The Morning After: Week 14

In this week's version of The Morning After, I'd like to start by shedding light on some questions I've been asked....Wait. Someone in the back of the class has their hand up...What? I need to take a step back?

OKAY, ok...I began today's article with 'In this week's version...' Starting in that manner implies there were predecessors to this week's The Morning After despite the fact that it's the pilot. So, truth be told, today is actually the official unveiling of The Morning After.

I hear the questions, dear readers. I hear them! And WHAT, pray tell, is The Morning After?

Allow me to answer.

The Morning After is a recap of the previous NFL week's action (naturally it will focus on the New England Patriots.) I'll also offer a seasoning of other observations from time-to-time...some fairly obvious and others, hopefully, are moderately insightful. The Morning After will typically run every Tuesday until the Playoffs and then, ultimately, 'til the end of the Patriots' season.

While it's a fairly obvious observation I'd still like to extend my thanks to the reader who had the courage to raise their hand and question me. Thanks for keeping me honest, dear reader. Kudos to you.

**golf clap**

Was I trying to be sneaky? No. I just didn't want there to be a big ribbon cutting ceremony or anything. I'm afraid of scissors. I didn't heed the words of my teachers in grade school and ran with a pair once. The turnout wasn't pretty and I'd rather not discuss it.

Thanks for not pressing me about it. Moving along...

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The Morning After: Week 14
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The '08-'09 Patriots are proving NFL's oldest adage: defense wins championships.

I'm getting a little tired of hearing people complain about the Patriots defense. Why you ask? Well, because it's such an obvious statement: 'Our defense sucks!'

Duh.

If you disagree, puuuu-LEASE stop reading. Better yet, tell the person reading this to you to stop reading. Because if you disagree with that statement you're obviously not intelligent enough to read. Just go to bed now and I'll tell you when Santa arrives.

Numbers don't lie, folks. Our third down stop percentage and red zone defense stats are laughable.

The real question is 'Why?' Why is our defense so bad? Let's investigate.

Is it our weak secondary? And describing as 'weak' is being kind. My gut says no.

Is it the injuries? I don't think so. Injuries are part of football.

[SIDE NOTE: START]

I feel injuries to bad players don't really count as injuries. I consider it the NFL's version of survival of the fittest. When the slowest antelope gets eaten by a lion is it really bad for the entire herd? Not initially. It may be really bad for the SECOND slowest antelope but the herd, as a whole, should be fine. However, when the entire herd is slow, bigger problems get exposed. And that's what the majority of our defense has become: a group of slow antelope.

[SIDE NOTE: END]

Is it because we just wooed a 39 year old surfer out of retirement to fill a need on our team? That HAS to be a rhetorical question, right? Take a step back and think about that for a second. Seau actually FILLS A NEED. The guy who got juked out of his shoes by Deion Branch fills a need.

Name one other NFL team that he could play for today. I'll give you a sec to think about it...

**jeopardy music**

See, you can't do it. That speaks VOLUMES about the current state of our defense.

Is it the football 'gods' getting us back from tip-toeing around perfection last year? Could be. (I wish they'd do more to stop Mercury Morris from speaking, but that's me.)

Listen, I could go on-and-on analyzing the symptoms of our defense. But we want to try and find the real answer to 'Why' instead of complaining about the obvious symptoms, don't we? Yes. Yes we do.

The real issue: personnel decisions. Our defense started showing signs of this imminent breakdown during the second half of the 2006 AFC Championship Game. And, since that heartbreaking loss, nothing has been done to address our defense.

Our knee jerk reaction following that loss was to pump up our offense. And pump it up we did. Sure, our offense produced a record-breaking touchdown extravaganza and a 16-0 regular season record last year but it didn't produce a championship. The offense, who's prowess helped our weak defense hide in plain sight all year, couldn't carry us to 19-0. The 'D' faltered during the final minutes of the 'Big Game' and we lost making 18-1 part of pop culture lexicon.

Was last year entertaining? Yes. Was it satisfying? Not even close. That loss will haunt me, and every other Pats fan, the rest of our lives. Other seasons haven't been as entertaining but they've ended with championships. Our defense won our three championships NOT our record breaking offense.

