Why do we keep blaming the defense for playoff losses when the offense (that is supposed to be one of the best in the league) puts up 15 points?
This is a debatable conversation that we could all talk about for hours, and it's probably pointless since it's always going to be a team-game, win or lose.
BUT....if you really want your question answered---
Those who blame the defense do so because our last 3 home playoff losses have seen them give up 33, 28, and 28 points....
It was also the defense who allowed the most recent AFCCG loss to get out of hand, as we had a 13-7 lead with five minutes remaining in the 3rd quarter. Even the beginning of the 4th quarter saw the score at 14-13. It was the defensive side of the ball that gave up 3 late game TD's in a row, and who didn't even get the Ravens offense into a 3rd down conversion attempt on one of those late TD drives. It's acceptable to win low scoring games, particularly in the playoffs when the defensive competition is much improved; yet our defense can't hold anyone in situations that matter, so when our high-powered offense gets held in check everyone automatically points to them as the main problem. Those situations are going to happen, particularly in the playoffs. We can't keep placing the weight of the world on Brady's shoulders and expecting the offense to average 30+ ppg. If that were the case, we'd never have won a championship, let alone 3 earlier in the last decade.
We've now lost our last 3 big-time games in SB42, SB46, and the 2012 AFCCG due to our defense giving up critical, back-breaking last minute (or late game) TD drives...of 85 yds+.
I'm not sure how you find that acceptable when 7/9 playoff games during the "dynasty" era sof 3 SB wins saw our
offense averaging only 18 pts a game?....in my opinion it'll always be a controversial subject, but those who blame the defense certainly have an argument.