This season has been a mixed bag for a Patriot fan. They have looked very solid on defense, then at times not very good. Their offense has looked like the same old Patriots offense, then has struggled to get things going. I believe we are heading in the right direction but are not quiet there.
Defensively the Patriots have looked good and bad. Against the Titans the defense looked like it was already miles ahead of where they were even during the playoffs last season. But loses to Arizona and Baltimore make me think they still have a lot of work to do. There are definitely bright spots. Dont'a Hightower seems to be developing nicely. Chandler Jones looks like he is going to be a difference maker on this defense for years to come. Up front defensively I think the Pats are very solid, they are currently ranks 8th in the NFL against the run.
I am still very concerned with the Pats defensive back field. It seems like they can't cover anybody. Against the Ravens they could not seem to come up with the big play when they needed it the most. They allowed Ryan Fitzpatrick to throw four touchdowns in yesterday's game. They did however manage to intercept his passes four times. I just feel like if the defense gives up a big third down conversion or a passing touchdown it is because the defensive back field blew an assignment. The Pats are currently ranked 25th in the NFL against the pass.
Offensively the Patriots have looked good and bad (see a pattern?). Against the Titans they looked pretty good, with the normal first game of the season hiccups. However, when Aaron Hernandez was lost to an injury the passing game became very flat. They still had targets such as Welker and Gronk, but Hernandez gave them that extra dimension. The two dynamic tight ends seem impossible to deal with, but take one of them away and Gronk has been easier to deal with. With Hernandez in the lineup, I believe the Ravens game would have had a much different outcome.
One bright spot through most of the regular season thus far has been the Patriots run game. Stevan Ridley has matured nicely in his second season and looks to be a very reliable resource out of the back field. Then the addition of Brandon Bolden yesterday against the Bills saw a running back tandem that seemed very hard to deal with. This seems like the best back field the Patriots have had in some time.
Final Thoughts: I believe with the return of Hernandez the Patriots offense will be very hard to match up against. If the running game continues to prove they are a reliable option then that just makes Brady and the passing game that much more dangerous. The Patriots season depends on, like it has for the last few years, on the defense. It looks like we are starting to figure things out up front. However the defensive back field still gives me a great deal of worries.
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