PatsPropaganda

An Independent Patriots Blog

Mike Reiss

Guess who’s coming on the PatsPropaganda & Frenz Podcast…

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We’re incredibly excited to announce that none other than Patriots blogging overlord Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com will be joining our podcast on Sunday May 8th at 1pm EST.

Erik Frenz went above and beyond the call of podcast duty to ask Mike if he’d join us, and to our surprise Reiss was totally down for it. If the Patriots gave out helmet stickers for great plays I would definitely be sending one to Frenz.

Reiss has been following the Pats as a professional media member since the late 90’s, and has a stellar journalistic reputation for his balanced views and insightful commentary. I’ve been a huge fan of his work and consider him one of the biggest inspirations for this blog so we’re very, very excited to get to talk to him about the Pats.

Between Fitzy this Saturday and Reiss next Sunday our little podcast is blowing up! We hope everyone will tune in to hear some pure Patriots passion!!

Reiss & Bruschi ESPN Podcast: Answering a Question from PatsPropaganda

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This season’s addition to the must-listen Patriots list has been Mike Reiss and Tedy Bruschi’s podcast. Nowhere else will you hear two people who are more knowledgeable about the Patriots (unless you count BB’s weekly radio appearances on WEEI’s Big Show).

Tedy was a founding father of the “Patriot Way” and his insight and commentary is as good as it gets. Especially in this setting with Mike Reiss where Bruschi doesn’t need to worry about coming off like he biased towards the Pats.

This week Tedy answered a question that I submitted and I transcribed his answer below. 

PatsPropaganda: Was there ever a time that a Bill Belichick game plan really surprised you?

Bruschi: Many times, I remember once we were against the Buffalo Bills. Where the real excitement starts is on 3rd down day. Because once you win on first down, second down you get them in those medium to long situations and that’s when you can throw all these complex schemes at them. We got the game plan and I looked at it and there wasn’t one down lineman. There were a couple defensive ends but everyone was sort of walking around. You could basically not put your hand down so you’d be running around trying to confuse the protection. That was a really different wrinkle we used for the Buffalo Bills one week. Especially when Rob Ryan was there, he’s now the DC of the Cleveland Browns. Him and Bill used to come up with some funky stuff where we would say “Rob-o we need some help deciphering this”. Linebackers were in the A gaps with linemen right next to them. It made it fun and interesting because you knew when you went in there on Wednesday or Thursday you’d have a chance to do something unique.

Some really great stuff from Tedy, though it probably makes a lot of Pats fans squirm to think all those complex and fun defenses were coming from one of the Ryan brothers. It certainly provides some insight into the effect Rob Ryan had on Bill Belichick from a game plan perspective and that type of scheming certainly sounds a lot like Rex’s style as well.

It’s also interesting to note the Patriots busted a similar defense out last season to help generate pressure, this time it was five linebackers and six defensive backs so it was dubbed the “Five and Dime”. But again there were no down lineman and everyone was just wandering around trying to create confusion.

Some Pats fans probably wonder why we don’t see more of this. Personally I think it’s because with a young defense you want them to be able to do the fundamentals first and foremost. Once you have those down (i.e. 2011) you can start to get a little more cute with your defenses and how you disguise them.

 

From the real 54 to the fan 54….

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UP

Dane Fletcher – On his first play, the rookie inside linebacker forces a fumble that is recovered by the Patriots. He also catches a squib kick in the first quarter and was more effective than Gary Guyton in squaring up Darren Sproles.

Mike Reiss echoing my comments yesterday about Fletcher vs. Guyton.

https://www.patspropaganda.com/up-dane-fletcher-on-his-first-play-the-rookie/

Interesting Patriots Nuggets from Reiss-Bruschi Podcast

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Interesting Patriots Nuggets from Reiss-Bruschi Podcast

As I mentioned earlier today the Mike Reiss-Tedy Bruschi ESPN podcast has to be the greatest Patriots media addition for the 2010 season. Some little things of interest to pass along:

Bruschi spoke of what it means to have that veteran “savvy” and specifically mentioned how veterans don’t take false steps forward biting on play action, something the young Pats D has been getting killed on all year. This is an outstanding example of how experience can dramatically improve a defense.

I’m pretty familiar with the Inside Linebacker spots in the 34 defense (called “Mike” and “Will”) but one thing that Tedy pointed out that I thought was interesting is how the run reads for the Will are pretty simple, with only two reads.

Mike Reiss wondered if the Patriots might open in a 4-3 defense to throw off ex Defensive Coordinator Dean Pees. Pees knows the Patriots system and personnel inside and out, so going to a 4-3 might be a good way to throw the Ravens game plan off. However we haven’t seen any 4-3 this year (unlike 2009) so I would find it pretty surprising. That includes training camp, where in 2009 there was a lot of 4-3 being run. In 2010 there wasn’t any reported. Though a line of Brace, Wilfork, Wright and Warren could hold up pretty well.

Nuggets from Mike Reiss’ Pats Chat

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Don’t have time to sift through Patriots master beat reporter Mike Reiss’ chat? We got you covered with the most interesting tid bits:

– I think Crable is on the bubble. Right now, he’s ahead of the rookies simply based on experience. I thought he got some quality reps at today’s practice in the base 3-4. So I wouldn’t count him out yet, but I sense the coaching staff is poking and prodding to try to bring out the best in him.

But keep an eye on second-year LB Thomas Williams. I think he’s had a solid showing this offseason and is giving himself a chance to be a surprise candidate.

– I’ve noticed Derrick Burgess playing more of that traditional OLB role than we saw last year, when he was mostly a sub rusher playing forward and not backwards.

– (On who’s getting the most playing time beside Meriweather) Probably an even split with McGowan and Chung. With McGowan not practicing, it’s opened the door for Chung a bit.

– [Wilhite’s] probably their top slot corner right now. I think they are still high on him.

– Spikes has a long way to go. That was one of the notes I scribbled down today after watching how his reps came after Jerod Mayo, Gary Guyton, Tyrone McKenzie and Thomas Williams. He could make up the ground in training camp, but right now, he looks deep on the depth chart, which is to be expected for a rookie at that position.

– (Top 3 Storylines for Training Camp) 1. Wes Welker’s status; 2. How do they piece it together at OLB?; 3. What is the story with Logan Mankins and Tom Brady when it comes to contracts and how is that affecting things?

– I can’t get over how big Gronkowski’s hands are. They are like catcher’s mitts. Hernandez has missed this week (undisclosed physical ailment), while Price remains out because Ohio hasn’t graduated yet. I watch Tate and the first word that comes to mind is “raw” but there is potential there. Going to be fun to watch him in training camp.