Don't care what you say, the defense played very well yesterday...

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

I don't care what the total yards were. I watched the game and understand the ebb and flow of football. This game is about momentum, and the new NFL means lots of passing yards, almost regardless of your defense. Did anyone notice that the mighty Samuel/Asomugha/Rodgers-Cromartie trio allowed 4 TDs to Eli Manning yesterday?

The Bills came in to the game averaging nearly 40 points per game, playing at home in one of their biggest games of the last decade. The Patriots were missing Pat Chung, Albert Haynesworth, Mike Wright, and Ras-I Dowling. You'd think the Bills would score 50 points, right?

They scored 27 points on offense. In addition, the Patriots forced two turnovers, and many believe it should have been three turnovers (PI call in the end zone.)

The Bills first touchdown drive was extended on a ludicrous late hit call on Dane Fletcher, who put his fingers on Fitz's shoulder pads.

The Bills third touchdown drive was a terrible PI call in the end zone; should have been an interception... instead, the Bills were handed 7 points.

The only drive the defense should be ashamed of is the last one. That is the sign of a weak team; they didn't even make them earn it. Devin McCourty should not be the guy getting burned in the most critical point in the game, nor should he have been dumb enough to tackle FJ on the one-yard line.

But one of the problems with four turnovers isn't just the lack of scoring; it's also the field position, and most importantly, time of possession problems that the defense must absorb. Few defenses would be able to play well late into the second half with that many turnovers from the offense.

I know what the season stats look like as well, but that doesn't tell the entire story either. The defense needs to improve a lot, but really, how many grind-it-out 13-10 games do the Patriots have compared to other teams? None. You can expect tons of yardage against us (as well as lots of turnovers) this year. Teams won't play for field position and field goals against Brady.

I don't care what you say,you were drinking very heavily between 2:00 and 4:00 yesterday.

 

[SONS_OF_BELICHICK]

I thought they played ...tooo vanilla...and seldom blitzed.....and played man to man ..so freakin much...

 

[Tom + Bill]

not the game that I saw

 

[PatsGirl2011]

I just rewatched some of the game, and I don't think they played terribly. It just came at the wrong time.Yes they gave up yards, but up until near halftime the Bills were def outclassed on both sides of the ball. I was actually thinking " well they really is going to win it there year." The problem is they play in spurts and try to turn it on when they want to. With all the momentum going Buffalo way due to the interceptions and penalties, it was just too much though. Am I surprised they blew the lead? No! Even since 2003 the Patriots have been blowing huge leads, but obviously they never lost until now.

Am I worried? No yet! If this was week 10, I would be. However, there is still enough time to get it together. I much prefer if they flew under the radar until late in the season like 2004.

 

[ScottieC]

The defense is not good.

If we did not have Brady, we'd be the Colts.

An awful team. When they make the playoffs they should hand him the MVP and rename it the Brady Trophy.

If we make it to the super bowl. They should rename Gillette, Tom Brady Stadium.

My stupid point? The defense is awful and we can't go far without much improved play. That's the bottom line. Brady will have to outscore everyone, and notice I said Brady.

 

[Badluck]

this loss is all on tom brady, i dont understand how its so hard for fans to come to grip with this

 

[Triumph]

The defense was terrible. Brady, despite four interceptions, ties the game up and the defense proceeds to let the Bills offense walk down the field.

Sounds familiar doesnt it?

 

[BradyFTW!]

The defense was terrible. Brady, despite four interceptions, ties the game up and the defense proceeds to let the Bills offense walk down the field.

And the reason why that wasn't the go-ahead TD was because he threw a pick-six directly before that.

 

[mb6592]

The defense is not good.

If we did not have Brady, we'd be the Colts.

An awful team. When they make the playoffs they should hand him the MVP and rename it the Brady Trophy.

If we make it to the super bowl. They should rename Gillette, Tom Brady Stadium.

My stupid point? The defense is awful and we can't go far without much improved play. That's the bottom line. Brady will have to outscore everyone, and notice I said Brady.

The Colts? Don't think so, Freeney & Mathis say hi.

