Mike Dussault: The Patriots Have Their Best Defense in a Decade!

[Soul_Survivor88]

PatsPropaganda :: New England Patriots Have Their Best Defense in a Decade

I love this team

 

[saspack]

Can they stay healthy? If so, they are the best defense in AFC.

 

[dalero]

Wishing Easley didn't go down.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Wishing Easley didn't go down.

His loss did suck. He didn' generate the sacks but if I read correctly, he generated a QB hurry once every 8 dropbacks. That was #1 in the NFL for DTs.

 

[JJDChE]

It'll be better next year. So will the O.

Oh my...

 

[Bruins29]

Not possible without a Revis. Gotta be a mistake.

Also, Idiotfromdartmouth said we have no secondary. So how is this possible?

 

[PatriotsPimp136]

We will see what they got come the playoffs. Hope our pass defense's good enough. Defense still wins in the playoffs

 

[RobertWeathers]

I'll call myself out and say that I expected Butler to be good but over the last few games not be THIS good.

 

[Brady6]

PatsPropaganda :: New England Patriots Have Their Best Defense in a Decade

I love this team

Not to get ahead of ourselves but this defense is going to be unbelievable in 2016. Malcolm Brown after a full offseason in the NFL, Easley healthy, Butler with a full season of experience as a starter, Ryan ditto, Collins continuing to develop, and Sheard, Hicks (hopefully we resign) in their second year here.

Add to that players like Grissom, Richards, Flowers and Roberts being unknowns. If we add a few pieces to the mix via the draft this defense could be 2013 Seahawks like...

 

[I.M. Fletcher]

Not to mention, we are in the opposite of cap hell right now, meaning this could just be the beginning.

What a franchise!

 

[Off The Grid]

Nice Article, but nothing EarthShattering.

A lot'f us've been saying that this is our best Defense since 2004 for a very long time.

 

[BTTA]

I'll call myself out and say that I expected Butler to be good but over the last few games not be THIS good.

You and everyone else on the planet who was paying attention, including possibly even Butler himself. What a joy that kid's story is.

 

[PP2]

Not possible without a Revis. Gotta be a mistake.

Also, Idiotfromdartmouth said we have no secondary. So how is this possible?

Fredfromdartmouth?? How is he doing? Haven't seen him post in a long time.

Of course if he posted something positive, we should really worry about him.

 

[RayClay]

Sheard and Hicks makes the loss of Easley bearable. Are the big guys a little tired? Branch has been outstanding, but maybe that's true.

If, rested, Brown, Hicks, Branch, Siliga and Kitchen, plus Sheard should deal with pass or rush defense just fine. Just Hope Ninko's okay.

Seems a brutal season after a Super bowl, but we are guaranteed a weeks rest.

I forget, but we got the worst scheduled bye week too.

 

[supafly]

The notion that this defense is better than 2006 or 2007 is arguable, for sure. Personally, I think it's borderline absurd. People sure have short memories around here. Even the author's number charts show that the defenses of 2006 and 2007 were much better in yards allowed per drive, the number of plays per drive, the amount of points allowed, and the amount of turnovers caused.

Oddly enough, he titles the article "best defense in a decade," but clearly chooses to look past those dominant years in order to cherry pick the stats. Instead, the majority of the focus is on the rebuilding years of 2009--2013.




2006---14.8 points allowed (2nd in NFL)

--Allowed only 10 touchdowns via the air (#1), with 22 interceptions

--Top 10 in a) scoring, b) yards, c) first downs, d) turnovers caused, e) touchdowns given up both through the air and ground, f) YPC average in rush defense

--Front seven of Seymour, Warren, Wilfork, Bruschi, Vrabel, Colvin, Green, Wright, etc was very strong

--Asante Samuel had TWENTY FOUR passes defended and TEN interceptions

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2007---17.1 points allowed (4th in NFL)

--Top 10 in a) scoring, b) yards, c) first downs, d) turnovers caused, e) touchdowns on the ground, and this was all during lots of garbage time

--Seymour, Wilfork, Warren, Adalius Thomas, Vrabel, Seau, Harrison all legendary supporters

--While Samuel's #s didn't quite live up to the insane bar set in 2006, he still somehow managed to defend 18 more passes with another 6 interceptions

 

[supafly]

Hell, even the 2009 team only gave up 17.8 points per game.

As a matter of fact, every single defense in the past 10 years has been in the top 10 in points allowed, with the one exception being the 2011 team, which came in #15th.

This year's team is getting more pressure/sacks, but not coming close to producing as many turnovers seen in years past (#16th).

They're also giving up 4.1 YPC on the ground this season, and hovering right around their usual (at worst) points allowed average of approx. 20 points per game.

While I think it's been a pleasant surprise to see the pressure and decent pass coverage, I also think the author is a bit quick to dismiss many of the seasons in the past. This year's defense seems to be right on pace to most of the previous seasons, with both pluses and minuses in comparison.

 

[DarrylS]

The mind works in such a way the the most recent is the best memory, with that being said I really like this Defense.. is it the best in a long time, imo it is top 2-3 in this era because of balance and depth.

For a while have thought that BB has been trying to get to this spot by drafting unique D players players, however this is the first time that it seems as though he has really put it together.. maybe it is the ascendance of Patricia and his imprint or maybe it is his swiss army knife to available players..

What has impressed me most are the interchangeable roles of D players with no drop offs, i.e. our rush defense and personnel is as good as our pass defense and personnel, and many times they mix and match.

First time I can remember that every time they take the field there is a high probability that they can impose their will on any offense in the NFL..

 

[Off The Grid]

We will see what they got come the playoffs.

There it is.

 

[Off The Grid]

The mind works in such a way the the most recent is the best memory, with that being said I really like this Defense.. is it the best in a long time, imo it is top 2-3 in this era because of balance and depth.

For a while have thought that BB has been trying to get to this spot by drafting unique D players players, however this is the first time that it seems as though he has really put it together.. maybe it is the ascendance of Patricia and his imprint or maybe it is his swiss army knife to available players..

What has impressed me most are the interchangeable roles of D players with no drop offs, i.e. our rush defense and personnel is as good as our pass defense and personnel, and many times they mix and match.

First time I can remember that every time they take the field there is a high probability that they can impose their will on any offense in the NFL..

Beautifully said!!

It is certainly not measurable, but this is the most Fun I've had watching our Defense since 2004...Though the last Month of 2005 was also a blast!! Remember that Run we went on??

One cannot measure the savage Pleasure one feels when watching this Defense play...

I just know that I haven't felt it so strongly and consistently in Years.

 

[Off The Grid]

I'll call myself out and say that I expected Butler to be good but over the last few games not be THIS good.

Ditto!! I expected good things, but not even close to this Level of Play.