The return of BB The Def Genius?

[Kontradiction]

I don't think Belichick the defensive genius ever left, strategically speaking. The team's defensive failings, when they've happened, have been far more personnel-based than scheme-based, IMO.

If we do see a sustained turnaround, IMO, it will be more because Spikes and Chung got healthy, and McCourty at safety with Moore at CB ended up upgrading two positions in the secondary.

I REALLY like the way Moore played at CB. Unlike McCourty, he looked completely comfortable playing in bump and run.

 

[deroc5050]

I freely admit I havent watched a lot of Ravens football this season but is Rayray still pro bowler/all pro line backer? Or is he just better than average now.. and only dangerous because of his leadership and experience?

like most of you I watch every game.. follow the team, I bleed Red white and blue.. And regardless of who they played last night they looked like they played there best game all season.. They came out of the gates on fire and could have dropped 56 on Denver if they wanted to.

My gut tells me the Pats are going to win this game handily next Sunday.. I am thinking 34-17.. The weather report is saying its going to be 50 degrees out next weekend. Global Warming :rocker:

 

[AzPatsFan]

It was like night and day. This is the first time I've seen the defense play 60 full minutes in a long, long time. They had attitude.

This is the first Patriots team that is [relativley] healthy going into the Playoffs since 2004.

In 2006 we had to play a scrub olb, that Peyton picked on umercifully. In 2007 Hochstein got hurt early in the playoffs and was limping as the top O-line reserve reserve going into the SB. Then we lost our starting wrestler Steve Neal RG, early on, and there was nobody to stop the Giants D-line from teeing off. We played the Ravens without Welker another year.

 

[randomk1]

It's all in the clothing,son.

When the hoodie comes out it's all over.

 

[patsfan-1982]

McCourty at FS and chung and spikes back has made a world of Difference

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

I believe Cunningham was active but never saw him in there

He has to be a goner next year.....I didn't think he was going to ever amount to much when he was drafted,but never saw him being irrelevant for 2 years.

 

[supafly]

I believe Cunningham was active but never saw him in there

He has to be a goner next year.....I didn't think he was going to ever amount to much when he was drafted,but never saw him being irrelevant for 2 years.

I don't know if it'd be entirely fair to consider his rookie season last yr totally "irrelevant?"

The change to a 4-3 scheme and the emergence of Carter set him back in the pack.

Next yr will be the deciding year, as it will sway one way or the other; however I do respect your apprehensiveness in regards to his future. I still think that Belichick will give him another chance next yr though. Stranger things have happened.

I do think (for some reason) that this is the year that BB drafts that stud in the front 7 for the future that everyone wants. Many of the other 'needs' for the future have been taken care of, and I honestly don't see how he can't do it this time.

C, WR, and the secondary will likely also be addressed, but that doesn't mean they'll all go as high, and that some won't be taken care of via free agency.

He doesn't have a choice this time, in my opinion. He has to go out and either draft someone, or make a move in free agency.

 

[supafly]

I REALLY like the way Moore played at CB. Unlike McCourty, he looked completely comfortable playing in bump and run.

I honestly think we found a gem with Sterling Moore.

He has the potential to play full time CB here next yr, in my opinion. He will be around for sure, due to his versatility.

Moving DMcC to safety in sub packages was brilliant, and helped to solve 2 positional problems.

The secondary, as a whole-- is playing much better lately.

 

[DarrylS]

I believe Cunningham was active but never saw him in there

He has to be a goner next year.....I didn't think he was going to ever amount to much when he was drafted,but never saw him being irrelevant for 2 years.

Cunningham was active, but did not show up in the defensives snaps as posted by Reiss.. he also did not show up on multiple special teams..

Not sure if he is gone or not, but he is on the fence..

Not going to read all of the responses to this thread, but BB the defensive genius never left, the issue was personnel, believing in themselves and getting these guys to play the way he wanted them to play.

 

[BTTA]

I honestly think we found a gem with Sterling Moore.

