At the beginning of the 2011 season, Patriots fans were quietly optimistic about a renewed defense, augmented with free agent defensive linemen, some new and some newly healthy defensive backs, and a knowledge that Bill Belichick was changing the defense to a more 4-3 look, with the hope that the defense would be much more stalwart than in 2009 or 2010. However, absent a good performance against the Buccaneers in a preseason game, fans saw a defense no more tight or play-making than years previous. Throughout the regular season, although the Patriots continued to pile up wins, critics mentioned these were in spite of the defense, not aided by it.
The regular season statistics were against the defense, who ranked 31st in yards allowed (and were mostly 32nd for the year), as well as being poor at 3rd down stops, and stopping big plays downfield. However, there were a few bright spots, namely being tough in the red-zone, picking up some key turnovers (CB Kyle Arrington tied for the league lead in interceptions) and ranking mid-league in points allowed (which, some referred to, was the key stat, after all, points not yards determine wins).
Coach Bill Belichick was constantly questioned and queried about his defensive personnel choices, which were perhaps not misguided, when career special-teamer Matthew Slater played almost a full game at safety, and ex-quarterback turned wide receiver was used primarily in games as a slot defensive back (noted by many as the toughest spot in the NFL to play). Some of these moves were indeed ‘misses’, as were a number of free agent and previous draft choices (i.e. Albert Haynesworth and Taylor Price [one could say Ras-I Dowling or Shane Vereen were draft misses, although its too early to determine the value of the pick]).
However, all this negative criticism and poor statistical feedback had seemly no effect on the mental attitude of the defense - no quote could be found from a Patriot complaining of the lack of quality depth or making excuses for poor play, the team were consistent in beleiving with a bit more hard work and continued application of the defensive gameplan, it would all come together and the Patriots would have a solid if not respectable defense. And, in the end, it did come together. Right in time for the playoffs.
Statistically, the Patriots finished the regular season with a points-allowed-per-game ranking of 15th in the league, and a yards-allowed-per-game ranking of 31st (the two statistics which one can point to as the best measure of a teams’ defense). Through two playoff games, the Patriots have allowed 15 points per game, and 325 total yards per game. If these averages were compared against the regular season results, the Patriots would be 9th in the league in yards-allowed (up from 31st), and 3rd in the league in points-allowed (yes, the Patriots have a top 3 defense.). Justification for the comparison of such a
small sample size (2 games) to the regular season (16 games) is that the Patriots have obviously played two good teams in the playoffs, both by the nature that the teams made the playoffs by winning their division, and also that both these teams had some good offenses (the Broncos had the number 1 rushing offense in the league, and the Ravens had the 10th ranked rushing offense, so they aren’t slouches).
Despite these favourable comparisons, a team that has maybe had two strong defensive games may not necessarily be well regarded as a whole - so a more accurate comparison would be to look at the 2011 Patriots compared to the postseason statistics of every other Patriots team that has played in the Superbowl. Most fans remember Tedy Bruschi, Rodney Harrison, Richard Seymour, Ty Law - these guys have won Superbowl rings in New England, and are synonymous with good, tough, playoff-caliber defense. By looking at the yards-allowed and points-allowed statistics of the Patriots 6 previous Superbowl teams, perhaps the quality of the current defense can be determined.
The defenses in questionable are obviously the losing Superbowl teams from 1985, ‘96 and ‘07. The three winning teams are from 2001, ‘03, and ‘04. Studying the main defensive statistic, yards-allowed-per-game, the 2011 postseason Patriots lie somewhere around the middle, giving up less yards than the ‘07 or ‘04, exactly the same amount as the ‘03 team, and slightly more than the other Patriots Superbowl teams (the ‘96 team is the strongest in this category).
The real interesting statistic, however, is points-allowed-per-game in the postseason. With one more game to be played, the 2011 Patriots have given up less points than any previous Patriots Superbowl team (with the exception of the ‘96 Pats, who gave up the same amount of points). Should the Pats keep the Giants to just two touchdowns, we’ll have seen the greatest defense the Patriots have ever put out to play defense in the postseason. And that defense includes players like Sergio Brown, Nate Jones, Julian Edelman, Gerard Warren, and Dane Fletcher. None of those guys are headed for Canton. One Patriot who will be is Coach Bill Belichick, who, if he pulls this off, will arguably be the greatest defensive mind in the history of the game, and he almost gave himself nothing to work with.
