Will Aqib Talib and co. carry the team?

Transcript from CSNNE:

“Think about it, the Patriots secondary is the best part of their defense right now and it’s the most complete part,” [Tom] Curran said. “You don’t get far without a good safety. They’ve got that with McCourty and they have a very able one with Steve Gregory, despite what you think. They have a shutdown corner who has had the ability to get better over the last couple of weeks in Aqib Talib. They have a slot corner, Kyle Arrington, who absolutely disrupted Wes Welker the first time around when they saw Denver.”

The point that CSNNE's Tom Curran makes is a good one.

The Patriots secondary, led by Aqib Talib, is most certainly the strength of the team. I'd go as far as to say that it might be the best unit top to bottom on the entire team. Talent wise anyway.

It is the only particular unit that features two All-Pro players (Aqib Talib and Devin McCourty). Kyle Arrington is much better than he's given credit for around these parts. While he's been the victim of some big plays, as he usually seems to be, he's also been part of some others that generally escape the public's eye.

He's had a hand in silencing big names like Wes Welker and Mike Wallace. He completely shut down Wallace in the team's first meeting with Miami and then limited him in their second (Wallace's big touchdown came against Cole who was in for an injured Arrington).

Logan Ryan has proved to be an extremely promising rookie career has earned him comparisons to some of the league's greats.

Alfonzo Dennard was maybe the team's best corner for the first half of the year, though an injury mid-season has derailed both his playing time and effectiveness since. He is questionable for the upcoming game.

All told, the big step up in talent has the team good enough for 18th in the league in passing yards allowed. Great? no. Not necessarily.

Not unless you look at it compared to last year's 29th ranked unit or the year before's 31st ranked.

That secondary is certainly not a behemoth like those we've seen on the Jets a few years ago.
Still, Aided also by the best pass rush (Sack wise) of Belichick's career, they might have to be the reason the Pats go far this year.

Their biggest threats remaining in the AFC are mostly teams focused on the pass. The Colts being the worst offender of this.

At the very least, that secondary could be the reason the team wins today. Or the reason they lose it.