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Interestingly enough, I found this article from Sports Illustrated via some Patslinks on the home page last week.
I am sure that we have discussed it before, but it is the premise of the importance of "defensive passer rating," which takes into account the formula to determine passer ratings---only in reverse for defense.
Needless to say, it is also very important (NOT arguing that the need to stop the run isn't important, or that it doesn't come first, b/c it does) to overall team success. Green Bay came in at #1, and Pittsburgh (even with their supposedly 'weak' secondary) came in at #2.
Here is a sample of the article, with credit to the source of sportsillustrated.com, and the writer Kerry Byrne via Cold Hard Football Facts :
"It is a MUCH more effective measure of pass-defense capabilities than yards allowed, which you should ignore when rating pass defenses. Yards allowed are largely a function of the number of attempts against a unit. History is filled with great champions that surrendered a lot of yards but were highly effective when measured by Defensive Passer Rating.
The 2001 Patriots were 23rd in passing yards allowed. So many observers thought they were highly vulnerable against Kurt Warner and the "Greatest Show on Turf" Rams. But the 2001 Patriots were No. 3 in Defensive Passer Rating (68.6) -- a much tougher unit to pass against than anybody but the Cold, Hard Football Facts gave them credit for.
The 2009 Saints were 26th in passing yards allowed. So many observers thought they were highly vulnerable against four-time MVP quarterback Peyton Manning and the Colts. But the 2009 Saints were also No. 3 in Defensive Passer Rating (also 68.6) -- a much tougher unit to pass against than anybody but the Cold, Hard Football Facts gave them credit for."
Read more: Nnamdi Asomugha should be a no-brainer for these four teams - Kerry J. Byrne - SI.com
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Now I am certainly not going to get into this argument, b/c Deus is correct that the run defense is improved w/ Spikes, and that it our #1 priority. However, we certainly had a deficiency in being able to stop the pass last year, and I don't care what ANYONE says about TFB's playoff performance vs the NYJ, due to this one alarming stat:
"Patriots killer Mark Sanchez produced one of the greatest statistical performances of his career against New England's vulnerable pass defense (64.0%, 7.8 YPA, 3 TD, 0 INT, 127.3 rating)."
This is why I believe that Belichick continues to value CB's so highly, and why I believe that he will keep throwing darts at the wall until something permanently sticks. Hopefully the addition of Dowling, and the IR return of Bodden will shore up the defensive backfield this yr--b/c it's importance is extremely meaningful also.
I am sure that we have discussed it before, but it is the premise of the importance of "defensive passer rating," which takes into account the formula to determine passer ratings---only in reverse for defense.
Needless to say, it is also very important (NOT arguing that the need to stop the run isn't important, or that it doesn't come first, b/c it does) to overall team success. Green Bay came in at #1, and Pittsburgh (even with their supposedly 'weak' secondary) came in at #2.
Here is a sample of the article, with credit to the source of sportsillustrated.com, and the writer Kerry Byrne via Cold Hard Football Facts :
"It is a MUCH more effective measure of pass-defense capabilities than yards allowed, which you should ignore when rating pass defenses. Yards allowed are largely a function of the number of attempts against a unit. History is filled with great champions that surrendered a lot of yards but were highly effective when measured by Defensive Passer Rating.
The 2001 Patriots were 23rd in passing yards allowed. So many observers thought they were highly vulnerable against Kurt Warner and the "Greatest Show on Turf" Rams. But the 2001 Patriots were No. 3 in Defensive Passer Rating (68.6) -- a much tougher unit to pass against than anybody but the Cold, Hard Football Facts gave them credit for.
The 2009 Saints were 26th in passing yards allowed. So many observers thought they were highly vulnerable against four-time MVP quarterback Peyton Manning and the Colts. But the 2009 Saints were also No. 3 in Defensive Passer Rating (also 68.6) -- a much tougher unit to pass against than anybody but the Cold, Hard Football Facts gave them credit for."
Read more: Nnamdi Asomugha should be a no-brainer for these four teams - Kerry J. Byrne - SI.com
--------------
Now I am certainly not going to get into this argument, b/c Deus is correct that the run defense is improved w/ Spikes, and that it our #1 priority. However, we certainly had a deficiency in being able to stop the pass last year, and I don't care what ANYONE says about TFB's playoff performance vs the NYJ, due to this one alarming stat:
"Patriots killer Mark Sanchez produced one of the greatest statistical performances of his career against New England's vulnerable pass defense (64.0%, 7.8 YPA, 3 TD, 0 INT, 127.3 rating)."
This is why I believe that Belichick continues to value CB's so highly, and why I believe that he will keep throwing darts at the wall until something permanently sticks. Hopefully the addition of Dowling, and the IR return of Bodden will shore up the defensive backfield this yr--b/c it's importance is extremely meaningful also.
