2017 Patriots Defense

[NG Pats Fan]

we are 3 weeks in, thoughts on the defense so far?

Anyone know what the defense ranks in the NFL so far?

 

[ScottishPatriots]

The defense is giving up 31.66 ppg, it literally blows so far.

One of the worst 5 defenses in the NFL right now, i expect it to improve but it can't get much worse it's only better than the Colts and Saints of the world right now.

Literally giving up twice as many points a game as they did last year.

 

[BradyFTW!]

September preseason, guys. Memorize the phrase.

What we've seen so far is concerning, but this is the reality of the NFL these days. The Pats are still trying to figure out what they have, and we've played the last 2 and a half games without Hightower. For now, the important thing is that we're 2-1. Could have been worse, but we got the W. It was a good day.

I'm concerned now, but I'm not going to panic or start drawing broad conclusions about this team's season-long prospects until/unless the defense still looks like this a month from now. In 2014, we looked like (and were) a .500 team through 4 weeks. Sometimes it takes time to stabilize.

 

[MassPats38]

It was not looking great in any category last week (29th), and I doubt the numbers here will boost that much.

This defense is a work in progress, with lots of new pieces and newbies tossed into the mix by injury. I expect Gilmore will improve, as will Marsh. Hightower is out, and he stabilizes quite a bit. They will get better, but they will look better or worse depending on whether the opposing team's strengths highlight the scheme weaknesses as the newbies get more comfortable.

The Texans today are way too familiar with the Pats, and Watson appears to be legitimate. It was a good win.

 

[Uptown]

According to NFL.com, we are currently ranked #TERRIBLE in the league. However, it’s still week 3-4. BB & Patricia will work things out. It seems to me, that the issues are mostly communication issues & not a talent issue. If the D still looks like this around week 10-11 (real football season according to BB), then......Brady’s gonna have to go on FULL GOAT MODE x 2

Just my .02 cents.

 

[MainePatsFan26]

For those with more of an x's and o'x understanding of defense, what is the main problem with this defense? While their awful play is likely the result of many causes, what is the chief one? Is it a failure to execute the gameplan or the gameplan itself? Or are these guys lacking in physical talent above all else?

 

[Patriot Missile]

We've seen this before. Not worried because the talent is there in most area's to be successful. They will get coached up and ready before December. Plus they have Hightower coming back soon. Not time to panic yet.

 

[ScottishPatriots]

We've seen this before. Not worried because the talent is there in most area's to be successful. They will get coached up and ready before December. Plus they have Hightower coming back soon. Not time to panic yet.

We've also seen where they stayed bad and got shredded in January, we HOPE it can be coached up but sometimes there's just not enough talent i still think it will be fixed but not without some trading and a player or two coming in here.

 

[Jangles]

Will it get better? Probably. But they're so bad that even vast improvement isn't going to make them very good. Merely serviceable

 

[Boomer B]

I think we have a lack of talent in the front 7.

Hightower is very good, but is injured. Flowers is good, and Wise is showing potential, but we are lacking impact players on the D-line and LBs compared to previous years.

Alex Smith and Deshaun Watson lit us up which is very concerning, but I have faith that by Thanksgiving Bill and Matt will have them playing better. Some of the bad D has to be placed on the coaches and gameplans as well.

If they don't get it figured out by Thanksgiving this team isn't going anywhere come playoff time.

 

[slash83]

So far yeah only 3 weeks in but let's be real they suck so far, anyone who says otherwise is an idiot.

 

[A Defiant Goose]

We have a defense?

 

[PatsBoy12]

This thread is about 4-5 weeks too early, even with the "so far" qualifier, especially with Hightower out.

 

[Kdo5]

we are 3 weeks in, thoughts on the defense so far?

Anyone know what the defense ranks in the NFL so far?

It is terrible so far. I still have faith that the secondary will bounce back but wow have they been shockingly bad.

Some of today's troubles are attributed to Watson's ability to scramble out of pressure which led to some of the longer passes once the play broke down.

I think Belichick failed to shore up the LB core in the offseason. HT is great but has a history of getting banged up and missing games. Roberts, Van Noy and co. are JAGs and at times worse. Going to be an issue moving forward. Hopefully they can make a mid season acquisition.

 

[RobertWeathers]

See you at Thanksgiving.

They haven't jelled yet and key players are hurt or playing like poop

 

[Biffins]

How the hell did we go from #1 in PPG with 15.6 average (next best is 17.8 Giants) in 2016 to #29/30 tied with Colts at 31 average in PPG. This is a ridiculous fall from grace.

We lost Ninko, Sheard, Long........... so clearly pass rush hasn't worked.

Branch has mailed it in, and Brown is what he is, a JAG, so clearly the front line is not working.

And Butler's play has regressed so that replacing Ryan (who came on strong especially second half of last year) with Gilmore has been a net negative so far.

And Van Noy is no Bruschi/Mayo/Hightower. Reminds me of the dark days when JAG/scrub Gary Guyton used to wear the green dot and chaos and confusion reigned supreme in the ranks and Pats pass defense was ranked #30 in league in 2010 and #31 in league in 2011, and #29 in league in 2012. Yeah really, we were that bad. And we're back there, we're currently ranked #31 in Passing Defense average 350 yards per game against us. WOW!

Only safety play has held up.

Atleast we don't have Kyle Arrington playing DE, rushing the passer like in 2010.

 

[TennisBallHead]

What's the point of training camp and preseason if it takes 1/4 of the season to "figure out what they have"?

It doesn't feel like the roster has a ton of turnover. We already know Van Noy sucks. Gillmore is the only new DB. What is the problem?

 

[Kdo5]

We've seen this before. Not worried because the talent is there in most area's to be successful. They will get coached up and ready before December. Plus they have Hightower coming back soon. Not time to panic yet.

Yet it may have been time to panic if not for Brady's heroics. That defense must start playing better NOW. We could easily be sitting here 1-2 and the situation would be more dire. Week 3 would have been a must win.

 

[Kdo5]

How the hell did we go from #1 in PPG to #32 in PPG.

We lost Ninko, Sheard, Long........... so clearly pass rush hasn't worked.

Branch has mailed it in, and Brown is what he is, a JAG, so clearly the front line is not working.

And Butler's play has regressed so that replacing Ryan (who came on strong especially second half of last year) with Gilmore has been a net negative so far.

And Van Noy is no Bruschi/Mayo/Hightower. Reminds me of the dark days when JAG/scrub Gary Guyton used to wear the green dot and chaos and confusion reigned supreme in the ranks and Pats pass defense was ranked #30 in league in 2010 and #31 in league in 2011, and #29 in league in 2012. Yeah really, we were that bad.

Only safety play has held up.

Eh? They were terrible in Week 1, average in Week 2 and not good again today.

 

[jmt57]

This is probably a side effect of the CBA, limiting practice time. As the season progresses the defense should noticeably improve. The injuries have exacerbated that situation.

In 2016 that occurred in week 3. In the first two games the Patriots allowed 45 points, 44 first downs and 801 total yards in their first two games, In the next game the Pats D pitched a shutout.

The Patriots began 2015 by allowing 26.5 points per game, 408 yards per game, and 23 first down per game. They followed that up by allowing only 23 points over the next two games.

In 2014 the Pats gave up 33 points and 25 points in week one. Soon after that allowed 41 points, 443 yards and 26 first downs. Many infamously wrote them off at that point.



Certainly the defense is a concern as of this moment, it's not something you can completely right off. Don't forget the Patriots were without three starters on defense today. Hopefully the injuries will not continue to pile up. Let's see how they look next week. It's still way too early to declare how the defense will perform for the remainder of the season.