Uncategorized
Patriots vs. Raiders All 22 Thoughts: Defense Edition
Tuesday afternoon means All 22 review! You really haven’t watched the game until you’ve seen the whole field. I continue to be amazed by the thing I missed and what I pick up watching it. Here comes this weeks defense edition:
Dropping Easley out of rush and into coverage. Reward for his interception?
Seems like they’re getting a little more comfortable using Chung in Cover 2. Smart, can’t be in Cover 1 every time he’s on the field.
Really hope Siliga isn’t out for long, he and Wilfork are a tough combination inside to move. It’s really what makes the Pats run defense go. There’s been plenty of 34/43 talk as there is every year, but the overriding early down philosophy is have two space eaters inside with five athletic players around them who can make plays.
On Oakland’s 3rd-and-7 conversation on their second possession I’d tally it up to great execution over Logan Ryan not having good coverage. Ryan is physical at the line but Carr gets the ball out on time and the receiver makes a great catch. Maybe Ryan could’ve been a little more physical, but he had the right idea.
Nate Ebner came on in the Pats’ dime defense and drew man coverage on tight end Rivera in the first quarter. Chandler Jones knocked down the pass intended for Rivera, but Ebner was right there and would’ve made the tackle.
Tavon Wilson with a good read and tackle early in the second quarter. Though I’m a bit surprised he isn’t at the Money dime LB spot over Ebner, it’s good they’re getting him involved. He’s a physical player and could be needed if Chung gets hurt.
When Duron Harmon comes on it seems like they like him as the deep safety with McCourty playing up a bit more.
Another nice play by Ebner on another third down. Covering the running back as he comes out of the backfield, Ebner plants and makes a strong downhill tackle to force the punt. Seeing what they must see in him, though I’m curious if he stays in this role once Collins is fully healthy.
Chandler Jones gives the olay to the tight end trying to block him and makes a tackle in the backfield. What a start to the season by Jones.
I’m not sure Chris Jones can anchor vs. double teams like they’d need him to as a space eater inside. Again, hope Siliga isn’t out long. Jones probably a better fit against passing teams where he can one-gap.
Dont’a Hightower has had a great start to the season as well, but perhaps one of the bigger reasons why is Mayo’s return and his presence in coverage. It’s really freed Hightower up to do a bunch of different things.
Holy Hoodie, Joe Vellano just made a play against the Wildcat in the early third quarter – held his ground, got off the block and made the tackle. Maybe not all is lost with him just yet.
Revis may have given up a catch in the early third quarter on a quick out, but man is he strong. He just held on with one hand and didn’t let go.
Can’t say it enough – Vince Wilfork is a beast. He’s still quick off the ball and driving linemen into the backfield. So so impressive.
Third quarter, Logan Ryan comes on a corner blitz. Don’t see those too often from NE’s defense so it’s worth noting. Pass fell incomplete as the wide receiver didn’t recognize he needed to break off his route.
Three safety look with Harmon/Chung/McCourty in the late third, first time I think we’ve seen that today I think. Nice coverage by Chung on the fullback on a 9 route. Might be a gameplan thing as Oakland started targeting Reece more and more.
Another three safety look on third-and-long, with Ebner playing an underneath zone and Harmon deep. Ebner with the tackle. He does close hard.
Not a great rush from Easley on this play either, he was one on one with the center. He needs to win that matchup and I think he will as the season progresses.
Collins clearly not 100 percent at the start of the fourth quarter. Looking stiff as he read a screen but couldn’t break through the blockers to stop it. He comes off next snap.
Another solid play by Vellano on 3rd-and-1 holding his ground. Surprised that he played a lot better than I noticed during the game, albeit in limited duty.
Logan Ryan might’ve been picked on in this game, but I will say this, he’s right there on every completion he gives up and the tackles come immediately. Far cry from what we’ve seen in recent years from Pats DBs.
McFadden picks up 10 yards on the Raiders’ final drive as Chris Jones gets pummeled out of the way. These are the kind of plays that Jones isn’t the best to defend. Wilfork comes in for him next play, while Vellano gets in on the tackle. If Siliga is out Wilfork/Vellano double nose might be the way to go.
