The Patriots face similar uncertainty as they kick off their preseason schedule.
After missing the playoffs last season, New England has had months to regroup and figure out how to win another Super Bowl. But not even Bill Belichick is sure where the team stands at this point.
“It’s hard to know exactly where you are,” the coach said earlier this week at training camp. “Sometimes, you can see a problem, and it continues to be a problem, and you know it and can’t solve it. Many other times, again, things that you think are going to be good aren’t that great, and other things you think are going to be bad are OK. Again, we are playing against ourselves and how the Patriots match up against the Patriots will be different than how the Patriots match up against [different opponents].”
One thing is certain: Defense will determine how far the Patriots go this season.
Having Tom Brady atop the quarterback depth chart is good for morale, but it won’t matter if he spends more time sitting on the bench than standing behind center. The defense needs to put the ball in Brady’s hands as much as it can and keep the other team from putting points on the scoreboard.
The Patriots gave up a respectable 19.3 points per game in 2008 (eighth-fewest in the NFL), but that number is a bit misleading since they surrendered more than 30 points in four contests. By comparison, the Super Bowl champion Steelers yielded 30 points just once and allowed the fewest points in the NFL at 13.9.
Although the NFL has become more offensive-minded in recent years, there’s a reason the saying isn’t “offense wins championships.” When defenses step up, good things happen. History in the NFL's biggest game is proof.
James Harrison’s 100-yard interception touchdown sealed the deal for Pittsburgh in Super Bowl XLIII.
The year before, the Giants shocked the 18-0 Patriots by holding them to 14 points.
The year before that, the Colts’ defense shed the soft label, forced five turnovers and held the Bears to just three points in the second half to take home the Lombardi Trophy.
And the list goes on.
These examples are just microcosms of what leads to success on the gridiron. There are countless other big plays that never see the light of day on SportsCenter or YouTube — the sack on second down in the first quarter, the run stuff on third-and-one in the second, the pass deflection on a slant pattern to prevent a touchdown in the third. Without those stops, forget about a ring. It’s the little things on defense that spell the difference between being a champion and being a footnote.
The Patriots haven’t forgotten this fact.
They had the third-fewest takeaways (22) in the AFC in 2008 and made calculated moves to become more opportunistic. Six of the Patriots’ 12 draft picks this year were defensive players, including their top three picks – safety Patrick Chung, defensive tackle Ron Brace and cornerback Darius Butler. The team added talent, depth and experience in free agency. And acquiring Derrick Burgess via trade with the Raiders should help the Patriots collect more than the 31 sacks they posted a year ago.
Combine the quality newcomers with New England’s returning stars and blue-collar workers, and Bill Belichick could have all the puzzle pieces for an air-tight defense once again. Shutting down offenses is how he earned his Hall of Fame reputation in the first place. Getting back to his roots is how the Patriots can return to NFL dominance.
New England’s defense looks better on paper compared to last season. The true test will come on the field.
