new england patriots

As always, a great read, and I think one of the advantages the Patriots have this weekend is that they’ll need the same type of physical effort against the Ravens. Granted the game plan will be different, but the style with which it needs to be executed will be the same.

The Patriots simply whipped the Broncos from start to finish up front. New England had 19 total quarterback pressures (five sacks). That total is third most this season, behind the first Dolphins game (22) and the loss to the Giants (21). The 14 stuffed runs (1 yard or less outside of short yardage) far exceeded the season high of 10 against the Cowboys. It started with the game plan. What you saw was Bill Belichick at his best, with veteran players up front exposing a gimmicky offense with a subpar quarterback because they already faced the scheme and had an extra week to prepare. How little did the Patriots think of Tim Tebow and the weapons at his disposal? They played three of 72 snaps in a true nickel package (five defensive backs). The Patriots dared the Broncos to throw. And they couldn’t. That game plan was predicated on applying pressure – something the Steelers couldn’t do with an injured front in their wild-card loss – and the Patriots were obviously confident they could accomplish that. Despite playing a 3-4 alignment, the linemen accounted for half the pressures (9.5). Vince Wilfork, Kyle Love, Shaun Ellis, Brandon Deaderick and Gerard Warren completely dominated the Broncos’ interior of left guard Zane Beadles, center J.D. Walton, and right guard Russ Hochstein.

Great, in-depth stuff from Peter King on Gronk and Hernando.

Against Denver the Patriots were in a two-tight-end set all night. Or, rather, the two tight ends were on the field almost all night. (Hernandez missed the last series after taking a hit to the head.) In the first two series Gronkowski and Hernandez played all 12 snaps, Gronkowski mostly as a traditional tight end and Hernandez at six different positions. In fact on the five plays of the first series Hernandez lined up, in succession, at fullback; receiver tight to the formation; slot back as a sidecar to Brady; running back, weaving left out of a lone-back formation for a 43-yard gain; and flanker on the left side, taking a linebacker with him on a quick out and opening the middle for Welker, who caught a seven-yard touchdown pass. At 6’1" and 245, Hernandez is fast and quick out of cuts, a superb complement to the brutish 6’6", 265-pound Gronkowski, who blocks as well as he catches.