Patriots Defense (1 Viewer)

[Mordraken]

So, not to give any of the insider FBG info away, but following this week's game the Patriots Team Defense has dropped from the pre-season ranking of #3 to .. um.. well - not in the top 25.

Does the FBG staff (specifically David Dodds) think that this defense has gone from one of the best in the league to one of the worst in the league simply by the loss of Tom Brady (also considering Belichick is known as a defensive coach).

I could understand a downgrade to more of an average defense, but wow...

 

[SeniorVBDStudent]

So, not to give any of the insider FBG info away, but following this week's game the Patriots Team Defense has dropped from the pre-season ranking of #3 to .. um.. well - not in the top 25.Does the FBG staff (specifically David Dodds) think that this defense has gone from one of the best in the league to one of the worst in the league simply by the loss of Tom Brady (also considering Belichick is known as a defensive coach).I could understand a downgrade to more of an average defense, but wow...

The NFL is all about matchups. The Dolphins demonstrated that if you create a matchup to exploit the lack of Patriots speed at linebacker, you can win that matchup. The projections are fairly dynamic, and you'll see an adjustment if the Patriots are able to respond effectively against those kinds of schemes...

 

[GottaBohlieve]

They are on a Bye this week.

 

[David Yudkin]

They are still #8 defense in the Top 250 going forward. Not ranked this week because they are on a bye.

 

[twitch]

if the Pats arent gonna score much on O, then they'll be exposed. Leading on the scoreboard throughout games obviously helps tremendously in the NFL. You dictate to your opponent what they can/will do. Theyre not gonna do much of that this year, imo. That O is obviously not moving mountains in '08. The D will suffer accordingly. So, rank 'em as low as need be.

 

[Demian]

I too feel like the Patriot's D will not score many points this week.

 

[Interseptopus]

They are on a Bye this week.

too funny!Regardless of whether they are on a by or not- I've dropped them in my league. They are garbage. Let's consider a year ago- Bill Belichick was arrogantly running up the score on less-talented teams. The defense didn't really need to work hard- they knew what was coming... pass pass pass. Not to mention the Defense was maybe on a the field a fraction of the time thye are this year.Fast foward to 2008........No more Tom Brady. No more offense. Less break time for the defense. More time on the field for the defense. Less predictability in opposing teams' offense (although come on, once the direct snap beats you once you would think you wouldn't let it beat you again... much less multiple times). NE D is tired, old, slow. MIA showed how you exploit their biggest weaknesses. I really think this year they finish out of the top 10 in Team D.

 

[SleeperPix]

Dodds must be smokin something. He took Welker and Moss out of the rankigs too.

 

[David Yudkin]

Before people get all in a tizzy over the Pats based on their play against the Dolphins, people need to understand that the Pats have not done very well against Miami in the Belichick era. For whatever reason, Miami gives them fits.

They are just 9-8 against the Phins since BB came to town and only hold a 339 to 330 scoring advantage over all those games . . . and that includes last year when the Pats outscored Miami by a combined 77-35.

 

[Mordraken]

Whoops! I was looking at the top 250 forward, but then looked at the rankings which I assumed would be full season rankings (not just in-week rankings).

That said, I think that the Patriots on a bye may still put up more fantasy points than KC this week .

Please ignore my early morning rambles...

 

[Buck Bradcanon]

I dont think Def8 is anywhere near low enough. Not a ton of matchups I could see using them. StL at home, Jets at home, at Oakland is about it.

 

[Devilsden2001]

The offense will get back on track shortly, and that will help the Defense. I agree with David that it is a matter of time before they replace Cassel with O'Connell. I have no link but lets call it a gut feeling that the Patriots will see what they have with O'Connell if Cassell does not preform much better a game or two after the Bye.

In watching the preseason games it was evident that O'Connell threw a better deep ball and was a lot more comfortable throwing the ball than what I have seen from Cassel.

The Patriots as a team were embarresed by Miami last Sunday. They have two weeks to correct the problem and I am sure they will come out of the bye week ready to shut down Frank Gore. I agree that Brusci looked REALLY slow last week against Miami and at times the defense looked tired and worn down out there but I still see them being a top 8 defense when the season is over.

 

[Kiddnets]

Whoops! I was looking at the top 250 forward, but then looked at the rankings which I assumed would be full season rankings (not just in-week rankings).That said, I think that the Patriots on a bye may still put up more fantasy points than KC this week .Please ignore my early morning rambles...

I'm glad you made the thread even hough it was for the wrong reason - their value is a at an all time low and can be had for cheap. I got a guy to swap them with the Atlanta defense in a deal without a fight. Are they as strong as last year ....definitely not - but I would think BB has them ready to go after the bye. Definitely a top 10 defense that can be had for cheap - good buy low.

 

[sholditch]

They were dropped in one of my DST leagues. Guys, how many NFL defenses are prepared to defend against the single-wing formation? The Phins did something practically unheard of on offense in the modern era, and the Pats were caught totally off-guard. Also, people don't give RB credit for how good he really is. The Pats actually have better personnel this year and I totally expect them to finish top five.

 

[Gr00vus]

The Pats actually have better personnel this year and I totally expect them to finish top five.

