FACT - our defense last season WAS NOT horrible. In fact it was very decent. It ranked FIFTH in scoring (the most important defensive stat) and 11th over all.
Stats are meanlingless and majority of people on this board that think the Pats defense stinks are going by what they see on the field. You know the defense is bad when your dad, who rarely watches football, makes a comment on how bad the Pats defense is. Granted, I thought their defense would be a heck of a lot worse going into the season if they couldn't generate a pass rush but they really overachieved. Also, who knew the offense would be the reason they would lose the majority of their games? However, this defense needs better players.
The perception that the defense is horrible comes from the fact due to all the Polian rules changes...pretty much ALL defenses have been rendered "horrible". We just have to look at the 30+ points second half the Colts threw up on the #1 defense in the league in the AFCCG.
While the Polian rule changes is a good point, it's nobody's fault but the Pats that they haven't made adjustments. Their defense worked in the past because they were able to beat up WR's past 5 yards and by the time the QB was able to make a read, he was pressured in throwing a incomplete pass, pick or sacked.
MYTH - The Jets signing Antonio Cromartie makes their secondary the best in
the league, with TWO shut down CBs.
I agree. However he might have a "pro bowl season" because all the balls get thrown to him instead of Revis.
Myth - the Signing of Karlos Dansby drastically improves the Miami defense.
I agree. He's not the impact player people think he is. In fact, he's just a bigger version of Mayo.
MYTH- According to the media, this team has more holes in its roster than ever before.
They don't have as many holes as 2000, but with Welker's injury, Seymour and Green's departure and questions marks from their last two drafts, they have a lot of holes.
FACT- REALLY?????? Lets check it out, even before the draft where we have 4 picks in the first 53 in the deepest draft in recent memory.
Don't know what this has to do with holes on a roster.
OL - This is very good OL - Talented and DEEP... they brought the entire band back. I challenge anyone to find a hole, with Koppen who is decent, the only guy you are likely to want to upgrade...down the road
Some of your guys are having a hard time understanding what the term "depth" means on a NFL roster. "Depth" means that a team's back up has the ability to start with little or no drop off of play. The Pats have that at LT with Vollmer but nowhere else. If the Pats had "depth", Kaczur and Koppen wouldn't be starting.
RB - Well here you might get into an arguement, but with Maroney Taylor, Morris, and Faulk (assumption) The Pats may be old at the position, but they have enough TALENT there to have a good running attack....especially in an offense that isn't geared to run first.
Morris and Taylor need to be cut and get replacements through the draft or FA.
WR - Now this is really where there are holes in the roster. However it is also the position that is the EASIEST to fill. There are simply MORE people on the planet who have WR skills than say QB or DL. We made it to the AFCCG with Jabar, Reche, and a fading Troy Brown. I think we will be fine with Moss, Welker, Edelman, and whomever else we sign/draft to fill in. BTW-Brandon Tate was supposed to be a first round talent before he got hurt. How come no one in the media mentions him when talking about WRs.
Sorry to burst fans of Bradon Tate's bubble, but don't expect anything from him this season, if ever. With Moss getting older and Welker's injury, WR is a big need. Wouldn't surpise me if they took a WR with one of their 2nd round picks.
DL - Jarvis Green and his 3 sacks over the last 2 years is gone. I'm thrilled he got another pay day. He deserved it. However he had already been surpassed by Mike White, and the promising Myron Pryor is coming back, along with the "unpromising" Ron Brace, who will hopefully benefit from a full off season in the strength progam. However this is an area where I wouldn't be surprised if one of the "big 4 draft picks" is used for a DLman.
I don't understand how Green deserved a pay day but the Pats need to calm down with the early picks on DL. Like you said, the NFL is becoming a "passing league" and the Pats haven't been able to consistantly stop the pass for the last few years. These early picks need to be used on pass rushers.
ILB - Surpisingly, I think we are pretty much set here with Mayo, Guyton, and McKenzie, along with the other usual suspects, FAs, and draft picks. ILB isn't a 3 down position anymore, so its not like we need much more than what we have.
It would nice to have a bruising ILB like Bart Scott to compliment Mayo and Guyton. The Pats seem to have a lot of finese guys at ILB.
OLB - The other position of concern - Here's what I don't understand. We act like we are the ONLY team in the league that needs to improve our pass rush. Do people know that we actually had MORE sacks than the Jets last season. EVERY team needs to improve their pass rush. Its the nature of the game now.
This area has sucked for the past 5 years. There's no excuse. When they were riding high after their 3rd super bowl in 2004, this was a team with few holes. As the trend continues, the Pats milk everything they can from their players until they are done. Then they scramble to find replacements "Junior Seau", "Derrick Burgess", "Galloway", "Taylor" and others to cover up how poorly they've drafted in the past few years.
Also I'd suggest as required reading, Andy Johnson's post on TBC and his production. Tully doesn't have the "name", yet per this post, his production and efficiency ranked with the best in the league. It also was enlightening is pointing out how effective teams are in pass blocking since even the BEST guys in the league were averaging only ONE effective pass rush (sack, pressure, hit or blk) every 10 throws. Kind of makes you wonder about the competitive fairness of the current game.
TBC was the only player that consistantly showed up from the front 7.
So while I do expect the Pats to resign Burgess, I also expect them to address the pass rush issue in the first 2 rounds as well. There seems to be a very good crop of "Tweeners" his year. If we don't know all their names today, we certainly will over the next 6 weeks.
I certainly hope they don't re-sign Burgess.
DBs - With the resigning of Boddin our DBs are settling in as becoming a strength of the defense. we are set at S with Merriweather, Chung, McGowan, and Sanders. We are getting better at CB with Wheatly coming back, and Butler and Wilhite with another year of experience. I also expect to see a DB among those picked in the top 4. I'm hoping we resign Springs, because we need another "big" CB for GL situations. Maybe that's the thought for the draft.
If they are a "strength" of the defense, it just goes to show how bad this defense really is. Sorry, but their secondary still doesn't scare anybody.
So in conclusion. Are we a finished team yet, OF COURSE NOT. However the sturm and drang wringing of the hands BS I've seen on this board is ridiculous, almost to be the point of being embarrassing.
If they continue to draft they way they've drafted, they won't win another super bowl with Brady as their QB.
