Maybe one of the most unclutch defenses of the BB era.

[RobertWeathers]

That’s too much against MIA.

Meh. They scored their season ave.

Getting High and Dug back will be a help next week.

 

[TomPatriot]

Having mills as the 2nd cb is the problem. Patriots have a real cb problem next year.

They need a LT, NT, LB, Wr, and a CB.

Too many needs

True, but Stephon Gilmore might have helped this year.

 

[Hammer of Thor]

Mic drop. We have LBs that are more of a fit for the NFL in 2001 than the NFL in 2022, and that includes Collins. The pursuit speed going East to West is just bad. DTs are not holding their own at the point of attack either which is leaving the likes of Bentley to clean up the trash. You don’t want your Mike to have 100+ tackles. If that happens, then the DTs are getting blown off the ball.

This has been the case every season - it’s not just 2022, it’s every year under BB. I don’t think he’s ever going to change that, it’ll be a thing as long as BB is the head coach. We’ve compensated by having the ends be able to contain - Nink, Flowers, even Sheard, HT when he played on the line. Andre Carter. Chandler Jones wasn’t the best at it but he was competent enough.

Anyway, I think that’s how BB will attempt to fix it. First place I’m looking is to see how Detroit handles the Flowers situation.

 

[Brotherblues]

If you want to be technical they allowed a somewhat reasonable 20.

I feel the ppg allowed stat is largely helped by being a running offense and a poor running defense. Shortens games and scoring a fair bit.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I feel the ppg allowed stat is largely helped by being a running offense and a poor running defense. Shortens games and scoring a fair bit.

Yes and no. Today they allowed 66 plays, 331/2 min and allowed 20 offensive points. All in all that's not horrible.

Todays problem was 12 1st downs on running plays. Unacceptable.

 

[TheRainMaker]

First place I’m looking is to see how Detroit handles the Flowers situation.

I expect Detroit and Flowers to part ways. I think Flowers restructures to get out. They put him all over the place and even at LB which has been a disaster.

 

[TheRainMaker]

True, but Stephon Gilmore might have helped this year.

He unfortunately didn’t want to be in NE anymore.

 

[Guts]

Our offense didn't really help today

 

[borg]

Just blame the black hole that is Miami

This...

 

[MainePatsFan26]

Am I wrong here? Every time we’ve needed a stop late in the game to get the ball back, this defense chokes. Like clockwork. It’s pretty ridiculous and I’m not sure exactly why that is. We used to be really sound in these situations.

One thing is abundantly clear about this season: this is a 10-7 team through and through. We have had stretches of consistent football that has allowed us to overwhelm weak to mediocre teams. But when we lose that consistency and make a few mistakes, we simply aren't good enough in any area to overcome a good to above average opponent.

I'm very happy with the growth of this team. We became a winning club, a good club. We essentially flipped from 7-9 to 10-7 and that's something that seemed unlikely for another year or two. For us to take the next step, though, we need to become consistently great at something. The defense was supposed to be our meal ticket this postseason but it was a mirage. Until we can dictate our identity -- whether it is playing suffocating pass defense or running the ball with abandon -- we won't be able to beat any quality opponents without a healthy degree of luck.

 

[DropKickFlutie]

195 rushing yards given up. Another loser game special whenever Godchaux and Bentley play too much. Just like giving up 270 yards before and also 225 rushing yards. Godchaux and Bentley SUCK....

.

 

[ralmat55]

The D gave up 20 points to an offense today which only gained 105 yards through the air. Two weeks ago they gave up 17 points to a QB who completed only 5 passes. We need to be specific. The problem is the run defense.

It a schematic problem. It’s not 1985 anymore. Offensive linemen don’t weigh 280 pounds or fall down if asked to run more than 5 yards like back in the day. Asking a Dlineman or a LB to control 2 gaps against modern day OLinemen is asking way too much of them.

I get that Bill has won a ton of games with this scheme. I understand that it really helps to prevent back breaking big plays having the strong safety aligned deep rather than up in the box. But, they don’t have the personnel to effectively run 2-gap against an opponent content to grind it out on the ground. I’m not sure they even make those type of players anymore.

So, this is going to continue unless Richard, Ty, Vince or Ted walk back in the door along with Willie, Mike, Tedy or better LT, Banks and Pepper. Or an old coach is going to have to try some new ways.

This is not a new problem. They’ve not had the personnel to 2-gap for a long time. But, an offense led by the GOAT was so efficient and high-scoring that teams mostly didn’t have the option of grinding out a win 4 yards at a time. Now, they do.

 

[StrawHatPatriot]

Yeah

Not sure why.

Talent plays a role, but also:

Bad leadership imo - do the rookies and young guys and free agents who weren't here in 2018 respect guys like Hightower and Slater?

The Patriots offense getting off to slow starts too. And when they comeback, it's late, and they never score quick enough.

So as a result, their defense literally needs to be perfect... they can't even give up a first down or field goal, let alone a touchdown. Which is hard... espeically since the other team just isn't afraid of us anymore.

