Red zone defense in the red.
It's true, the Patriots red zone defense has struggled this season. But why? How could it be? The defensive mentality every year has seemingly been "Bend, but doesn't break." Where's that now? It's one simple answer, the defense is no longer bending.
In the Bills-Patriots game to kickoff the year, the Bills offense only reached the Patriots red zone twice. Both resulting in touchdowns, but once after that? Nothing. 14 drives, 9 resulting in punts, 2 in turnovers, 2 in touchdowns, and 1 resulting in the end of the game. Meaning 12 resulted in not even reaching the opponents 20 yard line.
Just four days later, in a game we all remember too well against the Jets. 15 drives for the Jets, they only got into the red zone twice, resulting in a field goal and a touchdown. Once again, 13 failed drives to reach the red zone.
Rewind for the game last week vs the Bucs. Tampa reached the red zone three times, converting only once with a field goal, totaling 10 drives.
Let's do some math, 32 of 39 opponent drives have resulting in not even reaching the red zone. Giving a small sample serving for something that is so meaningful as red zone defense isn't really fair.
Now the Dolphins have one of the best red zone defenses in the NFL, and as I stated earlier in another article. The Dolphins are the biggest threat to the Patriots run of dominance over the years, after all they did win the AFC East in 2008.
Moral of the story, I'd rather take a poor red zone defense and a solid defense over a poor defense and great red zone defense any day.
Eric Anderson
@EAric94
 |
| Photo Credit: Winslow Townson/Getty Images |
In the Bills-Patriots game to kickoff the year, the Bills offense only reached the Patriots red zone twice. Both resulting in touchdowns, but once after that? Nothing. 14 drives, 9 resulting in punts, 2 in turnovers, 2 in touchdowns, and 1 resulting in the end of the game. Meaning 12 resulted in not even reaching the opponents 20 yard line.
Just four days later, in a game we all remember too well against the Jets. 15 drives for the Jets, they only got into the red zone twice, resulting in a field goal and a touchdown. Once again, 13 failed drives to reach the red zone.
Rewind for the game last week vs the Bucs. Tampa reached the red zone three times, converting only once with a field goal, totaling 10 drives.
Let's do some math, 32 of 39 opponent drives have resulting in not even reaching the red zone. Giving a small sample serving for something that is so meaningful as red zone defense isn't really fair.
Now the Dolphins have one of the best red zone defenses in the NFL, and as I stated earlier in another article. The Dolphins are the biggest threat to the Patriots run of dominance over the years, after all they did win the AFC East in 2008.
Moral of the story, I'd rather take a poor red zone defense and a solid defense over a poor defense and great red zone defense any day.
Eric Anderson
@EAric94
