Bellichick and the Defense

[Fired-Up]

I don't have much to say, but what's going on with the Patriots defense?

From 2001-2007 they were consistently very good and at times flat out dominant. I thought the coach was a defensive guru. The defense really is Bill's baby. Whats happening?

[BradytoGronkTD]

They lost all their veteran players. Believe it or not they are rebuilding their defense right now.

[subroc]

I don't have much to say, but what's going on with the Patriots defense?

From 2001-2007 they were consistently very good and at times flat out dominant. I thought the coach was a defensive guru. The defense really is Bill's baby. Whats happening?

Well, since 2007, 2008 the Patriots have been turning over their defense. Getting younger. Replacing the Bruschi's, Vrables, Harrisons and Seymoures of the world with youth. During that time they have had seasons of 12, 13 and 14 wins. In the 2010 (14 wins) and 2011 (13 wins) seasons, they, defensibly weren't that good a team. It is a surprise really that the offense could overpower teams that easily. It is a further surprise that they made the play-offs at all.

This year, this 12 win team was better. They have infused the defense with youth that should hopefully get better. surely, they have some holes, but they have some pieces as well.

Essentially, the Patriots went through a rebuilding process, not by falling to 2, 3 and 4 wins season but by putting together 12, 13 and 14 win seasons.

Impressive really.

[B'sCeltsPatsSox]

Wilfork is their oldest starter and he's only 30 years old. The defense was better this season. It wasn't spectacular but it was able to be good for more stretches of play than it was last season. It should still get better but another pass rusher or DT to go next to Wilfork is needed and it certainly wouldn't help to find a safety that's better than Gregory and Chung to play alongside with McCourty.

[manbearchef]

With the young defenders they have, they could be a top 10 defense in a couple of years.

[blakersburris]

Can we please move all 4 of the Patriots topics to their forum please?

We really don't need 4 subjects about the same team open in the NFL forum.

[TheMoneyTeam]

They lost all their veteran players. Believe it or not they are rebuilding their defense right now.

I don't believe it because they've been rebuilding their defense the past four plus seasons.

[TheMoneyTeam]

Can we please move all 4 of the Patriots topics to their forum please?

We really don't need 4 subjects about the same team open in the NFL forum.

This is turning into the NBA Forum where all the roaches want to make Lakers threads.

[BradytoGronkTD]

^^well its not a one year process....idiot

[TheMoneyTeam]

^^well its not a one year process....

And it certainly isn't a four year process for a 'defensive/draft guru'. Wade Phillips turned Houston from worst to first in no time.

[B'sCeltsPatsSox]

And it certainly isn't a four year process for a 'defensive/draft guru'. Wade Phillips turned Houston from worst to first in no time.

First off, this was only the third season of the rebuild. I wouldn't count 09 because Rodney and Bruschi retired months after the draft and Seymour was traded a week before the season. And in they did start to progress this past season. Obviously they aren't there yet but they can be as early as next season if everything goes right.

Also for the Wade Phillips part it helped for them that they were able to sign vets that were able to fit in for his defense(Joseph, Manning), guys that were drafted before he got there that were playing in the wrong system that were able to fit right in(Barwin) and of course it helps that they drafted who has already became a superstar in Watt.

[BradytoGronkTD]

And it certainly isn't a four year process for a 'defensive/draft guru'. Wade Phillips turned Houston from worst to first in no time.

Wade Phillips defense also got shattered twice by the same team in the same season. They were a great defense for sure.

Ridiculous to think that rebuilding a defense the correct way is anything less than a long term commitment

[TheMoneyTeam]

Only Brady and defensive tackle Vince Wilfork remain from any of those championship teams.

''That whole era is over with. It's gone,'' defensive end Rob Ninkovich said. ''This is a whole new team. This is a different bunch of guys so we all have to experience it and learn for ourselves what that's like.''

But according to New England fans, they've only just begun to rebuild their defense.

[bagwell368]

I don't have much to say, but what's going on with the Patriots defense?

From 2001-2007 they were consistently very good and at times flat out dominant. I thought the coach was a defensive guru. The defense really is Bill's baby. Whats happening?

Bill has I believe the youngest D he's ever had. His key DB was injured in the 1st quarter, a starting DT (Love) also went out in the 1st. They were 9th in points allowed (much better in the 2nd half than first half), and led the league by a lot in turnovers gained.

How many teams have #1 offenses and #1 defenses in the days of the salary cap BTW?

[NYSPORTS98]

Belicheck kept passing on good players in the first round by trading back for more picks. Many of which he missed on.