In response to tcal2-'s comment:

and if the right side of the o line plays better (or we pick up someone).

and if we make better game management and offensive situational playcalling decisions (which i found to be he chief reason we lost the game

In response to pezz4pats' comment:

 

His first 6 shotgun snaps ended with 3 sacks.

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His first 6 shotgun snaps ended with 3 sacks.

 

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This is completely and utterly untrue. 

TC, don't let facts get in the way of a good argument?!  Because even though the spread offense and excessive passing didn't win us any rings we were REALLY close...

 

They played a bad game VS the Cards, the Cards are much better than they're given credit for, the hand wringing and hyper, knee jerk reaction to a loss is more nauseating than the actual loss.

You don't need stats to see how this defense has vastly improved over last year. They are more physical, athletic and aggressive. I really like the way this defense is playing plus the fact as Wozz said, they are just stratching the surface. I imagine they would have been 1st or 2nd ranked had Ebner made a block on the punt that ended up giving the Cards a 2yard field to work with. 

The real test is this week against a much better offense than the Cards and TItans. Althought Flacco has been inconsistent, he can light it up at times and we all know what Ray Rice can do. This should be a formidable test for the youngsters.

 

In response to DelGriffith's comment:

Yes exactly.  Every BB defense has improved within that season,  playing their best football down the stretch and into the playoffs, just like last year. You could say the same thing within each game as well. Usually the first drive they see what the other team is up to and then they tighten it up and get better as the game goes along. What we are seeing now is not what we will see in a couple of months as they will get even better. IMO this will be a top 5 defense. Maybe even good enough to carry the team to the super bowl.

In response to prolate0spheroid's comment:

 

His first 6 shotgun snaps ended with 3 sacks.

 

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This is completely and utterly untrue. 

 

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Sorry, that was off memory.

What I should have said was...

After Ridley single handedly carried us to a FG with FOUR straight runs for the 1st time in the last 4 years, THEN Brady was sacked 3 out of 6 shotgun snaps to end our last 2 drives of the half without scoring. Is that better?

 

1st and 10 at NE 48 T.Brady sacked at NE 38 for -10 yards (S.Acho). (Shotgun) PENALTY on NE-D.Thomas, False Start, 5 yards, enforced at NE 38 - No Play.     2nd and 25 at NE 33 (Shotgun) T.Brady sacked at NE 26 for -7 yards (Q.Groves).     3rd and 32 at NE 26 (Shotgun) D.Woodhead up the middle to NE 31 for 5 yards (C.Campbell).

 

 

(Shotgun) T.Brady pass deep left to W.Welker ran ob at NE 35 for 25 yards. NE 83-Welker 558th career reception, franchise record (Troy Brown).     1st and 10 at NE 35 (No Huddle, Shotgun) T.Brady pass short middle to D.Woodhead to NE 47 for 12 yards (P.Lenon).     1st and 10 at NE 47 (No Huddle, Shotgun) T.Brady pass incomplete deep left to R.Gronkowski.     2nd and 10 at NE 47 (Shotgun) D.Woodhead right guard to ARZ 47 for 6 yards (C.Campbell; W.Gay).     3rd and 4 at ARI 47 (No Huddle, Shotgun) T.Brady sacked at ARZ 47 for 0 yards (C.Campbell

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I digress. Good post Wozzy. The defense looks very good, they would have won the game for us if not for the blocked punt. Although Brady still had enough juice for a comeback(with the help of the 3rd down forced fumble of course) if that ref from walmart hadn't picked that Woodhead td run to be his 15 seconds of fame.

In response to BabeParilli's comment:

The defense basher chimes in with his half empty glass/

In response to pezz4pats' comment:

In response to pezz4pats' comment:

Good D stats and comments here. most all feel the same about the new D now.

I brought up the 'Communication' comment because it really was a big deal with the prior Pats good defenses featuring the D signal callers, Rodney (the D QB), Tedy, Willy and Sey. It was so important to them that at times when someone screwed up I've seen those guys actually collar and shout at some others right on the field to straighten them out.  They were vocal about it. Just a different point of view here.

Thanks for a good thread ....

 

In response to TrueChamp's comment:

Certainly was a bad penalty, if that was a hold then so is every other "clean" block in the NFL.

I am really impresed with the D this year. I too in fantasy football picked Pats D early ( 9) because yes I am a homer but I really thought they were improved.  They have always been opportunistic with Int TDs and kick return TDs

But my point I want to make is the TD they gave up after the blocked punt. Allowing for a short 4 yd start. Could this be attributed to Hernanadez injury? Usually TEs are the outside blockers on punt teams. Was this the case and we had a substitute in?

