Can We Settle Down Regarding The Defense?

[Bobsyouruncle]

Atlanta had 3 quarters of great defense also. The 4th quarter matters.

 

[Ring 6]

Atlanta had 3 quarters of great defense also. The 4th quarter matters.

One major difference obviously.

 

[DefenseRules]

The Buffalo game will be tough.

 

[kennyb]

They have the worst defense in the league by a huge margin. Reminds me of the 1981 team, which went 2-14. Sad. Couldn't stop a troop of girlscouts on 3rd and long. Comical.

Maybe they'll improve, no where to go but up. Hard to improve when you're paying big money to slugs like david harris. Loathsome sloth. And i actually like sloths.

 

[BobDigital]

I think it is worth pointing out how much McClellin is being missed. While I was not a big fan of the player last year and won't be this year I don't recall him being in the wrong spot too often. Roberts is way too often and Van Noy has done it more than is acceptable.

I think having him back will have a big impact. Not cause he will make a ton of plays but he just won't blow big 10 yards runs or leave RBs wide open out of the back field.

I think we are underrating how much just not doing those things will improve this D.

Though it is no doubt too late to finish top 10 in PPG or YPG rankings in defense I think by the end of the year they will go into the playoffs with one of the top 10 Ds in the league (just by how well they are playing) if they are healthy.

At this point a bold statement but i fully believe it. Coaching and talent will win out and they will make it work.

 

[Ring 6]

They have the worst defense in the league by a huge margin. Reminds me of the 1981 team, which went 2-14. Sad. Couldn't stop a troop of girlscouts on 3rd and long. Comical.

Maybe they'll improve, no where to go but up. Hard to improve when you're paying big money to slugs like david harris. Loathsome sloth. And i actually like sloths.

Congratulations on achieving the ignore list.

 

[SammyBlueCat]

Well no, there will still be negativity. It will either be the defense shouldn't get other credit because the opponent sucks or because there were open receivers who got missed or " I won't be convinced until I see them do it against ____"

True regarding negativity. I wish that was not the case.

 

[The Brandon Five]

The bunch formation and the man in motion was definitely a problem against the Panthers.

The Lions left ****son uncovered today on a play that looked like it came right out of the low-lights from last week’s game.

 

[luuked]

The Lions left ****son uncovered today on a play that looked like it came right out of the low-lights from last week’s game.

But Gilmore.. special tapes.. !!!1111

 

[Uptown]

 

[Uptown]

Patriots captains say communication wasn’t the defense’s entire problem

 

[maineman209]

I think it is worth pointing out how much McClellin is being missed. While I was not a big fan of the player last year and won't be this year I don't recall him being in the wrong spot too often. Roberts is way too often and Van Noy has done it more than is acceptable.

I think having him back will have a big impact. Not cause he will make a ton of plays but he just won't blow big 10 yards runs or leave RBs wide open out of the back field.

I think we are underrating how much just not doing those things will improve this D.

Though it is no doubt too late to finish top 10 in PPG or YPG rankings in defense I think by the end of the year they will go into the playoffs with one of the top 10 Ds in the league (just by how well they are playing) if they are healthy.

At this point a bold statement but i fully believe it. Coaching and talent will win out and they will make it work.

OLBs who can consistently set the defensive edge and turn plays back to the inside are generally underrated if they don't also make splash plays. McClellin had the 3rd most snaps per game among Pats LBs in 2016, behind only HT and Van Noy. He also regularly played on three ST units (15.6 snaps per game).

I also have to wonder how much not having enough edge-setting LBs so far this season has affected the pass defense. How often have DBs who are also responsible for edge-contain on running plays been biting on run fakes?

 

[maineman209]

Very important and often under-analyzed factor in overall defensive performance.

 

[Ivan]

They have the worst defense in the league by a huge margin. Reminds me of the 1981 team, which went 2-14. Sad. Couldn't stop a troop of girlscouts on 3rd and long. Comical.

Maybe they'll improve, no where to go but up. Hard to improve when you're paying big money to slugs like david harris. Loathsome sloth. And i actually like sloths.

Maybe we will see you next season, maybe not. Thanks for quitting on them yet again, it’s great to have the quitters jump ship early.

 

[PatriotsNumero1Fan]

I think we will get a feel for this defense when they face Ryan and the falcons. That's a good test.

 

[PatriotsNumero1Fan]

I think it is worth pointing out how much McClellin is being missed. While I was not a big fan of the player last year and won't be this year I don't recall him being in the wrong spot too often. Roberts is way too often and Van Noy has done it more than is acceptable.

I think having him back will have a big impact. Not cause he will make a ton of plays but he just won't blow big 10 yards runs or leave RBs wide open out of the back field.

I think we are underrating how much just not doing those things will improve this D.

Though it is no doubt too late to finish top 10 in PPG or YPG rankings in defense I think by the end of the year they will go into the playoffs with one of the top 10 Ds in the league (just by how well they are playing) if they are healthy.

At this point a bold statement but i fully believe it. Coaching and talent will win out and they will make it work.

Idk who will be back but only 2 will come back from Mitchell, Valentine, and McClellin.

 

[Love The Drake]

Valentine Mitchell please

 

[supafly]

Valentine Mitchell please

Wow. I expected most to have McClellin on the list due to the poor play of the LBs, but maybe I'm overthinking things.

 

[Tony2046]

Maybe we will see you next season, maybe not. Thanks for quitting on them yet again, it’s great to have the quitters jump ship early.

He's either a troll or the most negative Pats fan I've ever seen.

 

[maineman209]

Wow. I expected most to have McClellin on the list due to the poor play of the LBs, but maybe I'm overthinking things.

Agree about McClellin. The LB corps has been suffering from lack of bodies with the appropriate skill sets as much as the DL has.

Van Noy played 100% of the defensive snaps for the first four games with Roberts chipping in about 50% and no other LB getting more than about 25%. Chung played more LB than everybody besides VN and Roberts.

IMHO, VN and Roberts seem best-suited for ILB roles, as is Harris. That leaves HT and Marquis Flowers to handle OLB roles and there really hasn't been anybody to rotate in.

Meanwhile, the pass offense really hasn't been hurting. As "invisible" as Dorsett has seemed, he's actually contributed as many receptions and yards as a #4 WR on the Pats typically would have.

And, with Branch underperforming to the degree that he's actually been a liability, the defense could certainly benefit from having another interior DL.

So, my preferences for the two IR-return players would definitely be McClellin and Valentine.