Given the context of this game, it was probably the best defensive effort by a Patriots team in some time. In a word, they were dominant. The Chargers didn’t get a sniff of anything in the second half and the fourth-down stop to seal it was the cherry on top.
The fact that they did it without Dont’a Hightower or Chandler Jones, their two best players earlier in the season makes it all the more impressive. Jamie Collins was a standout, and Akeem Ayers and Jonathan Casillas, neither of whom were even on the team two months ago, have taken a heavy swig of Patriots kool aid and done a great job filling in.
Here’s what else stood out on the All-22 film review…
As expected the matchups were Revis-Allen, Browner-Floyd, Arrington-Royal, with a mix on Gates though we did see McCourty manning him up, something we haven’t seen much, if any, of this year.
Taking a page from the Packers the Chargers go right at Arrington with a Royal double move in the first play. Incomplete.
Brown squirts out of the backfield and picks up 15 yards as he crosses underneath the coverage. Casillas looks like he was on Brown, but backed up a bit too much allowing the cushion for the first down.
After picking up 10 yards on a draw to Mathews, they try another one but this time Wilfork walks both guys double teaming him into Mathew’s running lane. Seemed like the Pats are backing off on Wilfork’s snaps a bit now with such a solid DT collection. This is good news for Wilfork in Jan/Feb.
Vince Wilfork –– 31 of 56
Sealver Siliga – 25 of 56
Chris Jones – 24 of 56
Alan Branch – 16 of 56
Dominique Easley – 9 of 56
The coverage is just amazing on the next down, as it was most of the night. So many times Rivers just had nowhere to go, even though the pressure wasn’t quite getting there. Against pocket passers this defense is perfect.
Third down and Collins gets the sack. On this down Browner shifted to Gates, with a side of Ninkovich jam. Pats showed Double A gap pressure, as they have been doing a lot of lately. As I’ve said for many years, this team needs pressure up the middle. Thought Easley would be the answer, but instead scheming the linebackers inside and showing pre-snap pressure has been getting the job done.
This time it’s just poor preparation by the Chargers as both the C and RG block Casillas who wasn’t even coming. Collins was coming, no one blocked him and he got the unblocked sack.
For future opponents, managing the A gap blitzes or drops by the linebackers is imperative. Chargers are punting for the first time.
Second possession for the Chargers now and their best one of the game, the only one that would produce a touchdown all night.
Another double move attempt, this time to a lumbering Gates who was being covered by Patrick Chung. Again, that’s so Packers.
Arrington comes on a slot corner blitz but Rivers finds Gates underneath for 12 yards. Really good quick release by Rivers just a moment before Arrington got there. Like the aggression by the Pats D in this early spot.
Perfect technique by Siliga on the next down, fends off blocker, sheds and makes the tackle for a 1-yard gain. Siliga looked far better than expected for someone coming off an injury.
3rd-and-9 and McCourty comes up on Gates. Pats are in Cover-2 Man as Rivers finds Green on a crossing route, matched up by Collins. These crossing routes are the only thing hurting the Pats at this point.
Mathews dances through the line, then steams ahead for 17 yards. Branch gets run out of his gap, as Ninkovich crashes down and gets pinned. That leaves Chung, who gets blocked by the pulling OL and Casillas, who overpursues. Jones wraps but falls off the tackle. Multiple breakdowns on this one, one of the few good gains for the Chargers all day.
Collins with a one-armed jersey tackle of Mathews on the next down, one of his many solid plays on the day. Seems like the game is slowing down for Collins and he manages the perfect balance of being patient to diagnose then using his excellent speed and quickness to blow plays up.
Browner bites on a double move by Floyd and it’s just enough for the touchdown throw. Here was the highwater mark of the night for the Chargers offense, lots of punting from here on out.
Third possession for the Chargers and their first three-and-out of the night.
Run for two yards, then a checkdown for four yards sets up a third-and-four. Pats again show Double A gap pressure but drop both LBs into coverage. Pats play a Cover-3 this time with five underneath defenders which negates four of the Chargers targets. Ninkovich helps end the play early with his edge rush while Easley does a good job attacking the center and pushing him back into the pocket.
Collins comes on a disguised blitz on the third play of the next possession, pushing the center aside to get to Rivers. It was this play that had me shaking my head at how good Collins is becoming. Just relentless attacking the LOS.
I’ll take the tripping call by Arrington if only because had Mathews gotten outside of him he might’ve been gone. Sometimes a 10-yard penalty is better than an 90-yard TD run.
