MileHighReport: Analysis of Patriots passing offense

Great stuff here back from 2009 when the fanalysts over at Mile High Report were still excited to get a taste of what Josh McDaniels would do for their offense.

I’ve been posting these articles as much for myself as you the readers, and I’ve really be intrigued by a lot of what I have come across while really diving into offensive football like I never have before.

One huge thing that this article reinforced for me was the use of multiple formations to run the same plays. One of my favorite nuggets:

The thing that struck me about the Patriots’ style is that they are constantly probing, pushing, and looking for a weakness. You can watch it unfold, attacking one point after another, quickly, but in sequence. It’s not as smash-mouth an approach as the original Erhardt-Perkins or, say, Miami or Pittsburgh would use.  It’s perhaps more like fencing than boxing.

Playing the Colts is probably a bit like being in a knife fight – they are constantly cutting at you until you are exhausted. New England seems slightly different – you  can watch them constantly looking for the best adjustments. This probing side of the amoeba tendency alone will win its own certain share of close games. Making adjustments is a huge skill, the Broncos has often lacked in over the past years and Josh McDaniels does it very well.

The Patriots obviously like being unpredictable. Most teams do, of course, but in the film I watched, New England took it to the extreme. While there are statistical norms, in any single game there are no specific passing or rushing downs for the Pats. They will pass on short yardage, run (often a draw) on 3rd and long, 2nd and short or any other situation. Overall, it’s hard to stop, and I suspect that it’s nearly impossible to predict.