Washington Post: On The Patriots And How To Beat Them
by Brandon on Dec 16, 2010 12:00 PM CST
in Green Bay Packers Analysis
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PrintI wrote about the Patriots for the Washington Post, and discussed how good their offense has played this season. QB Tom Brady is at the top of the list, but their offensive line has been outstanding which in part explains Brady's and RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis's success. But I also focused on how the Browns beat the Patriots:
The key to stopping the Patriots is to keep their offense on the sidelines, which is what the Browns did to the Patriots during their last loss. The Patriots won't remain a dominate team if their defense can't get off the field.
In that loss, the Browns ran RB Peyton Hillis down their throat, converted on 3rd down, and won the time of possession battle by nearly 2 to 1. They even used rookie QB Colt McCoy, so the likely start by QB Matt Flynn shouldn't negate this strategy. But he will have to throw effectively too, so that they aren't facing an extra safety at the line in run support. It doesn't have to be a run dominant strategy as long as Flynn is completing a high percentage of his passes and he keeps the clock running.
The real problem is that RB James Starks is no Peyton Hillis, and the Packers offensive line does not resemble an elite run blocking unit. As I mentioned above, perhaps a short passing game with a high completion rate could produce the same results. It's not a formula for victory, but it might be the best shot they've got.
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If I were you, like I told everyone else,
don’t focus on the browns game to find out how they beat the pats. Yes, they beat them well, but we also beat ourselves very badly. We fumbled twice in the fist quarter(first fumble was on our first punt return, and second fumble was JUST before the goal line). In that one game, our LBs could not set the edge, and we paid for it.
Ways to beat the pats:
Offense:
1) have a good run:pass ratio. You DO NOT want to be one dimensional against us
2) Don’t make mistakes, and commit penalties
3) exploit our LBs. Don’t try and exploit McCourty, it’s likely you will fail. Arrington is a good CB as well, but I don’t know how he’ll do against driver. Pass toward him if you can.
4) Screen passes. I heard you have a very good 3rd down back. USE HIM on screens. Also worth mentioning that the pats are OKAY on 3rd downs.
5) OL protection. I know you guys have an average OL, but they MUST protect the QB, and run block, because the pats are well known for creating pressure and forcing the turnover.
Defense:
1) DO NOT PLAY ZONE! Brady is a master of picking the zone apart. It’s near suicide if you try.
2) If anything, play some zone, but play more man. Keep welker in check, and watch out for branch.
3) Keep TEs in check. Keep a safety over the top to watch out for hernandez and gronk. Keep in mind they love to use those guys to block. LBs MUST play their part in keeping them in check, as well as a nickel corner.
4) Keep our running game in check. If you let us run on you, beware the play-action.
5) Don’t commit mistakes
6) must rush brady. DON’T BLITZ ALL THE TIME!!! He will tear you apart from that as well. 4 man rushes, and dropping 7 into coverage is probably the best way to approach him. You NEED to get a pass rush from those front 4, while your coverage unit is trying to do their job.
That’s so far al I have. :)
I’ll take 11 players with heart on the field over 11 guys with just talent. Talent is fleeting, it goes away over time. Heart is what drives you to be better. To push yourself beyond what you think your capabilities are. To show us that when you strive, all things are possible.- SMP
These players, a lot of other people didn't believe in them, but they believe in themselves. And that is all that matters."- Bill Belichick
I'm also a Raider Fan dammit!!! RAIDER NATION!!!!
by patriotguy2 on Dec 16, 2010 12:34 PM CST reply actions 1 recs
We are likely dead then...
Without Cullen Jenkins, our most effective pass rushing down lineman, we can’t get an effective pass rush with just 4. Not too mention that Clay Mathews is playing hobbled and our 3rd leading pass rusher, Zombo, is out for the game.
Have you guys faced a secondary with three pro bowlers? (Woodson, Collins, and Tramon Wiliams?) I think our secondary can hold us in the game…really good at take-aways.
I think our Offensive Line is average at best. I am hoping for a bounce back after their pathetic performance last week. That’s our only hope on offense — that these guys rise up beyond their talent level. Again, not holding my breath.
