syborg
Rookie
The Patriots are what I thought they were. . ****e. .
Patriots
- Thread starter Clipse
- Start date
Are overhyped and overrated. It's pretty obvious Brady is average at best when his O-Line isn't blocking as good as he's used too. That defense is decimated, and with the loss of Mayo, it's pretty bad. If the Dolphins O-Line doesn't get their act together, Jets win the division. If they do, then it will be a very tough division.at everyone saying the Patsies are going to just cruise to an AFC East title with Brady back.
It's always a bit shocking to me when I see this kind of stupidity. Let me ask you this R&R, hows that 6th rated Patriots defense looking to you now?
The jury is still out on just how good the defense is. Lets see where they rank after the Colts & Saints games.
They're getting better every week, but I don't expect them to end up in the top 5 at the end of the season, not with their schedule.
They're getting better every week, but I don't expect them to end up in the top 5 at the end of the season, not with their schedule.
This is true, but I've seen enough to say they are greatly improved over last year. The secondary alone is worlds better than last year.
Clipse
mediocrity sucks
Bills, Titans, Jets, Bucs. Man you're playing some great offenses their. You did a great job against the Falcons. Average defensive games against the Ravens and Broncos. Please come back when you actually play a real offense. Kthx.It's always a bit shocking to me when I see this kind of stupidity. Let me ask you this R&R, hows that 6th rated Patriots defense looking to you now?
Clipse
mediocrity sucks
Oo against the mighty winless bucs. Scary!
Clipse
mediocrity sucks
easy to say that when the only good offenses you have played are the Falcons (which you dominated), and the Raven's (which you played average defense). How about you wait until you play some good offenses before commenting? Just a thought.
Oh, okay, they really suck, good thing for you that you get to see them very soon and then tell me how bad this Pats defense is. :rolleyes2:
Patriots-Lifer
Champions never stop building
Just thought you should do some reading about that D you think sucks so badly R&R.
Blend, don’t break
Patriot secondary putting it together
By Adam Kilgore
Globe Staff / November 1, 2009
FOXBOROUGH - If there is one fact that shows just how much the Patriots secondary has changed in a year, it might be this: On the opening week of last season, they started Ellis Hobbs, Lewis Sanders, James Sanders, and Rodney Harrison in their defensive backfield. Three of those players are no longer with the Patriots, and one hardly sees the field anymore.
The Patriots reconstructed their secondary in the offseason, a process that is succeeding while still evolving as the season chugs toward the midway point. With surging safety Brandon Meriweather serving as something close to a centerpiece, the Patriots have rotated new veterans and rookies to create a group that is becoming one of the league’s top units.
The Patriots, in their bye week, rank fifth in the NFL in passing yards allowed, surrendering 176.3 per game, and their seven interceptions are tied for seventh. Opposing quarterbacks have completed 56.5 percent of their passes against the Patriots, sixth-best in the league.
With changing personnel and new parts, the secondary is thriving in a fluid state.
“I think we have come together pretty good,’’ said safety Brandon McGowan, a castoff from the Chicago Bears whom the Patriots signed last May. “Preseason, we were a little shaky. We were just getting a feel for everybody, how everybody plays, how everybody reacts in certain situations. It’s coming together quite well.’’
The parties responsible have shifted as the season has worn, with rookies Patrick Chung and Darius Butler emerging in more primary roles and veterans Shawn Springs and James Sanders watching their playing time dwindle. The arrival of new defensive backs has fostered competition and erased self-satisfaction.
“That’s how you have to go into any position,’’ said starting cornerback Leigh Bodden, another offseason acquisition. “Stay on your toes, never get complacent. Competition just helps everybody.
“Later on down the road, guys are going to get hurt, maybe for a few games or a few plays, and you’ll need guys to step in and do a good job.’’
The depth protects against attrition. Last year, against the St. Louis Rams, the Patriots lost three defensive backs to injury. On the final drive of the game, coach Bill Belichick resorted to “trying to find bodies to put out there.’’ The Patriots had to move Meriweather down to cornerback.
After Harrison retired and Hobbs was traded, the Patriots reloaded through the draft and with what seemed like minor signings. Safety Chung was their first draft choice, and cornerback Butler was their third (both picked in the second round). They signed Bodden, McGowan, and Springs.
The acclimation of Chung and Butler has provided depth, with Butler’s improvement thrusting him into a primary role at corner. He played every defensive snap two weeks ago against the Titans, and he played on 79 percent of the plays last week. Springs has played only 14 of 112 defensive plays the past two weeks.
