Pats defense learning quickly under Brian Flores

[Snooky97]

They’ll need to be. In their games against playoff squads, the defense gave up: 42, 20, 33, 7, 3, 24, and 16. The 16 and 3 point outputs were by the Bills. The Pats defense feasted on weaker competition, hence their FIF IN POINTZ finish.

Couldn’t agree more if I tried to.

I think one thing people forget is 2016 Super Bowl team the rotation of a pass rush was huge. The ability for us to have Trey Flowers rushing from the inside was big! Hopefully this season we will be able to see more of it!

 

[mosi]

They’ll need to be. In their games against playoff squads, the defense gave up: 42, 20, 33, 7, 3, 24, and 16. The 16 and 3 point outputs were by the Bills. The Pats defense feasted on weaker competition, hence their FIF IN POINTZ finish.

100% nail on the head! I just remember that SB were the Pats got zero pressure on Foles. Drove me insane.

 

[PatriotsNumero1Fan]

100% nail on the head! I just remember that SB were the Pats got zero pressure on Foles. Drove me insane.

We used to get coverage sacks but it seems like we played a soft zone coverage.

 

[PatriotsNumero1Fan]

Danny Shelton and Jason McCourty are the two biggest unknowns at this point. Hope they work out here. I like the kid from Maryland JC Jackson. Hope he makes the team.

 

[Kontradiction]

We used to get coverage sacks but it seems like we played a soft zone coverage.

Not in that game. They played a ton of man in that game.

 

[maineman209]

100% nail on the head! I just remember that SB were the Pats got zero pressure on Foles. Drove me insane.

The Eagles' supposedly "dominant" DL also got very little effective pressure on Brady, except for the one crucial play given up by Mason.

It's also been reported that no OL on either team was called for Holding.

Probably just a coincidence, though.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

The Eagles' supposedly "dominant" DL also got very little effective pressure on Brady, except for the one crucial play given up by Mason.

It's also been reported that no OL on either team was called for Holding.

Probably just a coincidence, though.

The difference in the game was their o-line was impenatrable while ours had a few kinks. I honestly don’t think Wentz or Foles are that good - they were protected last year like no other.

 

[maineman209]

The difference in the game was their o-line was impenatrable while ours had a few kinks. I honestly don’t think Wentz or Foles are that good - they were protected last year like no other.

No question that the Eagles' OL was damn good last year - probably the best in the league.

And, after losing Long, Sheard and Nink, the Pats edge-rush (and edge defense against the run) was down to Trey Flowers, a couple rookies and whoever they could scrounge up.

I don't think Goodell could have conspired to create a worse matchup for the 2017 version of the Pats than that Eagles team.

 

[PatriotsNumero1Fan]

No question that the Eagles' OL was damn good last year - probably the best in the league.

And, after losing Long, Sheard and Nink, the Pats edge-rush (and edge defense against the run) was down to Trey Flowers, a couple rookies and whoever they could scrounge up.

I don't think Goodell could have conspired to create a worse matchup for the 2017 version of the Pats than that Eagles team.

Well it hurts even more when you’re missing one of your best defenders.

 

[captain stone]

The Eagles' supposedly "dominant" DL also got very little effective pressure on Brady, except for the one crucial play given up by Mason...

Two plays given up by Mason.

 

[TheRainMaker]

The difference in the game was their o-line was impenatrable while ours had a few kinks. I honestly don’t think Wentz or Foles are that good - they were protected last year like no other.

Their offense will get exposed if someone can come up with a way to defend the RPO.

 

[TheRainMaker]

Danny Shelton and Jason McCourty are the two biggest unknowns at this point. Hope they work out here. I like the kid from Maryland JC Jackson. Hope he makes the team.

I haven't been following any training camp updates but if Shelton doesn't work out, it will be a massive failure.

 

[RayClay]

I haven't been following any training camp updates but if Shelton doesn't work out, it will be a massive failure.

?

 

[n1997y]

?

I haven't been following any training camp updates but if Shelton doesn't work out, it will be a massive failure.

Not quite as massive as Trent Brown...

 

[TheRainMaker]

?

I was going by what the other poster was fearing.

 

[TheRainMaker]

Not quite as massive as Trent Brown...

Agree, but it doesn’t look like that will happen. Brown will easily start at LT. I’m pretty sure that competition is already over.

 

[Brick27]

Can’t be the only one who is pretty optimistic about the DL?

The jury is obviously still out on Shelton and Clayborn, but at the least it has only been good things out of camp at this point. That is a FAR cry from the Ealy signing of last year where there was no good news almost from the start. There was also far more riding on Ealy at the time vs. the amount of pieces this year.

One thing that sticks out is the depth and versatility. There are DEs who can also work on the interior of the line, and DTs who can also work on the exterior. They can run 3 DEs or 3 DTs on a given down if need be seamlessly. There are big enough bodies back with Shelton and Valentine that were lacking last year, and what looks thus far like a second year leap for Wise. There’s also the Pats top 2017 pick Rivers coming back who doesn’t seem to be pressured with the same level of expectations.

As of now there appear to be atleast 9 guys who should contribute. Things aren’t looking so bad

 

[supafly]

I like the kid from Maryland JC Jackson. Hope he makes the team.

Whether it’s Crossen, Lewis, or Jackson, I’m picking a young player to crack the CB corps, but although it’s just one practice, Jackson supposedly struggled in the hands placement drill, last night.

 

[supafly]

Can’t be the only one who is pretty optimistic about the DL?

The jury is obviously still out on Shelton and Clayborn, but at the least it has only been good things out of camp at this point. That is a FAR cry from the Ealy signing of last year where there was no good news almost from the start. There was also far more riding on Ealy at the time vs. the amount of pieces this year.

One thing that sticks out is the depth and versatility. There are DEs who can also work on the interior of the line, and DTs who can also work on the exterior. They can run 3 DEs or 3 DTs on a given down if need be seamlessly. There are big enough bodies back with Shelton and Valentine that were lacking last year, and what looks thus far like a second year leap for Wise. There’s also the Pats top 2017 pick Rivers coming back who doesn’t seem to be pressured with the same level of expectations.

As of now there appear to be atleast 9 guys who should contribute. Things aren’t looking so bad

I don’t think you’re being too optimistic about the DL or front seven, in general. We have some clues to suggest that there should be a marked improvement, including the addition of some bigger bodies, a return from injuries, and some hope that guys like Guy, Wise, and Butler can continue to build on some developmental first year seasons where they showed nice stretches.

 

[supafly]

I haven't been following any training camp updates but if Shelton doesn't work out, it will be a massive failure.

It would be disappointing, but I don’t think I’d necessarily call it a massive failure. He’s still pretty cheap, and Bill throws those mid round picks around like they’re nothing, knowing that they’ll be recouped via the compensatory process when they choose to let a player leave in FA.