Can we criticize the defense now? Is that allowed?

[Chris Stevenson]

Everyone who said that the loss in SB46 was on the defense...

This is what it looks like when your defense losses the game for you.

Exactly.

Brady was great last night and horrible in sb 42 and 46

 

[Shutdown_Corner]

And everybody here roasting me when I said we need an “aggressive” defense. 3rd down conversions was killing us.

 

[PatriotsNumero1Fan]

When you give up 41 points to nick freaking Foles you deserve to lose. It's inexcusable.

 

[JayNM]

Im loving the way we've been playing, in special the secondary, but i cant completely erase my fears... namely the DLine.

First of all, we cant generate pass-rush. Some of it is by design, but when ****ty QBs have up to 4 seconds to release, whe are doing something wrong. Hopefully this Dolphins game is an indication of the future, which, considering how much we improved from the beginning of the season, it might well be.

Secondly, we need to stop the run better. So far, it isnt a big problem: since we've been having a lead in games, stopping the run isnt a priority, but come playoff time, when the games get tougher, this inability might be our undoing. With Brown coming back, we might improve, so let's stay hopeful. Also, IMO this is Branch's last year here, since he's not being as good as last season

My post in November 30th. I've put the bold fonts now

What happened in this game was not a surprise. I might say, it was a long time coming.

 

[LightSkinSmurf]

When you give up 41 points to nick freaking Foles you deserve to lose. It's inexcusable.

Period.

 

[PatsGirl2011]

When you give up 41 points to nick freaking Foles you deserve to lose. It's inexcusable.

Same thing happened against Alex Smith, Watson, and Cam. Similar players, yet the team made minimal changes at the trade deadline.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

And everybody here roasting me when I said we need an “aggressive” defense. 3rd down conversions was killing us.

Poor tackling was a big factor. Or if you’re an Iggles fan, heroic breaking of tackles.

But point taken, it’s preferable to allow fewer first downs.

 

[PScottman]

everybody played bad on defense.

That might have been the worst tackling performance of a Patriots defense since the mid-90s. How many high, arm tackles instead of mid-section and wrap that we are used to seeing? Bad angles. Lining up improperly (twice on the last drive).

Just 100% out of character.

 

[makoute]

Same thing happened against Alex Smith, Watson, and Cam. Similar players, yet the team made minimal changes at the trade deadline.

Foles isn’t not a similar player. He is not a run threat.

 

[Kdo5]

This is on the coaches. Not covering Jeffrey with Gilmore in the first half, never playing Butler when what they had on the field wasn't working. I wonder if Belichick's ego got in the way.

These two things alone explain a lot of what went wrong. I'm convinced if Butler plays we do not lose this game. My heart sank when I heard that he was not playing.

I have never had faith in Eric Rowe and he turned in a 'meh' performance. I had long wondered why the hell teams did not prioritize throwing at him. He's never been consistent enough to be a good starter. The Eagles, fittingly, took advantage of him. Butler hasn't had a great season but I trust him on the biggest stage a lot more than Rowe.

Beyond that? Jordan Richards and Bademosi on the field. We have long known that Richards is a huge liability and any QB who has done even a little homework would know to go after him. Once again the Eagles took advantage. Bademosi missed that big tackle. Neither of those guys belong on the field.

Much of this goes back to Belichick and Patricia. Just a total nightmare. If they even performed just 'poorly' we win this goddamn game. Instead they were atrocious.