Mike Dussault

Depends on how you define success. I’ve pointed out a couple times the parallels to the 2010 secondary who was lit up by the passing game unlike any Patriots defense before or after, and even the 2011 one who wasn’t much better. Those teams both had the best record in the AFC. We know how both those seasons ended. Were they successful? On some levels, certainly. But neither won the Super Bowl, and that’s what it’s all about.

Think about all the single plays that could’ve gone the other way in this playoff run that would’ve ended the Patriots’ season just like those 2010 and 2011 teams. If that happens, are we still infatuated with having press man corners like Revis/Browner? Maybe not.

But ultimately, can this be a Super Bowl winning defense as currently constituted? Sure, and there will certainly be more moves coming. What if a rookie corner comes in and has a great season like McCourty did? That certainly changes things a bit.

I think the talent up front has to continue to elevate to help these corners moreso than they did last year. I don’t think anyone would’ve called the Pats’ pass rush “lethal” last year. Yes, Collins and Hightower blitzing up the middle was a nice twist, but they’re going to have to get more consistent rush out of the two Jones’, Ninkovich, Easley and Sheard, along with a hopefully healthy Mayo and his fellow linebackers. If Mayo comes back it will open up the door for more Hightower edge play and he could put up 7 or sacks if he can do that all season.

Belichick is a conservative defensive coach and he’s played far more seasons with a more zone-based, pattern reading philosophy than he has had playing Cover 1 press man the majority of the time.

So yes, I think they’ll be fine, especially if the front seven elevates to the next level and stays healthy.

I agree that his contract extension, in the midst of his worst season, was very surprising. But I just don’t see him ending up at guard. It’s really been the great debate through the early parts of his career – Does Cannon fit at guard? 

He was never getting a better chance to do it than he was this year, when the door at RG was WIDE open, and he stunk. He even regressed a bit as a swing tackle, after what I thought was his best season filling in at RT for Vollmer in 2013.

My only explanation is that with Vollmer’s age and injury history they could see a future for him at that position and wanted to make sure they were protected after Solder also had a down year.

Some even think Cannon’s deal gives them some leverage over Solder heading into this contract year. I am not sure about that since I don’t think Cannon is a long-term solution to LT, though he could fill in there in a pinch.

The presence of Cameron Fleming adds a twist on it as well, since I see him as a similar player to Cannon.

It will be interesting to see who’s lining up where this summer.

Here they are GIF’ed. Not including post season obviously.

Not to play coy, but they just started playing better. Here are my All-22 reviews of the offense and defense. 

I don’t know why the Chiefs game is all that different than some of the other ugly early season losses we’ve seen almost every year. 2012 at home to the Cardinals (their only road win of the season), 2011 to a 6-10 Bills team, the list goes on and on.

Each year Patriots fans have collective amnesia, they’re never that dominant or awesome in September. They’re experimenting, trying random guys in random spots, trying to find who can do what. Throw in the new lack of tackling rules in training camp and things look even sloppier. 

But every year, they find their stride about 4-6 games into the season and then they often don’t lose again.