Patriots pass defense

[CowboysPhan]

I haven't watched NE play yet this year. I understand they are last in pass defense this year. My question is, are they actually bad at it, or are they just giving up a lot of passing yards because the teams they are playing are all behind and throwing the whole game? I don't want to get my hopes up that their defense will be weak only to find out that it's all an illusion.

 

[Kevinicus]

It's both. It is very bad, and teams also have to pass a lot to keep up. Wouldn't be surprised to see Romo get 500 yds if Austin is healthy, particularly if it's a shootout.

 

[Cowboys&LakersFan]

Romo will throw more yards next week than he ever has book it.

 

[Irishman]

Previous two responses are exactly why the Lions came back from 24 down....

 

[Eskimo]

Previous two responses are exactly why the Lions came back from 24 down....

Well, let's play 3 downs and a cloud of dust and get beat by 40 points then.

The Pats are going to score points on us. They may even score more than 30 points. We aren't going to be able to generate many scores in a run heavy offense with this team. There aren't many teams that run the ball even half of the time now. I do think we try to run the ball around 40-45% of the time to maintain balance.

Like it or not, this is a passing league and we need Romo to have success throwing the ball if we are going to win games.

 

[Irishman]

Ball Control Eskimo.... Control the field and the clock.

 

[Eskimo]

Ball Control Eskimo.... Control the field and the clock.

That's why we need the run balance. However, we will need to score points which means being aggressive when the opportunity presents itself.

It'd be great if we could get a lead and then grind it out but this team can't do that yet. Maybe as the interior gets more experience and gels we'll be able to do that but I don't think we're going to do that a Pats defense with Vince Wilfork playing in the middle of the line.

 

[Irishman]

It's the only way the Cowboys win. Keep that ball out of Brady's hands. Find a way to limit points and control the clock and field position. Take shots yes, but CONTROL the clock and put together long drives. ToP wins this game.

 

[Eskimo]

It's the only way the Cowboys win. Keep that ball out of Brady's hands. Find a way to limit points and control the clock and field position. Take shots yes, but CONTROL the clock and put together long drives. ToP wins this game.

Well we killed the Lions on ToP but lost anyway.

I don't think ball control has been the issue with this team.

The issue has mostly been turnovers. I think a large part of the turnovers has been health - Romo has been hurt, the WRs have been hurt and the OL is basically a new unit with only Free being a starter in the same position from last year and they were impacted by injury, too.

I don't see Romo as being severely INT-prone. I know he had a bad game against the Lions but every QB pretty much goes through a game like that occasionally. I think we are fine at QB and have a pretty good chance of knocking off NE. They have won 24 games in a row at home with Brady so it is going to require quite a big game from Romo to pull it off.

 

[LeonDixson]

I'll be waiting to see how many times our communications system mysteriously goes on the blink in Foxboro. If the game is close and we are driving it won't surprise me a if the radio transmission to Tony's helmet goes out.

 

[Irishman]

Well we killed the Lions on ToP but lost anyway.

I don't think ball control has been the issue with this team.

The issue has mostly been turnovers. I think a large part of the turnovers has been health - Romo has been hurt, the WRs have been hurt and the OL is basically a new unit with only Free being a starter in the same position from last year and they were impacted by injury, too.

I don't see Romo as being severely INT-prone. I know he had a bad game against the Lions but every QB pretty much goes through a game like that occasionally. I think we are fine at QB and have a pretty good chance of knocking off NE. They have won 24 games in a row at home with Brady so it is going to require quite a big game from Romo to pull it off.

Made my point for me. Up big with ToP. Limit the mistakes and use the same template with more of a clock control game when ahead. The Pats are explosive. Need to keep the ball away from them. There is no reason to get pass happy like some here suggest. If Romo throws for 500 yards, Brady will throw for 700 and the Cowboys cannot win a shootout with a team like the Pats especially when they are at home.

 

[Picksix]

Ball Control Eskimo.... Control the field and the clock.

Sounds good in theory, but not in practice. Buffalo beat NE by throwing. A lot. I know we want to keep Brady off the field, but you do that keeping the ball. Throwing is how we keep the ball - not running - and it's also how we score. We'll need to do a lot of that.

 

[Irishman]

Sounds good in theory, but not in practice. Buffalo beat NE by throwing. A lot. I know we want to keep Brady off the field, but you do that keeping the ball. Throwing is how we keep the ball - not running - and it's also how we score. We'll need to do a lot of that.

Guess we fundamentally disagree on how to play the game of football.

 

[TooStupid]

It's both. It is very bad, and teams also have to pass a lot to keep up. Wouldn't be surprised to see Romo get 500 yds if Austin is healthy, particularly if it's a shootout.

I think he's fine... He was in town today to catch his Alma Mater Monmouth Hawks play some ball. He was walking around normally and taking pictures with everyone.

 

[Picksix]

Guess we fundamentally disagree on how to play the game of football.

Nothing wrong with that. If we all had the same opinions, this place would be boring.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Dallas is not going to have a game plan where they focus on running the ball 35 times (or more) vs NE.

That ain't going to happen.

Hopefully it's a more balanced attack than the 62/38 ratio they've done so far... But it won't be 50/50.

And if the Cowboys fall behind by more than a TD, it will pass-city. If they get ahead by more than a TD, then I think you'll see more of run emphasis than what you saw vs Detroit.

But make no mistake, NE has lost at home in a long time.

 

[ufcrules1]

Austin is 100% healthy and will be playing against NE.

 

[Eskimo]

I think he's fine... He was in town today to catch his Alma Mater Monmouth Hawks play some ball. He was walking around normally and taking pictures with everyone.

The big issue with his running only becomes apparent with running - especially running hard. It won't show up when he's walking around a couple of weeks later.

 

[burmafrd]

Just have to keep Romo from the dreaded 35th pass

 

[Hoofbite]

It's both. It is very bad, and teams also have to pass a lot to keep up. Wouldn't be surprised to see Romo get 500 yds if Austin is healthy, particularly if it's a shootout.

It is both.

The Patriots score a lot so their opponents have to score a lot and that hasn't been a really big problem thus far.

Weak Patriot defense but strong Patriot offense = Field day for opposing QBs.