[aeneas1]

brady and the offense hog the limelight, but what the phuk is up with that defense? the rams have wade and a bunch of (on paper) defensive talent, but year after year, even before wade, the unit proves to be disappointing, at least over the course of a 16-game season... i guess what i'm asking is what in the hell do the patriots do on defense that the rams can't seem to swing, even with the impressive coach and personnel they now have in place?

some would argue that the pats do well on defense because they play in such an offensively incompetent division, but is that the case?

for the the 2015 through 2019 stretch the pats rank 1st in fewest offensive points allowed (2019 - 1, 2018 - 10, 2018 - 4, 2016 - 1, 2015 - 7)... but they also rank 4th best when looking at how teams have done outside of their division, i.e. when excluding the games teams play within their own division, so it's not like the pats are smothering their divisional foes while playing average at best outside of their division.

moreover, cupcakes don't usually make the postseason, and since 2001 the pats rank 4th best in fewest offensive points allowed per postseason game among the 18 teams that have played in at least 10.

in short, their defenses have been among the the best within their own division, outside of their division, and in the postseason - again, what the phuk?

maybe wade and his gang should invest in some go-pro equipped drones?

[CanuckRightWinger]

Pats defense has been formidable over the years....no doubt.

On another note, I am becoming increasingly dubious about Wade Oldman&TheD Phillips being this "DC Legend" that can do no wrong.
I respect Wade Phillips for the D he put on the field in Denver beating (and beating-up) Cam Newton and the 15-1 Panthers (thank you Falcons!)….BUT, look at the Rams defensive stats of Wade TheLegend Phillips and some mook named Jeff NowAPariah Fisher: (PPG allowed per game for each season per ESPN)
YEAR//NFL RANK//PPG ALLOWED
2012...….14TH...…..21.8
2013...….13TH...…..22.8
2014...….16TIE...…..22.1
2015...….13TH...…..20.6
2016...….23RD...…..24.6.....& JEFF 4-12 FISHER IS FIRED

2017...….12TH...…..20.6.....WADE'S FIRST YEAR
2018...….20TH...…..24.0
2019...….27TH...…..26.8

So Wade's best year of 2017 is comparable to the Fisher years save 2016, the 4-12 season where Fisher was fired.

Since that first year of 2017, Wade's numbers are comparable to the 4-12 FisherGetsFired 2016 Season no?

Again, I get how the 72 year old Wade Phillips has had a TRULY LEGENDARY NFL CAREER IN THE PAST...…
but is he still legendary as a NFL DC??? The numbers above suggest differently IMHO.

Also, I see his game-time style on the Rams sidelines as one of BENIGN OBSERVER. He never seems to come over to the troops to inspire and/or to ream somebody out. I dunno….but I'd EXPECT to see a bit higher ENERGY CLASSIFICATION out of a NFL DC than....

SUBJECT IS ABLE TO SIT-UP AND TAKE NOURISHMENT!

As always, JMO.

P.S. I do not hate Wade Phillips. I respect his past distinguished NFL career....but his Los Ramos D stats do NOT stack up so well eh!!

[Ramsdude]

As good as our D played in the SB, they played just a bit better. I know we should have won and I am still shocked how we couldn't score a TD. Maybe just maybe their D was just that good.

In fact they have only given up 27 points in 4 games!! That's crazy. I think they only have given up 1 rush TD and NO passing TD's at all! They make me sick!

Wk Date Opp Result Quarter Dist Type Detail
1 9/22/2019 NYJ W, 30-14 3 0 fumble Arthur Maulet 0 yard fumble return (Sam Ficken kick)

2 9/22/2019 NYJ W, 30-14 4 61 interception Jamal Adams 61 yard interception return (Sam Ficken kick)

3 9/29/2019 @ BUF W, 16-10 3 1 rush Josh Allen 1 yard rush (Stephen Hauschka kick)

[69RamFan]

Here is the difference between our defense and the Pats...

Belichick seem to get his team prepare on who they are playing,,,

So he schemes for those type of offensive weakness and attacks the weakness...

Were as Wade, stays with the same type of defense and says, you try to beat this...

Yes its going to work for some offensive teams we play,,, because we match up well,,, but for others that we don't match up so well, he still doesn't try to change it up....

[azramsfan93]

Here is the difference between our defense and the Pats...

Belichick seem to get his team prepare on who they are playing,,,

So he schemes for those type of offensive weakness and attacks the weakness...

Were as Wade, stays with the same type of defense and says, you try to beat this...

Yes its going to work for some offensive teams we play,,, because we match up well,,, but for others that we don't match up so well, he still doesn't try to change it up....

I agree. Most obvious in the Tampa game when Winston was carving up our soft zones underneath. It seemed we made no adjustments.

[dieterbrock]

The Pats ability to change, game to game, is unmatched in NFL history.
They’re amazing on both sides of the ball.
The Rams are not doing that.

The entire NFL isn’t/hasn’t done that.
It’s kind of hard to include the Patriots in any sort of comparison being they are such a historical outlier.
Your point is totally valid, not saying it isn’t. Damn Pats are just running circles around the league

[aeneas1]

No one has done it like them, agreed.
But the degree that the Rams weren’t trying different formations on O was historic in its own way.

The D? I don’t know what I’m seeing.

I will say I think Wilson had a special game on Thurs.. it wasn’t all the D.

if you're referring to mcvay's rams, they've run a ton of different formations, just out of the same personnel groups... re wilson last week, it was the most points the seahawks have scored all year, and the highest qb rating he's posted all year, and the seahawks have played the bengals and cardinals, houston we have a defensive problem, at the moment anyway.

[snackdaddy]

The Patriots haven't exactly been playing offensive juggernauts with teams like the Jets, Dolphins, Bills and Redskins. But considering their history, they get the benefit of the doubt. They have a history of solid defenses for a long time.

Now there are some teams that are plain overrated because of who they played. Just like when teams score a lot of points against lesser competition. People were raving about the Cowboys after beating up on bad teams. The last 6 quarters they have a total of 10 points. Trailing 24-0 in the 3rd quarter to the Packers.