Can a defense as bad as Atlanta's win a SB?

[SVN]

our defense in 2011 was much worse than the Atlanta D is, and we all know how close we came in THAT game. The Falcons can absolutey win this superbowl.....IF....the Pats don't bring their A game on both sides of the ball

Our current D is a couple of dropped passes from fuller or coates or hamilton from having its stats become worse. Those were not great defensive plays. Just easy drops.Its a game of inches where the defense got things going their way . Thats why all this stats have no meaning in this game.

 

[neuronet]

our defense in 2011 was much worse than the Atlanta D is, and we all know how close we came in THAT game. The Falcons can absolutey win this superbowl.....IF....the Pats don't bring their A game on both sides of the ball

Yeah I hate when this board gets ****y...karma gods need balance.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Fiery little guy, that Bob Sanders.

DPoY too

Human missle. Had no regard for his body.

 

[FourierSeries]

Yeah I hate when this board gets ****y...karma gods need balance.

There's no such thing as karma.

 

[Ring 6]

our defense in 2011 was much worse than the Atlanta D is, and we all know how close we came in THAT game. The Falcons can absolutey win this superbowl.....IF....the Pats don't bring their A game on both sides of the ball

2011 Patriots were not even close to as bad as this d.

 

[patfanken]

2011 Patriots were not even close to as bad as this d.

Really Andy? IIRC that 2011 D needed the Saints D to have an utter collapse in the last game or THAT Pat's D would have been the worst ever in yards allowed. Instead the Saints D have that "honor" by less than 100 yds. So yest Andy that D was close to being historically bad.

That being said, like most Pat's defenses their scoring D was much better than the total D. IIRC around 18th that year, and like Atlanta's D, they were improving over the last third of the season. Improving to the point where, I have said many times, the Defense was NOT the reason we lost that Superbowl, holding the Giants to 13 pts until that final drive

And THAT being said, I have never said this was a good Atlanta Defense and I believe there are many "experts" who are wildly overrating it because they did so well against an WOEFUL OL and banged up D of the Seahawks, and a truly horrible Packer D that employed a really bad defensive game plan, and also had a couple of OLmen go out of that game. Plus they never had to play from behind in both those games.

If fact to a lesser degree, the Atlanta D reminds me of the Pats 2011 D. So it is possible that they can do as well as the 2011 D did in the superbowl, but I would be surprise if the Pats don't get more than 30 tomorrow.

 

[luuked]

It will come down to turnovers.. avoid them and there is a pretty good chance that we win this game..

 

[Ring 6]

Really Andy? IIRC that 2011 D needed the Saints D to have an utter collapse in the last game or THAT Pat's D would have been the worst ever in yards allowed. Instead the Saints D have that "honor" by less than 100 yds. So yest Andy that D was close to being historically bad.

That being said, like most Pat's defenses their scoring D was much better than the total D. IIRC around 18th that year, and like Atlanta's D, they were improving over the last third of the season. Improving to the point where, I have said many times, the Defense was NOT the reason we lost that Superbowl, holding the Giants to 13 pts until that final drive

And THAT being said, I have never said this was a good Atlanta Defense and I believe there are many "experts" who are wildly overrating it because they did so well against an WOEFUL OL and banged up D of the Seahawks, and a truly horrible Packer D that employed a really bad defensive game plan, and also had a couple of OLmen go out of that game. Plus they never had to play from behind in both those games.

If fact to a lesser degree, the Atlanta D reminds me of the Pats 2011 D. So it is possible that they can do as well as the 2011 D did in the superbowl, but I would be surprise if the Pats don't get more than 30 tomorrow.

Are we really digressing into yards as the gauge of a defense?

The 2011 defense would have been eaten alive if it was facing the 2016 patriot offense.

 

[PatsBoy12]

The 2011 Patriots came one Welker catch or Manningham drop from winning with what, at the time, was the worst statistical defense of all time. And nobody was saying it was a down year then. Different year, different opponent, though, so hard to say.

Bottom line, I think it'll be close. NE had better score some points in the first quarter because I think ATL will.

 

[Ring 6]

Really Andy? IIRC that 2011 D needed the Saints D to have an utter collapse in the last game or THAT Pat's D would have been the worst ever in yards allowed. Instead the Saints D have that "honor" by less than 100 yds. So yest Andy that D was close to being historically bad.

That being said, like most Pat's defenses their scoring D was much better than the total D. IIRC around 18th that year, and like Atlanta's D, they were improving over the last third of the season. Improving to the point where, I have said many times, the Defense was NOT the reason we lost that Superbowl, holding the Giants to 13 pts until that final drive

And THAT being said, I have never said this was a good Atlanta Defense and I believe there are many "experts" who are wildly overrating it because they did so well against an WOEFUL OL and banged up D of the Seahawks, and a truly horrible Packer D that employed a really bad defensive game plan, and also had a couple of OLmen go out of that game. Plus they never had to play from behind in both those games.

If fact to a lesser degree, the Atlanta D reminds me of the Pats 2011 D. So it is possible that they can do as well as the 2011 D did in the superbowl, but I would be surprise if the Pats don't get more than 30 tomorrow.

