Where's the Pass Rush

[DCPatsFan]

I don't understand what is going on - where is the pass rush? I'm specifically talking about the Denver and Miami games - Plummer and Harrington should have been on their ass more often, especially Plummer. I thought Vrabel and Colvin would be wreaking havoc in the backfield with their speed, but it hasn't worked out that way so far.

 

[edzo44]

Perhaps their primary assigned duties were to pass cover the outside or middle slants instead of rushing the passer those games?

 

[Fencer]

At 2.4 sacks/game, the Pats are at or a little above the league average. I don't have stats for hits, hurries, etc.

 

[TruthSeeker]

Jarvis Green already has 4.5 sacks, which surpasses his season high of 4 two years ago. Imagine if this guy started ? He'd be very Freeney like. He's on pace for 14 sacks this year. With Seymour, Green, Colvin & Vrabel, we should be getting more pressure on the QB. I wish we played an attack game like the Bears, puts less pressure on the DB's.

 

[MrBigglesWorth]

Jarvis Green already has 4.5 sacks, which surpasses his season high of 4 two years ago. Imagine if this guy started ? He'd be very Freeney like. He's on pace for 14 sacks this year. With Seymour, Green, Colvin & Vrabel, we should be getting more pressure on the QB. I wish we played an attack game like the Bears, puts less pressure on the DB's.

in the miami game harrington did 2-3 step drop and got rid of the ball quickly thereby not allowing the rush to get to him. they were sending multiple rushers. in the 2nd half they rushed less and dropped more into coverage which affected him and he tried to squeeze the ball in tight coverage.

in the denver game they were getting pressure but as i recall they lost containment and plummer ran up the middle for some gains. if anything in the denver game the rush defense lost containment around the edges and bell got good yardage.

the cincy game the pats and everyone else new palmer is not mobile so when they were in obvious passing downs the team could tee off on him, they couldn't do this in the denver game becuase plummer is mobile and the pats were down.

 

[TomBrady'sGoat]

I don't see the pass rush as a problem. I see most of the lack of pressure being due to playing a lot of coverage.

I am thrilled with the fact that Pats appear to have stopped giving up big scoring plays.

 

[Murphys95]

Statistically, the Patriots are ahead of where they were at this point last year: 2006: 12 sacks, 2005: 10 sacks (after 5 games)

But you're right, the story remains the same - ineffectiveness of the front 3 to get significant pressure on the quarterback (not just sacks). This Patriots defense is not heavy on blitzing. Still, like last year, I'd say give it a little more time before we designate them a "flat tire defense" (cuz they have no pressure).

 

[patsox23]

part of why Jarvis has 4.5 sacks is the way he's utilized. Starting him might not change that, and could even stunt it. I like the way he's being used by the staff.

 

[TruthSeeker]

part of why Jarvis has 4.5 sacks is the way he's utilized. Starting him might not change that, and could even stunt it. I like the way he's being used by the staff.

Even though he is know as a pass rush specialist, he plays the run better than most pass rush specialists. He'd be a star on any other team. Though I don't think he'd trade in his championship rings to have a 15 sack season for Green Bay (just an example team).

 

[DCPatsFan]

Even though he is know as a pass rush specialist, he plays the run better than most pass rush specialists. He'd be a star on any other team. Though I don't think he'd trade in his championship rings to have a 15 sack season for Green Bay (just an example team).

You make a good point - maybe he would be a pass-rushing star on another team, which would translate into a big contract for Jarvis. On the other hand, since he's a part-time player, he doesn't wear down (during individual games and for the entire season), and at the end of games where the Pats have the lead and the opposition abandons the run, Jarvis comes in with fresh legs and gets his sacks.

 

[Fencer]

Since he got 2/3 of his season total in a single game, I'm not sure I'd spend a lot of effort on doing the math to extrapolate Green's ytd figures ...

