Is This Defense As Good As 2017?

[mgteich]

With a top 5 offense, the patriots have dominated the league without a top 5 defense (we have had a defense that is top 10 in points allowed). Is this defense as good as last year when we were the #2 best team in the NFL, and the best in the AFC?

Better, the same or worse: DE, DT, LB, CB, S, overall

DEFENSE (25)
DE (5) - Flowers, Rivers, Clayborne, Wise, Davis
DT (4) - Brown, Shelton, Guy, Butler
LB (4) - Hightower, Van Noy, Bentley, Roberts
CB (5) - Gilmore, Rowe, Dawson, J Jones, C Jones
S (3) - McCourty, Chung, Harmon
ST (3) - Ebner, King, Richards
open (1) - we need to choose a LB

And yes, we might replace Richards
====================

 

[mcmurtry86]

A healthy Hightower helps and the DL is slightly better on paper. CB
is worse though, downgrading from Butler to whoever takes his spot.

LB still is a major issue beyond Hightower and the lack of interior pass rush wasn't addressed. I expect better results in the run game and worse results in the pass game - as long as Hightower is healthy. If/when he goes down, the D is in big trouble

 

[Ras-IR Dowling]

I’m cautiously optimistic this defense will be better than last years, especially up front with regards to run defense and overall pressure. Scoring defense should be similar.

 

[maineman209]

If everybody stays relatively healthy, I expect the 2018 defense be significantly superior to the 2017 version.

 

[BaconGrundleCandy]

It's absolutely better up front. From the DL to the LB'S, I don't think there is any question.

It's the #2/slot positions that have to be solidified.

 

[Ras-IR Dowling]

It's absolutely better up front. From the DL to the LB'S, I don't think there is any question.

It's the #2/slot positions that have to be solidified.

Maybe it’s just me rooting for the kid to not bust but I say not only does Cyrus Jones make the squad he actually becomes a solid player for us defensively.

 

[jah]

Better: DL, EDGE, LB
Same: S
Same/maybe worse: CB

I think this defense will be better, but I don't think the improvement will be as significant as the regression on offense.

 

[Ring 6]

With a top 5 offense, the patriots have dominated the league without a top 5 defense (we have had a defense that is top 10 in points allowed). Is this defense as good as last year when we were the #2 best team in the NFL, and the best in the AFC?

Better, the same or worse: DE, DT, LB, CB, S, overall

DEFENSE (25)
DE (5) - Flowers, Rivers, Clayborne, Wise, Davis
DT (4) - Brown, Shelton, Guy, Butler
LB (4) - Hightower, Van Noy, Bentley, Roberts
CB (5) - Gilmore, Rowe, Dawson, J Jones, C Jones
S (3) - McCourty, Chung, Harmon
ST (3) - Ebner, King, Richards
open (1) - we need to choose a LB

And yes, we might replace Richards
====================

DE is improved by adding Rivers and clayborn and subtracting lee/marsh/Harrison
DT is improved by adding Shelton plus valentine to back him up, replacing the corpse that was Akam Branch and freeing brown to not play over the C
LB is improved by adding Hightower and Bentley.
CB will depend upon health. Eric Rowe has had injury issues since arriving here, including a lot of the time he played being less than 100%. If he is 100% the corner position will be better. If not it won’t.
S same

Putting it all together, there are areas of improvement on what was a very good defense that was flawed, and those flaws came out against certain opponents who could exploit them.
The improvements seem to be the kind that are needed to address those flaws.
Ultimately we were a defense that had little trouble with a lot of offenses by historical trouble with certain schemes and skill sets.
That turned out to be almost, but not quite enough. We will see what the improvements do.

 

[mosi]

Who the hell knows. Actually, the only thing I have learned about the Pats is if you think you know something before week 4, you know nothing.

The Pats D will have holes - as it always does. BB will try to minimize those. Remember, BB plays D to win the game. Not for stats, not for looks and not to make the people on this board feel good.

