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Quick Patriots Defensive Breakdown

Ex Pat New Englander

By Ex Pat New Englander,
in Carolina Panthers

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Ex Pat New Englander Newbie

Ex Pat New Englander

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Before the injuries in the middle of the defense, this was shaping up to be one of the best Patriots defensive units ever, but the loss of DT's Wilfork and Kelly, along with the loss of defensive captain and middle linebacker Mayo has weakened it. Overall, the Patriots are still playing good team defense, but they had been forced to scheme to stop the run because the two undrafted guys at DT are in way over their head. This might be changing now that DT Issac Sopoaga has been added to the roster. Last week at Pittsburgh, he spent the first half positioned at nose in a 3/4 defense. In the second half they played more 4/3 as they nursed a lead. Expect the Patriots to open up the game in a 3/4 with Sopoaga two gapping at nose.

 

Normally, I'd suggest that the Panthers could exploit the weakness at DT with their running game, but your issues at guard make this less likely. I still think you should try rather than putting the game on Cam's shoulders.

 

Besides the rookies at DT, the Patriots have two very good DE's. Chandler Jones is a poor man's Aldon Smith and leads the team with 8 sacks.. He'll be on Jordan Gross. The other spot is manned by Rob Ninkovitch who is a prototypical Patriot: undrafted, unheralded, smart, versatile, high effort player. This is the dude you should be concerned with as he will be over Byron Bell.

 

The middle linebackers are big and pretty brutal. They can be exploited by a good TE (hello Olson.) 

 

We have three solid CB's in Dennard, Arrington, and Talib. The Safeties, Mcourty and Gregory are both converted CB's. Unlike much of the last decade, this unit has been communicating and playing good team defense. Talib is still hurt, and rookie Duron Harmon may be playing instead of Gregory, so this may be a area the Panther want to test. 

 

Looking forward to the game and hoping for no long term injuries and no game changing calls by the refs.  

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Zod Grand Master

Zod

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I expect some Wharton/Kalil combo blocks on the nose and a run game focused on going up the guy.

Ninkowhateverhisnameis vs Bell is a concern, so I expect a lot of 21 personnel groups to help Bell and still keep Olsen available for Cam.

Our RG is a weak spot, not the LG- just for clarification.

 

RG is not a weak spot in the run game. Chandler is pretty decent at run blocking. He is a liability mainly on passing downs.

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SCP Enthusiast

SCP

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RG is not a weak spot in the run game. Chandler is pretty decent at run blocking. He is a liability mainly on passing downs.

Yes. And that's not a physical knock, it's mental. He is still learning blitz pick up and how to read and handle stunts.

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