I'd love to bet against this. They've been overrated all year so far, even when Brady was healthy.

 

[Bad_Mo]

They are still #8 defense in the Top 250 going forward. Not ranked this week because they are on a bye.

...which means they have a 100% chance of putting up the same fantasy points they did last week (0).

 

[BalcoBomber]

Perhaps this is a reason:

The Patriots DST gave up 38 points and 461 yards to the Dolphins in Week 3 rout. They also failed to record a sack, interception or a fumble recovery.

 

[-baller]

yeah, and I guess when a crap dolphin team shut them out a couple years ago their offense was exposed.

 

[Klimtology]

Any other opinions? Any Pats homers on this bored?

I started a thread about sleeper defenses - the Pats included now that they're getting dropped in some leagues.

http://forums.footballguys.com/forum/index...&hl=defense

 

[Butters]

They are still #8 defense in the Top 250 going forward. Not ranked this week because they are on a bye.

...which means they have a 100% chance of putting up the same fantasy points they did last week (0).

They scored -7 points for me last week. They're a must start for me this week, because when else am I going to have a rock solid guaranteed seven point increase in productivity at a position into the next week? Edit: I'll throw in a serious note. I was a little skeptical of the New England defense way back in preseason game 3 when Tampa Bay ran up and down the field on the first team, second team, every team. So I was a little worried that they might not end up being as good as their initial ranking coming into the season. Brady's injury added to that concern, now the Miami game. I picked up Buffalo a couple weeks ago as a safety net and will probably unload the Pats if I need the roster space.

 

[Ozymandias]

Perhaps this is a reason: The Patriots DST gave up 38 points and 461 yards to the Dolphins in Week 3 rout. They also failed to record a sack, interception or a fumble recovery.

Well, the Dolphins didn't play fair. They kept running the same play over and over again, when the Pats were expecting them to open up the playbook, and then NE was going to crush them.

 

[Klimtology]

They are still #8 defense in the Top 250 going forward. Not ranked this week because they are on a bye.

...which means they have a 100% chance of putting up the same fantasy points they did last week (0).

They scored -7 points for me last week. They're a must start for me this week, because when else am I going to have a rock solid guaranteed seven point increase in productivity at a position into the next week?

Uhh, is that sarcasm?The Pats are on a bye this week.

 

[Butters]

They are still #8 defense in the Top 250 going forward. Not ranked this week because they are on a bye.

...which means they have a 100% chance of putting up the same fantasy points they did last week (0).

They scored -7 points for me last week. They're a must start for me this week, because when else am I going to have a rock solid guaranteed seven point increase in productivity at a position into the next week?

Uhh, is that sarcasm?The Pats are on a bye this week.

Yes. That's what makes it a rock solid guaranteed seven point increase. See, zero is seven greater than -7.

 

[Klimtology]

They are still #8 defense in the Top 250 going forward. Not ranked this week because they are on a bye.

...which means they have a 100% chance of putting up the same fantasy points they did last week (0).

They scored -7 points for me last week. They're a must start for me this week, because when else am I going to have a rock solid guaranteed seven point increase in productivity at a position into the next week?

Uhh, is that sarcasm?The Pats are on a bye this week.

Yes. That's what makes it a rock solid guaranteed seven point increase. See, zero is seven greater than -7.

Oh, right. My mistake.lol

 

[Sweeper]

So, not to give any of the insider FBG info away, but following this week's game the Patriots Team Defense has dropped from the pre-season ranking of #3 to .. um.. well - not in the top 25.

 

[ROCKET]

Before people get all in a tizzy over the Pats based on their play against the Dolphins, people need to understand that the Pats have not done very well against Miami in the Belichick era. For whatever reason, Miami gives them fits.They are just 9-8 against the Phins since BB came to town and only hold a 339 to 330 scoring advantage over all those games . . . and that includes last year when the Pats outscored Miami by a combined 77-35.

It's funny how the media fails to ever mention how thw Fins have held their own vs the Pats during the last decade. As a Pats fan I'd be more concerned if the lopsided loss was vs another team as we have become used to Miami giving us fits over the years. It's almost like USC playing at Oregon St, for some reason that team who is clearly inferior has the Trojans #. I think with the loss of Brady and the Fins improving it's not that surprising given the history between the two teams.

 

[NE_REVIVAL]

I don't think the MIA always does well against NE holds much water; new HC, no Taylor, Thomas etc. I can not believe NE played as poorly on defense as they did regardless of opponent; particularly against one as offensively challenged as Miami.

People keep repeating that NE's D is old, but I thought an infusion of youth would lead them to struggle early in the season and get better as the year goes on. I said struggle, not a Chernobyl meltdown like last Sunday. Their D line is NOT old and neither is their secondary except for Harrison (Oneal?). Their LB's are older for the most part, but they have always seemed to have older experienced LBs. Vrabel and Thomas are still pretty good and the rookie Mayo looks promising. Having said that, while I am still not sure it is all on the LBs, it sure as hell appears to me that they are the primary problem.

All in all, you are never as bad or as good as you look in your last game (thankfully).

NE's D will struggle at times this year, but will get better as the year goes on and in light of their schedule and above average STs, I think it is a mistake to give up on them at this point.