2019 Front Six

[Tony2046]

And, perhaps the patriots will be willing to pay Flowers $13M AAV, if he is available for that amount. I do think that #1 corners are worth more.

I used to think that.

 

[Patriot Missile]

Defense just needs some additions. We always harp on how bad the Pats are, but when I look around the league, I don’t see too many dominant ones out there. The league is all about scoring now, lot of payroll on the defensive side for some of these teams and they are still giving up big points in some of their games. Even the so called good ones.

Hopefully they can hit big with some of their choices this up coming draft to help shore up the D unit.

A lot of over exaggeration over just a bad loss. Nobody was complaining when they held the Vikings receivers to low yardage. **** happens.

 

[borg]

I read your thread, and conclude that we are in fine shape. Sure we can use a draft pick or two to upgrade, and will need to re-sign or replace Flowers, but the core is a top 10 defense.

4 road losses to teams that rank in scoring...
#32
#27
#29
#23
giving up ....
26 pts
31 pts
34 pts
34 pts

 

[TheRainMaker]

The last two weeks have really exposed the weakness in the middle of the defense. They really need to somehow find a guy that is a run stuffing DT. Snacks Harrison would've been a great addition for this team down the stretch. The best D-lines the Pats had where when they had elite run stuffing DT's like Ted Washington (f***ing beast!), Keith Traylor (very good), and Vince Wilfork (very good). Getting teams in consistent 3 and 6+ will expose your mediocre QB's like Tannehill.

Elandon Roberts is still a massive liability. He is the king of getting swallowed up in the trash and hits the wrong holes. He also missed a routine tackle in the open field on a player I can't remember.

So Trey Flowers had 2 sacks Sunday, which puts him now at 6.5 sacks on the season. He's 1.5 sacks away from my benchmark of 8 sacks which I think will help him get close to a contract some people think he'll get. I still don't think he'll get $15M but I think more close to $13M if he hits the benchmark of 8 sacks. If he finishes with at least 10 sacks, more money will be coming his way. Every sacks he gets going forward hurts the Pats chances of resigning him.

 

[supafly]

4 road losses to teams that rank in scoring...
#32
#27
#29
#23
giving up ....
26 pts
31 pts
34 pts
34 pts

They’ve given up 26+ in 6/13 games this year. I don’t know how in the world anyone can think this defense is in good shape for either 2018 or 2019, but I can appreciate the idea that there are a group of core players under contract which Belichick can build around.

In my opinion we need improvements at all three lines of defense, and I fully expect this to happen during the months of March and April. Once that occurs, I think there’s a very good chance that we see a fairly dominant defense again. Like I mentioned in another thread, I see similarities between the 2005 and 2006 offseason. There was great improvement after our weaknesses were exposed in the ‘05 season.

 

[Brady6]

I don't think this group is bad at all going into the offseason. Yes, we need to replace Flowers. Yes, we need to draft a DT and a LB, but we start with a good group.

DL: Wise, Guy, Clayborne, Brown, Butler, Simon
LB: Hightower, Van Noy, Roberts, Bentley, Sam
ST: King

???: Rivers, Davis, Shelton

Brown, Simon, and Shelton are all free agents. Patriots can save $8M cutting Hightower so I can’t see him being back without a restructure.

 

[TheRainMaker]

The Patriots, to date, are allowing 4.9 yards per rushing attempt. I'd have to look it up, but I believe that might be one of the worst totals to this point in the season a Belichick Pats defense has had.

Glaring stat shared by @KontradictioN on his thread "Keeping track of the defense". D line needs more help than @mgteich estimated.

 

[Kontradiction]

Glaring stat shared by @KontradictioN on his thread "Keeping track of the defense". D line needs more help than @mgteich estimated.

For reference...

• 2017 - 4.7 YPA (31st)
• 2016 - 3.9 YPA (11th)
• 2015 - 4 YPA (15th)
• 2014 - 4 YPA (10th)
• 2013 - 4.5 YPA (24th)
• 2012 - 3.9 YPA (6th)
• 2011 - 4.6 YPA (25th)
• 2010 - 4.2 YPA (16th)
• 2009 - 4.4 YPA (23rd)
• 2008 - 4.1 YPA (15th)
• 2007 - 4.4 YPA (28th)
• 2006 - 3.9 YPA (10th)
• 2005 - 3.6 YPA (4th)
• 2004 - 3.9 YPA (11th)
• 2003 - 3.6 YPA (6th)
• 2002 - 4.7 YPA (29th)
• 2001 - 4.3 YPA (21st)
• 2000 - 3.7 YPA (6th)

This is, to date, the worst Belichick-coached Pats defense against the run. Not even the lowly 2011 and 2002 defenses were that bad.

