The Defense: Why I'm Relatively Optimistic

[Brady_to_Moss]

If it wasn't a total breakdown in communication..we win today...so that can be fixed...but still...the speed on D and DL..just doesn't look good

 

[Deus Irae]

He's trying to master the hardest defense in the NFL to learn. Same with Marsh and others. His learning curve is just more exposed because he's often matched up with the WR1 and WR2. If you watch "Football Night in America", both Dungy and Rodney just said the same thing.

Late to pick up a zone is one thing. Even getting caught up in the wash on rub routes would have me saying that it's easily fixable. Repeatedly doubling off of your man because you can't figure out who've you've got in a man scheme is another. Gilmore's a press man kind of guy, but even they have to know how to handle 3 man bunches by this point in their NFL careers.

 

[PatriotsNumero1Fan]

People keep mentioning our secondary but lost in all this is the run d. It's awful as well. Giving 5 yards a pop.

 

[Richard Camembert]

I do have 283 reasons why I think they will fix these problems...

 

[NG Pats Fan]

People keep mentioning our secondary but lost in all this is the run d. It's awful as well. Giving 5 yards a pop.

I hate to be the one to say it but Malcolm Brown has been invisible this year

 

[SHOWTIME15]

People keep mentioning our secondary but lost in all this is the run d. It's awful as well. Giving 5 yards a pop.

A lot of it was Newton, who rushed for 44 yards.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

Not having Edelman hurts us defensively. He was our chain mover who helped keep the D off the field.

 

[stephens44]

The athleticism of Chandler Jones and Jamie Collins has not been replaced and neither has the experience of Ninkovich. This D simply has a talent deficit in the front 7 compared with the past 3 seasons. We can expect improvement, but we cannot realistically expect on field performance to reach the level of the last 3 years, they don't have the players.

 

[Kontradiction]

About who Gilmore?

About the communication issues in general. They blamed one TD on McCourty for not pointing out Gilmore's assignment and another on Gilmore.

 

[Kontradiction]

NE-VT posted an excellent article about BB's 4-3/ 3-4 hybrid defense which only discussed the front 7 but just reading that gives you an idea of how complicated the defense is. Left side is playing 4-3 tech while the right is playing 3-4 etc....

Question for you though. Why wouldn't they just let MB and Gilmore play man with McCourty over the top? Or do they need to play zone to protect the LB crew during passing plays?

Irrational fear of a mobile QB.

 

[Oswlek]

Defense: The only reasons to have any optimism whatsoever.

and

FTFY.

 

[Oswlek]

The athleticism of Chandler Jones and Jamie Collins has not been replaced and neither has the experience of Ninkovich. This D simply has a talent deficit in the front 7 compared with the past 3 seasons. We can expect improvement, but we cannot realistically expect on field performance to reach the level of the last 3 years, they don't have the players.

The athleticism of Jones and Collins was gone most of last year and the team seemed to do fine. Is Nink's experience really the difference between an excellent unit and a historically dreadful one?

 

[Nehalem]

I would suggest that Patricia and Belichick allow the defense to play more aggressively and blitz more against mobile QBs.

The defense, without a doubt, looked at their best against New Orleans. While Alex Smith isn't Mike Vick, he's mobile and Belichick has played him as he plays other mobile quarterbacks. What's the common denominator in the defense's struggles this year, and years past? When they play a conservative, passive style of defense against a mobile quarterback, they look terrible, without fail, every time. Unfortunately Jameis Winston is coming up which isn't ideal.

Pretty much as long as the Pats don't have to face KC, Houston, Tennessee in the playoffs, or faceoff against division leading Buffalo twice this year you like their chances.

So basically if the Pats draw Denver(@home only) and Pittsburgh in the playoffs its smooth sailing. Otherwise we are basically screwed.

With all that said, I'm optimistic that they will look better against traditional pocket passers, and I hope that today was a wake up call and that the coaching staff will adjust their approach to defending athletic, mobile quarterbacks.

Considering that the defense struggling against mobile QBs has gone on for years why would you be optimistic they will suddenly adjust their approach?

 

[mgteich]

Not having Edelman hurts us defensively. He was our chain mover who helped keep the D off the field.

please check Danny's stats

 

[Betterthanmost]

How do you fix this one? What if I told you that McCaffrey got a first down on this play?

 

[Nehalem]

Not having Edelman hurts us defensively. He was our chain mover who helped keep the D off the field.

Pats actually lead in TOP with 31:07

 

[mgteich]

Pats actually lead in TOP with 31:07

Bringing up facts is a violation of patsfans rules.

 

[rads2005]

It cracks me up when people pull the "they should be embarrassed" and "that is unacceptable" crap.
As if they have more at stake than the players and have a personal standard that the players aren't living up to.

You don't have to be in the NFL to, as a fan, have an opinion as to how good or how poorly a team is performing. I have no idea why you find it strange on a discussion board about the Patriots that there are fans who are going to express their personal opinions.

So of course each fan has a personal standard. Similarly, if you go to a restaurant, you don't have to be a gourmet chef to decide you're being served a pile of crap.

Why does a fan have to have more "at stake" in an NFL game to look at the team and say, gee I think the defense is so bad they're embarrassing?

There are clearly lines of decency that shouldn't be crossed, but that's hardly it.

 

[obgod3]

Pretty much as long as the Pats don't have to face KC, Houston, Tennessee in the playoffs, or faceoff against division leading Buffalo twice this year you like their chances.

So basically if the Pats draw Denver(@home only) and Pittsburgh in the playoffs its smooth sailing. Otherwise we are basically screwed

If the Pats play anything like they have so far in Denver they will lose ...Denver is much better than anyone anticipated. I wouldnt want this current Pats team traveling anywhere in the playoffs.

I still think they can improve but is that going to be enough? We shall see.

 

[Bruins29]

You don't have to be in the NFL to, as a fan, have an opinion as to how good or how poorly a team is performing. I have no idea why you find it strange on a discussion board about the Patriots that there are fans who are going to express their personal opinions.

So of course each fan has a personal standard. Similarly, if you go to a restaurant, you don't have to be a gourmet chef to decide you're being served a pile of crap.

Why does a fan have to have more "at stake" in an NFL game to look at the team and say, gee I think the defense is so bad they're embarrassing?

There are clearly lines of decency that shouldn't be crossed, but that's hardly it.

This is a discussion forum not a personal sounding board for individuals. There is a big difference between criticizm, being negative and just being an annoying ass.

Also, personal opinions are great but what if people only expressed negative opinions all of the time. Or what about a poster that has expressed his opinion over 1000 times in a little over a month. Yes, do the math - ONE THOUSAND TIMES.

Everyone has the right to their opinion just like everyone has the right to tell the people who just sound like Rain Man repeating the same thing over and over, every single week to shut the hell up.