The 2017-18 NFL season for the New England Patriots has had its highs and lows.
Before the season began, thoughts of an undefeated season clouded all thoughts surrounding the New England Patriots. With all the offensive and defensive additions, it appeared Bill Belichick built a team without many, if any holes.
Touted as the model franchise over the past 15 seasons, the Patriots were in for an easy ride to Super Bowl LII . However, during the first 8 weeks of the season, a team that appeared stacked coming into the season, had many deficiencies. Despite the deficiencies, the Patriots somehow found its way to a 6-2 record. The wins haven’t come convincingly, but in the National Football League, a victory is a victory no matter how it happens.
So let’s take a look back at some of those issues the Patriots faced during the first half of the season.
Welcome Back The “Bend, the but don’t Break Defense”
A staple of a Bill Bellchick coached team has always been a discipline defense. This team is still trying to find it on a consistent basis.
After taking an almost entirely in-tact unit minus Logan Ryan (signed in FA/TEN) and Rob Ninkovich (Retirement) and adding Stephon Gilmore from the Buffalo Bills in free agency, the Patriots’ defense was expected to come back better than ever.
Following a year where the defense allowed a league-leading 15.6 points per game, the defense has fallen to 16th in the league, letting up 22.4 ppg. They also fell to last in the NFL in total yards allowed.
Another staple of the Patriots has always been that they never let up the big play. This is certainly not the case as the team is allowing 417 yards per game from opposing offenses.
Whats different?
More from New England Patriots
- Former Patriot Stevan Ridley Put Kevin Hart in a Wheelchair
- 3 Patriots Who Can Clinch a Roster Spot in Final Preseason Game
- Patriots Get Win Over Division Rivals Before Season Even Begins
- New Massachusetts Sportsbook Promos: $450 Bonus to Bet on Your Patriots at Caesars + DraftKings
- Ezekiel Elliott Reveals 3 Reasons Why He Signed With Patriots
Not much has changed between the two teams. But the defense and particularly the secondary has had troubles with communication.
In Week 4 against the Carolina Panthers, newly acquired cornerback Stephon Gilmore failed to communicate with safety Devin McCourty that he was playing a flat zone, which allowed Panthers receiver Devin Funchess to slip right through the secondary and score on a wide open touchdown.
This has happened on many other occasions throughout the early part of the season. In fact, the first game the Patriots’ defense held an opposing quarterback to under 300 passing yards came in Week 7. This was after they were torched in six straight weeks by the likes of Alex Smith, Drew Brees, Deshaun Watson, Cam Newton, Jameis Winston, and Josh McCown.
Somehow though, the team has found its way to a 6-2 record and sit atop the AFC.
Yes, the defense has made massive improvements in recent weeks. They almost pitched a shutout against last years NFL MVP Matt Ryan in the Super Bowl rematch with the Falcons and then followed that up by allowing just 13 points against the L.A. Chargers.
This recent success comes without Stephon Gilmore, Malcom Brown, Eric Rowe and Dont’a Hightower, who was the team’s leader on defense. With Hightower now out for the season, the team has to find a way to continue improving on defense if they want to reach Super Bowl LII.
40 is the new 27
If there was one shining member who has done no wrong this season, it would be Tom Brady.
The 40-year-old quarterback is playing better than he did 10 years ago. Brady has beaten father time better than any other professional athlete in history (Gordie Howe aside) by putting up monster numbers and helping the Patriots to a 6-2 record.
He leads the league in passing yards (2,541) and yards per game (318). Brady also sits at 2nd in quarterback rating, only behind Alex Smith of the Kansas City Chiefs.
In Week 3 this season Brady had another signature comeback. He marched the Patriots 75 yards with 1:36 left in the game. With 26 seconds remaining, Brady tossed a 38-yard touchdown to Brandin Cooks in the side of the end zone. Moments like this solidify why Brady is the greatest to ever do it, and he builds on his resume each and every week.
https://twitter.com/TitanicTD/status/912054564962148353
The odds haven’t been great for Brady early on, his favorite target, receiver Julian Edelman has been sidelined since Week 3 of the preseason with an ACL Tear, and he’s not coming back this season.
With Edelman down, the Patriots have rolled out three primary packages of receivers. The most common being a Trips Left and Single X formation, with Cooks on one side and Hogan and Amendola lined up on the other.
New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski typically lines up on the same side as the Trips set, by doing so it allows two things to happen. It leaves Cooks alone with separation on his own side of the field and the ability to go one on one with the corner. It also makes the other side of the field chaos for defenses.
Three receivers placed on one side of the field forces the defense to have to commit extra coverage, which typically comes in the form of an outside linebacker. The linebacker is no match for a great tight end in Gronkowski, and if they commit a safety as well to Gronkowski, it leaves open space on the outside of the field. Other packages used including the Five Wide, and the Trips wide left. The offense has come to be the teams selling point and can singlehandedly win ball games in the future.
Protecting the Old Man
Speaking of that 40-year old wunderkind quarterback, it is crucial that the Patriots protect him from taking a beating by opposing rushers. Through half of the season, Brady has been sacked 21 times. That’s six more than the offensive line allowed all of last regular season.
More from Chowder and Champions
- 3 Midseason Chaim Bloom Decisions That Have Killed the 2023 Red Sox
- 10 Patriots Who Will Be Cut by Tuesday’s Roster Deadline
- MLB Screws Red Sox Fans With Broadcast for Mookie Betts Return
- 3 Most Underpaid Celtics Heading Into the 2023 Season
- Red Sox Continue Rollercoaster Season With Massive Win
The offensive line needs to play better in the future because the team needs TB12 under center if it wants any success in the rest of the regular season and beyond. Marcus Cannon needs to stay healthy and put up the same performance as last year that earned him All-Pro Honors and a contract extension.
The other tackle manning Brady’s blind side, left tackle Nate Solder, hasn’t had a great first half of the year. He had a rough week one as he allowed 3 sacks against the Kansas City Chiefs. Solder has proven that he has great value in the running game and shown flashes of great skill in pass protection, but he needs a strong second half of the season.
The main issue with the Offensive Line has been matching up in pass protection, as the outside linebackers and 3-4 defensive ends have found their way against Patriots linemen. Many say games are won in the trenches, and the Patriots need their offensive linemen to step up and protect their quarterback.
A look ahead
The rest of the schedule for the New Patriots does not get any easier. They play 5 of there last 8 games away from the comfortable confines of Gillette Stadium. One of which is a game in Mexico City against the Oakland Raiders considered a road game.
Despite this, the Patriots face tough division rivals in the Bills, Jets, and Dolphins each in the home stretch of the regular season.
To open up the second half of the season, the Patriots play the Broncos at Mile High Stadium in prime time on Sunday Night Football. Following the Mexico City matchup with the Raiders, the New England Patriots will have the Dolphins at home, then the Bills and Dolphins away in back-to -back weeks. Following a matchup in the Steel City with Pittsburgh, the Patriots end the year with two home games against divisional opponents.
Next: Patriots gridiron news: Rob Ninkovich says he’s staying retired
Finishing up with the Bills on Christmas Eve and the Jets on New Years Eve. It’s a tough final stretch for the Patriots, but its the perfect time of the year for a long win streak, and for all units to pull it together and play their best football.