Wilfork seals it with the interception. What a game for him!
That’s the way it is every year. You kind of find out what your team is good at, maybe what they are not good at, and work toward the things they can execute and do well and stay away from the things that for whatever reason tend to be not as productive for you.
https://www.patspropaganda.com/thats-the-way-it-is-every-year-you-kind-of-find/
Three GIFs That Defined Patriots win over Raiders
It was (looking like) the best of times and the worst of times after the Patriots squeaker win over the Raiders last Sunday.
On defense there were quite a few different options of plays that defined the game, though one choice was infinitely obvious. Defensively I continue to think things are really coming together and again, defense wins championships. If nothing else I’m ready for a Patriots team that is better on the defensive side of the ball. I mean it’s been a decade since the last time that was true.
Offensively, the Pats can’t get much going and look like the same unit that lacked the necessary dynamics to truly take them to the next level. Things still look just a step off up and down the offense, but given the level of compete on this team, I expect we’ll see them take positive strides forward this coming week.
Here are the three plays that defined the game:
A Gronk TD. Why not? It was just about the only really positive play we saw from the offense, not to mention it saw Gronk beat a double team. That’s a positive sign and as Gronk slowly eases into more and more snaps he should become even more of a factor. Three healthy games down, 16 to go!
Possibly my favorite play of the game comes on this 3rd-and-1 in the fourth quarter with the Pats clinging to a four-point lead. I love the number o f hard hits that keep the Raiders from picking up the first down. That kind of swarming defense is just what we need.
Finally, and most obviously, comes Vince Wilfork’s interception. I can’t say it enough – it’s just unreal how Wilfork has come off such a major injury and looks just as good as he was before it. If anything it appears the year off did the rest of Wilfork’s body some good. Let’s just hope they can keep him this way for the rest of the season.
Offense
3 WR/1 TE/1 RB – 32 of 73
2 WR/2 TE/1 RB – 30 of 73
2 WR/1 TE/1 FB/1 RB – 6 of 73
2 WR/1 TE/2 RB – 2 of 73
3 WR/1 FB/1 RB – 1 of 73
3 WR/2 RB – 1 of 73
3 TE/1 FB/1 RB – 1 of 73
Defense
Base: 30 of 60
Sub: 30 of 60 (20 in nickel/10 in dime)
2 WR/1 TE/1 FB/ 1 RB – base 4-3
2 WR/2 TE/1 RB – base 4-3
3 WR/1 TE/1 RB – nickel – Arrington (short yardage); dime (longer yardage)
1 WR/2 TE/1 FB/1 RB – base 5-2
3 WR/1 FB/1 RB – base 4-3 and big nickel
Previous Three GIFs:
On the season, the Patriots have run 19 of their 211 plays out of no-huddle (9 percent) and 67 snaps in shotgun (32 percent). By way of comparison, over the course of the 2013 regular season, the Patriots were in shotgun for 42 percent of their offensive snaps and they ran no-huddle on 11 percent of their snaps.
It Is What It Is » In Focus: Charting offensive opportunities for Patriots skill position players
Makes sense, move Brady into shotgun to help the protection and let everyone get on the same page before pushing the no huddle. And I still think 9 percent is almost too high when you look at those failed ‘run to the line, run the ball for a loss’ plays.
https://www.patspropaganda.com/on-the-season-the-patriots-have-run-19-of-their/
I have nothing but pure confidence in our team – not just our offense, but our team, that we’re going to continue to fix our mistakes. Defensively, we weren’t perfect today either. We’ve got to make sure that we continue to get better defensively. And being able to play – offense, special teams and defense – play as a team, that’s the main goal. If we can do that, then we’ll be successful in this league.
https://www.patspropaganda.com/pottsisstarksheart-i-have-nothing-but-pure/
It’s only three games in, so we have a long season ahead of us. There’s a lot of football to play. We haven’t done a lot of good things offensively, period. If you want to settle on the red area, I’d settle on everything – certainly the pass game, run game, penalties. But you know what? We’re 2-1. I think we can make the improvements and understand that we’re trying to build something. But we have to improve everything. That’s the stage we’re at.
https://www.patspropaganda.com/pottsisstarksheart-its-only-three-games-in-so/
