Patriots D

**pslholder96** · 01-17-2012, 12:19 PM

With the playoffs a new season begins so I personally try not to put too much stock in regular season rankings. They usually indicate trends and tendencies so having said that pats defense is playing very well. Even in the last two regular season games, the same defense that spotted both the Dolphins and Bills big leads was the same defense that helped them come from behind to win.
My biggest concern is on our offensive side of the ball. Can we come up with a game plan to attack your defense. We will be the most balanced team you would have faced all year but I expect Bellichick to stack 8-9 guys in the box and challenge Joe to throw the rock quickly and precisely. He's done it in the past but not consistently.
The pats pass rush show not be underestimated, when I last check they were up there in the top half of the league in getting to the QB. I expect a little bit of chess match and hope the Ravens study what the Jets last year to the pats.

**Boulderraven** · 01-17-2012, 12:30 PM

The biggest problem with the Patriots defense is lack of speed. Houston maybe the fastest defense in football (including line, linebackers and very solid backfield.)
Pats are big in the middle of the line but very slow and easy to run off tackle or in cut block blocking system. They lack speed rusher as well. Their Lbers are slow as well not athletic, slow to fill gaps and porous in pass defense. The secondary is a total mess, maybe the one of the worst cover corners in football. Safeties are average on cause Chung is solid. This is a really slow defense completely the opposite of Houston. Playing Houston may have been a blessing in disguise. Expect typical close game as they all are. As of now rain, but could change of course. Rain makes you even slower on defense.

**GOTA** · 01-17-2012, 12:37 PM

The Pats defense looks real weak in the middle secondary. Dickson should have a huge game this week.

**NCRAVEN** · 01-17-2012, 12:39 PM

Originally Posted by GOTA

The Pats defense looks real weak in the middle secondary. Dickson should have a huge game this week.

As long as he holds on to the ball.

**The Excellector** · 01-17-2012, 12:48 PM

Real football talk here, glad to see it.

New England's coaching staff is great at making adjustments, and I would expect them to do so against the Ravens offense. There are only two problems that I see for New England's defense. If you've listened to any other radio programs or television shows, you would have forgotten that the Ravens were playing a top 3 defense in Houston. Houston has a CB in Jonathan Joseph, that could take away Torrey Smith in single coverage, while stacking the box against Rice. I am not sure that New England has the physical pieces to do that. Wilfork and Warren will bring their best, but I just do not see enough around them to believe that they could do what Houston did.

The same way that you feel your defense is underrated, we could say the same for Joe Flacco. This has the feeling of the previous NO/SF game, where the big question was whether or not Smith could help his offense match points with NO. However, it is like the nation forgot that New Orleans doesn't have anything special on defense either.

I also do not see how the Patriots will be able to pressure Flacco without risking the deep passes.

On offense, this will indeed come down to the TEs. The Ravens will have to try to stop the run in their nickel packages. Then, they could put one of their bigger CBs on one of the TEs (Jimmy Smith, for example), to keep the LBs from the mismatches. However, that only takes care of one TE.

The key will be how well Lardarius Webb covers Wes Welker. It will be a challenge for both players. If Webb can single up on Welker, the safeties can focus on the TEs. If Welker gets the best of Webb, leading to a safety focusing on Welker, the TEs will go off. They will get theirs either way, but I mean REALLY go off.

**Ks1102** · 01-17-2012, 01:17 PM

The Ravens are going to need to put Reed on Gronkowski period. I don't know who will cover Welker. If the Ravens fail to control these two Brady's short game with be very successful. Hernandez is now being used in many roles as well. This is not a question about one D being great so therefore they will absolutely control this or that, this I feel is more about mismatches. The ravens have awesome players at D. I feel that Reed can cover Gronckowski but who is going to cover Welker, Branch, Hernandez, or yes even Ocho ( no show lately but I think he will be the sleeper in this game). This is about matchup and as great as the Ravens are on D I don't see how they can cover everybody. Heck, they can even leave Gronckowski or Hernandez in the backfield to protect Brady....those guys are big, fast and in Gronkowkis case, freakishly strong.