 

[Nunchucks]

With a top 5 offense, the patriots have dominated the league without a top 5 defense (we have had a defense that is top 10 in points allowed). Is this defense as good as last year when we were the #2 best team in the NFL, and the best in the AFC?

Better, the same or worse: DE, DT, LB, CB, S, overall

DEFENSE (25)
DE (5) - Flowers, Rivers, Clayborne, Wise, Davis
DT (4) - Brown, Shelton, Guy, Butler
LB (4) - Hightower, Van Noy, Bentley, Roberts
CB (5) - Gilmore, Rowe, Dawson, J Jones, C Jones
S (3) - McCourty, Chung, Harmon
ST (3) - Ebner, King, Richards
open (1) - we need to choose a LB

And yes, we might replace Richards
====================

I think they are clearly better at DE and DT. Rivers is on the team and Wise is a year better. Shelton is a clear upgrade over last year's Branch.

At LB, they are better with the addition of Bentley and Roberts in year three. Having Hightower should be enough.

CB - arguably the same or slightly worse, even though Butler was inconsistent at best.
Safety is the same.

 

[maineman209]

CB - arguably the same or slightly worse

If Rowe can stay healthy for more than 8-9 f**kin games, CB could easily be better than 2017.

 

[Jimke]

Who the hell knows. Actually, the only thing I have learned about the Pats is if you think you know something before week 4, you know nothing.

The Pats D will have holes - as it always does. BB will try to minimize those. Remember, BB plays D to win the game. Not for stats, not for looks and not to make the people on this board feel good.

After watching the Eagles game, I was excited with our new pass rushing defense.
Then, they reverted to the bend but not break which left Brady on the bench collecting
splinters.

 

[PatriotsNumero1Fan]

I am one that doesn’t go by PPG. The pass defense was iffy last season. Still made average QBs look great. I will wait and see what this defense does before saying anything. Can’t be any worse.

 

[Jimke]

Better: DL, EDGE, LB
Same: S
Same/maybe worse: CB

I think this defense will be better, but I don't think the improvement will be as significant as the regression on offense.

Belichick traded Cooks and let Amendola leave and failed to provide adequate
replacements. Too bad Britt, Matthews, and Mitchell got injured. Minimal
attempt to add any rookies.

 

[Deus Irae]

We won't know for months

 

[Ring 6]

After watching the Eagles game, I was excited with our new pass rushing defense.
Then, they reverted to the bend but not break which has won 15 AFCE titles, 27 playoff games, gone to 8 SBs won 5 of them in the last 18 years and been at least to the CGG 7 years running

Fixed it for you

 

[A Defiant Goose]

My first impression of this defense and the team is that this is gonna be a 2009 or 2013 type "bridge year." Lot of guys that were part of the last couple of years' dynasty aren't here anymore and we're probably gonna have to tone down the expectations

 

[Ring 6]

Belichick traded Cooks and let Amendola leave and failed to provide adequate
replacements. Too bad Britt, Matthews, and Mitchell got injured. Minimal
attempt to add any rookies.

cooks and Amendola out, Edelman and Patterson in.

 

[jah]

My first impression of this defense and the team is that this is gonna be a 2009 or 2013 type "bridge year." Lot of guys that were part of the last couple of years' dynasty aren't here anymore and we're probably gonna have to tone down the expectations

Yep. I've mentally prepared myself for a "down year" (12-4, loss in AFCCG).

 

[Ring 6]

My first impression of this defense and the team is that this is gonna be a 2009 or 2013 type "bridge year." Lot of guys that were part of the last couple of years' dynasty aren't here anymore and we're probably gonna have to tone down the expectations

What have we really lost though?
DE has been rebuilt. I expect clayborn, Rivers, Wise to be here a while and hopefully flowers gets resigned too.
Branch out, Shelton in.
Haven’t lost any LBs.
Butler out.