Alright, let’s just get this over with. I’ve seen enough breakdowns already all over the internet of just how terrible the Patriots defense was, but as always, taking a closer look at the All-22 film always reveals more than met the eye during the live broadcast watch.
As I pounded home on Patshow yesterday it’s really hard to know what the real problems on this defense are because blown coverages just make it so easy for the offense. People always look to the pass rush first and foremost but it’s hard to truly evaluate the front when receivers are running free through the secondary. Still, it shouldn’t be a surprise that the betting odds for the Patriots games are not looking good and deservedly so.
Here’s what stood out on the film review as we try to get this one in the rearview mirror as quickly as possible. Yay Thursday night football for once.
Via NFL Gamepass
— It wasn’t the worst start, with the defense bending not breaking on the first drive then grabbing an interception on the second possession. I do agree that it looks like Malcolm Butler wasn’t blowing a coverage on the interception but rather saw his man was nothing more than a decoy and broke off. The receiver just stands there making no attempt to disguise his intentions.
— Malcolm Brown is playing over the center more now with Alan Branch falling off a cliff and I thought he was pretty stout up front, giving the Panthers lots of problems up the gut.
— Dietrich Wise continues to be disruptive just about every snap he’s in there, I’d love to see him continue to play more. His snap percentages through four games: 26 percent – 46 percent – 40 percent – 40 percent.
— I was a big fan of Elandon Roberts last year but we’re just not seeing the heavy downhill plays we saw last year. Belichick praised his overall growth as a player but the lack of those impact plays hurts the defense. Again, they had just one tackle-for-loss as a team which I think shows how they’re not playing on the offense’s side of the field enough.
— Still not convinced Kyle Van Noy is anything but just a guy. Like most of the defense, he’s just not making many, if any, impact plays.
— It’s so clear the Panthers knew exactly how to attack the Patriots defense — presnap motion, bunch sets, misdirection — and they killed the Pats for big gains almost every time. The offense was dictating and the Pats defense was on their heels pretty much from the second quarter on. The inexperience is just so glaring at times, false steps everywhere, no anticipation from the linebackers.
Via NFL Gamepass
— Honestly I don’t think the third-and-long pass rush front, usually consisting of Flowers-Marsh-Wise as the core group, was pretty good at disruption. There were a few instances in this game where they did their job but missed tackles, blown coverages or penalties by the secondary ruined what should’ve been a forced punt.
— As bad as it was, there’s such a thin line for this defense. If they’d just played the right call on a a few third downs this would’ve been a totally different game. Instead of forcing a late first half punt, they give up a wide open 43-yard pass that sets up a go-ahead touchdown. I know it’s hard to grasp for a lot of casual fans, but as I continue to point out, the fix at this point is really really simple and would be really really effective. It’s just how do you teach Gilmore and Rowe to process the coverages?
— If not for the forced fumble on the opening drive of the second half I might’ve turned the TV off. The plays went 11 yards – 24 yards – incomplete – 13 yards – 14 yards – forced fumble.
— Third down was such a nightmare all day for big plays. Want an easy place to start for playing better coverage? Third down is the spot.
| Tm | Quarter | Time | Down | ToGo | Score | Detail | Yds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Panthers | 2 | 1:14 | 3 | 9 | 10-13 | Cam Newton pass complete deep left to Kelvin Benjamin for 43 yards (tackle by Duron Harmon) | 43 |
| Panthers | 4 | 15:00 | 3 | 4 | 23-16 | Cam Newton pass complete deep right to Kelvin Benjamin for 39 yards (tackle by Malcolm Butler) | 39 |
| Panthers | 2 | 2:56 | 3 | 8 | 10-13 | Cam Newton pass complete short right to Devin Funchess for 13 yards (tackle by Malcolm Butler) | 13 |
| Panthers | 3 | 3:32 | 3 | 7 | 17-16 | Cam Newton middle for 13 yards (tackle by Duron Harmon) | 13 |
| Panthers | 3 | 6:54 | 3 | 2 | 17-16 | Cam Newton right end for 8 yards (tackle by Jonathan Jones) | 8 |
| Panthers | 4 | 1:05 | 3 | 3 | 30-30 | Cam Newton pass complete short right to Devin Funchess for 5 yards (tackle by Malcolm Butler) | 5 |
| Panthers | 1 | 8:28 | 3 | 6 | 0-3 | Cam Newton right tackle for 4 yards (tackle by Cassius Marsh and Devin McCourty) | 4 |
| Panthers | 4 | 7:59 | 3 | 5 | 30-23 | Cam Newton sacked by Dont’a Hightower for -12 yards. Penalty on Amini Silatolu: Offensive Holding (Declined) | -12 |
| Panthers | 1 | 3:20 | 3 | 3 | 3-3 | Cam Newton pass incomplete deep right intended for Damiere Byrd is intercepted by Malcolm Butler at NWE-28 and returned for -2 yards | |
| Panthers | 4 | 0:04 | 3 | 6 | 33-30 | Graham Gano 48 yard field goal good |
— How did this defense possibly force a three-and-out in the fourth quarter? Well it was just as simple as sorting out the bunch formation on third down. They took away all the receivers and no one was open. Hightower and Butler worked together to produce the sack. Team defense. Ah, look it’s still possible.
— The final drive was a nightmare especially after Wise’s sack should’ve forced a punt if not for a terrible call on Gilmore. Wise won with a quick swipe away of the guards hands and instantly got into the backfield. Should’ve been a breakout signature play… but it wasn’t.
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