Post Game Thread - Panthers @ Pats

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Defense is absolute garbage right now, normally I'm a wait till NOvember to judge kinda guy but I'm a bit concerned right now. Say what you want about the refs but we were pathetic today. Key 3rd down late and Carolina converts with a WR essentially playing on one leg, he just came on for one play and went right back out. We forced..... one punt all day is that correct? Against one of if not the worst offense in the nfl. There is lots of time left, but it is concerning when you are heading downwards, not upwards.

It's actually a borderline miracle we are 2-2 right now, thanks to Brady still being amazing at the age of 40. But he is taking way too many hits right now.

Punt coverage has been poor this year without Slater - 30th in the league in net punting at 38.6 yards coming into this game and I can't imagine those #'s got any better today. Hope he can return soon, seeing alot of the other teams starting at the 35ish, that is an underrated part of what we used to do so well in the past making the other team go the full field even when we punt from our own 30 or further back.

Ghostowski one of the few bright spots today, that fg before half was really huge just sucks its all for not - just like another vintage Brady 4th quarter and some more clutch plays from Amendola.

 

[luuked]

Keep defending this defense, living in your own little fantasy world.

2009 was undisciplined, struggled in close games, gave up a lot of yards and points on D...a lot of similarities

I am not defending this defense I am defending the coaching staff and am convinced that they will eventually figure it out.

The thing that hurts the team the most right now are not penalties but the big plays they allow because of blown coverages. Those are mental errors and therefore fixable.

I dont see anything more or less undisciplined than last year. Also they dont struggle in close games but struggle a lot in terms of their coverage against motions. I have no idea what it is that confuses the DBs when they happen but expect the gameplan on the backend to be extremely vanilla from now on until they can consistently fix this issue.

Nobody cares about how many yards you give up as long as you end up winning the game. Today they didnt win and it sucks but there are 12 more games to be played with all division games still to come.

I dont live in a fantasy world but am a realist - giving them until halfway into the season is the least you can do for a coaching staff with this track record.

 

[A Defiant Goose]

I made a post in the game thread saying this is the worst defense in the league and I had like 5 people disagree with my post. Statistically it is the worst defense in the league in people are in complete denial about it. Then we have people on here blaming the refs. It's pathetic.

So the refs deserve none of the blame and were perfect today?

 

[Brady6]

Were you a Patriots fan two years ago? They looked just as bad through 4 weeks in 2014, and that team won the Super Bowl

The defense was not this bad, not even close. They have never played this poorly defensively in the Belichick era.

 

[archstanton543]

I bet the rats would love to have us on our schedule right now.

They do...in two weeks.

 

[PatriotsNumero1Fan]

I think this defense is unfixable ( for this year). They might get a little better at LB when McClellan gets back, but the back end is toast! Butler is clearly their best DB and he will be gone after this year. McCourty and Gilmore are both god awful and have contracts that the Pat's can't get out from underneath.

Don't forget they resigned Harmon too! I don't see how you fix this.

I don't either. Maybe they can be good at times but they will give up yards. This d line has been dissapointing. Almost 500 yards of total offense. I guarantee you the panthers won't even get close to that the rest of the season.

 

[luuked]

Were you a Patriots fan two years ago? They looked just as bad through 4 weeks in 2014, and that team won the Super Bowl

They looked even worse with the OL looming like a really large issue. Compared to that, panicking over communication issues in the secondary is laughably stupid.

 

[PatriotsNumero1Fan]

They do...in two weeks.

Talking about the ravens. They might look like a legit offense against our defense.

 

[luuked]

So now you have a timeline with this defense?

I have been saying this even before the season started. **** my first post in the KC game was saying this. Both sides of the ball will need time to click, as they do every ****ing year.

 

[primetime]

I think coaching on defense is the bigger issue than talent. Yeah, there's been miscommunication, but there's a reason Smith, Watson, and now Newton have had their way with them. The irrational fear of mobile QBs leads to extremely conservative playcalling on defense. Ends maintain contain, tackles don't penetrate, coverages are usually soft zones.

It's funny, two years ago Newton won the MVP because teams stood back and let him pass. Then in the Super Bowl, Wade Phillips realized he doesn't really scramble, he just does designed runs very well. So they let loose and blitzed him and down went the Panthers. Belichick didn't seem to learn that lesson today.

 

[supafly]

Defense is absolute garbage right now, normally I'm a wait till NOvember to judge kinda guy but I'm a bit concerned right now. Say what you want about the refs but we were pathetic today. Key 3rd down late and Carolina converts with a WR essentially playing on one leg, he just came on for one play and went right back out. We forced..... one punt all day is that correct? Against one of if not the worst offense in the nfl. There is lots of time left, but it is concerning when you are heading downwards, not upwards.

It's actually a borderline miracle we are 2-2 right now, thanks to Brady still being amazing at the age of 40. But he is taking way too many hits right now.

Punt coverage has been poor this year without Slater - 30th in the league in net punting at 38.6 yards coming into this game and I can't imagine those #'s got any better today. Hope he can return soon, seeing alot of the other teams starting at the 35ish, that is an underrated part of what we used to do so well in the past making the other team go the full field even when we punt from our own 30 or further back.

Ghostowski one of the few bright spots today, that fg before half was really huge just sucks its all for not - just like another vintage Brady 4th quarter and some more clutch plays from Amendola.

The defense looks pretty poor. Anyone arguing against that is going to continue to look silly.

They can't stop the run up the middle. They can't cover or communicate effectively (with next 7/10 on the road). They can't rush the passer. They can't even really contain the passer. They commit stupid penalties that cost them games. They allow way too many yards and points.

 

[scott99]

Jets just won, we are tied with the Jets for 2nd place. Un ****ing believable. I have ZERO faith this defense can stop Winston on Thursday, not even sure they can keep McKown under 300 yards.

Belichick should make the defense run the hill ALL week long in practice.

 

[aluminum seats]

I would love to hear the internal conversations among the coaching staff. There's no question there's a lot of talent on that defense, very odd how horribly they're playing.

 

[maineman209]

My brother- who is a Phins' fanatic- just sent me a text " loved the officiating for the pats game" & a giant smile emoji.....that even he is admitting the refs screwed us is pretty huge.

When even Aikman questions multiple calls against the Pats, that's saying something.

Of course, it wasn't just the calls, it was the timing of them.

That said, the Pat secondary is still awful overall.

 

[NG Pats Fan]

Pre season:

Patriots fans mocked the jets about a 0-16 season
Patriots fans talked about going 16-0

After 4 weeks:

Patriots and Jets both 2-2.


You just never know in the NFL

 

[luuked]

The defense was not this bad, not even close. They have never played this poorly defensively in the Belichick era.

Turn on the Seattle game in 2012 please. Thanks.

 

[NG Pats Fan]

I would love to hear the internal conversations among the coaching staff. There's no question there's a lot of talent on that defense, very odd how horribly they're playing.

Gilmore leaves the bills and buffalo suddenly has the best defense in the NFL?

 

[Arialgg]

I feel horrible for all the guys on the O who made super clutch, great plays...& then theD can't hold up their end of the deal. (plus the refs of course)

 

[BradyFTW!]

The defense was not this bad, not even close. They have never played this poorly defensively in the Belichick era.

And the 2014 offense was nowhere near this good through 4 weeks.

 

[catent]

There’s more than Brady and McDaniels that are factors in the offensive production. They’re averaging 30/game, yet give up 32/game. Brady gets pummeled weekly, and has 10 TDs and 0 picks. Why is your beef with him? Good grief.

"Why is my beef" with Brady, as if I singularly targeted him and no other part of the team.