I don't follow, you don't think the defense that lead the entire NFL in fewest points allowed in 2016 and won the Super Bowl was the best defense? Or do you dismiss all the injuries in 2017 as a non-factor?
Brady needed that defense in 2016 to get by Houston, he also needed Dion Lewis to score a TD three different ways. Brady played like dog meat.
Football is a TEAM game.
If we can't agree 2016 was a good defense, we'd best just agree to disagree.
I think you went from "A" to "Z" while ignoring every other letter in the alphabet. You seem to be ignoring some obvious things about your claims:
"you don't think the defense that lead the entire NFL in fewest points allowed in 2016 and won the Super Bowl was the best defense?"
By points? Sure. By actual defensive play? That's a lot more debatable. This team frequently outplays its overall skill level, thanks in no small part to coaching, excellent ST play and the offense that changes the way teams have to play the game. But that's not really the issue. The issue is your comment about Brown and Valentine (and Shelton). For example, that 2016 Defense was tied for 8th (8-11) in run defense, per attempt. Do we have to just ignore that because you've got wood about Shelton and seem (so far) to be a ridiculously over the top sort of Patriots homer, or do we get to note that as something worth at least looking at when discussing the play of Brown, Valentine and company relative to the rest of the league, and the rest of the defense?
"Football is a TEAM game."
Well, yeah, but that argument works both ways. Talented players need help, but less skilled players get carried along.
"Or do you dismiss all the injuries in 2017 as a non-factor?"
Hightower was a huge loss. He might have been able to make up for some of the bad play in front of him. That doesn't excuse the play of others, though, as Branch found out firsthand.
"Brady needed that defense in 2016 to get by Houston, he also needed Dion Lewis to score a TD three different ways. Brady played like dog meat."
And now you're trying to focus on one particular game as if it's definitive, when it isn't. But, since you went there, let's note that the defense you're using as fapping material played poorly enough that Brady had to lead the greatest comeback in SB history in order to win that thing, as it allowed Matt Ryan to enjoy an all too impressive 144.1 QB rating. And let's also notice that they were facing Osweiler in that Houston game, so it wasn't as if the defense had to pack a lunch and get dirty in order to keep that score low.
"If we can't agree 2016 was a good defense, we'd best just agree to disagree."
And here we have you setting up yet another straw man.
