It’s been a long short-week where just about everything that can be criticized on a football team has been ripped to shreds by every media outlet. The Pats always have some early-season drama but they’ve never looked quite as bad as they did against the Chiefs.
Now an undefeated Bengals team comes to town, setting the Pats up for another national broadcast dogfight. The Patriots have almost always bounced back after bad losses during the Belichick regime. Can they do it again? The odds have never seemed more against them.
Offensive Gameplan
The Pats did a good job of slowing things down against the Chiefs and focusing on getting everyone on the same page pre-snap. As a result there were less blown plays due to trying to go too fast. That should continue this week, but the gameplan must rely on the ground game and establishing it early.
It would appear after a week of controversy and back-to-back games in the stands, that Aaron Dobson should be chomping at the bit to get out there. If the Pats can get him involved, especially in a Dobson-LaFell-Edelman-Gronkowski package (take your pick of RB), the Pats offense will have the kind of size they’ve never had.
Defensive Gameplan
Fundamentals. In my All-22 defensive film review I broke down that most of their problems were simply missed tackles, blown contain, or trying to do too much. The young leaders on the defense, specifically Chandler Jones and Dont’a Hightower, have to set the tone. When they do that, good things happen and this defense is capable of being a proverbial “elite” one.
The Patriots are much better on defense than they showed against the Chiefs, and I continue to believe they are just inches away from showing how good they can be. The Bengals have plenty of weapons to challenge the Pats, but if they get Alfonzo Dennard back, and are able to sprinkle some Brandon Browner in, the Pats should be ready to get back to their physical ways.
Five Points of Emphasis
1. OL Continuity: Tough one this week with Cameron Fleming unlikely to play after missing all of practice this week with a “finger”. Does Cannon go to RG now – if so who’s the third tackle/blocking TE? Or how about Wendell who looked okay there in his first non-center action. Regardless I think Stork earned another start and Connolly must keep repping at guard. The only way the protection and blocking will get better is as one unit settles in to playing with each other. That can’t happen with more constant rotation. Keep as many pieces in place as possible and just keep rolling them out there.
2. Commit to the Run: The Patriots have just gotten too cute with their gameplans in recent weeks. It’s like they think this is still the 2011 team that would force teams to pick their poison. Now, they have to pick the poison themselves and jam it down the opposition’s throat. They need the attitude of the run game to establish what kind of game this will be. It can also give the OL some confidence as they get to exert their will instead of sitting back and pass blocking right off the bat. Run early. Run often.
3. Stop Sub Runs: An early-season theme for the Patriots has been getting gashed by the run against their sub defense. They’ve corrected the problem in the past, and need to do so again this year. Facing Gio Bernard is no easy task and he has the kind of speed and elusiveness to give the Patriots defense fits. No question, stopping the run from the base defense is imperative as it always is, but it’s the sub defense, likely with Wilfork anchoring them, that must be ready to stop Bernard. Hightower, Mayo and Collins are key players.
4. Man-handle them: The Pats have sprinkled in some man defense over the first four weeks, but this week is the time to get aggressive with it. The Bengals get the ball away quick, that’s why Andy Dalton has yet to be sacked. Taking away that quick passing game is key. It gives the pressure a chance to get there and disrupts the timing of what has been a very efficient offense to this point.
5. Win: The Pats’ backs are against the wall and now face a good team in a national game. This is what football is all about. Yes, the playoffs are what matter most, but if you can’t enjoy the up-and-down journey of the regular season, you’re missing out. A win over an undefeated Bengals team will completely change the conversation around the Patriots. Let’s just hope it’s not an ugly and/or undeserved victory and that they show consistency and progress on both sides of the ball.