He has the potential to play full time CB here next yr, in my opinion. He will be around for sure, due to his versatility.

Moving DMcC to safety in sub packages was brilliant, and helped to solve 2 positional problems.

The secondary, as a whole-- is playing much better lately.

Hopefully, what we saw this weekend was more than just Denver mediocrity. Hopefully, it was the talent level and ability to play the full array of defensive formations and schemes coming together for the first time. The lack of a training camp and the injuries combined to create a perfect storm of difficulty; hopefully the storm is over. Teams that play more simple defenses had an advantage in the beginning of the year.

 

[ausbacker]

I honestly think we found a gem with Sterling Moore.

He has the potential to play full time CB here next yr, in my opinion. He will be around for sure, due to his versatility.

Moving DMcC to safety in sub packages was brilliant, and helped to solve 2 positional problems.

The secondary, as a whole-- is playing much better lately.

It helps when your defensive line starts wreaking havoc and dominating the line of scrimmage.

 

[FarScapeR]

Also, can we still call the base formation a 4-3? When Carter was in there, it made more sense, seeing as he was a true 4-3 DE but even then, the opposite DE was usually a heavier 3-4 DE like Deaderick. With Anderson filling in, isn't it more a 3-4 with a 4-3 look with Anderson playing OLB/DE and Ninkovich setting the edge/rushing on the other side? This is all with the understanding that the Pats have been a 3-4 that sometimes went 4-3 when the needs arose.

It would fit in with what BB said about not having enough time to teach the new players 3-4 concepts because of the truncated off-season. I think they've now reached a point where they can act like a 3-4 with the personnel suited for it.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

If we get past Baltimore I'll be curious to see if we finally can put the Bill needs a strong GM handling the draft and why can't we get a DC like Capers :blahblah: to bed for a while. My guess is not.

 

[DarrylS]

If we get past Baltimore I'll be curious to see if we finally can put the Bill needs a strong GM handling the draft and why can't we get a DC like Capers :blahblah: to bed for a while. My guess is not.

As long as the mediots thrive on their inordinate need for attention and non-troversy my guess is never.

 

[Halifax_Pats_Fan]

we played one good game on defense...let's hold off on the return just yet.

Lets string together a couple games before we get all hot and bothered....

 

[RobertWeathers]

The genius never left IMO. I think a combination of factors played into a dominating performance.

1. Tebow is a young QB in his first road playoff game.
2. Getting Spikes & Chung back
3. Pats had two weeks to prepare/good game plan
4. Not having Decker helped the D shift their coverage a bit more
5. Outstanding pass rush
6. The offense kept scoring and scoring and scoring which made the game a track meet which is not conducive to DEN's personnel.
7. ...and BB is a damn good defensive mind.
8. The team was HIGHLY MOTIVATED to play well.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

His street name is BB Def G, yo.

 

[UK_Pat37]

Had we ever lost him? He's consistently done what a lot of coaches fail to do against our offense...take away your best weapon regardless.

Someone mentioned Moore, I agree....going to be an immense pickup for us down the line. He's a baller.

 

[TruthSeeker]

I see another dominating defensive performance by the Patriots next week - if we get to play the Broncos again.

Actually, I'm very encouraged by the defense. But there is so much to prove after many abysmal breakdowns during the year that I'm not putting a lot of faith in it yet.

 

[buile]

Not sure who said it (might've even been on the Bronco's site game thread): that was the 5th quarter of the previous Den/NE game.

In a way, I agree. NE figured them out last game, and this was just a continuation. Denver's one-dimensional offense played to our strength and gameplan. Denver proved they didn't have anything else. Even their play-action, which worked against Pitt, failed.

I know it's tempting, but I won't take this one-game "sample size" as my expectation for the next 2 games. Different teams, different plans.

That said, I'm confident the Pats can shut down Ray Rice as long as tackling skills don't get worse.

I'm sure Flacco will look great against us, but as long as our O-line keeps Balt from teeing off on Brady, we have a great chance.