PatsPropaganda

An Independent Patriots Blog

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Week 5 NFL Preview: Patriots at Cowboys – YouTube

The bye week is over and we’re turning the page to the Cowboys. How different this game looks that we thought it might look. At one point it was looking like Garoppolo vs. Romo, now it’s Brady vs. Cassel? Still should be a good test on the road despite the Cowboys injuries.

(Source: https://www.youtube.com/)

https://www.patspropaganda.com/week-5-nfl-preview-patriots-at-cowboys-youtube/

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Looking forward to checking out this new book from Troy Brown and Mike Reiss. Pick up a copy here!

https://www.patspropaganda.com/looking-forward-to-checking-out-this-new-book-from/

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Bill Belichick’s “Bend-Don’t-Break” Defense in One Simple Chart (2001-2015)

Much has been made over the years of Bill Belichick’s “Bend-Don’t-Break” philosophy on defense. Now it is an easy excuse when the defense gives up a ton of yards but still win the game because Tom Brady scored more points. 

But as we can see this has always been Belichick’s philosophy, even going back to 2003 and 2004, years everyone remembers as the prime of defense in New England. 

The chart above breaks down the Bend side, including yards-per-drive and plays-per-drive, and the Break side, including points-per-drive and turnovers-per-drive.

As you can see the Patriots are rarely in the top-10 for the yards (twice) and plays (three times) they give up every drive. But when it comes to the points and turnovers, they’re almost always in the top half of the league, and usually top five or ten.

Even last year’s over-romanticized defense gave up sustained drives but when it came to the red zone they closed the door.

This speaks to Belichick’s philosophy of playing disciplined but not over-aggressive defense. They might not get off the field as quickly as we all might like, but by forcing the offense to earn every yard, more often than not they get a stop or a turnover.

https://www.patspropaganda.com/bill-belichicks-bend-dont-break-defense-in-one/

With the Pats on TNF and on the bye, I’ve got to watch some other prime time games and can’t comprehend how ridiculous some of these prime broadcast crew (CBS/NBC) seem to consciously do everything to protect PManning from any criticism. It’s ridiculous, it’s Kubiak’s offense if he falters and when he succeeds, it’s because he’s allowed to command his offense. It’s astonishing how they can be opposite and critical of Brady. That when Pats succeed, it’s because of McDaniel’s. Your thoughts?

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Honestly I tune the announcers almost entirely out and that’s if I’m not watching the game on mute, which I usually do for non-Pats games or ones they’re losing.

I relate this to sports radio too, where these guys have to talk for three hours and they have to provide a narrative, and they’re almost assured to say something dumb or have a forced take. Without forced narratives football can actually be pretty boring. 

I mean I think my blog is generally pretty boring because it’s realistic in its perspective. I don’t really deal in hot takes,  I like a calm level-headed, long-term strategic approach, but if you’re in the big media you can’t really do that. The team either has to suck or be headed for 16-0. Peyton Manning is either DONE or hanging in there for one last title run.

So I don’t really listen to who gets the credit or the blame from the announcers. Boiled down, it’s the Brady or Belichick debate. Would Belichick be the same failed coach in Cleveland without Brady? Or would Brady be just another out-of-the-league 6th round pick without Belichick? The media would have you believe one of them is along for the ride with the other.

But the truth is that they’re intertwined in a way that cannot be broken. Belichick was smart enough to evolve the team to Brady’s strengths. Brady worked hard enough to develop those strengths along with his weaknesses. Together they made what the Patriots are today and you can’t extract either of them from that equation.

As always it just goes back to IGNORE THE NOISE.