PatsPropaganda

An Independent Patriots Blog

Patriots Third Down Defense Reset

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  • CIN 8/15 = 53%
  • NYJ 6/13 = 46%
  • BUF 5/10 = 50%
  • MIA 10/15 = 66%
  • BAL 5/16 = 31%
  • SD 7/15 = 46%
  • MIN 4/11 = 36%

Statistically the Vikings game was the best one yet for the Patriots defense on third down, however these stats don’t reflect the two times that the Pats got penalties on 3rd down and kept the Minny drives alive. 

The first was Brandon Meriweather taking a necessary PI call on Randy Moss that prevented a touchdown. I can live with that one.

The second was an illegal contact on Wilhite that was not necessary. Bill Belichick was visibly pissed with him after that. Minnesota would’ve had 4th and 3 if not for that penalty.

Overall the Pats percentage on third down rose from 49% to 47% which still keeps them last in the NFL, but the improvement of the past three weeks, where they are only giving up an average of 37.6% of their third downs, which is just about the league-wide average.

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Counterintuitive though it may be, the shiny hood ornament theory stands today indisputable. The Patriots suddenly appear tougher, nastier and better equipped to play various styles of football than they appeared just one month ago. Their defense is playing better, surrendering fewer points and roughing up opposing teams like it once did in during its Super Bowl glory days earlier in the decade.

The Patriots, in the wake of the Moss trade, have all the appearances of a tougher team. They look like the Old School Patriots, as we noted a couple weeks ago.

Two plays have summed up that new-old grittier style of New England football perfectly: the first was when safety Brandon Meriweather roughed up Baltimore tight end Todd Heap with an illegal hit in New England’s 23-20 victory three weeks ago, the first game of the post-Moss Era. Yes, it was an illegal hit that spawned a wave of controversy from folks other than the Cold, Hard Football Facts. But in the NFL, in a realm where the Law of the Jungle still rules, the hit changed the course of the game.

And then against Minnesota on Sunday, one play summed up the new Old School Patriots: the Vikings faced 4th and goal at the New England 1 in the final seconds of the first half. The game was tied 7-7.

Minnesota decided to pound it into the end zone with the great Adrian Peterson. But in a statement moment, the suddenly tougher New England defense rose up and stuffed Peterson for a 2-yard loss. The stop preserved the tie, preserved momentum and, in the end, might have preserved the victory.

Cold Hard Football Facts

https://www.patspropaganda.com/counterintuitive-though-it-may-be-the-shiny-hood/

This Means Nothing… (but it’s nice to look at)

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Peter King’s Fine Fifteen

1. New England (6-1). Adrian Peterson found out Sunday it might not be so easy to try to make a season-saving yard against the Patriots defensive front, which looked absolutely impenetrable for stretches against the Vikes.

2. Pittsburgh (5-2). Very uncharacteristic late mistakes led to a loss that, ultimately, is understandable because it happened in New Orleans on Halloween night, and the Saints played defense the way they played it down the stretch of their Super Bowl season. I doubt this loss will linger with the Steelers.

3. Baltimore (5-2). The bye made the Ravens look a lot better in the AFC, didn’t it? With the Jets and Titans losing, and the Chiefs looking shaky in holding off the Bills in overtime, Baltimore’s back in the top-of-the-AFC mix.

4. New York Jets (5-2). An inexcusable performance coming off the bye. Scariest thing is how

the offense couldn’t make a play, either in the running or passing game.

5. Indianapolis (4-2). The Colts probably couldn’t have asked for a better time to have 15 days between games. They’ve had some good rehab time. Reggie Wayne’s back to near full health.

Notes on a Solid Patriots Win Over the Vikings

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I’m looking forward to getting a second look at this game but for now here were my notes that I jotted down during the action. 

– Sometimes I think it’s hard to tell what the coaches depth chart really looks like. Yesterday was a prime example because I think they took to more of a 1st Half/2nd Half approach to their rotations. Need to look closer at it, but seems to me like they saved Gerard Warren for the second half?

– Reiss said Ninkovich got reduced playing time in the second half due to performance issues but I’m not so sure. Nink had a great third down tackle on third down to force a punt.

– Is it me or did the refs screw us on a couple calls yesterday?

– I really think the next step for this defense is really just getting 1-2 more stops on third down per game. While the numbers look good from yesterday, and statistically it was their best game on 3rd down yet, that doesn’t include the 2-3 penalties they had on third downs as well. That’s really the difference right now for this defense from being okay to being excellent. They are solid on first/second downs and have not given up a 100 yard rusher yet. That’s where great defenses start. If you can stop the run the foundation is there. Now it just comes down to getting off the field on third down. If they can start doing that just 1-2 more times per game this will be a top ten defense. It’s really just that simple. More on this coming this week I’m sure…

– There was some debate about Devin McCourty vs. Kyle Wilson early this year. Is there any question who has been the better player? Oh by the way the Jets only real contributions from their rookies is coming from their backup fullback, John “the prophetized leader of the human resistance against Skynet” Conner. Wilson has been just okay, Ducasse and McKnight aren’t even dressing. Doesn’t bode well for a team with so many veteran free agents after this year. But it bodes well for the Patriots who have at least 12 first or second year players who are major contributors.

– What can you say about that 4th down stop, it was potentially the difference in the game and it was all made possible by Ron Brace who hadn’t played last week. With both Deaderick and Brace contributing it doesn’t necessarily mean the Pats will be forced to take a DE in the 2011 draft. At least not in the first round.

– I hope Deion Branch’s hamstring doesn’t get any worse. Thank Hoodie that Brandon Tate stepped up. But did Minnesota make conscious effort to take Hernandez out of the equation? Hernan did have one sick catch on third down that I have no idea how he caught it. It was like he looked back and the ball was literally on his hip.

– It’s not often you see a running back slowly brought along for two seasons before taking over full time like BJGE. Sure, some of it has had to do with Fred Taylor getting hurt but it’s rare you see a runningback really starting to break out in their third year. 

– What can you say about Danny Woodhead. He’s making blocks and serving as a solid replacement for Kevin Faulk, which is a HUGE feat. Every time he scores or gets a first down I can feel Rex Ryan groaning. He’s making big plays every game now. Gotta love it!

– I think Logan Mankins is really going to take this offense to the next level. Connolly has been solid but Mankins is better than solid. 

– Just the simple fact that Mangini coaches the Browns makes me a little apprehensive about this game. With a young defense no game is a given, even if Peter King has us at #1 in his Fine Fifteen.