Pats D still Number 2 in AFC points against

[skinnydog]

I don't see your point, you just prove that your own argument of PPG is meaningless.

Anyways, the 2003 team defense might be one of the greatest of all-time nobody talks about. The passer rating against them was 56.2, with only 11 TDs passes scored against them all year (and 29 INTs). That's 10 base point better than the 2nd best team that year.

The 2002 Bucs defense passer rating was at 48.4 (10 TD passes all year) while the mighty 2000 Ravens defensive passer rating wasn't even top in the league that year, at 62.5.

The 2003 Pats allowed an average of 4.4 yards per play, just 0.2 yards more than the 2002 Bucs and 0.1 more than the 2000 Ravens.

During that time period, Super Bowl winners had all a great pass defense : The Rams were number 2 in the league in '99, Ravens 3rd in 2000, Pats 3rd in 2001, Bucs 1st in 2002, Pats 1st in 2003.

Then Polian changed the rules after 2003, and for a few years stopping the pass seemed to be less important for winning Super Bowls : Pats 7th in 2004, Steelers 8th in 2005, Colts 15th in 2006.

In the last 3 years, 2 of the 3 Super Bowl winners were in the top 5 in defending the pass. The other (2014 Pats) was 10th.

Currently in 2016 the Pats are 14th. But they are pretty good at not allowing TD passes (3.7%, 10th in the league). Their ranking would be a lot higher with a few more INTs.

We all know the Pats play a bend but don't break defense. The basic idea is to take away long, easy score, and make the offense score over a long drive, knowing that at some point chances are the offense will make a mistake, be that a penalty, a turnover, or simply not executing properly. The problem here, biggest fear for a one-and-done playoff game, is that a playoff opponent is probably better than average, and thus less apt to shoot themselves in the foot. So from a player execution, it could lead to more points allowed than our season average. That's another reason why I don't trust the PPG regular season stat as a measure of how well we can do in the playoffs. And, lo0king beyond the PPG, mostly at our efficiency stats, I'm a bit concerned.

Again, this defense does not suck. But it is not showing up in efficiency numbers that past Super Bowl winners have had.

This post pretty much sums up the complaints about the Pats defense. Points per game is a valuable stat, but especially for regular season performance. And the Pats offense (lack of turnovers especially on the Pats side of the field) and special teams have greatly contributed to the Pats defensive points per game stats. The Pats being number 1 in the league in terms of opponents starting field position is a significant contributing factor in terms of defensive points allowed.

Yes, we're all spoiled, but the issue most have about this defense is not whether it is good enough to hold off the Jets or 49ers or Browns or Steelers without Ben, but whether it is good enough to win in the playoffs against a team with a good enough defense to slow down our offense. That's why defensive efficiency stats, especially defensive passing efficiency stats are as or more important to playoff success than points per game stats.

 

[skinnydog]

Or the 2010 team, last in yards per game and came within a Welker whisker of winning. If you have a great offense you only need an average defense. One side of the ball has to be great, in today's NFL with the salary cap the best you can hope for is one side to be great and carry the team.

Your far more likely to win a Super Bowl with a great defense than a great offense unless your QB is TB12.

 

[skinnydog]

I think almost every team would waste a down to burn the clock in that situation. It's almost a no brainer.

You don't leave time in the clock. That's just common sense.

Especially with this defense

 

[skinnydog]

Of course (I'm assuming you mean the 2011 team though...and that 2011 NFL season, maybe because of the lockout, is an aberration...probably the worst defensive year in NFL history across the board) !
It's a team game, and with a salary cap it's not possible to have a superstar/playmaker at each position.
But if we look at the Pats previous Super Bowl wins, the defense in 2001 and 2003 were great, and the 2004 was pretty good (from an efficiency standpoint). The last 'great' defense was 2006, and we had a legitimate shot at winning the Super Bowl if not for the flu bug the week of the AFC Championship and the injuries at LB.

In 2014, the offense had to score more than 100 points in 3 playoffs games and Brady had 10 TD passes. Those are amazing numbers, and it's not something we can expect the offense to do every postseason.

This team is very good, certainly a Super Bowl contender, but I'm concerned that this defense, given that they are showing similar efficiency numbers to previous editions that didn't win it all, might not be able to hold its own should the offense falters.

So true because a good defense can make a good offense falter and the playoffs are full of good defenses.

 

[Jangles]

good effort so far today by the D

Jets on pace for 40

stay tuned

 

[TbSB5]

17-3 by the end of the half. Book it. B-b-but the defense is great

 

[JayNM]

****ING MASON IS BLOCKING TOWARDS BRADY

 

[Jangles]

Somehow the Pats will come back and win this game and Andy will be in here talking about how the D did a great job by keeping the Jets from scoring more points than we scored

 

[Ring 6]

17-3 by the end of the half. Book it. B-b-but the defense is great

Guess you are wrong

 

[TbSB5]

Guess you are wrong

True. 17-10. Lets be honest. This defense sucks.

 

[Kontradiction]

That Belichick didn't accept the penalty in the first quarter to push the Jets out of FG range and instead declined it and left them in range spoke volumes.

 

[condon84]

That Belichick didn't accept the penalty in the first quarter to push the Jets out of FG range and instead declined it and left them in range spoke volumes.

I was thinking the exact same thing.

This D just looks like they lack imagination. Their blitzes are easy to pickup.

 

[Ring 6]

True. 17-10. Lets be honest. This defense sucks.

Wrong again

 

[Jangles]

Wrong again

I mean the defense definitely sucks, fortunately he was wrong about the score though

Look at that mighty Seahawks offense just shredding the Bucs.

5 whole points so far with 10 minutes left in the 3rd.

Mighty bucs defense

 

[patsfan-1982]

I was thinking the exact same thing.

This D just looks like they lack imagination. Their blitzes are easy to pickup.

they lack talent 26 sacks and 13 FF's are traded or benched from last years defense

 

[Ring 6]

I mean the defense definitely sucks, fortunately he was wrong about the score though

Look at that mighty Seahawks offense just shredding the Bucs.

5 whole points so far with 10 minutes left in the 3rd.

Mighty bucs defense

Another good defensive game. 17 points 2 takeaways mamy key stops in a day the offense was bad.

 

[FourierSeries]

I mean the defense definitely sucks, fortunately he was wrong about the score though

Look at that mighty Seahawks offense just shredding the Bucs.

5 whole points so far with 10 minutes left in the 3rd.

Mighty bucs defense

You're a prime example of why the opinion of high school dropouts should not be taken seriously.

 

[Jangles]

Another good defensive game. 17 points 2 takeaways mamy key stops in a day the offense was bad.

I'll eat a little crow today

I still don't think we have a good defense, but they played well when it mattered

 

[Jangles]

You're a prime example of why the opinion of high school dropouts should not be taken seriously.

Ha! I get it

Because I dropped out of high school.

Jokes on you though because I didn't

 

[FourierSeries]

Ha! I get it

Because I dropped out of high school.

Jokes on you though because I didn't

There's not a single person on the planet who believes that.