SI: Patriots Appear to be Building an RPO-Proof Defense

Thanks for posting.

robertweathers said:

They emphasized D over O last year.

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sorta yeah. I posted early in the morning. That said, they definitely shook the Madden 2012 receivers tree.

Kenneth Sims said:

I was rip roaring mad watching day 2 of the draft unfold until I realized the first 3 selections were taken to build a D to slow down the Chiefs, Ravens and Texans.

This draft along with the signings of Phillips and Beau Allen are an attempt to upgrade the Pats run defense to go along with their still, hopefully, stellar pass defense. The plan makes sense, and, with luck, the players Belichick added will be good enough to make the plan work.

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Id say the first two picks. More specifically i felt they were Kelce, Lamar picks.

Its the continuation of the process to make front 6/7 quicker, faster, more agile while compromising as little as possible in size. Adding Simon, Winovich type edge players provided better lateral agility/speed together with more agile DTs in Guy and Adam Butler (Cowart could play himself in the mix as well); this year Bentley is a quicker&bigger replacement of Roberts & can play all downs, Allen is quicker than Shelton (although not a given he'll earn his roster spot looking the way top FA DT signings went last years), and Uche is arguably the quickest player they had in this group while still a tough mf . possibly a Lamar hunter..

Can't stop the run? No problem, just draft and sign S's.

Their front 7 has a 2009-2010 identity crisis. You need to stop the run to defend the RPO. Once you have the LB/S hesitating on the threat of the run game, it's over.