So... What's wrong with the Pats' defense?

[JR4]

Is this one of BB's worst defenses of his going on 9 years here?

some possibilities
1. the pass rush.
2. DB talent.
3. OLB Talent
4. coaching
5. bend but no break schemes

maybe more . how do you see it?
Is there anything that can be done this late in the season?
Do you think it will change befor the end of the season?

 

[Halifax_Pats_Fan]

Re: So... What's wrong with PATs Defense?

Is this one of BB's worst defenses of his going on 9 years here?

some possibilities
1. the pass rush.
2. DB talent.
3. OLB Talent
4. coaching
5. bend but no break schemes

maybe more . how do you see it?
Is there anything that can be done this late in the season?
Do you think it will change befor the end of the season?

I don't know what it is but the middle of the field is killing them...sometimes receivers, backs or ends will just sit in a zone, or slant into the middle. Crossing patterns we seem to be o.k., but when opponets get deeper into the secondary, there is where we are not so good.

To answer your question it is a combination of 2 and 5. Address those areas and that should shave some points off of the board...

 

[ALP]

Re: So... What's wrong with PATs Defense?

i think that u should add young player inexperience in as one option as well...

as cliche as it sounds, its a fact....of this defense, and one which we didnt really have to deal w/ for a long time in the LB core, the most important core in a 3-4 defense (scheme wise)

 

[Rob0729]

Re: So... What's wrong with PATs Defense?

Is this one of BB's worst defenses of his going on 9 years here?

some possibilities
1. the pass rush.
2. DB talent.
3. OLB Talent
4. coaching
5. bend but no break schemes

maybe more . how do you see it?
Is there anything that can be done this late in the season?
Do you think it will change befor the end of the season?

I don't know if it is worse than 2000 or 2002, but close. I think it still has everything to do with pressure on the QB. The Pats give opposing QBs too much time and the receiver can get open even when the coverage is initially really good.

 

[PJM]

Re: So... What's wrong with PATs Defense?

Totally agree about the lack of pressure on the QB. In the Pat's scheme that was meant to come from Vrabel and Thomas. AT is out and Vrabel is having a down year. That exposes the DBs who are not the strength of this unit. I have a harder time explaining the softness up the middle;I think they were trying to address it with a converted Safety but couldn't find the right guy. There is a lot of speculation that they will target that position in the draft (which means they will take a tight end).

 

[wistahpatsfan]

Re: So... What's wrong with PATs Defense?

Totally agree about the lack of pressure on the QB. In the Pat's scheme that was meant to come from Vrabel and Thomas. AT is out and Vrabel is having a down year. That exposes the DBs who are not the strength of this unit. I have a harder time explaining the softness up the middle;I think they were trying to address it with a converted Safety but couldn't find the right guy. There is a lot of speculation that they will target that position in the draft (which means they will take a tight end).

You might be right, but I think it's in reverse. The DB's inability to come up and compress the coverage when needed forces the LBs to participate more in mediun coverage. This reduces the plays we can bring the LBs forwars and lessens the pass rush. This is acomplex, mechanized defense. All the parts have to workwell or it's up to the offense to compensate.

 

[DarrylS]

Re: So... What's wrong with PATs Defense?

I don't know if it is worse than 2000 or 2002, but close. I think it still has everything to do with pressure on the QB. The Pats give opposing QBs too much time and the receiver can get open even when the coverage is initially really good.

OTOH they give a qb so much time, because they "stay home"... clogging the lanes, denying the rush.. but the DB's are not top echelon and get exposed. As good as Guyton, Mayo and Woods are.. they do not have the NFL pass coverage experience..

 

[JR4]

Re: So... What's wrong with PATs Defense?

You might be right, but I think it's in reverse. The DB's inability to come up and compress the coverage when needed forces the LBs to participate more in mediun coverage. This reduces the plays we can bring the LBs forwars and lessens the pass rush. This is acomplex, mechanized defense. All the parts have to workwell or it's up to the offense to compensate.

when you say "DB's inability to come up and compress the coverage"
is this because of scheme or DB talent?

 

[satz]

Re: So... What's wrong with PATs Defense?

We play every game different and are game plan oriented.

game plan : My thoughts on what i saw stop the run,defend the middle by using sanders[he should be in the UP] in the box against the run and TE coverage and let ginn/camarello/bess to beat them.

OLB -
Hold the rush lanes and put enough pressure to not let any play bounce outside for huge gains - very successful
Against wildcat woods and vrabel who is lined up against the sweep to rush hard to not give ricky a clean run. very successfull . woods and vrabel were right where ricky wanted to go so had to stop and in one play tripped and fell.
very successful.
IN 2 or 1 DL mode they played at the line as DL and did not give alot as a light box the dolphins must have been able to run easily but could not.you saw bru in their at the line in this package.

