Why is the defense soooo much better this year?

[Pessimistic Pete]

We'll know how good our defense really is come Sunday night.

Really does suck that Wilfork went down right when our defense started to look at least respectable.

 

[CelticPatriot]

I don't think we can over react on Sunday unless we have a Cowboy/Denver style collapse. The Saints are a great team.

 

[strngplyr]

I don't think we can over react on Sunday unless we have a Cowboy/Denver style collapse. The Saints are a great team.

This.

What's good for us is that it should be strength vs strength.

The Saints are not a good offensive rushing team, but they are ranked #2 in passing. Our Pass D has been situationally great. We may still allow a 3-400 yard performance out of Brees but don't allow that number to doubt how they perform. Pay attention to 3rd down % and RZ %.

We won't stop the Saints, not even close, but we are more than capable of limiting their scoring opportunities when they reach our red zone, as we've done all season to this point.

We've allowed 27 of 74 3rd down attempts to be completed (did we even force opponents to 74 3rd down all of last season!? i kid) and 1 of 7 4th down attempts.

 

[AzPatsFan]

Curious to what you guys think the main reasons are. Pretty much the same crew + Tommy Kelly. Even without Wilfork still a really good defense. Talib seems to have gone from pretty good to elite.

It simply takes a sufficient amount of talen,t at every level, to play good Defense. Plus time playng together so the players know and anticipate the moves of the teamate next to them.

 

[Brady6]

Re: Re: Why is the defense soooo much better this year?

Curious to what you guys think the main reasons are. Pretty much the same crew + Tommy Kelly. Even without Wilfork still a really good defense. Talib seems to have gone from pretty good to elite.

2013
LCB: Talib
RCB: Dennard
FS: McCourty

2012
LCB: McCourty
RCB: Arrington
FS: Gregory

 

[Patriot Missile]

Simple. A whole training camp for everyone.

Talib playing like a top 3 cover corner.

Arrington doing a 180 and actually playing like a good slot corner making plays all over the place.

McCourty entering his prime.

Jones and Hightower entering only their 2nd year. The experience is essential to their growth.

Spikes actually doing decent on passing downs.

Wilfork getting paired up with Kelly in the middle..........$@!!!!!!

 

[FredFromDartmouth]

We'll know how good our defense really is come Sunday night.

Really does suck that Wilfork went down right when our defense started to look at least respectable.

Wilfork was not having a good year. He was being manhandled without double teams. He was overweight and out of shape whereas in most years he was just overweight. I am afraid he spent too much time inhaling cheeseburgers instead of in the weight room.

I cannot say that his injury was a result of his weight, but it could not have helped. I seem to remember that Tom Brady was injured and lost for the season after skipping some of the off season workouts. Coincidence? Maybe.

The loss of Tommy Kelley is of more concern than the loss of WIlfork at this point.

 

[dannydyn]

To be honest, I don’t think the Pats have faced a top dog offense yet, that’s why I believe the numbers are skewed. No doubt Talib is good, but you don’t go from being a bottom feeder on the defensive side, to being a top D, with the same set of players. I think come this Sunday, after having played the Saints, we’ll have a better idea if our D has really been substantially improved, or if it’s just the early schedule that is playing tricks on our minds….

 

[FredFromDartmouth]

I think that the Patriots defense is totally legit, but they are one injury away from disaster. If either Talib or Fonzie goes down, we are in big, big trouble.

For years the Patriots have undervalued CBs, but here they are with, arguably, their two most important defensive players being their CBs. Certainly Talib is their most important player on defense, but I am not sure if Dennad is number two...probably.