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i feel another issue that isn’t talked about right now is the complexity of scheme/coaching, as difficult it is to pick up, why don’t the pats make it more simplistic and allow player skill sets be optimized. IE josh boyce, activate him and make him run slants/ crossers or the go and make his speed an asset? If trust is an issue for Brady/WRs why not make reads simpler (Madden play calling lol not the million route options). A little backyard football is what the pats might need to get rolling!

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Ah yes, the “Remedial Offense Theory”. 

I think the problem is that between Belichick/McDaniels/Brady there’s too much pride, too much success and too much belief that this is the best kind of offense to run to ever regress to a simple offense so the wide receivers can figure it out.

It’s pretty simple why this offense is the best, because it adjusts in real time to whatever the defense does. There simply is no substitute for that, especially not relying on pure physical size/speed to win.

And when you look at the problems right now, in 2014, it’s not that LaFell/Amendola/Thompkins (i.e. anyone outside of Gronk/Edelman) don’t know what they’re doing – it’s the protection and the entire rhythm of the offense that is off.

That’s what is making everything look bad. They’re not run blocking well so they’re getting into long down-and-distances, and then they’re not pass blocking those situations well.

It wouldn’t matter if Josh Boyce was running free 40 yards down the field, Brady would never have the time to hit him. 

I do think the offensive game plans could use a little tweaking. The first possessions of both the first and second half were atrocious last week.

If the offensive line starts executing, the trickle down effect will improve the entire offense. Then we’ll see exactly what we have.

Do you think the mankins trade so close to the season and not having enough time to really set the offensive line is why they are having so much trouble compared to if this had happened in June with time to adjust

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Honestly, I don’t think Mankins would make much of a difference. The biggest problem right now is that the guys they need to be the leaders and best players are playing the worst. I can’t get over how bad Solder was, and it was just basic stuff, and Vollmer wasn’t too far behind him. 

Cannon/Devey certainly had their problems, but those would be manageable if Solder and Vollmer were the stalwarts they need on the edges.

I do think they should’ve been better prepared for this. One of the main focuses of the offseason as I saw it was upgrading the interior of the line. They had to know Mankins might not want to restructure his deal and that they’d have to jettison him. 

They did look at some interior OL but didn’t sign anyone of note. So now they’re left with essentially a four tackle offensive line and that has severely limited what they can do.

Wish I could find some numbers to back this up but it seems that the screen game has been severely impacted, not to mention neither guard has the quickness to get to the second level blocking in the run game.

I think the first step is just going for it with Stork. It might not be perfect but at least we know Connolly is a solid and experienced right guard. I’d expect Solder and Vollmer to turn it around. They’re too experienced and talented not to (though I am starting to have legitimate long-term concerns about Vollmer given his age and health history – we might’ve already seen the best he has to offer).

That just leaves Cannon, who hasn’t been a total disaster. If he can’t get it going there’s still Josh Kline, who did okay against the Ravens last year.

I still believe they can turn it around, even if they have to go back to Wendell at center over Stork for the time being. But this four tackle offensive line has to go.

Patriots vs. Raiders All 22 Thoughts: Offense Edition

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And now I jump into the All 22 review of the offense, something I’ve been putting off all day. Let’s see if it’s as ugly as I remember…

 Still bugs me that the offense would go shotgun on snap one. The Raiders run defense stunk. Running on the first play of the game is almost expected. How about some play action? At least I like the attempt to get LaFell going right off the bat.

Just a gross first possession and that’s disconcerting because they literally had all week to plan it.

And we’re going to the power run game in possession two, something they should’ve done off the bat. Pretty good success until a holding penalty and they can’t get out of the hole. This sums up their problems right now, one step forward, one step back…

 3rd-and-22 on the second possession, in the words of BB “not what we’re looking for.” And that’s it for the first quarter. No wonder there were boos.

Edelman slips a tackle and picks up a first down early in the second quarter. Nothing seems to be easy right now, just getting that first down required Edelman to make someone miss.

Quick WR screen to Edelman next play illustrates how the Pats can’t really run the same arsenal of screens with their four tackle OL. Cannon and Devey are not getting out in space like Mankins and Neal used to.

This lack of quickness is also generally apparent in the regular run game where Cannon/Devey just don’t get off blocks and into the second level fast enough to spring any big runs.

Again, 3rd-and-7 and Vereen has to break a tackle to pick up the first down. Because an 8 yard route is apparently asking too much right now.

This is called “not biting on play action”. Luckily Edelman draws the PI. First down. Yay.

Gronk being Gronk on his touchdown as he beats a pretty ugly attempt at a double team by Oakland. He’s certainly still the red zone weapon we need.

Gronk plowing into contact near the end of the half is a good sign. This has been a pretty good drive with some good throws by Brady. Glimpses here and there for the offense but it’s taken far too long to show something just now.

Goalline situation at the end of the half is totally FUBAR. Would’ve loved to see a power run right into the end zone but it’s not even close. Vollmer gets juked, allowing the LDE to close down. Hole’s there for a second but closes quickly as no one else gets any push.

Then the bad snap and we’re kicking a field goal. They made some plays in the first half, but nothing was easy except for Gronk’s TD.

Hard to come out of the locker room at the half much worse than this: 3 yard pass, run for 2 yard loss, false start, 5-yard loss on sack, Punt. Yikes. 

Here’s that sack:

It’s 4 Raiders rushing and 5 Patriots protecting, yet both Tuck (91 abusing Devey one-on-one) and Smith (94 taking advantage of poor communication by Solder/Cannon) get to Brady. Just awful. The worst part is how down the OL look after it goes down.

Then they come out and get a false start penalty on the first play of the next drive. That one was on Gronk.

Brady finds LaFell over the middle the next play and that’s something I like. That’s the start they were looking for on the first possession of the first half.

Solder gets pushed into the backfield with one hand by the defensive tackle and he looks as lost as I’ve ever seen him look, physically and mentally. See below for the next play where he’s beaten immediately, Brady hasn’t even handed off the ball yet:

As other All 22 reviews have mentioned Khalil Mack is legit. So quick off the ball and strong. Very much reminds me of Von Miller. He beats Solder cleanly on the next 3rd down for the sack.

Tim Wright makes a grab and it’s nice to see him get involved. Plays like this give me hope, but only if they can figure out how to protect the quarterback.

Pats get to the goal line and move Vollmer over to the left side with Solder to try to get some kind of push and they get none. Ridley might’ve been the better choice than Vereen there.

Gronk drops a TD. Oh well, that rarely happens. Just another example of how off they are right now.

And now Amendola misses a TD grab, the kind that Welker used to be money at. More signs of the times.

At this rate I am not sure if Brady or Edelman could make it through the season healthy. They’re getting killed out there.

Brady finds Gronk on 3rd-and-15 and that’s a nice play with nice protection. Wow, that took all game. Must be because Stork is in there.

Look out, Tommy!! Seriously, this kind of stuff will get Brady killed this year. Note the Solder olay.

Okay, 5:18 left with a chance to seal the game. Let’s see how this goes…

Ridley 1 yard run (at least Stork planted Antonio Smith, first OL aggression I’ve seen today), coverage sack loses 8 yards, LaFell grabs one for 15 yards but it’s not enough and we’re punting. Gross.

Thank Hoodie the defense got the stop at the end to avoid overtime because that really could’ve gone either way.

 This was awful start to finish and I have to say I feel a little worse about the long term outlook of the offensive line. Solder especially is depressing with how bad he played.

At least there were some flashes from some weapons and I think LaFell especially is headed in the right direction. But as I wrote on Monday everything starts with the offensive line and they were horrible in this game.