 

[PatsSteve1]

The Patriots don't usually rush extra guys or do anything "exotic" on D early in in a game and usually only on 2nd and 3rd down and longer yardage if at all. It's part of the bend don't break idea in making team use a lot of plays to use a lot of plays to get down the field. Kerep from giving up the big play.
Teams that pass on 1st down are rarely going to get any extra guys rushing thier passer. But comments so far from D players about Pea's have been that he's more aggresive on D than Mangini was. Just because there may not be much pass rush, one thing I don't recall hearing this year was that the opposing QB had to hold the ball longer due to good coverage or have there been any coverage sacks that I can recall. I don't recall Qb's sitting there having no one to throw to. Hard to tell about why watching a game on TV. If we only see games on TV we really don't see the game. We see what little of the field TV shows us. I can't wait to go to the Vikings and Colts games to really see the game.

 

[Tunescribe]

Jarvis Green already has 4.5 sacks, which surpasses his season high of 4 two years ago. Imagine if this guy started ? He'd be very Freeney like. He's on pace for 14 sacks this year. With Seymour, Green, Colvin & Vrabel, we should be getting more pressure on the QB. I wish we played an attack game like the Bears, puts less pressure on the DB's.

I really like the way the Bears play defense. Every play is like a jailbreak and it's fun to watch. I hope Brady can survive them when they come to Foxboro.

 

[5 Rings for Brady!!]

in the miami game harrington did 2-3 step drop and got rid of the ball quickly thereby not allowing the rush to get to him. they were sending multiple rushers. in the 2nd half they rushed less and dropped more into coverage which affected him and he tried to squeeze the ball in tight coverage.

in the denver game they were getting pressure but as i recall they lost containment and plummer ran up the middle for some gains. if anything in the denver game the rush defense lost containment around the edges and bell got good yardage.

the cincy game the pats and everyone else new palmer is not mobile so when they were in obvious passing downs the team could tee off on him, they couldn't do this in the denver game becuase plummer is mobile and the pats were down.

I think this is accurate. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, we just have never been a big pass rushing team from the front three. Belichick has just built the defense differently than that. Colvin is pretty average in my opinion, and doesn't hit hard at all either. Maybe it's the hip, I don't know. Vrabel is good for the occasional sack, but they mainly send him in critical situations like near the goal line. If we sent Vrabel on every play, it would negate the element of surprise. He is the new 'Willie', the guy that makes the desperate play that HAS TO BE MADE in critical situations. He would be blocked way more if we over-use him as a pass rusher.

We simply need a young stud to rush from the outside linebacker positions, like a younger Willie or Jason Taylor type. Until that happens, we are going to be an average rushing team.

We also used a really strong secondary in past years to provide 'coverage sacks'. I haven't seen many of those since 2004.

 

[PatsSteve1]

As far as just sacks go the Patriots are right around thier average per game since 2003. I don't know about hurries and knockdowns.

2003 41 total 2.56 per game
2004 45 total 2.81 per game
2005 33 total 2.06 per game
2006 12 total 2.40 per game

It doesn't seem like they're getting as many of the hurries and knockdowns, but I have no proof. It does seem the Patriots are rushing at least 4 guys every play whether thier in the 3-4 or 4-3.

 

[PATRIOT64]

I think its a no brainer as to the reason we do not full out rush and blitz the quarterback as often as we would like and that is the secondary is vulnerable at times and full out blitzing may cause big plays more often than not and may depend on who the opposing QB is - A guy like Bledsoe who is near immobile is one we would probably blitz much more on than say a Michael Vick.

 

[jct]

I read elsewhere in this forum that Seymour had 7 Hurries and Colvin had 8 Hurries.

 

[JoePats]

Colvin said after the Denver game that he had Plummer dead at the goalline for a sack/strip/TD and if he got it NWE would have won the game. He took it pretty hard apparantly.

 

[patsfan13]

Against Miami IMO the emphasis was stopping the run and try to make Harrington beat you without giving up the big play. With Plummer contain him in the pocket and again try to stop their run. If you try to pressure Plummer and he is moving out of the pocket he is more effective.