Meanwhile, Chung has seemingly replaced Sanders as the third safety. Sanders, who began the year starting ahead of McGowan, played three snaps against the Buccaneers. Chung played 40, receiving regular time in the nickel and dime packages.
Even 70 or so practices into the season, the defensive backs are still learning details about one another. In one dime package last Sunday, four of the six defensive backs on the field were in their first year with the Patriots, and two of them were NFL rookies.
“Our chemistry is great,’’ Bodden said. “We have to feed off each other.’’
Cornerback Jonathan Wilhite said last season that young secondaries, yet to learn their fellow defensive backs’ tendencies, need to communicate more than experienced units. The Patriots defensive backs constantly chatter before plays, and they have developed more and more hand signals.
“It’s always a learning process, no matter what position you play or who you play with,’’ Bodden said. “But I think we’ve jelled well. I think everybody knows how each other plays and how each other thinks. We definitely communicate well. That’s a big part of it. That’s what’s making us become a good secondary.’’
In practice, the Patriots’ offense provides an ideal test. As much as any team in the NFL, the Patriots use varied sets of receivers, different routes, and plays changed at the line of scrimmage. After facing their own offense, little surprises the secondary on Sundays.
“We try to build that base and get everybody on the same page, so whichever players are in there, they understand,’’ Belichick said. “We get a good look at that in practice, and we probably see as much in practice as we see each week on the field. That helps the process, too.’’
The callow secondary reflects an overall trend on the Patriots defense.
“It has gotten young,’’ running back Kevin Faulk said.
A unit that lost Harrison, Mike Vrabel, and Teddy Bruschi now boasts a gaggle of second-year players and rookies, including defensive leader Jerrod Mayo.
But no area has changed as rapidly as the secondary. The defensive backs have made the transition seamless, and they have done it together.
“That’s very important,’’ McGowan said. “It’s all about getting everybody on the same page. When everybody is on the same page, everybody is playing as one, as a whole, that makes it even better.’’
It really doesn't matter at all what you think. The fact is that they keep improving. Can you say that about the Fin's D?
I don't think so
Blend, don’t break
Patriot secondary putting it together
By Adam Kilgore
Globe Staff / November 1, 2009
FOXBOROUGH - If there is one fact that shows just how much the Patriots secondary has changed in a year, it might be this: On the opening week of last season, they started Ellis Hobbs, Lewis Sanders, James Sanders, and Rodney Harrison in their defensive backfield. Three of those players are no longer with the Patriots, and one hardly sees the field anymore.
The Patriots reconstructed their secondary in the offseason, a process that is succeeding while still evolving as the season chugs toward the midway point. With surging safety Brandon Meriweather serving as something close to a centerpiece, the Patriots have rotated new veterans and rookies to create a group that is becoming one of the league’s top units.
The Patriots, in their bye week, rank fifth in the NFL in passing yards allowed, surrendering 176.3 per game, and their seven interceptions are tied for seventh. Opposing quarterbacks have completed 56.5 percent of their passes against the Patriots, sixth-best in the league.
With changing personnel and new parts, the secondary is thriving in a fluid state.
“I think we have come together pretty good,’’ said safety Brandon McGowan, a castoff from the Chicago Bears whom the Patriots signed last May. “Preseason, we were a little shaky. We were just getting a feel for everybody, how everybody plays, how everybody reacts in certain situations. It’s coming together quite well.’’
The parties responsible have shifted as the season has worn, with rookies Patrick Chung and Darius Butler emerging in more primary roles and veterans Shawn Springs and James Sanders watching their playing time dwindle. The arrival of new defensive backs has fostered competition and erased self-satisfaction.
“That’s how you have to go into any position,’’ said starting cornerback Leigh Bodden, another offseason acquisition. “Stay on your toes, never get complacent. Competition just helps everybody.
“Later on down the road, guys are going to get hurt, maybe for a few games or a few plays, and you’ll need guys to step in and do a good job.’’
The depth protects against attrition. Last year, against the St. Louis Rams, the Patriots lost three defensive backs to injury. On the final drive of the game, coach Bill Belichick resorted to “trying to find bodies to put out there.’’ The Patriots had to move Meriweather down to cornerback.
After Harrison retired and Hobbs was traded, the Patriots reloaded through the draft and with what seemed like minor signings. Safety Chung was their first draft choice, and cornerback Butler was their third (both picked in the second round). They signed Bodden, McGowan, and Springs.
