Honestly have no idea how that Defense can be fixed

[PF_SU]

Chris Long should not be a full time starter at this point in his career, but a situational run defender. He was a cheap replacement for Chandler Jones and it has not worked out.

Long's not quite that bad. He doesn't have a burst off the line anymore but he has a great motor and will get his pressures in a game. If the team had a competent DE on the other side Long would be quite a solid complementary piece. Problem is, Sheard just sucks right now and can't provide that. Have to hope that Flowers somehow manages to break out or Sheard gets his head out of the sand.

 

[TennisBallHead]

Doesn't Bill have his hand pretty deep in the game plan? How much is really Patricia's fault?

Yep, I called it. Tom Curran is in good with Belichick, so he can't possibly blame him for this roster and scheme. What a great position to be in. When they win, it's all you, when they lose, it's everyone else's fault.

 

[A man named Brady]

The team needs a mass infusion of talent in the front 7 and secondary.

 

[PatsBoy12]

Many jumped down my throat when I talked about third down D. One guy even told me that Brady would mask that. Well we see what happens when you can't get a good team off the field. To their credit, the O almost did do it and you could argue they maybe win the game were it not for Elelman's fumble. But if the D can't stop drives on third down consistently or cause turnovers, then playoff time will be scary.

 

[mgteich]

The team needs a mass infusion of talent in the front 7 and secondary.

So, we we've gone from being locks for the title game and SB favorites to a team that needs massive infusions of talent? Nonsense!

 

[NG Pats Fan]

The team needs a mass infusion of talent in the front 7 and secondary.

We had it in 2014

What happened?

 

[Rob0729]

Roberts nearly gave up a TD on the long completion to Prosise and the last TD was given up in man. Yeah, it wasn't as ****ty as zone, but they were still struggling even playing man to man.

I didn't say they didn't struggle in man, but they were playing keep away from the receivers in zone. The way they were playing zone, they could have had 30 men in the secondary and Wilson would have picked them apart.

 

[Kontradiction]

I didn't say they didn't struggle in man, but they were playing keep away from the receivers in zone. The way they were playing zone, they could have had 30 men in the secondary and Wilson would have picked them apart.

Agreed. The game plan was trash from top to bottom.

 

[rads2005]

No more zone schemes. They simply magnify our deficiencies. Rush 4, high or Roberts on a delayed blitz. Play press man outside. Ryan rides the pibe in favor of Rowe, who sees safety help while matched up with the toughest cover. His 2 dpi calls were garbage. Get him on the field and let him do hus thing. We dont have the personell for that candy ass drop 8 zone nonsense. If High is dropping out 15 yards at the snap....wtf. Stupid ass scheme. Patricia shoukd ride a short bus to gillette all week after drawing up that abortion.

Yeah what happened to their press man? I'm not an expert in actual schemes by any means, but I remember Ty Law saying something like "Yeah the Greatest Show on Turf runs 4.3, 4.4, but I've never seen someone run a 4.4 with someone standing in front of him."

 

[doesntmatter1]

I know where to start. Fix our run defense by any means first. Zone doesn't seem to work when your defense lacks speed to actually make a play on the ball. I actually like Ryan but he doesn't have the acceleration to play zone effectively and neither do half of our linebackers. McClelin is sluggish and I question his effort. Shea is by far the biggest letdown for me.

We should put more safeties on the field. Ebner and Richards etc.

 

[Mogamedogz]

Not trading 2 of your 4 best players on D would of helped.

Part of the problem was self inflicted, you massively downgraded at two positions and the secondary had holes even before then.

At the end of the day, this is just the truth of the matter. You just can't give away your horses and expect the QB to cover your ass every week. It just doesn't work come playoff time. It feels like 2006 all over again only with Brady having a ten year smaller window. This will never make sense to me. I can only hope that one day Bill will eventually explain the thinking behind it. And why it was in the best interest of the football team. Right now, I just can't see it.

 

[SVN]

Curran: Patriots defense is lacking a personality

 

[MainePatsFan26]

This place is turning into an episode of Felger and Mazz.

Everyone thinks they know everything better than BB & co despite only being exposed to the team during matchdays, not knowing what happens everyday in practice. The reaction to a loss against the Seahawks makes you think we got raped KC-style or are barely at 0.5.

The ****ing team is 7-2, has a playoff ticket essentially booked and is about to go into 3 preseason games in the middle of November.

Sometimes I wonder how many of you actually want to see them fail just to be able to ***** about the coaching staff.

I agree that chicken little-ing it can be annoying. However, the d has progressively been getting worse this season and I believe the Brady and Co. have masked this a bit. Against a good d, though, Brady wasn't able to prop up the d and we were exposed.

 

[PatriotsPimp136]

I agree that chicken little-ing it can be annoying. However, the d has progressively been getting worse this season and I believe the Brady and Co. have masked this a bit. Against a good d, though, Brady wasn't able to prop up the d and we were exposed.

That's the team used here but this defense was exposed last night for what it is. The PPG people can zip it!

 

[supafly]

McClelin is sluggish and I question his effort. Shea is by far the biggest letdown for me.