We need to get back to that.

Now, with DEFENSE being the big problem this past off season, how did we respond? We responded by signing Deltha O'Neal. Ouch.

Listen, I'm not questioning Belichick's schemes or game plans. Belichick is a great coach. He's done the best to bring in players based on availability. But, to me, it's not about what he's done. It's about what he HASN'T done. I wish he would have tried to keep some other strong defensive players as opposed to losing them to free agency and thinking his schemes will work with whoever he has. I also think its nothing short of miraculous that we're even IN the playoff hunt this year. But even the best schemes can't hide the biggest issue with our defense: AGE.

We may be the smartest team in football but we're also one of the oldest. We're old, y'all. For us to have a chance and sustain our recent run of success we need to get younger and tougher on defense.

You know what I really miss? Our arrogance. Our defense used to be an arrogant bunch, readers. They WANTED to be on the field. They wanted to win games for us. As they've aged, though, it seems to me they've taken a 'workers approach' to their job. They're doing enough to get by but not doing anything really spectacular.

Can you name, off the top of your head, the last 'big hit' you've seen a Patriots defender make? And I'm talking a Ryan Clark on Wes Welker type hit. The kind of hit that makes you stand up, cover your mouth and scream 'OOOOOooooohhhh.' The kind of hit you look for on YouTube the next day.

I can't. And I'm going to consider our defense old and tired until I see one.

I hope it happens soon.

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The Big Question
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Which brings us this week's Big Question: Why do YOU think our defense has become one of the worst in the league?

Oh, right: ground rules. The Big Question will be part of every The Morning After. Answers should be given in the comments area. BE CANDID. Any and all thoughts and comments are allowed. But please have something intelligent to say instead of "FIRST!!!!"

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Week 14 Quick Thinking
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-- Matt Cassel still looks like someone who is just happy to be playing as opposed to a franchise quarterback.

-- Which is good, because if I have to hear one more idiot say 'Maybe we should trade Brady'...

-- Christian Bale's voice as Batman in The Dark Knight is laughable. Heath Leger's performance as The Joker is not. Gotta love irony.

-- It's only been a week but I already miss Entourage.

-- Seau is a symptom, not the problem.

-- Memo to the Patriots' secondary: It's not ok to celebrate after breaking up a pass play. That's your job. Stop celebrating for doing your job.

-- On the other hand, Merriweather, it IS ok for you to celebrate when you force a fumble to clinch a victory.

-- Wes Welker is the warmest security blanket EVER!

-- Can someone please tell Mr. McDaniels that Randy Moss CAN run a quick slant in the red zone instead of fade route after fade route.

-- Shit, he lives in Lincoln now. Maybe I should go tell Randy myself.

-- I feel a little sick every time I watch Matt Cassell throw a deep pass.

-- And when someone drinks seasonal snot (a.k.a Egg Nog.)

-- Tony Romo is someone I would like to have drinks with but not the kind of guy I'd want to 'have my back' when it counts...like in a bar fight.

-- Or when catching a snap to set up a winning field goal in the Playoffs.

-- Californication has the best dialogue of any show on cable.

-- Is it me or does Jabar Gaffney have money AGAINST the Patriots every week?

-- Does the defense?

-- There's no truth to the rumor that Andre Tippett will be suiting up against the Raiders this weekend.

-- I miss Asante Samuel.

-- And Ty Law, for that matter.

-- Seeing Belichick smile after beating the Seahawks should tell you all you need to know about the Patriots chances in the Playoffs this year.

-- If they make it.

-- Speaking of Belichick, did you see his post game handshake with Holmgren this week? It appeared he actually SPOKE to him.

-- And who says there are no more miracles around the Holidays?!

-- Christmas music is overrated.

-- Will T.O. be wearing sunglasses during his post-season cry this year?

-- Cassell's stats have more to do with a weak defense than a strong offense.

-- I'd rather see BenJarvus Green-Ellis than Sammy Morris.

-- And it's not because he has one of the best nicknames in recent memory: LawFirm. It's because he runs like he has something to prove.

-- Just like Wes Welker.