PATRIOTS NEWS Terrell Williams is Vrabel's Defensive Coordinator

[festy1986]

I mean come on they only lost these guys and were pulling off guys on practice squads all over the NFL and playing them the same week. Should they have really dropped off on that side of the ball?

• DE Aidan Hutchinson (broken leg)
• DT Alim McNeill (knee, torn ACL)
• DT Kyle Peko (pectoral)
• DE Marcus Davenport (triceps)
• DE John Cominsky (knee, torn MCL)
• DT Mekhi Wingo (knee)
• DE Nate Lynn (shoulder)
• LB Alex Anzalone (broken forearm)
• LB Derrick Barnes (knee, torn PCL and MCL)
• LB Malcolm Rodriguez (knee, torn ACL)
• CB Khalil Dorsey (ankle)
• CB Carlton Davis (fractured jaw)
• CB Ennis Rakestraw Jr. (hamstring)

45 points in the playoffs as the perennial favorite is still a pretty big deal. Injuries or not.

 

[Ross12]

Guessing Williams will keep Mike Pellegrino (CBs) and perhaps Brian Belichick (safeties). DL coach, linebackers coaches, and any other defensive coaches more up in the air.

 

[Give Kraft A Hand]

I really really like this hire. Good job. Can’t wait to see what he’ll do to get Barmore to the next level if he’s healthy.

 

[Froob]

I really really like this hire. Good job. Can’t wait to see what he’ll do to get Barmore to the next level if he’s healthy.

Hopefully blood clots thing was precautionary. The reason he got shut down was vague and they didn’t explicitly say he had blood clots again

 

[RobertWeathers]

The Lions defense really wasn't that good the last half of the season.

Yes. I know they had injuries.

Their last 11 games inc playoffs they allowed 22ppg at QB ratings were typically in the 100s (except Darnold).

Losing Hutch and several players on D absolutely caught up with them.

 

[UrbanCowboy]

"We're going to be patient ..." Ha, I guess he thought Detroit was going to make a deep run. I like moving fast and getting to work. Getting excited for next season!

 

[upstater1]

I mean come on they only lost these guys and were pulling off guys on practice squads all over the NFL and playing them the same week. Should they have really dropped off on that side of the ball?

• DE Aidan Hutchinson (broken leg)
• DT Alim McNeill (knee, torn ACL)
• DT Kyle Peko (pectoral)
• DE Marcus Davenport (triceps)
• DE John Cominsky (knee, torn MCL)
• DT Mekhi Wingo (knee)
• DE Nate Lynn (shoulder)
• LB Alex Anzalone (broken forearm)
• LB Derrick Barnes (knee, torn PCL and MCL)
• LB Malcolm Rodriguez (knee, torn ACL)
• CB Khalil Dorsey (ankle)
• CB Carlton Davis (fractured jaw)
• CB Ennis Rakestraw Jr. (hamstring)

What could account for this?

I hope it's not style of play

 

[PatsFan2]

Seems a good match for Abdul Carter.

That's what I'm saying.

 

[PatsFan2]

I mean come on they only lost these guys and were pulling off guys on practice squads all over the NFL and playing them the same week. Should they have really dropped off on that side of the ball?

• DE Aidan Hutchinson (broken leg)
• DT Alim McNeill (knee, torn ACL)
• DT Kyle Peko (pectoral)
• DE Marcus Davenport (triceps)
• DE John Cominsky (knee, torn MCL)
• DT Mekhi Wingo (knee)
• DE Nate Lynn (shoulder)
• LB Alex Anzalone (broken forearm)
• LB Derrick Barnes (knee, torn PCL and MCL)
• LB Malcolm Rodriguez (knee, torn ACL)
• CB Khalil Dorsey (ankle)
• CB Carlton Davis (fractured jaw)
• CB Ennis Rakestraw Jr. (hamstring)

A series of unfortunate events.

 

[PatsFan2]

Seems a good match for Abdul Carter.

He could unlock Keion White too... I feel good about our Defense already.

 

[festy1986]

Their last 11 games inc playoffs they allowed 22ppg at QB ratings were typically in the 100s (except Darnold).