Shea McClellin is just awful. My expectations of him didn't even include the possibility of him making the 53 man roster. I honestly had Roberts on most of my 53 man projections simply due to the fact that I felt that we were light at the position and I didn't see anyone else taking that spot. I wish I could claim that I saw something in Roberts, but all I saw was a big void at the position.

 

[supafly]

That's the team used here but this defense was exposed last night for what it is. The PPG people can zip it!

I think there is an argument for both sides. Yes, our defense looked better vs. most of the ****ty competition that it faced prior to last night's game, but yes, many of us had genuine fears even when Collins was still here, and rightfully so.

As far as the "our defense has only allowed X amount of points when our offense had the lead and therefore it's only garbage time so it doesn't really count" people, they make themselves look silly enough as it is by trying to fool each other into believe that the defense is anything more than serviceable.

 

[PatriotsPimp136]

I think there is an argument for both sides. Yes, our defense looked better vs. most of the ****ty competition that it faced prior to last night's game, but yes, many of us had genuine fears even when Collins was still here, and rightfully so.

As far as the "our defense has only allowed X amount of points when our offense had the lead and therefore it's only garbage time so it doesn't really count" people, they make themselves look silly enough as it is by trying to fool each other into believe that the defense is anything more than serviceable.

I like what i see from flowers. Scheme wise i think they have to change it up a bit. If the defense fails them in the end then i would like to see them get a big time defensive player through free agency while resigning some key guys.

 

[supafly]

I like what i see from flowers. Scheme wise i think they have to change it up a bit. If the defense fails them in the end then i would like to see them get a big time defensive player through free agency while resigning some key guys.

Oh, you can pretty much take it to the bank that some free agents will be brought in. I see this for 2 main reasons:

1) There aren't too many "key guys" remaining with Jones and Collins being traded and Butler most likely getting a first round tender as a RFA in the spring.

2) Losing 1st and 2nd rounders is probably beginning to catch up to them in terms of the deflategate punishment (1st), the decision to move on from Easley (1st), Collins (2nd), Jones (1st), and the piss poor rookie campaign from Cyrus Jones (2nd). Add in some head scratchers from guys like Wilson (2nd) and Richards (2nd) and you'll see some holes in Belichick's recent drafting style. For a guy who bases all of his decisions and has seen so much success from cheap, rookie draft picks, this could prove to be a bigger obstacle than we initially thought.

With a decent amount of cap space, some obvious holes on that side of the ball and not many players even worth keeping outside of Hightower and Harmon, free agency would seem to be a decent possibility.

 

[PatriotsPimp136]

Oh, you can pretty much take it to the bank that some free agents will be brought in. I see this for 2 main reasons:

1) There aren't too many "key guys" remaining with Jones and Collins being traded and Butler most likely getting a first round tender as a RFA in the spring.

2) Losing 1st and 2nd rounders is probably beginning to catch up to them in terms of the deflategate punishment (1st), the decision to move on from Easley (1st), Collins (2nd), Jones (1st), and the piss poor rookie campaign from Cyrus Jones (2nd). Add in some head scratchers from guys like Wilson (2nd) and Richards (2nd) and you'll see some holes in Belichick's recent drafting style. For a guy who bases all of his decisions and has seen so much success from cheap, rookie draft picks, this could prove to be a bigger obstacle than we initially thought.

With a decent amount of cap space, some obvious holes on that side of the ball and not many players even worth keeping outside of Hightower and Harmon, free agency would seem to be a decent possibility.

Agreed. They might be able to free up some more cap space. I can see guys like branch and long not being back. I been dissapointed with sheard. He need's to pick up his play. Everyone on this defense will be evaluated.

 

[Brick27]

Branch has been a nice addition to this team. Wouldn't mind having him back next year if the deal is right. And by right I mean super cheap, with the hope being we see Brown take a bigger leap between years 2 and 3 than he has between years 1 and 2, as well as continued development from Valentine.

It's looking like Sheard has played himself out of a contract. While that obviously sucks when thinking about this season, at least they might be able to more effectively address DE in the offseason vs. if he had waited on crapping out until next year in the midst of some multi-year deal. I wonder how much (if at all) Sheard after coming off his season last year factored into the willingness to trade Chandler Jones, and whether it would have tilted the scale had Bill been able to predict Sheard's decline?

Seems obvious they'll look to sign Butler. Or maybe Bill will pass and look for "better value" from some UDFA who enters the league next year coming out of North Central Wyoming Tech.. Between letting Jones/Collins go, CB being a premiere position, and so much uncertainty around most of their defense, it seems like Butler will be able to set the price high. It would be a real dagger if they part ways.

McCourty and Chung will both be 30 going into next season. Is it time to draft another safety only to have them turn out to be Jordan Richards? Speaking of Jordan Richards, got to love a 2nd round pick who racks up healthy inactives. Damn shame if we swing and miss on him and Cyrus Jones.

Don't worry though folks, the second coming of **** Butkus, aka Shea McClellin has two more years left on the books!

There's a lot of football left, and who knows how the defense performs between then and now, but this upcoming offseason will be interesting. Amazing to think back after the Super Bowl less than two years ago, and reflecting about how we had a promising young nucleus in place of Hightower, Collins, Butler, and Jones. Felt like we were officially out of that 2009-2013 stretch, and back to having a defense we could rely on. And now, less than two years later, there are no guarantees that we'll enter next year with any of them..