Believe it or not, Flynn is like 4th or 5th on the list of my concerns.
by PackFaninFL on Dec 16, 2010 12:50 PM CST up reply actions
the jets secondary maybe... but I think you guys have a better one.
maybe the best secondary we will face. You guys have +18 like us if I remember correctly.
I think your OL will surprise you guys next game. Something unexpected ALWAYS happens when facing the pats(in terms of the other team).
I think Flynn will give us a game imo. We don’t have too much video on him, and we have performed not too greatly against QBs who start the first time in the season(ie. Fitzpatrick, and McCoy).
It sucks that you guys have injuries like that. Blitz, but be warned: don’t blitz too often. I think Clay Mathews will be a MAJOR problem for us.
I’ll take 11 players with heart on the field over 11 guys with just talent. Talent is fleeting, it goes away over time. Heart is what drives you to be better. To push yourself beyond what you think your capabilities are. To show us that when you strive, all things are possible.- SMP
These players, a lot of other people didn't believe in them, but they believe in themselves. And that is all that matters."- Bill Belichick
I'm also a Raider Fan dammit!!! RAIDER NATION!!!!
Have you guys faced a secondary with three pro bowlers? (Woodson, Collins, and Tramon Wiliams?)
Jets had Revis and Cromartie and the Pats put 45 points on them. Woodson (despite not being at his athletic peak) is probably a greater threat against the Pats because he’s so great at sniffing out run/pass and attacking it aggressively. What the Pats have done in their last 8 games is to move their personnel around on the line of scrimmage until they get a mismatch – either a linebacker covering Welker, a nickelback covering Gronkowski or slower safety covering Hernandez. If Brady sees one of these matchups, he’ll ride them for big gains all day, and in the meantime he’ll piece drives together with passes taking whatever yardage he’s given.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
by Comedic.Sans on Dec 16, 2010 11:24 PM CST up reply actions
three pro bowlers
That’s only two.Have you guys faced a secondary with three pro bowlers? (Woodson, Collins, and Tramon Wiliams?)Jets had Revis and Cromartie and the Pats put 45 points on them.
TT bashers - turning my stomach since 2005!
The glass is way more than half-full!
The other one got injured pre-game
and the Jets D-line and LB corps was healthier and (at that time) more talented than the banged-up Pack front-7.
They handled the Steelers secondary and kept Polamalu out of the game. The way the Pats are playing – short passes into space to WRs, mid-range passes to TEs up the seams in coverage – they’re effectively taking the Safeties out of play as it is. The only time they’re using deeper 25+ yard passes is when there’s a WR in one-on-one with no Safety help over the top. Part of the reason Brady hasn’t thrown a pick in 8 weeks is that he’s just flat-out not throwing into situations where there’s a S over the top, solely because he doesn’t have to.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
Contributing Writer at PatsPulpit
by Comedic.Sans on Dec 17, 2010 6:22 AM CST up reply actions
Our 3rd best pass rusher
is not Zombo. Whoever is lined up at OLB opposite CM3 will have inflated stats. I’d say Raji is our third-best rusher – he does a very good job pushing the pocket, which makes it difficult for QBs to step up to avoid the rush, and also takes away passing lanes. He won’t get the stats, but you see him helping others get the stats a lot.
53 Bears, 1 Cup
by I voted for Kodos on Dec 17, 2010 12:34 AM CST up reply actions
Raji is probably the guy with the best chance of getting to Brady
The Pats have an ageing and slower C in Koppen (great technique, good line calling, but can get beaten in one-on-one matchups) , and a backup RG who was playing LG until a few weeks ago in Connolly.
They’ve given up sacks to D-linemen going through the Guards and C (Ngata got two, Suh got one) and they’ve given them up to blitzing linebackers through the A-gaps (Urlacher got one last week).
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
Contributing Writer at PatsPulpit
by Comedic.Sans on Dec 17, 2010 6:25 AM CST up reply actions
Now we know...
And I"m sure Capers will figure out he has to get pressure on Brady up the middle… Look for Capers to turn Raji loose and not force him to take on 2 blockers all day and let him shoot upfield to get into the backfield quickly. He’ll also bring the blitz from the inside LB and loop Matthews from outside in… That along w/ alot of physical press man coverage could throw Brady off his game!
