Run Defense - Shades of 2005

The Patriots run defense was terrible last night. This game was very reminiscent of the early part of 2005. It seems to me that this defense is very susceptible to the quick hit type running plays up the middle where the D Line does not have enough time to recongnize and to react in the 2 gap technique. We saw this type of play all too often last year. Does anyone have any insight into this issue? Was it the failure of the LBs more so than the D Line? I am very skeptical of the 3-4 because it seems that it is too difficult exicute technique-wise against this type of play.

2004 preseason:

http://www.patriots.com/games/index.cfm?ac=gamereportdetail&pid=2475&pcid=41

Cinci 31-3. Rudi Johnson runs for 76 yards before halftime.

Season record 14-2.

While it may be disconcerting don't forget the defense was barely even game planned. How manay times over the years has it ben said that BB and the est of the coaches make this defense great by the schemes they plan for each individual game. I'll wait to see what McGahee does before worrying too much.

Difficult to assess, many of the starters played sporadically and a lot of the dinged guys did not even make the trip. I don't see any real deficits yet, maybe will know more after 10/1 we face the Bills, Bengals and Broncos. I am not convinced we know a lot about this defense right now, played well against Washington, but not as well last night. The schemes tended to be very vanilla and most of the time was given for players on the fence to show their stuff.

Let it be judged after the Bills game. There were a lot of subs going in and out of the lineup early. Looks to me that they were tinkering with player packages. It's too early to tell how good or bad the offense or defense really is.

PatsRI said:

2004 preseason:

http://www.patriots.com/games/index.cfm?ac=gamereportdetail&pid=2475&pcid=41

Cinci 31-3. Rudi Johnson runs for 76 yards before halftime.

Season record 14-2.

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Forget that game - look at the season opener that year when Edge went for 200.

If Bruschi, Seymour, and Wilfork are healthy when it counts the run D is going to be fine.

It's hard to tell when the first string consisted of some second string guys. I'm going to reserve my judgement for when it counts.

Harrison, Wilfork, and Seymour were all out on that play. Jacobs was impressive in the game but the Patriot rush D was not great last night. The Rush D looked excellent against Arizona and Washington, not so good last night.

GJAJ15 said:

The schemes tended to be very vanilla and most of the time was given for players on the fence to show their stuff.

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The Giants offense was very vanilla too.

The Patriots starting D, when in there, has looked MORE than impressive against the run. You're fretting about something that's very likely a STRENGTH of this team.

kurtinelson said:

The Patriots run defense was terrible last night. This game was very reminiscent of the early part of 2005. It seems to me that this defense is very susceptible to the quick hit type running plays up the middle where the D Line does not have enough time to recongnize and to react in the 2 gap technique. We saw this type of play all too often last year. Does anyone have any insight into this issue? Was it the failure of the LBs more so than the D Line? I am very skeptical of the 3-4 because it seems that it is too difficult exicute technique-wise against this type of play.

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BB used this game to see what he has. He has to bring the roster down.
No, there was no game planning. It was a short week, anyways.
The Giants are a good team and that is what happens when you go into their house ill prepared. Frankly, the Pats did well to only lose by a touchdown.

I had read somewhere that Wilfork and Seymour were not in on the Jacobs TD run. Sullivan was at nose and he got taken out. Don't know if this is true or not.

spacecrime must be on vacation...in his honor:

We're Dooooooooooooooooooooooooomed!

Box_O_Rocks said:

spacecrime must be on vacation...in his honor:

We're Dooooooooooooooooooooooooomed!

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No freaking kidding.

Doesn't practically everyone who either watches or coaches in the NFL know that a week 4 preseason game is worthless in determining anything about a team?

kurtinelson said:

The Patriots run defense was terrible last night. This game was very reminiscent of the early part of 2005. It seems to me that this defense is very susceptible to the quick hit type running plays up the middle where the D Line does not have enough time to recongnize and to react in the 2 gap technique. We saw this type of play all too often last year. Does anyone have any insight into this issue? Was it the failure of the LBs more so than the D Line? I am very skeptical of the 3-4 because it seems that it is too difficult exicute technique-wise against this type of play.

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Don't you understand? We don't need players on the defense we just need schemes.

Beisel is perfectly,(he's gone), I mean Gardner, (him too), ahhh we've got Junior Seau and, uhhhh we can borrow Vrabel from the outside without hurting our OLB depth at all.

That's two right? All we need is two right?

Plus we've got that undrafted guy we've cut 2 or 3 times plus that undrafted guy that's never played a regular season down.

What? He's an OLB? Well we can call him an ILB.

Bottom line, we're all set. As long as we look crappy against the run now we'll be great in the season. It happened before so it must always be true.

Move along.

Nothing to see here.:bricks:

Box_O_Rocks said:

spacecrime must be on vacation...in his honor:

We're Dooooooooooooooooooooooooomed!

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Ok. Our run defense is going to be ******* awesome. Thanks for setting me straight.

kurtinelson said:

Ok. Our run defense is going to be ******* awesome. Thanks for setting me straight.

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I guess i just don't get it. Teams could not move the ball on the ground against the Pats in the last 8 games of the year. Even Shanahan couldn't get a running game going against them.

We lost Willie McGinest.

Bruschi will be back.

Why is this a worry again?

BradyisGod said:

I guess i just don't get it. Teams could not move the ball on the ground against the Pats in the last 8 games of the year. Even Shanahan couldn't get a running game going against them.

We lost Willie McGinest.

Bruschi will be back.

Why is this a worry again?

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Because, haven't you heard, the Patriots 2nd and 3rd stringers looked porous against the run in the 4th game of the pre-season!

kurtinelson said:

Ok. Our run defense is going to be ******* awesome. Thanks for setting me straight.

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Your sarcasm is duly noted, but seriously - the run D looked smothering and very good (without Bruschi) in the 2 most important, telling games of the pre-season. I really think that, coupled with how much better the D was over the last half of last year, should ease your worries a bit.

Am I missing something or did they just have 3 practices for this game? How long did the starters play? Last game of pre-season?

C'mon, Kurt.

shmessy said:

Am I missing something or did they just have 3 practices for this game? How long did the starters play? Last game of pre-season?

C'mon, Kurt.

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Ok. I'll relax and take your word for it. Our run defense is going to be awesome.

kurtinelson said:

Ok. I'll relax and take your word for it. Our run defense is going to be awesome.

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Excuse me, did I write that?