ILB -
Man coverage on TE and RB . But in nickel the used merriweather/sanders on fasano.
1 TD where guyton kinda hesitated .
Wildcat - crash the gap the gaurd clears and do not let him to get to the gap he is opening by crashing in their. very effective

DL - played good but also played to their strength . they were prevented from running around chasing the ball carrier by vrabel and woods who set the edge to turn them towards them.keeping them fresh longer.

DB -
Well sanders was on the line either on TE coverage or run support so the DB gave up some cushion . actually ginn got a bit but we have been burnt too many times by not keeping the play infront. IN man coverage we just do not have have the horses to recover a blown coverage.

We are not waking up as in the first few weeks and talking about busted huge plays again keep it in the front and tackle good.

DB missed quite a bit of tackles , if they could just tackle better the game would not be so close. they just whiffed on tackling alot.instead of loss of a yard or 1 yard gain it ended up 6-7 yards. got to stop it.

IMPROVEMENT NEEDED.
tackling by the DB.
pass rush lanes and angles were poor especially in stunts .we need to move vrabel or woods out a bit and give cleaner paths .But again it might be a game plan to not let pennington step up.
as we learned do not rush safeties or corners as even pennington had a field day in the 2nd quater our DB are not good enough to be left alone with faster or good WR in man.
Cannot use this game plan against some good WR teams sanders played near the line to help run stuffing and TE coverage role.maybe we are seeing sanders playing the rodney role in the light box sets.

 

[tanked_as_usual]

Re: So... What's wrong with PATs Defense?

short memories or what? the 2005 defense was much worse

injuries and inexperience have piled up......it happens......

 

[Rob0729]

Re: So... What's wrong with PATs Defense?

OTOH they give a qb so much time, because they "stay home"... clogging the lanes, denying the rush.. but the DB's are not top echelon and get exposed. As good as Guyton, Mayo and Woods are.. they do not have the NFL pass coverage experience..

The thing is the Pats hid a depleted secondary in 2004 with a lot of pressure with the front seven. Look at the Giants in the playoffs last year, they had a crappy secondary who played like superstars because the pass rush was so dominant.

 

[wistahpatsfan]

Re: So... What's wrong with PATs Defense?

when you say "DB's inability to come up and compress the coverage"
is this because of scheme or DB talent?

I thinks it's inability to recognize and react quickly enough. Not sure how much of that is talent and how much is inexperience

 

[PatsFan2]

Re: So... What's wrong with PATs Defense?

For a Team who realistically need to run the Table just to get in the Playoffs...this is just not the kind of Defense that you want to do it with. On the brite side the Colts have always won in a similar fashion so it can be done. It's the Offense from now on guys...Good time for Cassel and Moss to start making that connection because we are going to need that combo for the stretch run.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Re: So... What's wrong with PATs Defense?

It took our offense some time to adapt to life without Brady/Maroney but eventually they were fine. The question is do we have sufficient depth on defense to make up for AD's loss. Give it a few weeks, with BB/Capers/Pees if the personnel is manageable we will manage.

 

[patsfaninpittsburgh]

Re: So... What's wrong with PATs Defense?

What's interesting is that the defense is ranked 12th.

Also, it's ranked 8th in points per game.

From what I have seen this year, I do think we need to blitz more often.

 

[PatsFan2]

Re: So... What's wrong with PATs Defense?

It took our offense some time to adapt to life without Brady/Maroney but eventually they were fine. The question is do we have sufficient depth on defense to make up for AD's loss. Give it a few weeks, with BB/Capers/Pees if the personnel is manageable we will manage.

Life without Brady i understand...but Maroney? what exactly did he bring to our Offense again? He's not missed by anybody here!:banned:

 

[j00fek]

Re: So... What's wrong with PATs Defense?

DB's, nothing else

 

[sieglo]

Re: So... What's wrong with PATs Defense?

DB's, nothing else

How can this be correct when the Pats have won Super Bowls with cast off DBs?

Normally, as the season progresses a BB defense improves. This one doesn't seem to be. And that is worrisome.

 

[j00fek]

Re: So... What's wrong with PATs Defense?

How can this be correct when the Pats have won Super Bowls with cast off DBs?

Normally, as the season progresses a BB defense improves. This one doesn't seem to be. And that is worrisome.

with all the injury's, and shoddy CB work, its just the right formula this yr for a inept defense.

 

[JSn]

Re: So... What's wrong with PATs Defense?

It should be worth mentioning that our DB's were covering against one of the most decisive and accurate QB's in the league. He has enough lacking qualities to keep out of the top tier, but you can't underestimate how hard he is to trick.

I think it was the right call keeping the play in front of them and keeping the middle safe against pu$sy-play.

They might actually look better against the Steelers. They're a good team, but they've allowed a lot of sacks and Big Ben holds the ball too long. What he has in power and accuracy he some times compromises by being indecisive.