A curious thing about 2-2

[Pats1989]

2006 was the last time - lost to the donks, clots and jets at home
2005 - lost to the chargers, clots and fins at home
2002 - lost to the packers, donks and jets

Jets and Colts I remember. Denver doesn't ring a bell. Remember Chargers in 05 as that was the first home loss in like three years. Don't remember Fins in 05. Obviously your right as I looked it up.

A bad D is a bad D. Doesn't matter if it's home, road, mars.

 

[Tony2046]

I look forward to this week's re-watch thread. Granted we'll have very little turnaround time since we play again on Thursday night, but it would be good to figure this out on coaches films.

To me the communication breakdowns have occurred mostly with bunch routes but are being stressed by intentional post motion, WR releases, and forced zone coordination. Until this gets fixed and fast, we're going to see motion, stacks, and bunches every single snap until the cows come home.

FWIW, Gilmore's finger pointing also occurred last year in Buffalo (remember the breakdown on the Hogan TD), not a good sign that it's carried over into this year with NE.

I'm re watching the game right now. The communication is gawd awful in the secondary at times. I had missed the first three quarters of the game due to a napping error.

Anyways the rewatch thread should be a fun one this week.

One thing I want to add about Gilmore is that even if he's not in sync his competitiveness is there. He's chippy as hell. He hits hard when he tackles. I like that kind of play.

The good news is that a lot of the TD's this year have been due to breakdowns. Get rid of those and the defense will look good.

I agree with your bunch route comment and will focus on some of that in the rewatch thread. Thanks for the input.

 

[MainePatsFan26]

Well...yeah we've been in this spot before. Hopefully it turns out like it almost always does and we bounce back.

But there is pretty major concerns. The defense will improve by some margin, the question is will it be enough? With these LB's? Freaking trash. Bill has some giant coaching up to do, and quickly.

With Brady's career finite, I believe we should trade draft picks for linebackers before the trade deadline. Why worry about 3-5 years from now, when the window is likely 2-3 years max to win another title.

 

[ivanvamp]

I think it's the way the games have gone....truly historic the awfulness of the defense

The question is: Does anyone REALLY think that this defense, with Butler and McCourty and Chung and Gilmore and Hightower and Wise and Flowers, with BB and Patricia coaching them, is going to be the worst defense in NFL history?

I don't.

Therefore, I think it will improve. Perhaps significantly.

There are some holes, let's not kid ourselves. But their best D-linemen are young (Flowers, Wise, Brown, Butler), and their issues in the secondary are mainly communications issues. You HAVE to figure that gets sorted out and they at least become an AVERAGE defense.

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

Without Tom Brady, this team is easily 0-4.

They need drastic changes to the defense.

 

[PatriotsNumero1Fan]

The question is: Does anyone REALLY think that this defense, with Butler and McCourty and Chung and Gilmore and Hightower and Wise and Flowers, with BB and Patricia coaching them, is going to be the worst defense in NFL history?

I don't.

Therefore, I think it will improve. Perhaps significantly.

There are some holes, let's not kid ourselves. But their best D-linemen are young (Flowers, Wise, Brown, Butler), and their issues in the secondary are mainly communications issues. You HAVE to figure that gets sorted out and they at least become an AVERAGE defense.

Improve significantly? I believe they will improve but idk about significantly. It will mean going from t 32 to 15 in the league. This team will keep allowing yards. I hope you're right but something about this defense doesn't look right. Even the big fatties aren't stuffing the run.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Time to think about the path to winning the Division.
Once we see that, time to think about maybe getting a Bye.
No time, really, for anything else at this point.

 

[SammyBlueCat]

Part of the problem:


And, for God's sake, someone needs to find the real Nate Solder and get rid of the doppleganger.

His feet are not very quick. He needs to train with a red laser pen light.

 

[MainePatsFan26]

I agree they have too much talent, but what scares me is:

Why is it taking this long for the communication issues to get fixed?

And why are the miscommunication issues this bad?

Something seems off about their attitude, and it troubles me.

I think it is time to trade Butler. His contract issue was a distraction this offseason and his attitude can't be helping matters. If anything, I think we need a shakeup to let everyone know that anyone and everyone can be replaced. Bench Brown, trade Butler for another "lesser" corner and an average linebacker. Let's just churn through some players and give some practice squad guys a chance.

If you look at points per game, this defense isn't just embarrassing - it's Godforsaken.

 

[SammyBlueCat]

With Brady's career finite, I believe we should trade draft picks for linebackers before the trade deadline. Why worry about 3-5 years from now, when the window is likely 2-3 years max to win another title.

Which LB's do you have in mind? How will they learn the scheme?

 

[NG Pats Fan]

Jets and Colts I remember. Denver doesn't ring a bell. Remember Chargers in 05 as that was the first home loss in like three years. Don't remember Fins in 05. Obviously your right as I looked it up.

A bad D is a bad D. Doesn't matter if it's home, road, mars.

Denver beat us in New England in 2002 , 24-16

Shanahan owned BB during those years

 

[n1997y]

It's very odd: Every time they start out 2-2 ( 03, 14,) or 1-3 ( 01) they win a SB. Obviously not counting 04 and last season. The D has to improve. What are they gonna do if TB has an off game?

Brady had an off game today. He wasn't as sharp as he usually is. He missed quite a few throws, bounced one to a wide open Allen, quite a few other examples. Result showed what they gonna do, they gonna lose.

 

[supafly]

To be fair, they are a SB team on offense. I just don't know how you fix this D. Logan Ryan can't be that irreplaceable can he?

Those other Patriot teams didn't lose two home ( Minus 01) games. At least they lost in Miami or KC.

I understand the positives on offense and negatives on defense, but the defense is simply playing too poorly for the offense to realistically win 37-34 games all year long on their way to being a SB contender. That's going to catch up to them real quickly, let alone in January/February.

As a matter of fact, we've now lost 2 games where the offense scored 27 and 30 points, so at this specific point in time, I'm not even sure you can definitely call them a playoff team without seeing some significant improvements on the defensive side of the ball, let alone a SB contender. They look like a 9-7 or 10-6 team at the moment. Would that be enough to get in? Maybe, but it shouldn't be assumed, either.

 

[PatriotsNumero1Fan]

I understand the positives on offense and negatives on defense, but the defense is simply playing too poorly for the offense to realistically win 37-34 games all year long on their way to being a SB contender. That's going to catch up to them real quickly, let alone in January/February.

As a matter of fact, we've now lost 2 games where the offense scored 27 and 30 points, so at this specific point in time, I'm not even sure you can definitely call them a playoff team without seeing some significant improvements on the defensive side of the ball, let alone a SB contender. They look like a 9-7 or 10-6 team at the moment. Would that be enough to get in? Maybe, but it shouldn't be assumed, either.

How about going out there on Thursday and holding the bucs to 20 to 23 points. Not giving up 100 yards rushing.

 

[NG Pats Fan]

Brady had an off game today. He wasn't as sharp as he usually is. He missed quite a few throws, bounced one to a wide open Allen, quite a few other examples. Result showed what they gonna do, they gonna lose.

Yet he threw for 307 yards, 2 TDs and 104 pass rating on the number 2 D in NFL

 

[supafly]

4@KC
2@NO
2@Hou
3@Car

So its already 11.

So, they've already given up the same number of TD passes in 4 games that they gave up during the entire 2003 season. That's pathetic in and of itself, but the fact that both HOU and CAR were some of the lousiest offenses in the entire league says a lot, too, as does the amount of yardage, big plays of 20+ yards, 3rd down conversions, etc.

 

[TbSB5]

I'm going to be banned eventually for speaking the truth, but we are heading to Week 5. This team is 2-2. Don't bring up last year's team. Last year's team was 3-1 WITHOUT TOM BRADY. Once he came back the team was unstoppable. The defense was far superior. Their defense had a bend don't break type. This defense is a break all season long. It hasn't been one game. It's been all season long.

Stop bringing up 2014. Stop bringing up 2016. This is a different season, and unfortunately this is a season where you're likely to see the Patriots get bounced out in the first round of the playoffs. If the defense continues to play the way they are they won't even get into the AFCCG.

This is the worst Patriots defense since 2002. And yes, I'm 100% positive that 2011's defense was better. That's saying something.

 

[n1997y]

I think it is time to trade Butler. His contract issue was a distraction this offseason and his attitude can't be helping matters. If anything, I think we need a shakeup to let everyone know that anyone and everyone can be replaced. Bench Brown, trade Butler for another "lesser" corner and an average linebacker. Let's just churn through some players and give some practice squad guys a chance.

If you look at points per game, this defense isn't just embarrassing - it's Godforsaken.

Disagree. I think Gilmore is the CB that should go if anyone goes. He seems to be toxic to the DB chemistry, in Buffalo he was finger-pointing, he comes in here and all of sudden DMac is screwing up, Butler was having problems, the whole DB squad is in trouble.

 

[supafly]

How about going out there on Thursday and holding the bucs to 20 to 23 points. Not giving up 100 yards rushing.

Those would both be fine starts in attempting to get things turned around, particularly holding TB to 20 points.

If we can start holding other teams to the early 20s things would look a lot better.

 

[PatriotsNumero1Fan]

Disagree. I think Gilmore is the CB that should go if anyone goes. He seems to be toxic to the DB chemistry, in Buffalo he was finger-pointing, he comes in here and all of sudden DMac is screwing up, Butler was having problems, the whole DB squad is in trouble.

The guy needs to start earning his coin. He's getting paid a lot of money.