You've been Stroh'd™!!!
Blitz,Blitz,Blitz
Hey they are playoff locked knocking the snot out of Brady would scare the hell out of them. But of course you first you have to get past their offensive line. Pressure is the answer other wise he will pick you apart
Brady's QB rating is 98.7 against the blitz this year
He welcomes it (as long as he spots it early). He’ll figure out where the blitzer is coming from, direct Welker or Branch to find a soft spot in the gap in coverage, and let the small WRs get a lot of YAC out of it.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
by Comedic.Sans on Dec 16, 2010 11:25 PM CST up reply actions
I agree.
Don’t overlook all the ways the Browns removed the Pats’ offense from the field in order to go to work with Hillis.
First drive: 2 incompletes, including a drop. Punt
2: 2 stuffed runs, incomplete, punt
3: 2 dropped passes (#2 on the day for Gronkowski, already), punt
4: TD
5: Gronkowski fumbles (bad day for him and his worst of the season)
6: 3 incompletes in a row, punt
7: 2 incompletes sandwiched around a holding penalty (by Gronkowski — needless to say, he needed counseling).
8: TD
9: INT
10: Kneel/giveup
Lot’s’a’drops, penalties, even a little defense thrown in there. Only 2 sustained drives — when they managed to not drill themselves in the foot, they scored.
As Mr. Sloan always says, there is no "I" in team, but there is an "I" in pie. And there's an "I" in meat pie. Anagram of meat is team... I don't know what he's talking about. --Shaun of the Dead
by JohnHannahRules on Dec 16, 2010 8:43 PM CST up reply actions
And I forgot Gronk's fumble right before halftime.
Man. what a waking nightmare for that guy.
As Mr. Sloan always says, there is no "I" in team, but there is an "I" in pie. And there's an "I" in meat pie. Anagram of meat is team... I don't know what he's talking about. --Shaun of the Dead
by JohnHannahRules on Dec 16, 2010 8:45 PM CST up reply actions
So...
The question is… Can the Packers force some incompletions and 3 and outs to get the ball back, not to mention some turnovers! They can but they’ll need to play a near flawless game to do it! And Flynn will have to lead an efficient offense to stay on the field and keep Brady off the field!!
You've been Stroh'd™!!!
The last interception Brady threw was on the 17th of October
and even that was a Hail Mary pass at the end of a half against the Ravens. The two RBs who’ve seen all the reps – Woodhead and Green-Ellis – haven’t fumbled in their respective careers. Turnovers are hard to come by, Belichick has them extremely well drilled.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
by Comedic.Sans on Dec 16, 2010 11:30 PM CST up reply actions
Sounds to me like he's due
I know Brady has been turnover free, but the Packers are an opportunistic turnover producing team on D. Clearly the Packers aren’t going to put the clamps on Brady and Co all day, so they have to create some turnovers somehow!
You've been Stroh'd™!!!
To be fair, he almost threw one or two last week
He misjudged Urlacher’s speed/leaping combination once or twice, and Urlacher batted the ball in the air. The defender couldn’t catch it in the snow, but then, I wondered how much the snow was affecting Brady too.
The thing with the Moss-less NE offence is that there’s no inclination to throw the ball into coverage any more. Of Brady’s 4 interceptions on the season, 2 of them were him targeting a well-covered Moss in the Jets game, and one of them was a 50/50 Hail Mary pass at the end of a half, just because it was the end of the half. No Moss, no interceptions. It’s scary how efficient Brady looks now he’s got a bunch of smurfs and TEs to throw at.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
by Comedic.Sans on Dec 16, 2010 11:55 PM CST up reply actions
three times
Non Sibi Sed Patriae &I love my ZX-6r Kawasaki.
I bleed Scarlet and Grey...A Buckeye for Life
Toy Story wears no. 39 100x better than D.D.R
Pat McAfee -Colts punter-"@StampedeBlue I hope your website gets exposed for a complete joke. There’s no reason for you to do that, and its completely ridiculous."
"Stampede Blue-North Korea of SBN"-Colt's fan
Three pass breakups, or three almost-interceptions?