**HartLee** · 01-17-2012, 02:09 PM

I'm not sure anyone answered the poster who asked who the Patriots pass rushers are now that Carter is out. Their best pass rusher by far is Mark Anderson, who is having a career year (perhaps not coincidentally, a contract year).

Next best is probably Rob Ninkovich who is a poor man's Mike Vrabel.

This Patriots D won't make you forget the 85 Bears, but they are much better than their (deserved) reputation. The biggest positive difference between now and when they were getting absolutely scorched earlier this season are: (i) a much improved Kyle Love at DT; (ii) the return to health of Brandon Spikes (the team's best run-stuffing LB) and Patrick Chung (the team's only remotely competent true safety); and (iii) the emergence of Sterling Moore, who has gone from bagging groceries several weeks ago to what now appears (miraculously) to be an above-average NFL corner.

Should be a good game. Best of luck to your team.

**Ks1102** · 01-17-2012, 02:37 PM

I agree with your assessment of the Pats D. It has been evolving for the better recently. Injured guys coming back. Stats will not be the best judge of how they play this coming week. Pats did stop Denvers running game cold which Is one of the best if not the best ( per stats anyway) in the NFL. Bellicheck has a way of making something out of nothing. As a PTs fan I was furious in the early season watching the D get torched, but they ( the D) clamped down when they needed too. Maybe that's why the stats show a much better D when you look at points allowed. I believe the Pats D is very situational they have been clamping down quite a bit at the end of games when they need to win. The stats also will not explain garg
Babe time points which there were plenty as Tom Brady piled up the points on many teams. As you know the D on any team can " relax a bit" and allow points which can mess up the stats. Dont get me worm
Ng.....I'm not saying the Pat D is great, I'm just saying they are better than their stats show and the last game is an example as are some of their more recent games where they gave up points early then suddenly shut down the other teams offense

**chicagoravensfan** · 01-18-2012, 09:25 AM

How bad is the Patriots defense compared to the weaker defenses the Ravens faced this year:

Rushing Yards per Attempt:
18. Colts 4.3
24. Patriots 4.6
28. Rams 4.8

Net Passing Yards per Attempts
17. Rams 6.3
27. Colts 7.0
29. Patriots 7.1

Football Outsiders ranks them as the #30 defense with the #28 rushing and #28 passing D's (Colts are 27/27/24 and Rams 20/15/29)

They do have 40 sacks, though Andre Carter accounted for 10 of them. I know Belichick always does a good job of altering the game plan to the opponent but I was surprised to see that the Patriots have a worse defense than the Colts.

**pslholder96** · 01-18-2012, 09:37 AM

If we play ravens football we will win this game. We know we can't win a shootout. We just have to slow the Pats offense down, create turnovers and take advantage of these opportunities. For me the magic number is 28. If the Ravens can score 28 points I think we win this game.

**Mwjergs** · 01-18-2012, 09:44 AM

One thing that I do like about the Ravens chances this week is that the Patriots haven't defeated a team with a winning record. (Giants/Steelers)

It will be important for Baltimore to match the Patriots in the First Quarter and set the tone. In a close game I like the Ravens chances.

**Terpsfan82** · 01-18-2012, 09:49 AM

Originally Posted by GOTA

The Broncos are the best run offense in the NFL? Never heard that one before.

Pats defense did look great. They were able to confuse Tebow who had no choice but to follow the limited gameplan his team runs. The Ravens at least have some more options. There real problem is they are one of the worst run offenses in the NFL because of Cam Cameron. Hopefully the talent can overcome.

This. I'm not worried about the o line, Flacco, Rice or the receivers. I AM worried about the coaching staff putting these guys in position to win, especially after Bilichek takes away what Cam likes to do best. Can he make in game adjustments to counter that? History says no.