Archives for March 17, 2015

March 17, 2015 by Mike Dussault

Cowboys vs. Patriots 1987 Lowlights

Found out from my Dad that this was a game we went to. I can see why I have no recollection of it now. But who doesn’t love Grogan neckroll in its prime and a young Chris Berman saying “he could go all the way” before it was a cliche?

(Source: https://www.youtube.com/)

https://www.patspropaganda.com/patriots-cowboys-1987/

March 17, 2015 by Mike Dussault

Field Yates reports the Pats have signed running back Travaris Cadet. Here’s a bit from Sean Payton on Cadet, who looks like he’ll be in competition to be the Pats receiving back.

kickoffcoverage:

“He’s got very good ball skills,” Payton continued. “He’s a guy that can run the routes in that tree when you talk about a choice route, when you talk about an option. He can play from in the backfield but he can play from extended positions. That doesn’t necessarily mean he’s a wide receiver, just means he’s a running back in space. So I think he’s someone that is very comfortable in that role and I think he can run. I know his first season, ‘12, he kind of came to camp as a receiver and then we switched him back into running back. But he’s a utility player that has gotten better at not just at the core skill sets of being a runner but is very comfortable when it comes to being a receiver out of the backfield.”

(Photo: Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

https://www.patspropaganda.com/field-yates-reports-the-pats-have-signed-running/

with the obvious loss of the starting CBs and the recent off season acquisitions, doesn’t it feel a bit like the balance of power is shifting back to the offense for another high powered scoring machine? i’m really happy about such an offense for once because throw in a few more pieces on the defensive side and you’re all set.

March 17, 2015 by Mike Dussault

I think you might’ve asked this when it looked like Stevie Johnson was coming to New England, but now that he’s not, it doesn’t really change my outlook on things. 2007 was a flash in the pan, the perfect combination of scheme evolution, players and circumstances. It’s never going to be reproduced.

Even when they were playing press man defense last year, there were still a lot of the conservative defensive elements we’ve come to expect from Belichick. Or more commonly known as a “bend, don’t break” philosophy.

They were 23rd in yards-per-drive and 21st in plays-per-drive and those are just two stats of many that illustrate the kind of defense BB prefers.

So while it’s easy to think the defense is going to be completely different next year, philosophically it won’t be much different at all. Instead of disrupting timing with physicality at the LOS, they’ll rely more on pattern reading.

Offensively, it’s the same. They’re going to do what they do best. But regardless of personnel, does it really look like they’re going to suddenly be much different next year? Just improving the run game should be an area to address that hasn’t been yet.