I counted Urlacher getting to the pass three times, but I didn’t think he had a good chance to pick it each time.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
Contributing Writer at PatsPulpit
by Comedic.Sans on Dec 17, 2010 6:25 AM CST up reply actions
3 almost int's
Non Sibi Sed Patriae &I love my ZX-6r Kawasaki.
I bleed Scarlet and Grey...A Buckeye for Life
Toy Story wears no. 39 100x better than D.D.R
Pat McAfee -Colts punter-"@StampedeBlue I hope your website gets exposed for a complete joke. There’s no reason for you to do that, and its completely ridiculous."
"Stampede Blue-North Korea of SBN"-Colt's fan
He atoned nicely the week after
3 TD’s against the Steelers.
Shoving you around is part of the game. Quit crying.
Actually, I'd argue that the offense removed the offense from the field
A few fumbles were key yes but Brady’s accuracy was crap that game. He was off by 3-5 feet on alot of throws. It made the passing game inconsistent which made the running game a target. I’m pretty sure it was the foot injury.
The next week, his accuracy was spot on and things returned to normal. Also, the refs were letting Hillis have a few extra seconds on each run despite being stopped, which killed the clock and put him at risk.
Same here. I think lots of man blitzes are the way to go against Brady like Stroh said down below but I don’t see Capers doing that. He always seems to go into conservative mode against better Qb’s. Here’s to hoping he doesn’t though!
by packallday555 on Dec 16, 2010 4:15 PM CST up reply actions
Capers
Hasn’t been nearly as conservative vs the top QB’s like last year. He brought it to Favre so I think he’ll be more aggressive w/ Brady too. Blitz some, but play Press man behind it!! The NE WR are adept at finding the holes in zone coverages and Brady is even better… CB have to play really well in press man to take the WR off their routes and disrupt the timing w/ Brady!!
You've been Stroh'd™!!!
to be honest
we only played 2 qb’s in the top 16 this year.
matt ryan #9 and sanchez #16, so this defense hasn’t faced that many good qb’s this year.
Yeah, my thoughts as well. And both of those guys play in more balanced, controlled offenses too. Brady and co. can pick of chunks of yardage in a hurry.
by packallday555 on Dec 16, 2010 8:01 PM CST up reply actions
I think their offenses are both more predicated on the run. The Pats seem to be pass first, mixing in a “Law Firm” run up the gut here and there. Also, if you give Brady to much time, he can make you pay down the field. I don’t think Ryan or Sanchez really pose that same threat as much as Brady.
I just don’t see our defense having much success against you guys. We won’t be able to get consistent pressure on our four man rush, and I doubt our inside linebackers will be able to get home when Capers brings them on stunts.
by packallday555 on Dec 17, 2010 11:38 AM CST up reply actions
Pats have been pretty solid on running lately
100+ yards against the Bears and Jets. Though you are mostly right. I was thinking more in the sense that it’s a “open man” passing offense. There isn’t a real primary receiver.
Oh.. and as a warning. Welker and Woodhead look enough alike that we’ve been putting Welker in the backfield and moving him pre-snap to a slot. It seems to cause a linebacker to have to cover him against most teams. This is not a good matchup :P
don't forget the steelers!!!
we were the first team to go over 75 on them, and the first to go over a 100. :)
I’ll take 11 players with heart on the field over 11 guys with just talent. Talent is fleeting, it goes away over time. Heart is what drives you to be better. To push yourself beyond what you think your capabilities are. To show us that when you strive, all things are possible.- SMP
These players, a lot of other people didn't believe in them, but they believe in themselves. And that is all that matters."- Bill Belichick
I'm also a Raider Fan dammit!!! RAIDER NATION!!!!
Also
we have been very balanced on passing and running. I read that it was somewhere a little over 50% ratio I believe.
I’ll take 11 players with heart on the field over 11 guys with just talent. Talent is fleeting, it goes away over time. Heart is what drives you to be better. To push yourself beyond what you think your capabilities are. To show us that when you strive, all things are possible.- SMP
These players, a lot of other people didn't believe in them, but they believe in themselves. And that is all that matters."- Bill Belichick
I'm also a Raider Fan dammit!!! RAIDER NATION!!!!
