PatsPropaganda

An Independent Patriots Blog

Examining the Defensive Line’s Struggles Against Seattle

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Sunday night saw the Patriots defense completely and totally dominated by Russell Wilson and the Seattle offense, with the Seahawks much-maligned offensive line controlling the line of scrimmage for the majority of the game. While the Patriots defense has underperformed for the majority of the season thus far, this was a new low for the unit, who were gashed time and time again by Wilson and running back CJ Prosise.

While Seattle is not without a lack of talent on the offensive side of the ball, their offense thus far in 2016 has been a mediocre unit with one glaring weakness that nearly every team they played had been able to exploit: the aforementioned offensive line. Because of this, I pin the majority of the blame for the defenses struggles on the defensive line, who were unable to generate any kind of pressure on Wilson to affect his throws, and failed to contain Prosise, who had just 30 career rushing yards to his name prior to the contest.

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Patriots-Seahawks Film Review: Defenseless Edition

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After yesterday’s piece I’m not looking to pile on the Patriots defense today in the film review. They’re getting killed throughout the Pats punditry this week and rightly so, but still, there’s a ways to go and there are plenty of talented players who should start playing better. And it’s not like it’s a murderer’s row in the AFC. I still like the Patriots chances against just about anyone. Then it’d be on to the Super Bowl and I’m sure that one would go down to the final play like it always does.

So for all the alarm about the Patriots defense, let’s just remember they’re well-coached, always play their best football in the winter and, oh yeah, still have the best quarterback and best offense in the league. They’ll make a strong run as long as their injury luck continues.

Let’s dive in and take a closer look at some things that stand out, without just trying to take another unnecessary massive shit all over the Patriots defense.

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Why Did Pats Dump Collins, Easley and Chandler Jones Again?

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Before I get into this let me say that I think most hold Bill Belichick to an impossible standard. He’s the best coach in NFL history, but that doesn’t mean he hits on every draft pick or that every personnel decision he makes turns out right. Better than the league average? Yup. More often right than not? Yes. But he’s not perfect and I don’t expect him to be.

I know the likes of Dan Shaughnessy think that bloggers like me are nothing more than fanboys who wave pom poms and blindly think everything Belichick does is infallible. But after how the Patriots defense has looked through nine games, even I have a hard time not casting a critical eye on the moves made by Belichick since last offseason.

By themselves, getting rid of Dominique Easley, Chandler Jones and Jamie Collins could’ve been easily dismissed and swept under the rug. But collectively jettisoning first round picks from 2012 and 2014 and a second round pick from 2013 now seems even more extreme as we’re forced to watch a defense that can’t get off the field, can’t disrupt a quarterback, and looks generally lifeless when they’re supposed to be rounding into form.

Why did we rationalize getting rid of them all again? Locker room cancer and was going to want too much money and freelancing? Something like those? Well at this point I’d happily take all those “problems” back since all three had more energy and life to their game than anything we’re seeing from the Patriots defense now.

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Pats Posits: PATRIOTS DEFENSE SUCKSAGEDDON!!!!

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bill belichick GIFYet again, a Patriots-Seahawks game came down to a final goal-line play, but this time the Patriots fell short, losing 31-24 to Seattle.

With eight lead changes, this was just the kind of thrilling Patriots game we’ve (not) been waiting for. We’re here to see good football games, not just blow everyone out right?

The Seahawks played a clean, tough game and their defense made the one play ours could not. It’s nice to play another NFL team that isn’t in shambles on and off the field.

But hey, big picture: no apparent injuries, a two-game lead in the division and still tied for best record in the AFC (with KC and OAK). I’ll take it.  We’re on to a much-needed road trip to San Francisco as we batten down the hatches and get ready for this week’s PATRIOTS DEFENSE SUCKSAGEDDON!!!!

Here’s the Posits on a defensive dud and yet another near-impossible end-of-game drive (almost) perfectly engineered by Tom Brady…

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Kyle Van Noy is another Protypical Patriot

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New Linebacker Kyle Van Noy will be part of the triumvirate effort in replacing Jamie Collins role in the Patriots defense. While Elandon Roberts and Barkevious Mingo have both played for the Patriots, barring an inactive designation, tonight will mark Van Noy’s first time on the field in New England.

It is unclear how the Patriots will choose to use Van Noy, who after being acquired via trade state he was, “happy to be wanted” in New England, and that the his former team, “didn’t know where to put [him].” Could this be another classic Belichick steal? Honestly, he might be.

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Coffin Corner: (TB)12 Thoughts about the Patriots 2nd Half

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tom brady

1.This one is obvious, but how does the defense respond to the loss of Jamie Collins?

This is the biggest question for the rest of the season and hopefully playoffs. Can this defense, minus one of the most athletic players in Patriots history, pull together as 11 parts of a central nervous system?

If I had to pick a favorite between High and Collins, I know this seems silly now, but I’d have said Collins up to the day of the trade. Obviously, I was wrong, but it was like choosing between Cersei and Tyrion Lannister. Every human in the realm would choose Tyrion, he’s flashier and sexier, he’s droll and funny and the best part of Westros, but when the White Walkers come calling, you know Cersei is going to be stained with mud, covered in rags with blood in her mouth because she’s now surviving only on rat carcasses. She’s just a badass, who is constantly challenged, but she continues to roll up her sleeves and go back to work. High’s play in Super Bowl 49 before Malcolm Butler’s interception is perhaps the greatest play of the game, forever overshadowed by Malcolm Go (buy the mug), but one doesn’t happen without the other.

The Collins move was disciplined, smart and callous, everything that makes Belichick a great GM, getting something for a player he was increasingly viewing as a negative to team defense. But this is first time in a long time where I’m openly concerned Belichick, the biggest hater of distraction, has actually become the distraction, himself. I almost always love these types of moves by the Hoodie. Loved the Chung trade, the Moss trade, the Chandler trade, but this one, along with the distraction of the letter to Trump has me openly wondering if Belichick could lose the locker room. Not because it was to Trump just because this election was so divisive that there will surely be players in that locker room who disagree. They need to come together and maybe a road trip to the West Coast can help them get away from the cesspool of Boston sports media.

2. What does the performance of Jamie Collins and the Defense in general say about our resident Rocket Scientist?

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Best/Worst in Weekly Patriots Links-11/12

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tom brady bill belichick

“Seattle…Seattle…Seattle…Seattle…Seattle.”- William Stephen Belichick, 11/09/2016

Eloquent. Articulate. Expressive. On that note, let’s get to some links. Ben Volin (Boston Globe) offers his game preview, opining that the Seahawks haven’t changed all that much since Super Bowl XLI. Other than a banged up Michael Bennett, this Seattle defense is mostly the same. Earl Thomas flying around the field, Wagner and Chancellor manning the middle of each level, Sherman running his mouth and locking down a side, and Cliff Avril getting after the passer. They aren’t overly big up front, but they’re explosive. The linebackers can do it all, on every down. And the corners are big, strong, physical, and effective. Scheme wise? Unlike the Pats, who are game plan dependent, the Seahawks are what they are. Volin writes:

“You know this defense. They don’t do much to confuse you, but still use their exceptional athleticism and talent to overwhelm and shut down the opposing offense…Up front, they play a basic four-man front, and they can create a lot of havoc…The Seahawks’ linebackers are active and will blitz frequently…On the back end, the Seahawks still play the same coverage — either press man-to-man or Cover 3 (in which the two cornerbacks and the free safety cover the deep thirds of the field).”

In other words, there are no secrets here. Line up and beat them. Period.

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