In response to mgraham's comment:

That's ST on that one not the D. I hate to call out anyone but to answer you, the word going around the horn here is that Ebner missed on his assignment on the punt. I don't know if that was his first assignment there replacing.

Hate to picky but # 24 on D and i think it's Arrington missed badly on 2 sure tackles One went for an AZ 1st down, perhaps both. Arrington was right in front of him both times (no angle) and the runner just blew right by him with the sideline just a foot away. Looked like a lack of effort to me.

 

Brady won Sb win a workhorse back and even if you don't want to admit it, our offense is now better suited to mre like Baltimore( Rice and play action) than the brady spread offensse of our past) we are more Dillon, Smith than running back by committee............... feed Ridley the rock doesn't mean 30 carries...........it mean run it until they play run and let Brady's experience kill teams in play action. 

AT THIS POINT IN HIS CAREER, DOES HE REALLY NEED AN O COORDINATOR TO TELL HIM WHAT HE SEES????

can't edit.......but u feel me??

In response to leatherhelmet's comment:

Yes, but 'I feel you' being too O'ffensive here. Now D'efense that! lol

the defense is now the strength of the team....our offense has been inconsistent and the special teams has flat out stunk....alot can change over the course of the season, but as of right now you gotta be happy with how the defense is playing and question whats going on with the offense...

In response to palookaski's comment:

D'fence rests................;-)

I love a physical proactive Defense.+ Give aways/ take aways, more 3rd 6789s and solid tackling thats what we got this year.I will gladly take a few big plays and penalties in exchange for alligator arms and bracing for contact not going for that extra foot or more and swivel headed drops.

In response to palookaski's comment:

Couldn't agree more!!!

need another DE on the other side .....would then have a chance to do some damage like Freeney and Mathis in their heyday.

 

 

[/QUOTE]

Sorry, that was off memory.

What I should have said was...

After Ridley single handedly carried us to a FG with FOUR straight runs for the 1st time in the last 4 years, THEN Brady was sacked 3 out of 6 shotgun snaps to end our last 2 drives of the half without scoring. Is that better?

1st and 10 at NE 48 T.Brady sacked at NE 38 for -10 yards (S.Acho). (Shotgun) PENALTY on NE-D.Thomas, False Start, 5 yards, enforced at NE 38 - No Play.     2nd and 25 at NE 33 (Shotgun) T.Brady sacked at NE 26 for -7 yards (Q.Groves).     3rd and 32 at NE 26 (Shotgun) D.Woodhead up the middle to NE 31 for 5 yards (C.Campbell).

(Shotgun) T.Brady pass deep left to W.Welker ran ob at NE 35 for 25 yards. NE 83-Welker 558th career reception, franchise record (Troy Brown).     1st and 10 at NE 35 (No Huddle, Shotgun) T.Brady pass short middle to D.Woodhead to NE 47 for 12 yards (P.Lenon).     1st and 10 at NE 47 (No Huddle, Shotgun) T.Brady pass incomplete deep left to R.Gronkowski.     2nd and 10 at NE 47 (Shotgun) D.Woodhead right guard to ARZ 47 for 6 yards (C.Campbell; W.Gay).     3rd and 4 at ARI 47 (No Huddle, Shotgun) T.Brady sacked at ARZ 47 for 0 yards (C.Campbell 

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Champ, you're not seriously trying to say those two drives prove anything are you?  I mean once Brady was sacked on 1st and 10 (throwing from under center, by the way, not from the shotgun) they got a penalty. This means they had a second and 25. Is your point that you should run on second and 25? If so, you can't expect anyone to take you seriously.  The next sack occured on a third and 4 play with 47 seconds left. They weren't in field goal range yet, so throwing made sense.  The whole drive was basically a two minute drive (which they started by running the ball with Ridley on two straight plays for a net gain of zero yards, putting them in a 3rd and 10 situation.  Of course they threw then.  You're not seriously saying that after two runs (one of 1 yard and one of -1 yard) they should just run a third time?  Your theories about the evils of passing too much are getting in the way of common sense here.

And if you want to really look at the effectiveness of the shotgun, why not look at the two successive fourth quarter drives where almost every single play was a pass from the shotgun and they scored a FG on the first drive and a TD on the second drive?  That's far more impressive than the FG drive that featured Ridley running. In fact those two quick shotgun/pass-heavy drives scored more points in the last half of the fourth quarter than they scored in the three and half quarters before then using a run-heavy offense.