On the Ravens’ final drive in the fourth quarter of last year’s meeting, Bill Belichick introduced LB Dane Fletcher to the NFL. In Fletcher’s first significant action, he covered Rice out of the backfield. Joe Flacco targeted Rice three times on that drive, and only one went for a completion, on which Fletcher held Rice to four yards.
https://www.patspropaganda.com/on-the-ravens-final-drive-in-the-fourth-quarter/
Is there a scheme to limit the Patriots’ TEs? | National Football Post
Is there a scheme to limit the Patriots’ TEs? | National Football Post
X and O nerd alert! Great stuff from Matt Bowen who really gets into the minutiae of game planning.
Key ingredient for Ravens’ success is a lot of Rice – The Boston Globe
Key ingredient for Ravens’ success is a lot of Rice – The Boston Globe
Great breakdown of the Ravens, and what the Patriots did last year against them.
“You control Ray Rice, and you don’t let them throw it over your head,’’ Coyle said. “It goes back to the old Marv Levy saying: ‘What it takes to win is simple, but it’s not easy.’ “To me, when you look at this team, it’s very simple. You stop 27, and you don’t let Torrey Smith or Lee Evans or [Anquan] Boldin run deep down the field and catch it over your head. Keep the ball in front of you and don’t allow them to establish their run game. “But that’s easier said than done. Because what happens inevitably is you start to overload to defend the run and they get their one-on-one situations out on the perimeter or they get you into short-yardage situations and then they come off a real good play-action shot down the field and they can generate a big play.’’
Charles P. Pierce on the New England Patriots and Denver Broncos divisional playoff game – Grantland
Charles P. Pierce on the New England Patriots and Denver Broncos divisional playoff game – Grantland
Good stuff on Coach Belichick here…
On Flacco. It’s obviously hard to tell when you’re not there daily, but looking at the offense, and watching the interaction between offensive coordinator Cam Cameron and Flacco, there just seems to be a disconnect. When’s the last extended period that Flacco tore up an opponent? (St. Louis, maybe, with the Torrey Smith explosion?) I don’t recall. Maybe the December game at the wounded Colts, but that almost doesn’t count. He’s had some good moments, but 13 touchdowns in the last 13 regular season games?
With the arm that Flacco has, it’s got to be killing him that the passing game has struggled the way it has. With Smith and Anquan Boldin, to have 20 teams better this season in the illuminating passing yards-per-play stat is a worry. Now, the key for Flacco, and the most important thing with a defense like Baltimore’s, is to be safe with the ball … and he deserves an A-plus for that. In seven games against playoff teams this season, Flacco is 7-0 – and he’s thrown just two interceptions. (With 10 touchdowns, and a 62-percent accuracy rate.) That’s the kind of game Flacco has to play Sunday: move the chains, don’t turn it over, keep the clock running.
https://www.patspropaganda.com/on-flacco-its-obviously-hard-to-tell-when-youre/