Defensive Tell?

[RelocatedPatFan]

Tannehill threw only 15 times all game, and had only 8 completions for 72 yards, and the Titans still moved the chains at least once in 5 of 7 drives, and were able to keep the field tilted in their favor pretty much all game long. But let's pretend it was all about the offense.

We could have been better in all phases of the game

Signed

BB

 

[juny]

disagree that the defense is to blame. they pitched a shutout in the 2nd half and even got a turnover. the offense did nothing in the 2nd half and their longest drive was 6 plays for 32 yards. the offense blew a golden opportunity in the 1st half with a 1st and goal on the 1 yard line. the defense (while not perfect) did their job.

when you allow 14 points you are supposed to win those games

 

[Hotnicks]

As a Patiots fan, I look at it this way...
1. If before the game, someone told you the Titans would only score 14pts (real pts - I dont count the pick-6) - how would you feel about the job Pats defense did?
2. Similary, if before the game, someone told you the Pats would only score 13pts - how would you feel about the job the Pats offense did?

For me, I feel really good about #1. But in today's NFL, #2 does not really result in a win - especially in the playoffs.

 

[Kontradiction]

LOL, this is shades of people saying the defense played a great game in Super Bowl 46. Yeah, when you take out the fact that Eli went 30-40 and chewed up TOP, they did great. When you take out the fact that Henry ran for 182 while the Titans chewed up TOP, the defense played great. If you have an offense that is struggling, you want a defense that can get off the field quickly. That’s how this team, even with that ****bag offense, was able to win 12 games. When they can’t, and the offense predictably struggles, you’re screwed. If you enjoy football enough to post on a message board about it, this should not be news to you.

 

[Bradybranch]

How many on the ground?

Gave up 14 points which was good enough to win.

 

[Sicilian]

LOL, this is shades of people saying the defense played a great game in Super Bowl 46. Yeah, when you take out the fact that Eli went 30-40 and chewed up TOP, they did great. When you take out the fact that Henry ran for 182 while the Titans chewed up TOP, the defense played great. If you have an offense that is struggling, you want a defense that can get off the field quickly. That’s how this team, even with that ****bag offense, was able to win 12 games. When they can’t, and the offense predictably struggles, you’re screwed. If you enjoy football enough to post on a message board about it, this should not be news to you.

Outside of the two touchdown drives (which, unsurprisingly, teams need to usually get yards to score points), here are the Titans drives:

3 plays, 7 yards, punt, 1:35
3 plays, 7 yards, punt, 1:13
6 plays, 16 yards, punt, 3:37
4 plays, 14 yards, punt, 2:31
5 plays, 12 yards, interception, 2:38
10 plays, 39 yards, 8:01, punt (this was the really bad one, for sure)
7 plays, 28 yards, punt (another not great one, because of the situation).

They wore down at the end, because the offense wasn't doing squat. But for most of the game, the reason the offense was getting bad field position was the Titans punter. Outside of getting 3 and outs every time, there's only so much you can ask of your defense without the offense pulling it's weight. Again, things I'm sure they wanted to do better, but the standard people are asking for is bonkers IMO.

 

[jah]

The offense sucked out loud the entire season. An offense that sucks out loud needs as many opportunities as the defense can give it to score. The defense did not give them timely opportunities because the defense was getting bent over the table by Henry and the Titans’ OL. The defense was also the unit that allowed the back breaking conversion when they absolutely needed a stop... to some tank ass white boy from Hahvahd. The defense was a problem and they definitely had a hand in the loss. You may want to reassess your position here.

My position was the polar opposite a week ago after the aforementioned Hahvid guy did what he did to the Patriots. I think that was a knee jerk reaction and justify that opinion by the fact that this defense only gave up 14 points in the one playoff game.

 

[Deus Irae]

The fact that the defense could have done more is not equivalent to the defense being a problem.

The fact that the offense could have done more is not equivalent to the offense being a problem.
The fact that the special teams could have done more is not equivalent to the special teams being a problem.
The fact that the coaches could have done more is not equivalent to the coaching being a problem.


So, if nothing was a problem, how the hell did the 12-4 Patriots lose to a 9-7 team that barely passed the ball?

 

[Sicilian]

The fact that the offense could have done more is not equivalent to the offense being a problem.
The fact that the special teams could have done more is not equivalent to the special teams being a problem.
The fact that the coaches could have done more is not equivalent to the coaching being a problem.


So, if nothing was a problem, how the hell did the 12-4 Patriots lose to a 9-7 team that barely passed the ball?

No one unit is ever the only reason a team loses. But the offense was far worse than "could have done more".

 

[Deus Irae]

No one unit is ever the only reason a team loses. But the offense was far worse than "could have done more".

The offense moved the ball up and down the field in the first half. It just had to settle for two field goals.
Other than the desperation time INT, the offense never failed to get at least one first down.

