forget sacks, they had ZERO hurries. ZERO HURRIES until the very last play...

You realize that's a problem, right?

What the hell are you talking about? One of the biggest plays of the game was Fitz's intentional grounding when he was being hit by Brown.

 

[BobDigital]

The Pats D is what is it. It is just barely short of a good D but clearly above average.

It is about the 6th or 7th best D in the NFL and does it with just not allowing big plays often and playing safe. That is really all it takes to be a top 10 D right now.

The Ds I generally take over ours are when all are fully healthy

Seattle, Denver, KC, Minnasota, Baltimore, Philly and i would put us just barely ahead of Dallas, Houston, AZ and NYG.

 

[ivanvamp]

************

They could use him.

 

[Kontradiction]

That's just not accurate. It was a 51 yard FG by a guy who hadn't made a 50 yarder all season. That's not giving up 3 points. It was hardly automatic.

And yet he could have chosen to absolutely push them out of FG range where the chances of them making it stood at 0.0% and decided not to pursue that opportunity over fear of the defense yielding the first down if he had. No, it wasn't automatic by any stretch of the imagination but the chances of them making it were greater than had the Pats accepted the penalty. That they decided not to tells you all you need to know about what the big man thinks of that unit. So yes, he gave them three points because he thought that the odds of the Jets making that field goal were less than the odds of the Pats giving up the first down on third and long. That's pretty damning. You may want to pick your battles and concentrate your efforts in this thread on those who say the defense sucks.

 

[Kontradiction]

Not for nothing but this was the second of a back to back road trip with a cross country flight and a Thanksgiving dinner between them. I expected some degree of fatigue and flatness.

If we get lit up by the Rams rookie QB (Goof or whatever the f*ck his name is) next week, I'll concede that there's a problem. Until then, the jury is still out on the defense.

I said multiple times in the game thread that this was the defense's best effort in the last 3 weeks.

 

[FourierSeries]

This isn't the best defense in the league. Nor is it among the worst, as some of the lesser posters here are claiming. It's well above average, and as long as the entire team is firing on all cylinders, it should be more than good enough to win another SB.

It's unfortunate that the team is starting to experience injuries to key players on offense towards the end of the season, however.

 

[mosslost]

We will see how they do against the ravens and the broncos coming up.

they will average about 17 a game gave up

 

[AvocadoIceCream]

Love the dedication from the angry homers on the board. Lot of built up frustration. I'll buy you a lady of the night. PM me

 

[FourierSeries]

Love the dedication from the angry homers on the board. Lot of built up frustration. I'll buy you a lady of the night. PM me

Come on now. I'm sure you can put your welfare check to better use than that.

 

[Kontradiction]

This isn't the best defense in the league. Nor is it among the worst, as some of the lesser posters here are claiming. It's well above average, and as long as the entire team is firing on all cylinders, it should be more than good enough to win another SB.

It's unfortunate that the team is starting to experience injuries to key players on offense towards the end of the season, however.

I'm not sure what people have watched over the years. Those who claim that the unit is terrible apparently don't remember the 2011 version. Those claiming that this is a top unit don't remember the dynasty versions or even the version they put out last year.

 

[FourierSeries]

I'm not sure what people have watched over the years. Those who claim that the unit is terrible apparently don't remember the 2011 version. Those claiming that this is a top unit don't remember the dynasty versions or even the version they put out last year.

I agree. Though the OP can correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't even think he necessarily believes this is the top defense in the league. He's just pointing out that they've been good at keeping the teams they've played out of the end zone for the most part.

 

[Nehalem]

Have to be home. They need that HFA

This year Patriots are:

6-0 on the road
3-2 at home

 

[mosslost]

I agree. Though the OP can correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't even think he necessarily believes this is the top defense in the league. He's just pointing out that they've been good at keeping the teams they've played out of the end zone for the most part.

All I am saying is that their style is to not give up the big play. And with their talent level it may be the best option. And they have pulled it off pretty well. Their primary focus is to make the other teams have to sustain large drives with lots of successful plays before they reach the end zone, and to hold teams to 3 points. It is frustrating to not get off the field seemingly for a lot of the game, but overall it is a winning formula. That said in the playoffs this style means your offense better score points. They may have no choice with the personnel they have, and in hind site it sure seems dumb now to be without Jones and Collins. But they are getting it done.

 

[Nikolai]

Pats are top half in yards per attempt for passing (15) and rushing (11). Source: 2016 NFL Opposition & Defensive Statistics | Pro-Football-Reference.com

The ol' eye test was telling me that this team reminded me of a lesser version of the 2003 defense; giving up some yards between the 20s and firming up in the red zone. The 2003 defense was actually outstanding in pass yards per attempt (1) and damned good at rushing yards per attempt (6), so this team is pretty far below the 2003 standard. Source: 2003 NFL Opposition & Defensive Statistics | Pro-Football-Reference.com

It's still not a terrible defense. It's merely a good (or above average if you prefer) one, and if the offense can function even at 70%, that gives the team a really good chance at winning games.

 

[neuronet]

When our defense holding others to 16 or 17 isn't good enough, it isn't our defense that is the problem.

It doesn't matter that we successfully stopped one of the best running games in the NFL yesterday, our defense just sucks.

Our plan was to shut down the run, force them to throw against us. It's exactly what we did. They happened to pull good throws out of thin air for the first time all season. Fitz-streak-trick did what he does. He had a good game against us. Remember his contract game against us, with the Bills?

They only put up 17 points. Similarly when Bills put up a mere 16 people acted like the sky was falling for our defense. At the time I thought "OK, they are just being silly they do realize holding a team to 16 is very good, don't they?" Sigh.

 

[Tuck]

I read somewhere that most Super Bowl teams finish the season at around 17 points against. I wonder how many of us would be complaining about the defense now if Bill hadn't traded Collins and benched Sheard.

 

[mosslost]

I read somewhere that most Super Bowl teams finish the season at around 17 points against. I wonder how many of us would be complaining about the defense now if Bill hadn't traded Collins and benched Sheard.

All these posters that talk about the "eye ball" test are actually unknowingly admitting that they are basically watching a bend don't break defense. It feels like they fail the "eye ball" test (which is a BS test) because the team is choosing to mostly give up yards rather than the big play, and that is true even on 3rd downs. (A LOT of big plays and broken TDs happen on 3rd down)

SO, it feels and looks and can be very frustrating to watch, and hence this "eye ball" test thing keeps getting brought up (BS test). In reality the answer is "Scoreboard"

 

[Jangles]

I don't know how to feel about this D anymore

The broncos and chiefs looked like all time defenses last night, and gave up 30 and 27 points to pretty underwhelming offenses

Meanwhile we look like garbage most of the time but keep points off the board

What does it mean basil

 

[fightingirish595]

We played against ****ty QB's all season.

It's all about the offense this year, I expect the Patriots barring any injury in the offense to make the SB, the AFC teams present no real threat, maybe Oakland but I still think we can game plan for Carr and exploit their defense.

If we make to the SB though, it's all about the match-up, I think I'd rather face Dallas that we can try to shut down their running game than face the Giants with Beckham, Cruz and Sheppard. Eli would have a field day against this secondary without facing pressure.

Either game would be tough as hell. Id rather see anyone else in the NFC than either one of those teams