Losing Hutch and several players on D absolutely caught up with them.

Context matters but so do results. They ended the season giving up 32.3 points a game over their last 7 games.

I give Vrabel credit here for going outside the Patriots tree so I'll keep an open mind.

 

[condon84]

I mean come on they only lost these guys and were pulling off guys on practice squads all over the NFL and playing them the same week. Should they have really dropped off on that side of the ball?

• DE Aidan Hutchinson (broken leg)
• DT Alim McNeill (knee, torn ACL)
• DT Kyle Peko (pectoral)
• DE Marcus Davenport (triceps)
• DE John Cominsky (knee, torn MCL)
• DT Mekhi Wingo (knee)
• DE Nate Lynn (shoulder)
• LB Alex Anzalone (broken forearm)
• LB Derrick Barnes (knee, torn PCL and MCL)
• LB Malcolm Rodriguez (knee, torn ACL)
• CB Khalil Dorsey (ankle)
• CB Carlton Davis (fractured jaw)
• CB Ennis Rakestraw Jr. (hamstring)

I thought the Lions D played as well as they could despite the injuries. They had practice squad players playing significant roles. I don't know how much credit we can give to Williams because Glenn was the DC, but it seemed like their defense were in decent position to make plays but just couldn't because a lot of them were not NFL starter guys.

 

[mike_usagisan]

That’s fine and all, but we also need a guy who can see what the opponents are doing during the game and make a move to counter that. He’s a first time DC so we have no history to fall back on there, but I have to imagine he’ll be better than Covington/Mayo at that.

I imagine Vrabel will be more help at that than Mayo was.

 

[Patsfan1645]

What could account for this?

I hope it's not style of play

Just bad luck I would guess as they had a wide variety of injuries.

 

[Stu Pidassle]

45 points in the playoffs as the perennial favorite is still a pretty big deal. Injuries or not.

After patching things together all year, the wheels fell of the Lions defense at the worst possible moment. To me that is more an indicator that the playoffs are different than the regular season. Teams are good enough and focused enough to exploit all weaknesses. The 45 points is as much a function of the offense imploding as the defense. Those ridiculous trick plays should have given Chicago second thoughts when making the big bet on Johnson.

 

[festy1986]

After patching things together all year, the wheels fell of the Lions defense at the worst possible moment. To me that is more an indicator that the playoffs are different than the regular season. Teams are good enough and focused enough to exploit all weaknesses. The 45 points is as much a function of the offense imploding as the defense. Those ridiculous trick plays should have given Chicago second thoughts when making the big bet on Johnson.

Well sure. But it was more than the last game. It was basically the last 7 weeks. The only good performance they had in the last 7 weeks was a 17 point game against the awful Bears and a 9 point game again the Vikings. Which was a great win for them heading into the playoffs but giving how the Vikings fell off it doesn't hold up.

Obviously injury plays a major role here and that's why I'm not holding it against him or anyone else on the Lions defensive staff. It's just something to keep a eye on.

 

[Patsfanin Philly]

The Lions defense really wasn't that good the last half of the season.

Yes. I know they had injuries.

16 players on IR isn't just injuries, it's a MASH unit.

 

[Force Zero Boomer]

Not that it is necessarily a bad thing as Vrabel is bringing folks onboard that he has experience with but we are becoming the New England Titans

That's okay. The Titans were a playoff team under Vrabel.

 

[PaulThePat]

The Lions defense really wasn't that good the last half of the season.

Yes. I know they had injuries.

To be fair, that's an understatement. How many starters did they have on IR?

 

[Force Zero Boomer]

Hopefully blood clots thing was precautionary. The reason he got shut down was vague and they didn’t explicitly say he had blood clots again

Barmore is done. The treatment for blood clots is blood thinners, which are dangerous for athletes, especially in a contact sport, because you can bleed to death. A deep bruise turns into life-threatening internal bleeding. That's what Barmore is weighing: retire now with my millions of dollars and enjoy life on the beach and whatever other pleasures I can pursue, or continue to play and risk death. I know which one I'd choose. It's not worth it.