Great pressure on the next down, with Ayers giving a strong edge rush and Wilfork coming around the clean it up. Ayers has been very solid but Chandler is still the better player.
3rd-and-5 and the Pats put Tavon Wilson into the dime linebacker money spot. They’re in a Cover-1, doubling Royal with Arrington/Wilson, and he seemed like the intended target on another crossing route. Rivers chucks it and they’re punting again.
SECOND HALF
Collins starts things off with a tackle-for-loss, then Rivers misses the touch pass to Oliver out of the backfield.
Third-and-12, Pats go Cover-2 Man, only rushing 3. Rivers checks down to Oliver and it’s the first three-and-out of the second half.
Ayers pushes Gates into the backfield on the next first down, giving the Pats another great start to a defensive possession.
They pick up 10 on a pass to Gate on the next down, but a good angle by McCourty holds him two yards short of the first down, setting up 3rd-and-2.
It’s a unique pressure look that sets up the sack and gets the Pats off the field once again. Ayers moves inside next to Collins and they show the Double A gap pressure. For some reason the right tackle blocks down on Wilfork, leaving Ninkovich as a free hitter. Rivers was not happy after this one.
Browner Unnecessary Roughness call comes on the first down of the next possession. Said it yesterday, since this didn’t come back to haunt them I love that it’s now out there. It’s a positive for the Pats defense now. A tone setter and warning to upcoming opponents.
A sick tackle-for-loss by Arrington. Arrington is polarizing but I’m a fan, he’s a very good slot corner. Hopefully he’s fully healthy for the playoffs. He’s always one of those guys playing through major injuries we don’t learn about until after the season.
McCourty gets sent on a blitz but Rivers gets it off and Royal takes it for 22 yards. Another one of those plays where the blitz gets burned. These are why the Pats aren’t stupid aggressive. They pick their spots.
Pats were in a clear Cover-3 look on Ayers’ interception. The twist that probably got Rivers is that Collins/Casillas both blitzed their A gaps, while Ninkovicha and Ayers dropped to the short zone. Casilas also got a bit of pressure, including a hand in Rivers’ face.
The defensive struggle of the third quarter continues with 3:09 left in the 3rd quarter. Rivers finds Floyd for 28 yards with a spectacular catch. One of those “tip the cap” plays.
Keenan Allen gets his first catch of the day, for three yards, on Revis. Amazing how he was a complete non-factor. He was a guy I really liked coming out too. Guess BB knew he’d be neutralizable?
Third-and-8 now with the Chargers still clinging to a one-point lead. Pats go Cover-2 Man with McCourty on Gates and he quickly closes to defend the pass to the old tight end. Would’ve been a first. Put this play on McCourty’s All Pro submission reel. He can do it all.
Fourth quarter now and New England has taken the lead 16-14. Chargers need to respond now.
Underneath crosser goes for 4. The Pats have shut those down after the Chargers had some success in the first half. Another one to Allen on the next down, but it’s a bad throw and he falls right down.
Third-and-6 now, they target Royal on Arrington but Rivers can’t step up due to pressure from Wilfork and Ayers. The pass falls off target.
Pats have taken the 23-14 lead now and the Chargers haven’t done much of anything this half. Here comes a chance to make it a game with 8:41 left and the ball on their 20.
Chargers get 24 yards on essentially a broken play as Rivers dumps it off to Brown, who was in blocking but squirted out as the pocket disintegrated. Pats close it down now.
Siliga and Jones split a sack two plays later, one of the bigger moments in the game, just killing any attempt the Chargers might make at a comeback.
This sets up third-and-four near midfield but there is just nothing open downfield and Rivers has to scramble, getting stopped well short of the first down. A lot of teams might go for it here at 4th-and-4 near midfield down 9, but the Chargers don’t.
Last chance for San Diego and it’s a flawless 4-and-done but the Pats don’t give an inch and the pressure is solid even with three guys.
Tavon Wilson’s perfect tackle of Gates, short of the first down, to end it was the perfect cherry on top.
What stands out most about this game? Rivers just had nothing open downfield. This is quite a departure for a team that used to live by the deep ball under Norv Turner.
Instead their only big gains came on checkdowns that were usually crossing routes or broken plays where the Pats just made a few mistakes.
But those plays were rare and overall this was as shutdown of a performance that we’ve seen out of the Patriots defense in a long, long time.