An Independent Patriots Blog
Haha, well after the way you guys blew us out the last two preseason games maybe you shouldn’t be so worried. Or maybe that will assure the Pats take it seriously and want to show how different things are when the bullets are real.
Either way we can (hopefully, barring injuries) enjoy a great matchup like Revis on Calvin Johnson (assuming he’s covering him).
I think a great pass rush that gets after any quarterback early in a game can shut down any offense. Obviously the easiest examples are the 2007 Pats and the 2013 Broncos, but the way those very specific Super Bowls unfolded were very similar. Even the 2011 Patriots had a safety on their opening possession just like the 2013 Broncos did.
But you look at the 2007 Giants and 2013 Seahawks and you find consistent disruption, especially up the middle. That’s the secret to beating Brady and Manning. It’s not about edge rushers, those guys never get there unless the coverage surprises Tom/Peyton. It’s about someone immediately walking the guards/center into the quarterbacks lap, especially early in the game. (This is also why I love the Pats’ selection of Dominique Easley).
If Brady/Manning don’t establish an early rhythm they struggle. Of course, it’s like this with all quarterbacks, but everyone finds it more surprising when it happens even to two of the best to ever play the game.
Look at almost any Patriots playoff loss in recent years and you’ll find Brady having problems early. 2009 Ravens – strip sack, 2010 Jets – picked off screen pass… even last year in Denver, they just never allowed Brady to get comfortable from the get-go.
You’re not going beat Brady/Manning if you try to go touchdown for touchdown with them. Your defense needs to come out of the gate ready to destroy, and even then the outcome might be in doubt.
Then it comes down to finishing. Making that one final play, whether it’s on offense or defense.
All that said, I still think there’s plenty of chance that if the Giants/Seahawks defenses got off to a slow start in ‘07 or ’13, they might’ve gotten blown off the field.
They just both had determined defenses that were better on those two specific days.
Super excited to be back on the practice field with my teammates! Gotta keep on working if ya know what I mean!
— Rob Gronkowski (@RobGronkowski) July 23, 2014
https://www.patspropaganda.com/super-excited-to-be-back-on-the-practice-field/
Over the last two weeks I banged out extensive previews of each position on the Pats’ roster. You can get caught up on all of them here:
From an article I wrote for B/R this offseason, here are what I see as the biggest things the Pats defense needs to improve.
https://www.patspropaganda.com/from-an-article-i-wrote-for-br-this-offseason/
It might come as a surprise to some but I’m a huge Rex fan as well – both for what he brings to the Pats-Jets rivalry and his defensive schemes.
You bring up a very good point, and this was something that I’ve heard rumblings about the Pats considering – to put Revis on WR #2 then bracket the #1 over the top and underneath.
There is certainly some merit to this philosophy.
Complicating matters is Brandon Browner’s size. In Seattle he was stuck on one side due to their system, but it seems to make sense that Browner might be best used following the bigger #1 corners that the Pats will see like Megatron, AJ Green, Demaryius, etc.
So how will BB use them? I don’t know. And neither does the rest of the NFL, so the Pats can use that to their advantage. It’s one thing going into a game knowing who your receivers are going to be covered by. It’s another when it could be Revis, it could be 6’4" Browner, it could be Logan Ryan or uber pest Alfonzo Dennard. You just don’t know.
So as much as an advantage as this varied personnel gives the Pats, there’s also a sizable advantage in the unpredictability as well.
Q: Specifically on third down, I don’t know how much you researched it, but if you did in the offseason, what stood out to you?
RN: We’ve got to get off the field. That’s huge. Some of the third-and-long situations, we weren’t able to get off the field. I know third-and-long screens hurt us last year, too, so specifically that play and the third-and-long situation as a whole, we’ve got to do a better job. Obviously, everything is working together, so coverage-rush, rush-coverage all works together. That’s just one area that we definitely need to work on this year.
https://www.patspropaganda.com/q-specifically-on-third-down-i-dont-know-how/