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The pass rush of the Jets has to try and manufacture pressure on [Tom] Brady. They don’t get pressure from their outside linebackers, and so they have to scheme it up and trick it up and try and do different things to try and generate pressure. They bring it in volumes, which should open up some opportunities for Brady. They don’t get a traditional pass rush – one that you would hope to get from a 3-4 front. They have some promising young players in Muhammad Wilkerson and Quinton Coples, but when you lose your best defensive player in Darrelle Revis – who also happens to be the best defensive player in the league – it really changes what you can do defensively.

patriots – One scout’s breakdown of Patriots-Jets: Matchups favor New England – WEEI | Christopher Price

https://www.patspropaganda.com/the-pass-rush-of-the-jets-has-to-try-and/

Forget the Bills, the New England Patriots’ season starts now – Patriots – Boston.com

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Forget the Bills, the New England Patriots’ season starts now – Patriots – Boston.com

Nice wrap up from Bedard. I don’t know if I can delete this one immediately, sometimes you just have to watch a train wreck a couple times to get a full sense of the destruction. And yeah, it looked horrible but that was the bad Patriots defense when it’s off. At least when they’re on they tackle. 

The Patriots, coming off a bye week that included extra study and practice time, took the field and couldn’t stop the run (162 yards), hit quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick four times officially (three sacks), allowed him to complete 68 percent of his passes (second only to Fitzpatrick’s game against the Titans), the Bills to set a franchise record with 35 first downs, and to put up a season-high 481 total yards.

Breaking Down Patriots’ Pass Rush Concerns: Where Is New England’s Pressure? | Bleacher Report – Mike Dussault

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Breaking Down Patriots’ Pass Rush Concerns: Where Is New England’s Pressure? | Bleacher Report – Mike Dussault

New article up on Bleacher Report from me Mike D.!

Schematically, the Patriots shifted their defense to a lighter 4-3 front featuring Vince Wilfork and Kyle Love, two traditional nose tackle-types in the old 3-4, in the middle. The advantage is that the Patriots now have at least five athletic linebacker-types on the field at all times, and, in theory, should be able to rush the passer on any down. The key to this switch has been Rob Ninkovich, who, despite being smaller than a traditional Patriots defensive end like Ty Warren, has been able to hold up in the run game. Ninkovich has been timely with his big plays, but the Pats still need a more consistent pass rush from him.

Are the Patriots going “all in” acquiring Aqib Talib?

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On Thursday the Patriots acquired Aqib Talib and a 2013 seventh-round pick for a 2013 fourth-round pick, in a move directly aimed at improving their single biggest trouble spot.

A fourth round pick is fairly significant compensation for a player currently serving a suspension, and with a history of meatball moves.

But at this point in Tom Brady’s career, why not?

The secondary is clearly a weakness for this team and let’s be honest, the only missing ingredient from being a real Super Bowl favorite.

Talib might work out. He might not and walk at the end of the season leaving the Pats holding on to a seventh round draft pick that they gave up a fourth for. We can worry about that in February.

But let’s imagine a world in which he does work out. Most experts seem to think he’s the best defensive back on the Patriots roster the day he walks through the door. That might be a little bold, but there’s no question Talib has talent and size.

To get back to the Super Bowl the Pats will have to shut down some combination of Joe Flacco, Ben Roethlisberger, Peyton Manning and Matt Schaub. All of those teams can fling it.

The Pats won’t be so lucky to get a Tim Tebow quarterbacked team in the divisional round. And you can bet whoever they face is going to go after them through the air.

Some think a 4th round pick is too much to give up, but since they lack a 5th and 6th rounder in 2013 it’s not like they had a lot of options. And those picks in the first three rounds could easily be traded down to acquire more mid-round picks if the Pats want to round out their selections.

The Pats history of poor drafting has left me viewing draft picks more as raffle tickets anyway. And at this point the Pats can no longer continue to select ten players every April. There’s not going to be same turnover of veterans like there was in 2008 and 2009. The Patriots are young now, and better served to target specific selections like they did in 2012 with Chandler Jones and Dont’a Hightower.

If Talib can just solidify one corner position the trade will be well worth it. You can’t underestimate the impact having one good corner can have through the rest of the secondary. Not to say Talib is Revis, but it certainly would allow the Patriots to roll coverages and give help in other areas.

The outcome of this trade cannot be solely judged on whether or not the Pats win the Super Bowl. If their pass defense improves, and they’re able to knock off a couple pass-happy teams I will consider it a success.

But winning a Super Bowl takes 53 guys all on the same page. Can Talib get on the same page? That’s the question. But I like the aggressiveness, especially since Brady isn’t getting any younger and the secondary seemingly not getting any better.

Pats D giving up more TDs on the long ones

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Quick nugget of note that I just discovered while messing around here, through eight games the Patriots have given up 42 pass of 20 or more yards, the exact same amount as they gave up last year.

The big difference? Last year they only gave up 2 touchdowns on those 42 big plays, this year they’ve give up 10.

This is another illustration that the Pats have gotten away from “bend, don’t break”.

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This is by far the youngest Opening Day roster coach Bill Belichick has assembled with the Patriots. The average age of New England’s roster right now (the team could have added four more tight ends late Sunday night) is 25 years, 274 days, according to STATS, LLC. That’s more than a year younger than the 2010 squad (26-280). The third-youngest team was Belichick’s first, the 5-11 juggernauts of 2000 (26-329). Where the youth really shows up is on defense. The average age of the starters is 25. The only other Belichick team to be under 27 was the ’10 version at 25.1, according to numbers from Pro-Football-Reference.com.

Patriots coach Belichick goes young with roster – Patriots – Boston.com

REMINDER

I’ll take a young nucleus of Mayo, Spikes, Hightower, Jones, and yes, even McCourty, with old vet Big Vince leading the way. Talent infusions are definitely still needed at defensive tackle and defensive back, but that core is a solid foundation.

https://www.patspropaganda.com/patriots-youngest-team-in-belichick/

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It’s a “character” test for the Patriots today. Last Sunday’s loss to the Seahawks was one of the most frustrating for the team in Bill Belichick’s 13-year tenure. We already know the Patriots have mental toughness from their comeback win over the Bills in Week 4, and today, we should learn even more about this team. By the end of the week, I sensed that confident players were embracing the same mindset.

Quick-hit thoughts around NFL & Pats – New England Patriots Blog – ESPN Boston

https://www.patspropaganda.com/patriots-blog-43/