They do, but they're playing the best team in football, hands down. Noticed it [about New England] in the Steelers game a month ago... they're baaaack. And they're getting better with every passing week, too. Amazing to see a young defense that, um, makes progress...
Overall statistics are misleading. They don't measure when the statistics were accumulated (third and fourth quarter of blowouts against prevent defenses? All count the same) or the improvement of a unit as the season goes along. They're clicking now, and if you don't see it, you're reading the box scores and not actually watching. (And before you label me a Patriots homer, look up my history... I called the Pats a fluke when they were 4-1. I'm here to say I was dead wrong. They're re-established their offensive identity without Moss - and defensively, see above. Best team in the game.)
They've given up more than 400 yards in each of the last 4 games (before today). Only one - the Steelers - was a blowout win. Detroit was 24-24 at the end of the 3rd. The beat the Colts by 3. And they lost to Cleveland. Statistically, both in yardage and scoring, that defense was actually getting worse over the last month.
I'm not saying they're not a bad defense for the season, but to say they're worse than the Texans - or act that they're the same unit they were early in the year - is just silly. They're making tremendous progress in all phases, particularly with causing turnovers. It's an offensive-oriented league. The Saints were ranked 25th in total D last year and even lower against the pass. The name of the game is a versatile offense that can control the game with the short pass, coupled with an opportunistic defense that creates turnovers. Some may chalk it up to luck, but to me, it's superb coaching and player development showing through. Very different unit tonight (though the same personnel) from the one that gave up 30 at home to Buffalo.
They were up 14-0 and 31-14 on Indianapolis, and essentially led comfortably throughout. The Colts made it close late against a prevent defense, but when the game was actually on the line, the Patriots D played man, they got the turnover they needed and closed it out. Against the Steelers, one of the class teams of the league, they led 23-3 after three quarters on the road - are you sure you want to use that as an example of a defense getting worse? The Cleveland game was a stinker on both sides of the ball, but that was the anomaly. And they've responded to it with four consecutive wins, three against teams (Steelers, Colts, Jets) considered among the best in the AFC.
Man I kind of hope that the Texans get blown out in a similar fashion next Monday so that McNair will wake up and fire Kubiak already.
Not a Patriots fan but I'm glad they blew out the Jets. They talked a lotta **** and got smacked in the mouth. Loved Aaron Hernandez's make it rain celebration. Pretty creative.
the Pats maybe have the worst defense (looking only at statistics, but they got the best offense in the league, and the best QB this season. If you put 38 pts and 45 pts in the best defenses in the NFL (Steelers and Jets) you have to be amazing. and the worst defense got only to 3 points to the best team in the NFL by a lot of the media.
Hoping the Chargers continue to die a slow and painful death. Boy was I wrong about Ryan Mathews. Thought that guy was gonna be a stud for sure. To be fair though he's been injured quite a bit.