It's the TE's that will be getting the workout
The Packer’s secondary is a strength, so BB will try and take it away. Brady is very comfortable working the middle of the field.
Shoving you around is part of the game. Quit crying.
Thats what I expect too...
The Packers don’t have safeties that are great in man coverage and we’re missing out 3 best coverage LB. That makes it look like Hernandez and Gronk could have big days! Of course Capers has been known to use Woodson on TE from time to time so that could work, but would leave a WR w/ a much better matchup! Not really sure what Capers has up his sleeve for this game! But it could be interesting… IF we had everyone healthy I think we would beat the Pats, but w/ all our injuries, it just doesn’t seem likely!
You've been Stroh'd™!!!
You know what could get interesting?
An unknown QB going into the house of the best team in the NFL, with a Packer team simply pissed off at last week’s performance, burning to atone.
Numbers don’t scare me. Potential brought out by searing desire scares me.
This game could be very interesting.
Shoving you around is part of the game. Quit crying.
matchups
Its all about what matchups the teams are able to take advantage of and what mismatches they are able to create! And I agree, the Packers should come into this game w/ a burning desire to atone for last weeks carnage… I don’t think the moment will be too big for Flynn either… Kids a winner proven by his Natl Championship at LSU!!!
You've been Stroh'd™!!!
Good insight
Brady will respect Woodson and avoid whichever guy he’s lined up on. He did this to Polamalu in the Steelers game and Revis in the Jets game, and both of them were barely in their respective games because of it.
Because he’ll key on Woodson, he’ll likely shift his receivers around to get Woodson to reveal what he’s doing, and then call his schemes to cater for it. Then he’ll likely look for Tramon Williams and see if he’s got a matchup issue there (say, Gronkowski on Williams). If not, he’ll ride the third WR/TE option in the seams while both stud CBs are tied up.
Gronk and Hernandez will get a lot of looks, and if they shift Woodson and/or Williams onto them, or bring the Safety down into the box, then the outside WRs and screen game comes into play. Plus there’s that healthy dose of the run game if the Packers spread their LBs too far into passing lanes.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
by Comedic.Sans on Dec 16, 2010 11:49 PM CST up reply actions
Beating Pats
On defense the Packers have to play an aggressive man coverage most of the time w/ Collins over the top and on the TE. And pressure Brady! I think from the Packer defensive side we actually have the personnel to beat the Pats! WOuld help if we were healthier tho…
Flynn, if he plays, must control the clock and keep drives moving. 3rd downs will be HUGE. If we can stay in managable down and distance we should be able to move the ball, provided the OL steps up after last weeks debacle!!! Starks in the run game and Jackson in the passing game could provide good RB production if the OL plays well.
Its a tough matchup under the best of circumstances, but very difficult under our injury situation. I give us about a 20% chance of winning this game.
You've been Stroh'd™!!!
Defense will not beat this Pats team
We are putting up 30+ points on every team we face. 81-10 the last two games, both against division leaders. The Pats have too many weapons, too many plays, prepare very well, and think well.
The way to stop them is just as Brandon says: keep their O off the field. The Pats score a TD on 35% of all possessions.
The Packers D has to do its job, but it’s the Packer O that has to win the game, and I don’t mean a shootout.
Shoving you around is part of the game. Quit crying.
If our D doesn't show up
we have zero chance
the only way we can beat you is a 17-13, 13-10 score…
any scoreline where the Pats score over 20 is a W for you
by Rodgers_for_MVP on Dec 16, 2010 6:25 PM CST up reply actions
The lowest we've scored at home this year...
was 23 against the Ravens, and that was before everything started clicking. Baltimore had the ball for 40 minutes to Pats 32 (OT game), and the Pats turned it over twice.
Your greatest defensive play will be to control the ball. Of course, setting that up nicely would be generating turnovers.
Shoving you around is part of the game. Quit crying.
So we should control the ball and force turnovers. Got it.
(furiously takes notes)
:-P
Towlieppan: "You wanna throw high?"
That's where the Pats are vulnerable
In every loss, they’ve been outscored by their opponent.
