Defense is bent on success in the red zone

By Nick Cafardo, Globe Staff, 1/31/2002

EW ORLEANS - Do they call it the red zone because the Patriots see red every time a team gets inside the 20?

''There's something about looking behind you and seeing that colored area and you say to yourself, `I'm not letting them get there', '' said Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi.

The Patriots, known as a bend-but-don't-break defense, have great success in the red area, third-best in the league, a Twilight Zone for the opposition.

In 49 red zone situations, teams have scored 40 times, 21 of them field goals.

Of a possible 343 points (49 opportunities multiplied by 7 points for a TD and extra point), the Patriots have allowed 196.

Once you've allowed a team to get that far, holding them to a field goal is the key.

''It becomes the resolve of the players,'' said Patriots defensive line coach Randy Melvin. ''I think that's what we have here - a team with a lot of will and resolve. A team is marching down there and they know they have to click it on. And they have a lot this year. It's something we emphasized from the moment the team arrived in training camp.''

Bill Belichick and Romeo Crennel, the head coach and defensive coordinator, are known for their defensive scheming. They can foil quarterbacks, create matchups that are favorable, rub salt in the wounds of the opponent's weakness. The red zone is all of that, but most importantly, it's toughness.

''We never like giving anything up,'' said Patriots veteran defensive end Anthony Pleasant, ''but if we do, you know, then you get into that area where they're gonna score points, we know we have to minimize it as much as possible. If we can prevent a touchdown, that's better than anything. If they get a field goal instead of a touchdown, that's better than the alternative.''

Nine times, the Patriots didn't give up anything.

Of the 19 times they've allowed a touchdown, seven have come on runs and 12 on passes.

''When you get in that close, your coverage has to get tighter,'' said cornerback Ty Law. ''If it doesn't, you know, you'll be crying on TV. Whether we're in a man or a zone, you'd better be there. There can't be any leaks. That's where we've been so good all year. When you score against us, you earn it.''

There is no magic formula for playing great red zone defense. Melvin used the right word: resolve. Bryan Cox thinks experience can help.

''Having a feel for the situation is helpful,'' he said. ''It's about the guys up front doing their job so you can do your job, and if you do your job, the guys behind us can do theirs, too. You have to understand what's coming sometimes. It's instinct, but it's also doing what you have to do in your area.''

Against Oakland, Cox played two plays, but one of them was a big third-down stop on Zack Crockett at the 1. The play was made possible because Richard Seymour shot his gap and got great penetration, enabling Cox to make the play.

But the Patriots don't like the bend-but-don't-break tag.

''I don't like it because I come from a background and a mind-set in college [at Arizona] where you don't give up anything,'' Bruschi said. ''It was constant pressure. I mean I know this league is different and there are great athletes and you're going to give up something sometimes. But I think the goal here is to give up as little as possible. We'd rather not be in the red zone situations.''

Crennel said, ''It's not by design. Believe me, we don't plan to give the other team yardage, but it happens. When it does we have to make sure it doesn't happen to the point where the other team is scoring points. We've given up field goals, and those are points, but we've been able to limit the amount of touchdowns.''

There's no special way to play a red zone defense. Defensive end Bobby Hamilton said there's no one-set formation. It's as ever-changing as any other situation. Belichick and Crennel get a feel for the situation, and if there's more chance of a run, you'll see a lot of groupings with Cox and Ted Johnson. Sometimes there are three men rushing. Sometimes there's a four-man line and the Patriots blitz. Sometimes there are five defensive backs.

''Whatever the coaches call,'' said Hamilton. ''We talked about this way back in training camp, that if we weren't better in the red zone, we weren't gonna win many games. We have a lot of veterans and we take pride in what we do.''

In their first meeting with the Rams (Nov. 18), the Patriots didn't fare well in the red zone. The Rams scored on touchdown passes by Warner of 16, 9, and 11 yards, and allowed a 35-yard field goal.

''Those are the type of things we feel can turn around in this game,'' said safety Lawyer Milloy. ''I think we've gotten better in the red zone since then. You can't allow a team like the Rams to get that close because they'll score on you. We have to play tough, aggressive defense at all points on the field.''

The Patriots need to see red more often on Sunday than they did in their first meeting against the Rams. They'd rather have Jeff Wilkins kick than kick themselves watching Marshall Faulk, Torry Holt, and Isaac Bruce do their touchdown dances.