The acclimation of Chung and Butler has provided depth, with Butler’s improvement thrusting him into a primary role at corner. He played every defensive snap two weeks ago against the Titans, and he played on 79 percent of the plays last week. Springs has played only 14 of 112 defensive plays the past two weeks.
Meanwhile, Chung has seemingly replaced Sanders as the third safety. Sanders, who began the year starting ahead of McGowan, played three snaps against the Buccaneers. Chung played 40, receiving regular time in the nickel and dime packages.
Even 70 or so practices into the season, the defensive backs are still learning details about one another. In one dime package last Sunday, four of the six defensive backs on the field were in their first year with the Patriots, and two of them were NFL rookies.
“Our chemistry is great,’’ Bodden said. “We have to feed off each other.’’
Cornerback Jonathan Wilhite said last season that young secondaries, yet to learn their fellow defensive backs’ tendencies, need to communicate more than experienced units. The Patriots defensive backs constantly chatter before plays, and they have developed more and more hand signals.
“It’s always a learning process, no matter what position you play or who you play with,’’ Bodden said. “But I think we’ve jelled well. I think everybody knows how each other plays and how each other thinks. We definitely communicate well. That’s a big part of it. That’s what’s making us become a good secondary.’’
In practice, the Patriots’ offense provides an ideal test. As much as any team in the NFL, the Patriots use varied sets of receivers, different routes, and plays changed at the line of scrimmage. After facing their own offense, little surprises the secondary on Sundays.
“We try to build that base and get everybody on the same page, so whichever players are in there, they understand,’’ Belichick said. “We get a good look at that in practice, and we probably see as much in practice as we see each week on the field. That helps the process, too.’’
The callow secondary reflects an overall trend on the Patriots defense.
“It has gotten young,’’ running back Kevin Faulk said.
A unit that lost Harrison, Mike Vrabel, and Teddy Bruschi now boasts a gaggle of second-year players and rookies, including defensive leader Jerrod Mayo.
But no area has changed as rapidly as the secondary. The defensive backs have made the transition seamless, and they have done it together.
“That’s very important,’’ McGowan said. “It’s all about getting everybody on the same page. When everybody is on the same page, everybody is playing as one, as a whole, that makes it even better.’’
It really doesn't matter at all what you think. The fact is that they keep improving. Can you say that about the Fin's D?
I don't think so
I can't say I disagree with you about the offenses the Pats have faced to date. I'm very glad they did not have to play NO or Indy earlier.
This gave them time to get the young guys lots of time and to rotate the entire secondary. I think that will help make the difference when they do go to Indy in 2 weeks, & to NO at the end of the month.
The D is better than it was at the start of the season and is a lot better than last years. Lots of new faces that had to learn to work together. they're getting there.
Tom Bündchen
Golden Boy
Driver's Seat, Ohhh yeah...
Thanks, Dolphins. Herein lies the last time I root for you... this season.
Thanks, Dolphins. Herein lies the last time I root for you... this season.
Clipse
mediocrity sucks
They've improved and have looked better than I thought they would. But they still haven't played many good offenses. My point is some of the complete homers like shastz should wait until they play the likes of the Saints or Colts before flapping their gums.
Tom Bündchen
Golden Boy
It hurts to agree with R&R, but there's a lot of truth there.
Clipse
mediocrity sucks
Just to set the record straight, the Patriots could very well turn out to be a pretty good defense. I wouldn't know, that's why I'm not currently working in an NFL Front Office. I really like Meriweather. But the jury is still out on the defense.
As for this Sunday's game, it's going to be a good one. If Scared Brady shows up, it could mean trouble for the Pats. If Great Brady shows up, with our rookie corners, it could get ugly for us. Hopefully we blitz and get to Brady to rattle him. However, I've seen nothing from Pasqualoni to tell me we're going to do any of this blitzing I speak of after halftime. So hopefully we manage a healthy lead on the Pats before Pasq implements his usual 2nd half vanilla defense.
As for this Sunday's game, it's going to be a good one. If Scared Brady shows up, it could mean trouble for the Pats. If Great Brady shows up, with our rookie corners, it could get ugly for us. Hopefully we blitz and get to Brady to rattle him. However, I've seen nothing from Pasqualoni to tell me we're going to do any of this blitzing I speak of after halftime. So hopefully we manage a healthy lead on the Pats before Pasq implements his usual 2nd half vanilla defense.