Fencer
Pro Bowl Player
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2006
- Messages
- 14,293
- Reaction score
- 3,986
Every unit or subunit can have its bad games or bad couple of games. And the media loves to talk about the possibility that these are lasting weaknesses that somebody will exploit to beat the Pats. E.g., I'm inspired to post this by the Jags-built-to-beat-Pats thread.
With that as background, what are the Pats' REAL weaknesses, if any?
My answers:
1. In the offense, there are none. The running game is just OK, creating a huge imbalance vs. the superlative, historically great passing game. But if the Pats need 3 yards and a cloud of snow, they're in pretty good shape to grind it out.
2. A great dink-and-dunk -- or power-running -- offense will move the ball on a great defense, until the field shortens, at which point the movement grinds to a halt. I think most apparent signs of defensive weakness have boiled down to a version of that, or else have been due to transitory problems. E.g., I think the red zone defense is back, and will prove that it's back even against better offenses than it's been tested against recently. That is to say, I think bend-not-break is back.
3. I do think there is one genuine defensive weakness -- playmaking in the center of the field. Bruschi is evidently a JAG now, even being relatively healthy. Seau is a JAG+, with the + being superior blitzing ability. An offense that can punch through the DL or throw over it has an easier job bending the bend-not-break guys than I'd like.
4. I see no particular weaknesses on STs.
With that as background, what are the Pats' REAL weaknesses, if any?
My answers:
1. In the offense, there are none. The running game is just OK, creating a huge imbalance vs. the superlative, historically great passing game. But if the Pats need 3 yards and a cloud of snow, they're in pretty good shape to grind it out.
2. A great dink-and-dunk -- or power-running -- offense will move the ball on a great defense, until the field shortens, at which point the movement grinds to a halt. I think most apparent signs of defensive weakness have boiled down to a version of that, or else have been due to transitory problems. E.g., I think the red zone defense is back, and will prove that it's back even against better offenses than it's been tested against recently. That is to say, I think bend-not-break is back.
3. I do think there is one genuine defensive weakness -- playmaking in the center of the field. Bruschi is evidently a JAG now, even being relatively healthy. Seau is a JAG+, with the + being superior blitzing ability. An offense that can punch through the DL or throw over it has an easier job bending the bend-not-break guys than I'd like.
4. I see no particular weaknesses on STs.
