PatsFans.com Menu
PatsFans.com - The Hub For New England Patriots Fans

The defense in perspective


Status
Not open for further replies.
Your implication seems to be that the great defensive teams of the past may have problems with any of the teams we played in the first half. And no I wouldn't compare us to great defenses of the steelers and the 1985 bears.

An alternative inference is that, somehow, the stats in the first are indicative oh w the team will play against much, much more difficult opposition.
====
Don't get me wrong. I think that we have a top 5 defense, and one that is plenty good enough to take us deep into the playoffs, and have us competitive in the AFC championship game and the Super Bowl.

My point was that this defense was dominant in 8 out of 9 games so far and then got caught schematically overmatched and not well prepared for what the Ravens put on display while shooting their own feet with drive extending penalties.

My point is that even what some consider the historically best defenses experienced a dud. Also I honestly don't care at all about the place of this defense (or any player/team/coaches) in history.

What I do care about is it being good enough for a successful postseason. And so far most indicators are a resounding yes.
 
This is really personal opinion. Mine is that the 2019-2020 patriots defense is not close to being as good as the Steel Curtain of the 1985 Bears.
Mine is that they’re not close to either the ‘85 Bears or the Steel Curtain Steelers of the 70s, but that they’re pretty darned good considering the offense-heavy rules that apply in 2019. So far this year, they’re much better than I expected, but we won’t really know until after this stretch of tough games.
 
The 85 Bears gave up 411 passing yards to a 7-9 Vikings team.

411 passing yards in 1985 is like 550 passing yards now
That and the Miami game may have fooled Berry into thinking that was the way for his Pats to beat them.
 
Yes, but they also gave up quite a few yards well over 300 yards total offense.

That surprised me a bit.

They really just flicked a switch in the playoffs
Us last year?

It can look that way, but it's more about you keep trying, keep working, and don't quit striving.

You can't predict when things will fall into place or be as effective as you'd like, but when it happens, you then keep working to continue success as long as you can.
 
Mine is that they’re not close to either the ‘85 Bears or the Steel Curtain Steelers of the 70s, but that they’re pretty darned good considering the offense-heavy rules that apply in 2019. So far this year, they’re much better than I expected, but we won’t really know until after this stretch of tough games.
I fully expect us to beat Philly.
 
The Patriots pass defense is good which will get them far in today’s NFL. But if they can’t shore up their run problems or make people chase the score they will eventually run into a problem.
 
The Patriots pass defense is good which will get them far in today’s NFL. But if they can’t shore up their run problems or make people chase the score they will eventually run into a problem.
Or, the problem will run through them - to our end zone.
 
Or, the problem will run through them - to our end zone.

I hate when I see a post that has a ripe opportunity to make a joke or pun out of, only to find someone else has done it right afterwards lmao.
 
The Patriots pass defense is good which will get them far in today’s NFL. But if they can’t shore up their run problems or make people chase the score they will eventually run into a problem.
I’m not worried about the run D at this point because Baltimore is a unique offense that we didn’t defend like a unique offense and prior to that we never have been hurt by the run.
Playing bad run d when stopping the pass is your priority is irrelevant to how you play the run when it’s more vital to your game plan.
 
Last edited:
I’m not worried about the run D at this pint because Baltimore is a unique offense that we didn’t defend like a unique offense and prior to that we never have been hurt by the run.
Playing bad run d when stopping the pass is your priority is irrelevant to how you play the run when it’s more vital to your game plan.
Ingram averaged 7.7 yards per carry. Even if you ignore LJ’s running that’s awful. But I don’t think it’s accurate to say they were focused on the pass. LJ has only broke 300 yards once this year.
 
Ingram averaged 7.7 yards per carry. Even if you ignore LJ’s running that’s awful. But I don’t think it’s accurate to say they were focused on the pass. LJ has only broke 300 yards once this year.
I probably worded it poorly. Focused on the pass was referring the first 8 games.
Baltimore basically ran the wildcat against us and we defended it mostly like a regular offense. We were awful against it but a) we don’t face any other teams that run that scheme and b) if we face Baltimore again we will play an entirely different scheme

in other words the run d vs bmore isn’t really relevant because the circumstance will never be close to the same.
 
Last edited:
I’m not worried about the run D at this pint because Baltimore is a unique offense that we didn’t defend like a unique offense and prior to that we never have been hurt by the run.
Playing bad run d when stopping the pass is your priority is irrelevant to how you play the run when it’s more vital to your game plan.
The Clowns did run well in Foxborough; but they're talented.

Every recent year I remember, we've shored up our run D down the stretch.

I expect this year to continue that trend.
 
Soon to be 0-2? You are absolutely baffling and don't appear to derive much pleasure from this franchise.
The truth hurts sometimes, I know...but don't shoot the messenger because of it.
 
1) Ravens = peaking early

2) Eagles = about to discover how lucky they were last time.
1) I certainly hope so.

2) Better performance by Pats defense + terrible performance by Fecals offense = Victory.
 
But I don’t think it’s accurate to say they were focused on the pass.

Clearly not since those 2nd half outs to the Ravens TEs were backbreakers. AAMOF I'm a little worried about opposing TE production against this team. Is it because they shut down the WRs that the TEs are getting so many balls?
 
Pats are the 13th team in the history of the nfl to hold opponents to 14 or fewer points 9 times in their first 10 games, first team since 1977

H9ClubF.jpg



They are the first team to hold 9 opponents in a season to 14 or fewer points since the 2011 Texans.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.


Tuesday Patriots Notebook 4/23: News and Notes
MORSE: Final 7 Round Patriots Mock Draft, Matthew Slater News
Bruschi’s Proudest Moment: Former LB Speaks to MusketFire’s Marshall in Recent Interview
Monday Patriots Notebook 4/22: News and Notes
Patriots News 4-21, Kraft-Belichick, A.J. Brown Trade?
MORSE: Patriots Draft Needs and Draft Related Info
Friday Patriots Notebook 4/19: News and Notes
TRANSCRIPT: Eliot Wolf’s Pre-Draft Press Conference 4/18/24
Thursday Patriots Notebook 4/18: News and Notes
Wednesday Patriots Notebook 4/17: News and Notes
Back
Top