 

[Tunescribe]

Bill is managing and coaching this defense (and offense) in a way that is incompatible with today's NFL. you cannot expect your defense to go out there every week and hold teams for 17 or 20 or 23 points. bend but don't break. does not work anymore with offenses being super aggressive and going for it on fourth, faking punts and featuring running quarterbacks. I hate to say it, and this will probably get me a ban, Bill Belichick game philosophies have been passed by by the modern NFL. If bills philosophy worked, his teams would not be 4-9 when it matters most in December and January over the last 3 years. And when you consider that, I think three of those wins are against the Jets, that's really bad. maybe Coach Bill formulates a great game plan on both sides of the ball with his superstar coordinators and they go out and win a playoff game next week. that would be very surprising given how they've played the last month. you never know

Your negative Nancy clown show is getting damn tiresome. Yeah, "outdated" and "incompatible" to the tune of a 10-7 WINNING season and PLAYOFF berth with a ROOKIE quarterback and totally REVAMPED roster from a year ago. BB schemes to his personnel and what the opponent presents. The Pats were down some key guys on defense today, apparently you didn't notice. If he had the horses to play press man coverage all over the field he'd do it more often, if playing "contain" offers the best chance to win, he does that. There are holes in this defense without question, it's a work in progress that hopefully gets reinforced next year. But suggesting BB's coaching philosophy is "outdated" makes no sense.

Do you pay attention to how other teams play defense in this era of rule changes favoring passing offense? Do you understand the cyclical nature of the NFL and how the Patriots continue to defy it with ONE sub-.500 season in the last 20 years? You don't deserve to be banned for your nonsense, you deserve to go straight to bed in your footie pajamas. No cookie and milk for you!

 

[StrawHatPatriot]

The D gave up 20 points to an offense today which only gained 105 yards through the air. Two weeks ago they gave up 17 points to a QB who completed only 5 passes. We need to be specific. The problem is the run defense.

It a schematic problem. It’s not 1985 anymore. Offensive linemen don’t weigh 280 pounds or fall down if asked to run more than 5 yards like back in the day. Asking a Dlineman or a LB to control 2 gaps against modern day OLinemen is asking way too much of them.

I get that Bill has won a ton of games with this scheme. I understand that it really helps to prevent back breaking big plays having the strong safety aligned deep rather than up in the box. But, they don’t have the personnel to effectively run 2-gap against an opponent content to grind it out on the ground. I’m not sure they even make those type of players anymore.

So, this is going to continue unless Richard, Ty, Vince or Ted walk back in the door along with Willie, Mike, Tedy or better LT, Banks and Pepper. Or an old coach is going to have to try some new ways.

This is not a new problem. They’ve not had the personnel to 2-gap for a long time. But, an offense led by the GOAT was so efficient and high-scoring that teams mostly didn’t have the option of grinding out a win 4 yards at a time. Now, they do.

Excellent post.

The last truly great, "shut down" defense we had was In 2007.

Since then? They've mostly just been reliant by having an offense that can score points, convert 3rd downs, and be clutch, and hoping the other team gets nervous and screws up.

Our offense is the opposite. They don't consistently score, they can go long stretches

 

[Ochmed Jones]

I think the bottom line is bad drafting hurts and the price paid is for years afterward!

our defense lacks talent in the front seven.

our offense lacks a true x receiver.

 

[Biffins]

One thing is abundantly clear about this season: this is a 10-7 team through and through. We have had stretches of consistent football that has allowed us to overwhelm weak to mediocre teams. But when we lose that consistency and make a few mistakes, we simply aren't good enough in any area to overcome a good to above average opponent.

I'm very happy with the growth of this team. We became a winning club, a good club. We essentially flipped from 7-9 to 10-7 and that's something that seemed unlikely for another year or two. For us to take the next step, though, we need to become consistently great at something. The defense was supposed to be our meal ticket this postseason but it was a mirage. Until we can dictate our identity -- whether it is playing suffocating pass defense or running the ball with abandon -- we won't be able to beat any quality opponents without a healthy degree of luck.

Last year's team deserved 7-9 and this year's deserved 10-7. I think that's fair, and a reflection of the league-high $291m in free agent spending we did, dwarfing the second highest free agent spend at $202m.

That splurge plus Mac Jones, got us 3 more wins. Not bad.

 

[TheRainMaker]

The last truly great, "shut down" defense we had was In 2007.

I’d go with 2004. The 2007 D dropped multiple INT’s throughout SB42, couldn’t recover an easy fumble and choked on the final drive. The Giants O really tried hard to lose that game.

The offense gets a ton of blame for not helping out the D, but Brady couldn’t even walk that game. McDaniels also badly got out coached by Spagnolo which he admitted. With that being said, the D knew the Giants had to go the length of the field to score a TD. Get one stop and history is made. They dropped two more INT’s, busted a coverage that led to the helmet catch and called an all out blitz leaving little Ellis Hobbs on Burress island. They failed miserably.

The Chargers are the Giants true MVP rolling Brady’s ankle making him wear a boot for two weeks.

Since then? They've mostly just been reliant by having an offense that can score points, convert 3rd downs, and be clutch, and hoping the other team gets nervous and screws up.

Yeah that’s the impression that I got from the 2nd Dynasty.

 

[DropKickFlutie]

Excellent post.

The last truly great, "shut down" defense we had was In 2007.

Since then? They've mostly just been reliant by having an offense that can score points, convert 3rd downs, and be clutch, and hoping the other team gets nervous and screws up.

Our offense is the opposite. They don't consistently score, they can go long stretches

Don't agree. BB Teams that won rings even recently had Gilmore, Butler (who made NFL All Pro), Revis. And Ty Law before that.

He has always needed an elite CB1. When you see the crappy soft defense where corners are 10 yards off the line, you know it won't be a good year.

Weak links on this defense are Godchaux, Bentley, and Mills is not a CB2.

 

[TheRainMaker]

Don't agree. BB Teams that won rings even recently had Gilmore, Butler (who made NFL All Pro), Revis. And Ty Law before that.

He has always needed an elite CB1. When you see the crappy soft defense where corners are 10 yards off the line, you know it won't be a good year.

Weak links on this defense are Godchaux, Bentley, and Mills is not a CB2.

I’m Jekyll and Hyde on this, but I have a feeling JC is gone only because there are a ton of needs on D.