https://www.patspropaganda.com/patriots-ravens-gronkowski-3/
Tedy Bruschi on Interior Rush
Mary (Walpole) Is the Pats pass rush really better this week or was the Denver Oline just terrible – and do you think the pass rush is key to defeating the Ravens?
Tedy (11:18 AM) I like what Ninkovich did in getting to the passer, but I think what’s more important is up-the-middle pressure against Joe Flacco. Getting Flacco off the spot will be one of their main goals. The spot is an area in the pocket, 5-6 yards behind the center. That’s where Flacco is best. Move him off of that and he’s less accurate. Interior rush will be huge.
‘Ravens’ Way’ won’t cut it in New England – AFC North Blog – ESPN
‘Ravens’ Way’ won’t cut it in New England – AFC North Blog – ESPN
The Ravens won’t outscore New England if Joe Flacco completes 14 passes and Ray Rice averages 2.9 yards per carry. Baltimore won’t slow Tom Brady and the jazzed-up Patriots’ offense if it can’t stop the run (Arian Foster gained 132 yards) or the top receiver (Andre Johnson had 111 yards receiving). And the Ravens definitely won’t beat Bill Belichick if they can’t punch the ball into the end zone (like Baltimore failed to do late in the third quarter against Houston). Wait, how exactly did the Ravens beat Houston on Sunday? The Texans turned the ball over four times, including three interceptions by rookie T.J. Yates, and Baltimore converted those turnovers into 17 points. It was the classic case of the Texans losing the game more than the Ravens won it.
Belichick hits on Ed Reed. Anyone else find this slightly uncomfortable?
(Source: https://www.youtube.com/)
The Patriot way.
Found myself looking out at the Patriots’ dismantling of Denver thinking:1. No one uses two tight ends like the Patriots. Gronkowski blocks and catches, and the uber-athletic Hernandez has the moves of a wide receiver. Two tight ends, 261 total yards, four touchdowns. In one game.
2. No one moves a struggling first-round corner to deep safety in the middle of the season, but that’s what the Patriots did. That’s where Devin McCourty played most of Saturday night.
3. No one plays with a fired Oakland practice-squad safety, Sterling Moore, at cornerback in the playoffs, or backup wideout Julian Edelman, at nickel back, in the playoffs. The Patriots do. Every time I looked up Saturday night, Moore was on an island with Demaryius Thomas or Eddie Royal. A safety in Oakland, not good enough to stay on their practice squad last September, on the street in October. Now Moore’s playing 36 snaps at corner (according to the charting of ESPNBoston’s Mike Reiss) in a divisional playoff game.
Bill Belichick’s a mad scientist. He knew his defense had to change when it was getting strafed so badly in midseason, and he changed it, drastically. Who knows if it works another eight quarters. But 10 seasons after he used a bunch of middle-class free agents to help New England win its first Super Bowl, Belichick is scotch-taping another run together with Tom Brady playing at his peak, and a bunch of complimentary pieces on the chess board. Should be fun to watch.
The Patriots are better-suited to win the Super Bowl right now, at 14-3, than they were exactly four years ago, at 17-0. After New England’s 45-10 beat down of the Tebows in Foxboro, Vince Wilfork agreed with me that the Patriots were in better shape at this stage of the playoffs than they were after their undefeated season. “Four years ago, we peaked too early,” he said.
Four years ago, New England scored 34 or more 11 times in the regular season, then won by 11 and nine in the playoffs before losing to the Giants in the Super Bowl. They had Randy Moss in his prime then, and he was great. I’d rather have Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez.