We are on to 2018

[WHPats]

I tried to remain confident in our defense, I tried to defend them whenever a lot of you pointed out their flaws, which were glaring. I always made the argument about yards not being as important as points. Well good defenses prevent yards and points because if you give up tons of yards, as we saw a good team will bury you in points. All of you who criticized the defense all year were absolutely right. Even most of the games we won we gave up a ton of yards and eventually the chickens came home to roost.

Who do you guys think will be released or not back next year? Any prominent names? We need the cap space to build this defense.

What about the draft and FA signings? Who should we and will we likely target?

 

[Triumph]

Defense needs over haul

 

[PatriotsFan87]

Looks like Schiano is planning on bringing another college defensive coordinator with him to New England.

Skull Session: Greg Schiano Reportedly Poaches a Gopher, Keita Bates-Diop Plays the Piano, and Antonio Pittman Reflects

 

[VegasGuy]

Although I've I been reading, I haven't posted anything since Sunday.

Not because we lost but because I'm still in a fog over the Butler situation.

This is the perfect thread to snap out of it though. Time to move. Nothing can change what happened.

Looking forward to free agency and the draft.

And Josh is staying! Hell yeah!

 

[mgteich]

Our DEs suck.....our LBs suck

DT is ok but need to find a fat guy to replace branch....brown and guy we’re pretty good and not a liability

DE Flowers does NOT suck!

 

[IllegalContact]

DE Flowers does NOT suck!

He’s just ok

It’s a collective suck

 

[maineman209]

I tried to remain confident in our defense, I tried to defend them whenever a lot of you pointed out their flaws, which were glaring. I always made the argument about yards not being as important as points. Well good defenses prevent yards and points because if you give up tons of yards, as we saw a good team will bury you in points. All of you who criticized the defense all year were absolutely right. Even most of the games we won we gave up a ton of yards and eventually the chickens came home to roost.

Who do you guys think will be released or not back next year? Any prominent names? We need the cap space to build this defense.

What about the draft and FA signings? Who should we and will we likely target?

The 2017 Pats front-7 included:

802 snaps (76%) - T. Flowers, 3rd Pats season ... 3rd NFL season
... including his rookie season when he was on IR
710 snaps (67%) - Van Noy, 2nd* Pats season
... 4th NFL (*played only a half season for the Pats in 2016)
582 snaps (55%) - Guy, 1st Pats season ... 8th NFL season
558 snaps (53%) - Roberts, 2nd Pats season ... 2nd NFL
543 snaps (51%) - Wise, ROOKIE
537 snaps (51%) - Brown, 3rd Pats season ... 3rd NFL season
473 snaps (45%) - A. Butler, ROOKIE
283 snaps (27%) - M. Flowers, 1st Pats season ... 3rd NFL season
... total of 72 defensive snaps played in his prior seasons
281 snaps (27%) - Lee, 1st Pats season ... 3rd NFL season
... no previous experience playing on defense anywhere
274 snaps (26%) - Branch, 4th Pats season ... 11th NFL
266 snaps (25%) - Marsh, 1st Pats season ... 4th NFL season
237 snaps (22%) - Hightower, 6th Pats season ... 6th NFL
181 snaps (17%) - Harris, 1st Pats season ... 11th NFL
88 snaps (8%) - RJF, 1st Pats season ... 10th NFL
57 snaps (5%) - Reilly, 1st Pats season (active roster)
... 4th NFL ... 139 defensive snaps in previous career
27 snaps (3%) - Harrison, 1st Pats season ... 16th NFL

38 combined snaps from Freeny, Langi (ROOKIE),
and Grigsby (1st Pats season)

In the secondary:

816 snaps (77%) - Gilmore, 1st Pats season
439 snaps (41%) - J. Jones, 2nd Pats season, 2nd NFL season
259 snaps (25%) - Rowe, 2nd Pats season, 3rd NFL season
214 snaps (20%) - Bademosi, 1st Pats season

This group allowed the 5th fewest points in the 2017 regular season and helped win 11 regular season games and two playoff games. You could give at least some of the 16 guys who've had limited (1-2 years) experience in the Pats system a little more time to learn it and develop, or you could just overreact to the Superbowl performance, ignore their collective season-long accomplishments, and turn majority of the defensive roster over AGAIN to start from scratch with a whole bunch of new players that you can only hope will somehow magically be "better" right off the bat.

 

[IllegalContact]

Rd1 : DE/DT Maurice Hurst
Rd2a: CB Mike Hughes
Rd2b: DE Arden Key
Rd3: LB Leighton Vander Esch
Rd4: RB Josh Adams

 

[The Brandon Five]

I've moved on. Just booked a hotel in Atlanta with my Hilton points.

Let's goooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[ohiopatsfan]

One thing the Pats could use is a little height at WR. Philly's tall receivers were a real problem all night. Four of our top 6 receivers are under 6'. That's why I'm hoping Britt makes the roster next season. Also some tall DB's would help.

 

[Rhodey]

We have the best program and franchise is the NFL...even amongst other sports teams. Bob Kraft will insure that the New England Patriots have the right football people in place and that they have what they need to succeed. He knows how this is done. Do you think he was just lucky when he found and hired Belichick, or was BB lucky to be found?

 

[aluminum seats]

One thing the Pats could use is a little height at WR. Philly's tall receivers were a real problem all night. Four of our top 6 receivers are under 6'. That's why I'm hoping Britt makes the roster next season. Also some tall DB's would help.

So Brady has to pass for 800 yards? This team needs defense.

 

[BTTA]

Honestly, I'm not feeling that upset. I really am not. I mean, they won two of the last three. Did they play bad at times? Sure. But it's life. I'm over it by tomorrow.

Tom Brady is still the best QB ever. The man is unreal. Most teams would've been blown out with anyone different.

This got 11 agrees and a Winner.

 

[maineman209]

One thing the Pats could use is a little height at WR. Philly's tall receivers were a real problem all night. Four of our top 6 receivers are under 6'. That's why I'm hoping Britt makes the roster next season. Also some tall DB's would help.

I presume you're thinking of taller WRs who will pick up the offensive system quickly, and consistently run the correct routes and make the correct adjustments properly and with good technique and consistent discipline. And catch the ball consistently.

I'm sure the Pats would love to acquire a couple of those.

 

[Mr.Bandwagon]

Me want some NASTY on our defense!!!!!
A hard hitting son of a bitc.hes type of defense!!!

 

[ATippett56]

Let the games begin. Thoughts, Speculations & drunken rants let's move on.

We are on to 2018 ................................................. hopefully without Jordan Richards.

 

[sean10mm]

Me want some NASTY on our defense!!!!!
A hard hitting son of a bitc.hes type of defense!!!

If they had linebackers who could just tackle at a league average level, the Patriots win the Super Bowl by 10.

 

[maineman209]

If they had linebackers who could just tackle at a league average level, the Patriots win the Super Bowl by 10.

If everybody on the defense had merely made tackles at the "normal" rate, the Pats likely would've won. Tackling (and block-shedding/avoidance) sucked team-wide from the get-go.

 

[SammyBlueCat]

We crave Cat like quickness up and down the roster.

 

[SammyBlueCat]

Looks like Schiano is planning on bringing another college defensive coordinator with him to New England.

Skull Session: Greg Schiano Reportedly Poaches a Gopher, Keita Bates-Diop Plays the Piano, and Antonio Pittman Reflects

Nope