I know there's a thread about the Jets-Pats game already, but this is more of a general football question. If I'm posting this out of turn, I'll happily delete. Okay, the Patriots have a few players that, while never impressive on the stat sheet, are absolutely essential in their winning games. I'm thinking of guys like Kevin Faulk & Troy Brown in years past, but Danny Woodhead and their two rookie TEs today. While these guys are never going to be fantasy football superstars, they seem to be used in key 3rd down situations or help make 2nd & longs into more manageable 3rd downs. I started thinking about how/why this was the case & something Chris Collinsworth once mentioned struck me: "teams that don't have great running games often use these short passes to make up for that." Now, take this one step further and apply it to the QB position. Brady is about as mobile (and white) as a effeminate glacier with a bad haircut. HOWEVER, I think part of the Pats offensive gameplan involves making up for their QBs lack of mobility by checking down to the aforementioned players by having them block & release in the same running lanes a QB would take. This, I think, is what enables Woodhead to catch a 2 yard pass and gain 8 yards or allows either of the TEs (probably Gronkowski more than Hernandez as he is more likely to stay in and block) to have big YAC potential in key down and distance situations. For the record, I am NOT saying that a team needs a mobile QB to be effective on offense. I do think, however, that there is some merit in stating that a QB capable of picking up 5 yards on 2nd & 10 is an asset to his team and (as I propose) might be an asset worth trying to replicate via alternate means if you don't have the QB to get that job done. If the Patriots do in fact go to this stratagem in certain situations, I have a proposal to counter it. This is the part I'm less sure about, so correct me if I'm being retarded. My idea for countering this is bringing Eric Smith or Drew Coleman in the box and essentially playing them as an "RB spy." Both of these players have the ability to keep up with Woodhead in space (something that would probably just be embarrassing for Scott or Harris) and can also effectively blitz in the A-gap if Woodhead is motioned out to WR. I'm no coach and I'm not sure if it's a feasible plan to use a DB like this. Let me clarify that I am NOT saying that there should be one player devoted to nothing other than Danny Woodhead watch, only that a DB should be put in the box to keep the block & release (even though I think they do this with the sole intent of staying inside & gaining YAC behind the DL) assignments the Pats employ. I think if the Jets take this away we'll see a Patriots offense that looks completely neutered. The west-coast attack that the Pats run seems to be more predicated upon intermediate than short routes, this makes these block& & release outlet receivers all the more important. I think you can take them away and really put that offense on their heels. What do you guys think? PS: I'm trying to be a better poster because I've been a bit pissy lately due to some Giants' loses. I am hoping this is a step in the right direction because I DO NOT want to be "that guy."
So basically you think the Jets should make an effort to cover the RB with a safety? Not a bad idea altho I don't think 8 in the box is the right strategy vs. NE altho we have the coverage guys to make that possible
I think we need to slow down with the blitzing. I think the patriots expect blitz, but instead we fake a lot of blitz's do a lot of 3-4 man rushes. Lets see if Brady can beat us with his arm.
Another idea would be to CB Blitz. I know its crazy but they don't have a big time reciever. Our safeties should be able to cover these recievers alright. So instead have like Revis or Cromarte Blitz and have a safety run up and cover the reciever. It would suprise the hell out the patriots. Very risky though to. Any thoughts?
Funny you should want to implement that strategy, because that's exactly what the Jets did last year at home against the Pats and it worked. Kevin Faulk was blanketed by Eric Smith all game and it rendered the Pats 3rd down packages useless. Belichick even started putting Faulk out wide, but it didn't help as Smith shut him down. It was one of Smiths best games. The strategy works, and I wouldn't mind seeing Digs cover short routes because he has the ability to play 7 yards off the line.
Yes, but not in the traditional sense where you read your keys prior to the play and then break on your assignment (in this case HB). I'm talking about keeping an extra DB up in the box to help prevent this from happening period. The option of having this DB sprint to the flat at the snap or drop to cover deep center combined with the zone blitz options you can mix in with this should be enough to keep the offense off balance.
If the wideouts are lined up close to the formation, why not? As long as there is safety help to guard against the wideout being the "hot" read and giving up a big play.
I think that might actually help make up for the fact that the Pats WRs are less than stellar; it's not that hard to break off your route for a hot read. In fact, players like Welker, Tate, & even Hernandez are probably more of a threat if they are left in situations where the ball gets in their hands quickly & only need to break a tackle in order to run to daylight. I would say you're better off trying to press them at the line and taking away Brady's hot reads.
good post, and some good ideas that I'm sure are being thought of by coaches..... like someone has said, I like the idea of disguising and posturing fake blitzes, and drop some of the would be "blitzers" into shallow coverage to cut off his check down hot reads as Cro and Revis man up their 2 top wideouts (Welker & Branch) Of course the ideal scenario would be dominate the line of scrimmage, control the clock and keep Brady on the bench to play with his hair........
I still don't like the idea of leaving a safety one-on-one with an elusive WR like Welker or a speedster like Tate. I know Rex's boys can tackle, but that's one broken tackle away from being a big play for the Patriots. That becomes more likely when you combine this with Brady's ability to put the ball in the right spot for his WR to run after the catch. I think the Pats eat the corner blitz up all day. Confuse them with zone and out-physical their OL; it's not likely that you'll out-scheme them.
Good idea. It's the other way around, however. This is the crux of the problem Jets defense are going through lately. They must find a way to generate pressure. Overload blitz, Shoot-the-A-gap, whatever. It is this threat of blitz that forces the offense to keep the rusher inside - which pretty much limits the option he has with the running lane. He can't be going out on a pitch/toss play. He should stay inside. I'd like to think that Lowery and Dig would see sizable chunk of playing time this week.
Hit Tom Brady. That's the gameplan. I know that's an oversimplification, but it's true. The Patriots' stunning short passing attack works because Tom Brady is absurdly accurate and calm enough to look off coverage. Putting him in the ground early and often disrupts both those elements. I'd like to see the Jets go after Brady with heavy blitzes the entire first half. He'll burn us early and often on the quick screens and slants and Woodhead draws, but by the second half the hits will have taken their toll. There's a reason Brady bitches every time he gets hit: it makes him a lesser player.
rex will play 4-5 DB's the entire game. NE does not have a running game that scares anyone so look for rex to move some run stopping into pass stopping. plus look for jason taylor to get more pass rushing plays. He's played against and hates tom brady as much as any player we have. Rex to the blitz squade: "I know the nfl is craking down on hitting the QB, but if you have a clear shot at brady, TAKE IT".