It’s tough, though; the Pats don’t like sharing the ball, and often shove other players to the ground. The Bears were obviously not aware of that.
Shoving you around is part of the game. Quit crying.
This made my giggle a bit.
In every loss, they’ve been outscored by their opponent
/golfclap :D
by Bush League All Star on Dec 17, 2010 1:07 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
It sounds like a Belichick press conference
“So, Bill, what’s the best way to win against the [insert opponent]?”
“Score more points than them. Next question”
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
Contributing Writer at PatsPulpit
by Comedic.Sans on Dec 17, 2010 6:27 AM CST up reply actions
Or Madden.
“Hey, the offensive linemen are the biggest guys on the field, they’re bigger than everybody else, and that’s what makes them the biggest guys on the field."
how to beat the pats?
drive up to Boston and kidnap brady and the hoodie before sunday nights game.
It's genius!
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
by Comedic.Sans on Dec 16, 2010 11:34 PM CST up reply actions
Actually taking Hoodie away would remove ALOT
He is the OC and DC on top of being head coach after all. :P
Does he call the offensive plays? I remember hearing on a broadcast that he either called the defensive plays, or came up with all the schemes.
by packallday555 on Dec 17, 2010 11:39 AM CST up reply actions
The quarterback coach calls the offense
But we don’t have a coordinator on either side :P Only special teams.
No coordinators?
Really? Hard to believe, but I gues Belicheat is as much a control freak as he is made out to be!!!
You've been Stroh'd™!!!
After a decade...
Are you really surprised?
Honestly, I think he got tired of other teams poaching his coordinators and maybe all the drama that came with it.
Kinda curious that none of his former assistant has failed!
Weiss, Crennell, now McDaniels… they’ve all been abject failures when given the chance!
You've been Stroh'd™!!!
weiss and crennel are doing pretty well in KC imo.
I’ll take 11 players with heart on the field over 11 guys with just talent. Talent is fleeting, it goes away over time. Heart is what drives you to be better. To push yourself beyond what you think your capabilities are. To show us that when you strive, all things are possible.- SMP
These players, a lot of other people didn't believe in them, but they believe in themselves. And that is all that matters."- Bill Belichick
I'm also a Raider Fan dammit!!! RAIDER NATION!!!!
Ah. Didnt notice. My bad. :)
I’ll take 11 players with heart on the field over 11 guys with just talent. Talent is fleeting, it goes away over time. Heart is what drives you to be better. To push yourself beyond what you think your capabilities are. To show us that when you strive, all things are possible.- SMP
These players, a lot of other people didn't believe in them, but they believe in themselves. And that is all that matters."- Bill Belichick
I'm also a Raider Fan dammit!!! RAIDER NATION!!!!
You forgot Mangini.
I think they all try to be Belichick Jr. But they don’t engender the same amount of respect because they haven’t done anything yet. So they fail miserably.
Belichek didn't do anything before he got to NE either...
Wasn’t he in Cleve prior to NE and got fired rather quickly (3yrs or so)… Apparently he wasn’t ready to be the head man just yet. Certainly he’s done well in NE tho!
You've been Stroh'd™!!!
Yes and no
In his second-to-last year in Cleveland, the Browns had an 11-5 record and went to the playoffs, where they actually beat Bill Parcell’s Patriots team.
The next season, however, it was clear the Browns were being taken out of Cleveland. It sounds like the whole organisation tanked because they knew it was all over and they had nothing to play for. Belichick wasn’t so much fired as not taken to Baltimore along with the rest of the franchise that became the Ravens.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
Contributing Writer at PatsPulpit
by Comedic.Sans on Dec 18, 2010 3:38 PM CST up reply actions
There are coordinators, but not by that name
The guy who is titled QB coach, Bill O’Brien, is basically OC
The DC position isn’t filled because Belichick is guiding a lot of the D, although it seems some of the position coaches have influence, too.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
Contributing Writer at PatsPulpit
by Comedic.Sans on Dec 17, 2010 11:53 PM CST up reply actions
Packers vs Patriots
I believe the Nov. 7th Browns v Pats game was a bit of an aberration – here are a few of the factors that helped determined the outcome of that game – a 34-14 win for Cleveland.
