The defense has a speed issue.

[pazrul72]

Agreed, my question is what do you think from tonight's obversations will be our biggest long term challenge as a team this season?

Stopping the run. Hard to say after just one game and I have the utmost faith in Bill to fix it but there is too much talent in the secondary to be giving up over 300 yards and 4 TDs thru the air every week. Hats off to Alex Smith who played the game of his life. That said more teams are going to watch this film and realize the pats front 6 isn't that good. Too many injuries, too many new faces, and not enough talent. Still WAAAAAY too early to be panicking or that the season is over and they suck. We have seen Bill win and fix worse so at this point it's merely data point one and could very easily be a fluke. Maybe they just had a bad game, maybe they read too much media saying they were gonna easily crush every team they played, maybe the defense was still in preseason vanilla...I can honestly say right now I have no idea. The only thing I do know is it will get better. The one thing everyone said could derail this season was injuries....hasn't been a good start so far. Here's hoping the rest of the year is better.

 

[Ring 6]

Stopping the run. Hard to say after just one game and I have the utmost faith in Bill to fix it but there is too much talent in the secondary to be giving up over 300 yards and 4 TDs thru the air every week. Hats off to Alex Smith who played the game of his life. That said more teams are going to watch this film and realize the pats front 6 isn't that good. Too many injuries, too many new faces, and not enough talent. Still WAAAAAY too early to be panicking or that the season is over and they suck. We have seen Bill win and fix worse so at this point it's merely data point one and could very easily be a fluke. Maybe they just had a bad game, maybe they read too much media saying they were gonna easily crush every team they played, maybe the defense was still in preseason vanilla...I can honestly say right now I have no idea. The only thing I do know is it will get better. The one thing everyone said could derail this season was injuries....hasn't been a good start so far. Here's hoping the rest of the year is better.

Its very simple. We can stop the run by not playing a defense with
2 DT
1 DE
2 LB
4 safeties
2 corners.

I honestly have no clue what we thought we were going to stop with that grouping.

 

[archstanton543]

Its very simple. We can stop the run by not playing a defense with
2 DT
1 DE
2 LB
4 safeties
2 corners.

I honestly have no clue what we thought we were going to stop with that grouping.

That pencil behind the ear to mark...what exactly...didn't help the Rocket Scientist tonight.

 

[NG Pats Fan]

Our front 7 doesn't have a single star. Flowers, Branch, Hightower are good players..everyone else is a JAG at best. Quite simply, this front 7 is not very talented compared to other front 7s in the NFL. Wise might be good, but he's not ready yet. Malcolm Brown was a huge disappointment tonight.

 

[supafly]

Its very simple. We can stop the run by not playing a defense with
2 DT
1 DE
2 LB
4 safeties
2 corners.

I honestly have no clue what we thought we were going to stop with that grouping.

Not meaning to sound like a smartass, but if it were as simple as you claim, why do you think Belichick and Patricia failed to recognize and adjust? What are the reasonable explanations, in your opinion?

I value your opinion on most things that relate to defense, so I'm interested in hearing your thoughts.

 

[Hercules Rockefeller]

Richards was very much playing linebacker responsibilities on most plays, spent much of the first half paying attention to his whereabouts and he was not always lined up over slot receivers or tight ends, there were times he was on the line of scrimmage in a stand up position just outside of the tackle. It appeared that he was an in the box player on most of his snape.

Neither endorsing or condoning this approach, though must admit to having an affinity for Richards greater than that of most of the forum. Some things certainly need to be ironed out going forward with the entirety of the defense, including/especially communication. This is the case every year, though it does not generally come with such a thorough and public evisceration. This does indeed remind of the 2014 opener with bizarre defensive schemes. So much of what the coaching staff does in September is based on figuring out what their personnel is and what their strengths are. Improvements are to be expected.

