To the OP's point #6: I believe the bucket of spit was normally injured, dragging down the whole unit
I join you in psychedness. I think the days are gone when we have to mope around the message board saying "this defense doesn't scare anybody."
Right now, it's still true... but that's only because (a) well, the full potential of this monstrosity has yet to truly demonstrate itself, and (b) we're an "improved" group over 2011.
The secondary is, of course, still the chronic concern. But a defective secondary looks much less defective when the LOS is under one's firm control. That's the direction this group is going.
Now it's a matter of them living up to this glowing review for a few games running and earning their NFL props. Right now, they're a talented group, but still not talented enough to make that secondary adequate. Just truth my brother.
Know what I'd like to see? Much like the Bills
game, I'd like to see the 2012
season become a lower and lower point total for all the offenses we face (of
course, I'd like an outlier shutout against Seyton this week, but I digress). I'd like it to sneak up on people... Ho hum, the Pats kept someone to 17... then 14... then back up to 21... then 10... then 3... that sort of thing. I'd like to turn on my TV in January as they set up the pre-game for the playoff game, and hear them noticing for the first time that the NE scoring defense has been the best in the league since October.
I mean, since we're being irrational fans and all.
In that spirit, let us hope that Goodell does not insist that replacement refs call all the Pats' games, on the excuse that the regular crews are
afraid to be in the way of the world-threatening
ferocity with which the 2012 Patriots defense
brings it.
And let us pray for opposing quarterbacks. May God have mercy on their souls.
Bill won't.
Provisionally on the bandwagon,
PFnV