 

[BelizePats]

Unfortunately, the above stats pretty much sum it up.
And this does circle back around to what Kontra was saying about the poor 1st and 2nd round draft misses the last few years.

 

[Mack Herron]

For reference...

• 2017 - 4.7 YPA (31st)
• 2016 - 3.9 YPA (11th)
• 2015 - 4 YPA (15th)
• 2014 - 4 YPA (10th)
• 2013 - 4.5 YPA (24th)
• 2012 - 3.9 YPA (6th)
• 2011 - 4.6 YPA (25th)
• 2010 - 4.2 YPA (16th)
• 2009 - 4.4 YPA (23rd)
• 2008 - 4.1 YPA (15th)
• 2007 - 4.4 YPA (28th)
• 2006 - 3.9 YPA (10th)
• 2005 - 3.6 YPA (4th)
• 2004 - 3.9 YPA (11th)
• 2003 - 3.6 YPA (6th)
• 2002 - 4.7 YPA (29th)
• 2001 - 4.3 YPA (21st)
• 2000 - 3.7 YPA (6th)

This is, to date, the worst Belichick-coached Pats defense against the run. Not even the lowly 2011 and 2002 defenses were that bad.

Pretty amazing that our "unmovable" run stopper cannot get on the field. If Shelton does not dress Sunday, why is he still on the roster?

Also wondering if benching JMac in Miami creates a possible opening for Dawson? Not that I think there is any easy fix here. The players are simply not good enough. But they will have to play better Sunday to keep hope alive.

 

[mgteich]

Shelton is an inactive NT, and will be inactive unless there is an injury. It really is OK to have inactive healthy backups. Of course, Shelton is overpaid and won't be back.

Pretty amazing that our "unmovable" run stopper cannot get on the field. If Shelton does not dress Sunday, why is he still on the roster?

 

[WaterfallJumper]

Shelton is an inactive NT, and will be inactive unless there is an injury. It really is OK to have inactive healthy backups. Of course, Shelton is overpaid and won't be back.

Sure, but it's fair to be frustrated that we have an enormous problem stopping the run, and the guy who is best suited physically to answering that problem can't seem to get his act together.

 

[mgteich]

Sure, but it's fair to be frustrated that we have an enormous problem stopping the run, and the guy who is best suited physically to answering that problem can't seem to get his act together.

fair enough

 

[primetime]

For reference...

• 2017 - 4.7 YPA (31st)
• 2016 - 3.9 YPA (11th)
• 2015 - 4 YPA (15th)
• 2014 - 4 YPA (10th)
• 2013 - 4.5 YPA (24th)
• 2012 - 3.9 YPA (6th)
• 2011 - 4.6 YPA (25th)
• 2010 - 4.2 YPA (16th)
• 2009 - 4.4 YPA (23rd)
• 2008 - 4.1 YPA (15th)
• 2007 - 4.4 YPA (28th)
• 2006 - 3.9 YPA (10th)
• 2005 - 3.6 YPA (4th)
• 2004 - 3.9 YPA (11th)
• 2003 - 3.6 YPA (6th)
• 2002 - 4.7 YPA (29th)
• 2001 - 4.3 YPA (21st)
• 2000 - 3.7 YPA (6th)

This is, to date, the worst Belichick-coached Pats defense against the run. Not even the lowly 2011 and 2002 defenses were that bad.

The 2002 rushing defense was probably one of the worst rushing defenses I've ever seen. This is sad. Also not sure it's right - PFR has them at 4.7 y/a last year and 4.9 this year.

 

[Kontradiction]

The 2002 rushing defense was probably one of the worst rushing defenses I've ever seen. This is sad. Also not sure it's right - PFR has them at 4.7 y/a last year and 4.9 this year.

???

I got those stats from PFR.

 

[primetime]

???

I got those stats from PFR.

This is where I'm pulling it from: 2018 NFL Opposition & Defensive Statistics | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Might have navigated myself to the wrong page, though, or be looking at the wrong thing.

 

[Kontradiction]

This is where I'm pulling it from: 2018 NFL Opposition & Defensive Statistics | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Might have navigated myself to the wrong page, though, or be looking at the wrong thing.

LOL, look at my list again. The poster I quoted already cited 2018 for me. I then worked my way down starting with 2017.

 

[Mack Herron]

Shelton is an inactive NT, and will be inactive unless there is an injury. It really is OK to have inactive healthy backups. Of course, Shelton is overpaid and won't be back.

That wasn't the case until the last two weeks. Not sure it's worked out that well.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Maybe we'll get lucky and Akiem Hicks is a 2019 cap casualty. I highly doubt it though.

 

[RobertWeathers]

The 2002 rushing defense was probably one of the worst rushing defenses I've ever seen. This is sad. Also not sure it's right - PFR has them at 4.7 y/a last year and 4.9 this year.

Agree. 2002 was beyond pathetic.