 

[Silver Blue&Red]

I dont care what you say, The defense sucked

 

[TriplecHamp]

I will say the defense played better than what people are making it out to be, but they did not play very well yesterday.

The problem with this defense is consistency. At times, they can shutdown opposing offenses. At other times, they "can't stop a nosebleed".

when have they "shut" anyone down?

 

[fair catch fryar]

Normally I can appreciate the "glass is half full" outlook and I would go right along, but I have to say that over the past 3 years as Bruschi, Vrabel, Harrison and the likes have ridden off into the sunset, it is getting very hard to watch the defense NOT get any better. There are no big playmakers on this team and the lack of real veteran leadership is the reason these guys can't make the "stop" when they need to. That last drive for Buffalo was the breaking point for me. I have no faith whatsoever in this defense to get better and they will be the reason this team won't make it past a divisional playoff game. It's really too bad because with even a mediocre defense this team's offense could win a Superbowl. I'm sorry, but this defense flat out sucks.

 

[ausbacker]

The defense had the opportunity to ice the game and give the ball back to Brady and the offense for the final drive. Instead, they capitulated, Buffalo marched down the field and kicked the game winning FG.

The defense was below average. I'm still trying to understand what Josh Barrett has done to deserve a spot on the Patriots team. Jackson's big last drive play he takes a bad angle, slips and gives FJ a massive seam to exploit. He is just awful.

 

[rojo8401]

The Bills offense had 5 scoring drives. These drives started at their own 4, their own 10, their own 39, their own 5, and their own 20.

The defense played very well yesterday?

Boom!

If the Sox had a closer like this...

 

[fair catch fryar]

this loss is all on tom brady, i dont understand how its so hard for fans to come to grip with this

Maybe you should put down the bong when watching the Pats. Brady didn't do 'em any favors by throwing 4 INTs,(technically negated by his 4 TDs) but to lay blame solely on that is just dumb. Did you not see the uber-yardage on the Pats for penalties and the high school JV team posing as the Pats defense?

 

[Frezo]

this loss is all on tom brady, i dont understand how its so hard for fans to come to grip with this

No. They win and lose as a team. There is enough humble pie for everyone including the coaching staff. They'll get healthy, figure it out. This is a good team.

 

[Deus Irae]

this loss is all on tom brady, i dont understand how its so hard for fans to come to grip with this

Probably because it's not true....

 

[ScottieC]

The Colts? Don't think so, Freeney & Mathis say hi.

0-3 say hi!

 

[ensoul]

The defense was below average.

Just saying they were below average is being sweet. Look at the last two drives.

Drive 1.

Started on the bills 5 yard line at 11:27 left in the game. Less than a minute later they go 95 yards for get a TD.

Drive 2

Started at their own 20

Play 1 29 yard pass.
Play 2 12 yard
Play 38 yards

At that point all hell breaks lose. BB calls a TO, the pats gets a penalty and the bills start to kneel the ball down to ensure that Brady does not get the ball back.

OP In what bizarro world should this be considered a defense that played very well? Pats have arguably the worst D in the NFL.

 

[Observer]

Normally I can appreciate the "glass is half full" outlook and I would go right along, but I have to say that over the past 3 years as Bruschi, Vrabel, Harrison and the likes have ridden off into the sunset, it is getting very hard to watch the defense NOT get any better. There are no big playmakers on this team and the lack of real veteran leadership is the reason these guys can't make the "stop" when they need to. That last drive for Buffalo was the breaking point for me. I have no faith whatsoever in this defense to get better and they will be the reason this team won't make it past a divisional playoff game. It's really too bad because with even a mediocre defense this team's offense could win a Superbowl. I'm sorry, but this defense flat out sucks.

Exactly! It really hurts to see this crap defense piss away all the hard work of Brady, Welker, et. al. At least act like you belong on the field, show some emotion. At least Meriweather seemed to show some pride. No one on this defense does, with the possible exception of Spikes. We have the best offense on one side and on the other side, absolutely the worst defense in the NFL. And unfortunately yesterday the suckiness of the defense won when the offense slipped. BB deserves a lot of flak for assembling this pile of trash.