Cleveland had their bye week prior to playing the Pats – always a good thing for the team with the bye
New England was playing their 2nd of back-to-back road games – road games are tough, back-to-back road games are tougher than that.
The Patriots (Sammy Morris) completely botched their 1st receiving kick-off, giving the football away at their own 19 and directly leading to 7 points for the Browns.
The Patriots fumbled (ball ripped out of Gronkowski’s hands) on the Browns 2 yard line, taking 7 points away from the Pats, just before half time.
Hillis gained 184 yards on 29 carries – real nice job
Brady was 19 for 36, good for 224 yards & two TD’s – normal Brady stuff, not great
So…. if the Packers can count on the Patriots bumbling the opening kickoff, and if they are able to strip the ball from a N.E. receivers hands just before he scores and your running back can get a 180+ yards and Brady’s not really on his game – Green Bay has a chance.
Unlike the Cleveland game – the Patriots are at home, where they don’t lose much.
I was really looking forward to seeing how Rogers might do against a decent football team but, it appears that this won’t be happening. With Rogers running the offense the Packers had a chance at an upset, with Flynn in there, I’m afraid it won’t be much of a contest. It looks like the weather won’t be a factor: 30 degrees with snow showers is forecast for Sunday night.
Here’s to hoping that Rogers will play and we get to see a great football game this weekend.
by profootballfanatic on Dec 16, 2010 5:09 PM CST reply actions
The only way to beat the Pats
is to beat Tom Brady. Pure and simple. The teams that have beaten the Pats this year (Jets and Browns) or have come close to beating them (Ravens and Chargers) have done a good job with Brady. His completion ratio has been in the 50 pcts in all those contests. You cannot shut a QB of that caliber down completely, but if our D can force him to a mid 50 completion ratio, especially limiting his 3rd down conversions, we might steal one in Foxboro, if, BIG IF, Flynn is good enough to advance the ball.
It would take a defensive performance like the one we had at Meadowlands a few weeks ago. However, shutting down Sanchez is a kids play compared to limiting Brady in his own house. Dom Capers, do you have a last ace up your sleeve?
by Rodgers_for_MVP on Dec 16, 2010 6:03 PM CST reply actions
Discount Jets game based on scheme
The Browns was an honest beating. The Ravens game was the baby steps of the offense. They were still learning Branch’s role and figuring out what they really had.
The Chargers game was weird. They really beat themselves. Also, that was at San Diego.
My point is
if Tom Brady is allowed to complete over 60 pct, we have no chance. That 10 pct extra completions are the quick 3rd down that eat the clock and shatter the will of defenses: slants to Welker, screens to Woody, or the verticals to his young TEs. If Brady does those, we got no answer.
by Rodgers_for_MVP on Dec 17, 2010 1:01 PM CST up reply actions
If he does have another one, then
Dom Capers, do you have a last ace up your sleeve?
I’d rather that it not be his last one. :)
TT bashers - turning my stomach since 2005!
The glass is way more than half-full!
Fixed it for you...
The real problem is that RB James Starks is no Peyton Hillis, and the Packers offensive line does not resemble an elite run blocking unit.
The real problem is that RB James Starks is not Peyton Hillis, and the Packers offensive line does not have the greatness of Joe Thomas starting for them every game.
Wisconsin, Big Ten Champions for the first time since 1999...
You'll notice NCAA has no letter for the incompetence within...
by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Dec 17, 2010 9:53 AM CST reply actions
Well this is interesting...
In games that the Packers score 3 TD’s, they are 7-0 this season. In games with less, they are 1-5 (Jets are the only win). We have given up 26 points as a season high against Detroit. It is imperative that we hold the Patriots to less than 20 while we need to score.
by Bush League All Star on Dec 17, 2010 8:06 PM CST reply actions
A question for Brandon
I understand that you write for the Post’s blogs, but do you ever see print in their dead-tree edition? I’m not sure how their publication model works, but have they ever printed (or promoted) one of your columns for a nationwide audience? I’m more curious than anything else here.
"Who ever heard of the Cubs losing a game they had to have?" -Frank Chance
"If [Ruth] had [called his shot], I would have knocked him down with the next pitch." -Charlie Root
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