In fact, it could be argued that the Patriots’ run defense has been as good as any in football this season, as it’s yielding just 3.5 yards per carry, the best figure in the NFL. From a yards per game standpoint, the Patriots check-in 8th at 88.6, an outstanding total that is nearly 30 yards per game better than the run defense allowed in 2011. Beyond the yards allowed, the Patriots have minimized both big plays and touchdowns. They join just the Texans as the only defenses to have not allowed a run over 20 yards this season, and the Patriots have given up just three rushing touchdowns through eight games. Couple those facts with an NFL-best seven forced fumbles and four fumbles recovered, and it’s clear that this group has been a difference-maker for the Patriots in 2012.
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Notes on PFF’s Patriots grades: Week 8 Rams
We’ll be back later this week with a look at PFF’s cumulative grades for the season, but for now here are our observations from their grades for the Pats against the Rams.
Best Offensive Grade: Gronk 6.7
Worst Offensive Grade: Branch -1.2
Best Defensive Grade: Brandon Spikes 2.6
Worst Defensive Grade: Justin Francis -1.5
Spikes tied for his best coverage game of the season with a 1.5 (also got a 1.5 vs. Titans) and a pass defended. Though he didn’t get credit for a single stop in the run game. That’s a first.
Alfonzo Dennard had the best defensive back score with a 1.2 in coverage. He only allowed one catch on three targets.
No Patriots defender was in the red for coverage. Wow, let’s all take a breath and enjoy that one for a moment.
Off the edges and behind the right guard were the two most deadly running holes for the Pats running backs.
The Pats were credited here with 9 blitzes on 33 plays, good for 27%. This doesn’t seem as high as I expected to be, perhaps it was just the complexity of the blitzes that drew the attention. Double A gap and double edge blitzes were run a couple times.
Dan Connolly was a dominant 3.1 in run blocking and looks like he’s starting to find his groove at RG. His pass blocking was a -1.8 though.
Ryan Wendell had his best pass blocking game of the season with a 1.1.
Spikes was a surprise as the third ranked pass rusher on the day with a 1.2.
Vince Wilfork had his second best score of the season, and it was just a -0.1. More on this coming later in the week, because through half of the season Wilfork is the worst graded Patriots defender and I don’t agree with it.
Solid game for Kyle Love with a 1.3, his best score since week two. He was especially good in the run game. Positive sign for Love, we need him to start elevating his play.
Chandler Jones got his best pass rush grade of the season with a 2.8, but his 4 stops are almost more impressive.
Marquice Cole had an impressive 1.2 on the day. Hope he’s not hurt and gets more of a shot at slot corner, he really flashed some promise there.
Rams blitzed on 11 of 35 snaps and Brady ate them up when they did for 107 yards and two touchdowns.
See our full season of PFF notes here.
Lethal Patriots show zig, zag instead – BostonHerald.com
Lethal Patriots show zig, zag instead – BostonHerald.com
Great offensive strategy breakdown from Matt Chatham, illustrating why the Pats are so hard to defend.
Run when it looks like pass. Go short when they think long. Up is down. Left is right. Tracking tendencies of opposing teams is a big deal in the NFL for coordinators. This Patriots team is extremely skilled on offense but also unafraid to be a toothless gum-lover at times you least expect. That’s a scary combination.
Patriots Pass Rush Behind Last Season’s Pace Despite Adding Chandler Jones, Dont’a Hightower – New England Patriots – NESN.com
Good stuff from NESN’s own Doug Kyed…
Last year’s Patriots finished with 43 sacks, 54 QB hits and 164 QB hurries for 261 total QB pressures in 1134 plays according to Pro Football Focus. They were able to generate a QB pressure on 23 percent of plays. Carter was the most successful at rushing the passer – despite missing 2 ½ games – with 51 total pressures and Anderson was close behind with 45.
This season, the Patriots are on pace for 36 sacks, 48 QB hits and 130 QB hurries for 214 total QB pressures in 1096 plays. They’re generating a QB pressure on 19 percent of plays. Jones is the leading pass rusher, on pace for 62 total pressures, while Ninkovich is second, on pace for 31. Nink finished last year with 39. The problem is, the Patriots have filled Carter and Anderson’s roles with Jones and Ninkovich, but they simply aren’t blitzing linebackers like they did last year with Nink. The Patriots will have to start blitzing their linebackers, and rushing five or six players more often.
Pats D giving up more TDs on the long ones
Quick nugget of note that I just discovered while messing around here, through eight games the Patriots have given up 42 pass of 20 or more yards, the exact same amount as they gave up last year.
The big difference? Last year they only gave up 2 touchdowns on those 42 big plays, this year they’ve give up 10.
This is another illustration that the Pats have gotten away from “bend, don’t break”.