The 2011 patriots allowed 638 more yards all season and 64 less points than the 2016 falcons. And they were 13-3 vs 11-5 by the way.

No chance 638 less yards and 64 more points with 2 more losses is better.

 

[Ring 6]

Really Andy? IIRC that 2011 D needed the Saints D to have an utter collapse in the last game or THAT Pat's D would have been the worst ever in yards allowed. Instead the Saints D have that "honor" by less than 100 yds. So yest Andy that D was close to being historically bad.

That being said, like most Pat's defenses their scoring D was much better than the total D. IIRC around 18th that year, and like Atlanta's D, they were improving over the last third of the season. Improving to the point where, I have said many times, the Defense was NOT the reason we lost that Superbowl, holding the Giants to 13 pts until that final drive

And THAT being said, I have never said this was a good Atlanta Defense and I believe there are many "experts" who are wildly overrating it because they did so well against an WOEFUL OL and banged up D of the Seahawks, and a truly horrible Packer D that employed a really bad defensive game plan, and also had a couple of OLmen go out of that game. Plus they never had to play from behind in both those games.

If fact to a lesser degree, the Atlanta D reminds me of the Pats 2011 D. So it is possible that they can do as well as the 2011 D did in the superbowl, but I would be surprise if the Pats don't get more than 30 tomorrow.

2011 patriots also had 34 takeaways vs 22 for 2016 atl.
Are you seriously telling me an extra 638 yards means more than 12 takeaways?



2011 patriots also allowed 27 less yards and 10 less points in their 2 conference playoff games than 2016 Atlanta.

 

[SVN]

Troy Brown: ‘Over confidence is in the air right now’

As Troy Brown says overconfidence is in the air right now. Especially in this game, anything can happen.

 

[NYCPatsFan]

Troy Brown: ‘Over confidence is in the air right now’

As Troy Brown says overconfidence is in the air right now. Especially in this game, anything can happen.

True, but Brown also points out that it is 'not from this team' and refers to the fans and people around right?

As long as the players are not too confident, I am good.

Our emotions, ****iness, insecurity and prayers have zilch to do with what happens on the field tomorrow. I know, talk about being Mr. Obvious.

I do appreciate the various analysis and insights shared by posters as to why they think our D is better or why our O is better. And as an avid Patsfan very much in the enemy territory, I can only hope that they are right.

Irrespective of the result tom, I am so friggin proud of BB, TB and our TEAM for doing so well without Gronk and against the NFL* and its spineless leaders who do so much in the name of 'integrity'.

GO PATS!!

 

[Nikolai]

There's no such thing as karma.

Or football gods...

 

[deroc5050]

Over the last 30 years only 125 football teams have allowed more points than the 2016 Falcons.
4 made the playoffs.
1 won any playoff games the 2009 cardinals.

They face Tom Brady tomorrow.
This is a historic mismatch.

Anything can happen, stats are for losers especially when you enter the Super Bowl.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

There's no such thing as karma.

Oh man you shouldn't say that. It's bad karma

 

[FourierSeries]

Troy Brown: ‘Over confidence is in the air right now’

As Troy Brown says overconfidence is in the air right now. Especially in this game, anything can happen.

True. Especially from Falcons fans and players.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

I've been doing some watching and checking on Atl's D. From my point of view it appears their most recent upgrade in success on D has been due to pass rush and a general very high intensity to the ball/individual matchups. Teams have had some offensive success but Atl has disrupted the QB frequently enough to get stops/get their O back on the field. If the pass rush is thwarted there is production waiting to happen.
If our OL can turn in a B+ grade or better performance the post game theme definitely will not be about Atl's D. OTOH if Atl can win that pass rush battle on a semi-frequent basis then I suspect the post game take will be Atl's December-January defense was their real D (not the full season stats = a weak Atl D).

 

[neuronet]

I've been doing some watching and checking on Atl's D. From my point of view it appears their most recent upgrade in success on D has been due to pass rush and a general very high intensity to the ball/individual matchups. Teams have had some offensive success but Atl has disrupted the QB frequently enough to get stops/get their O back on the field. If the pass rush is thwarted there is production waiting to happen.
If our OL can turn in a B+ grade or better performance the post game theme definitely will not be about Atl's D. OTOH if Atl can win that pass rush battle on a semi-frequent basis then I suspect the post game take will be Atl's December-January defense was their real D (not the full season stats = a weak Atl D).

They are a very fast, hawkish defense that has really come into their own in the second half of the season. I think a lot of posters here have not watched the Falcons play. Dismissing the game last week as "Oh the Packers offense just sucks" seems pure delusion frankly. The Packers won *without* Jordy Nelson in Dallas. People here making these prediction posts, supporting their blowout predictions based on pure stats, are going to be surprised by how fast and physical the Atlanta defense is once they see the game. And contrary to popular opinion, they do know how to play man when the situation calls for it.

Source: Living in NC I am forced to see a lot of Falcons games.

So we need to temper expectations.

Prediction: Pats 38 Falcons 10

 

[fightingirish595]

Fiery little guy, that Bob Sanders.

In his only 2 full seasons he was all pro both times