So to say that "the offense was far worse than "could have done more"", while basically letting the defense skate for it's problems, is to say that you didn't really pay attention to the game.

 

[Sicilian]

The offense moved the ball up and down the field in the first half. It just had to settle for two field goals.
Other than the desperation time INT, the offense never failed to get at least one first down.

So to say that "the offense was far worse than "could have done more"", while basically letting the defense skate for it's problems, is to say that you didn't really pay attention to the game.

I don't feel like putting up with your condescension today. Have a good night.

 

[StairwayToSe7en]

Time of possession wasn't an issue. It was only 31 to 29 in favor of Tennessee.

The defense wasn't the reason that game was lost, but the coaching on that side of the ball could have been much better in the first half. Evan Lazar wrote about it prior to the game, that NE should make heavy use of the 6-1, as they did vs the Rams in SB53. It's no coincidence that they completely shut the Titans down and held Henry to 3.3 yards per carry in the 2nd half with that approach.

Pats probably win the game 13-3 or 13-6 if they do that from the start.

 

[IcyPatriot]

I realize that. The contention was that the defense wasn’t a reason why we lost. It clearly was.

I am with you on this and it's not necessarily a stats thing.
You want to win a championship you need to stop a drive in crunch time.
They drove the length of the field ... when it mattered most.

 

[Triumph]

The Pats defense fell apart after an 8 - 0 run vs the dreg QBs of the NFL. The Boogeymen were never the same after it got real with the Ravens loss. NE went on to a 4 - 5 record including the WC game. 2 - 4 vs 2019 post season QBs. Losses to Jackson, Watson, Mahomes and Tannehill. Wins x 2 vs Allen who is erratic and still a work in progress.

The Dolphins and ZZ Top Ryan Fitzpatrick came to Foxboro and delivered the Patriots a loss. The defense could not stop the Dolphins at the end. Ryan Tannehill despite only throwing 16 times now owns a post season victory vs the Patriots at home. A place where the Pats lose so infrequently. Why would Tenn throw more when the NE defense could not stop Derrick Henry to save their axx?

This was no 2000 Ravens or 1985 Bears defense.

The overall 2019 NE defensive statistics are skewed because of the first 8 games.

 

[Ring 6]

LOL, this is shades of people saying the defense played a great game in Super Bowl 46. Yeah, when you take out the fact that Eli went 30-40 and chewed up TOP, they did great. When you take out the fact that Henry ran for 182 while the Titans chewed up TOP, the defense played great. If you have an offense that is struggling, you want a defense that can get off the field quickly. That’s how this team, even with that ****bag offense, was able to win 12 games. When they can’t, and the offense predictably struggles, you’re screwed. If you enjoy football enough to post on a message board about it, this should not be news to you.

Both sides of the ball contribute to time of possession. The offense in the second half had drives of 3m21s, 301,207,134. Titans had 801 (2 of which was the special teams penalty fiasco) 337,255,238,201.
So the defense really didn’t “get off the field only 1 time in the second half while the offense wasn’t staying on it no matter how fast they got the ball back.
in the first half Tennessee’s second longest drive was 1:41

In the first half the patriots had 18 min top. And for the game it was 31/29.

plenty of blame to go around but the top looks more due to the offense not sustaining drives than the defense allowing sustained drives.

 

[Ring 6]

The fact that the offense could have done more is not equivalent to the offense being a problem.
The fact that the special teams could have done more is not equivalent to the special teams being a problem.
The fact that the coaches could have done more is not equivalent to the coaching being a problem.


So, if nothing was a problem, how the hell did the 12-4 Patriots lose to a 9-7 team that barely passed the ball?

Because they only scored 13 points. You rarely win games scoring 13 points

 

[archstanton543]

The defensive tell was having an amazing running back or an amazing QB that can run.

 

[Doctor DDS]

Defense was clearly the better unit all season and while it did not play poorly against the Titans they certainly fell short of playing great which was needed in this game and moving forward if this Pats team was going to have a successful playoff run. If they had forced a 3 and out on that last drive my opinion would have changed as the offense would have then been in a position where it likely only needed 30 - 40 yards for a game winning FG. Failure to stop that 3rd and 8 ultimately doomed to season.

 

[Ring 6]

Defense was clearly the better unit all season and while it did not play poorly against the Titans they certainly fell short of playing great which was needed in this game and moving forward if this Pats team was going to have a successful playoff run. If they had forced a 3 and out on that last drive my opinion would have changed as the offense would have then been in a position where it likely only needed 30 - 40 yards for a game winning FG. Failure to stop that 3rd and 8 ultimately doomed to season.

They picked on brooks (Aka this years Jordan Richards) for both that play and the TD pass.

 

[Doctor DDS]

Brooks did not handle either assignment well. Can live with giving up a tough pass but he left the TE wide open on both plays. Losing Chung early ended up being a major part of the game.