 

[doesntmatter1]

I actually think our speed is decent. Hell if we had slow Spikes we probably don't give up all of those rushing yards and possibly win. I like Kyle Van Noy in the passing game, but he is by far our worst run defender. I thought that was clear last year but for some reason we consistently stuck him in the middle and he was attacked all game. I don't know why he and Hightower didn't swap spots. It would've made a difference.

 

[luuked]

Malcolm Brown has been a disappointment to this point in his career. IF Vincent Valentine can stay healthy he's shown the ability to be disruptive.

Can you point so specific plays that make you feel that or are you just hot taking around ?

 

[luuked]

Its very simple. We can stop the run by not playing a defense with
2 DT
1 DE
2 LB
4 safeties
2 corners.

I honestly have no clue what we thought we were going to stop with that grouping.

You keep calling Richards a safety but from what it looked like on TV the majority of plays he played essentially LB/OLB. I hope we get a short blurb on this from one of our beat guys.

 

[RobertWeathers]

We need to trade for Mykal Kendricks...I've said it time and time on this board

So instead of allowing 42 points they'll only allow 35?

Hes not the answer.

 

[DarrylS]

David Harris played 2 snaps, WTF?? Is he not fitting in or are there other issues with him??

From my big comfy couch the D was lacking leadership and focus, too many times were they out of position and confused.. a team can have a bunch of track stars and if not playing together it means crap.

Stay tuned for the answers on talk radio today, it should be terrifically enlightening, probably hysterical, maybe they will endeavor into that area that oft comes up after a loss, has the NFL finally caught up to BB??..

 

[TomPatriot]

Its very simple. We can stop the run by not playing a defense with
2 DT
1 DE
2 LB
4 safeties
2 corners.

I honestly have no clue what we thought we were going to stop with that grouping.

It's a prevent defense that didn't prevent anything, especially in the 4th quarter.

 

[RobertWeathers]

David Harris played 2 snaps, WTF?? Is he not fitting in or are there other issues with him??

From my big comfy couch the D was lacking leadership and focus, too many times were they out of position and confused.. a team can have a bunch of track stars and if not playing together it means crap.

Stay tuned for the answers on talk radio today, it should be terrifically enlightening, probably hysterical, maybe they will endeavor into that area that oft comes up after a loss, has the NFL finally caught up to BB??..

I am avoiding EEI and TSH at all costs.

 

[DarrylS]

I am avoiding EEI and TSH at all costs.

Good day for Pandora.. which, unfortunately, I find myself doing more and more of lately.. the whole talk radio crews are insufferable..

 

[Soul_Survivor88]

I am avoiding EEI and TSH at all costs.

96.3 thd Big Jab then????

 

[Soul_Survivor88]

Good day for Pandora.. which, unfortunately, I find myself doing more and more of lately.. the whole talk radio crews are insufferable..

Still gotta listen to Zolak

Felger and the crew are entertaining, if you learn not to take them too seriously

 

[ausbacker]

I was particularly encouraged by the performances of Flowers and Butler (he looks to be real disruptive find) but I can't help but feel the LB crew could use a few additions, namely a potential trade (perhaps Kendricks) and most certainly an Akeem Ayers signing.

 

[RobertWeathers]

96.3 thd Big Jab then????

Never tuned into that station. Any good?

 

[RobertWeathers]

David Harris played 2 snaps, WTF?? Is he not fitting in or are there other issues with him??

From my big comfy couch the D was lacking leadership and focus, too many times were they out of position and confused.. a team can have a bunch of track stars and if not playing together it means crap.

Stay tuned for the answers on talk radio today, it should be terrifically enlightening, probably hysterical, maybe they will endeavor into that area that oft comes up after a loss, has the NFL finally caught up to BB??..

I think if they played Harris it would have been a lot worse. 50 points and 600 yds

He couldn't have matched up with those RBs.

 

[Soul_Survivor88]

Never tuned into that station. Any good?

Decent show, but definately a welcomed change from the other morning shows in Boston. None of the silly shenanigans of Toucher and Rich or self-obsessed, obscene banter of Minihane and Co.