PatsPropaganda

An Independent Patriots Blog

Ideal lineman for the Erhardt-Perkins offensive system

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Ideal lineman for the Erhardt-Perkins offensive system

Good article here with another fundamental breakdown of the offense, but what I’d like to focus on are the types of offensive lineman required to run it because clearly this is still very much a part of the system.

This system uses bigger offensive lineman and typically bigger Running Backs who can sustain running between the tackles on a regular basis. The Offensive Tackles and Guards in this system typically “Pull” and “Trap”. What this means is, on a Running play that is designed to run to the right, let’s say in the B Gap or between the Guard and Tackle on the Right Side, the Left Guard will quickly leave his original position and become the lead blocker for the Running Back. This type of Rushing attack usually requires big Offensive Lineman who will be able to handle a large Defensive Tackle head on.

Hmmm, big, athletic offensive lineman? Clearly Vollmer and Solder are perfect examples.

Schein: Patriots #4 in Franchise Rankings

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Schein: Patriots #4 in Franchise Rankings

I’m kind of upset that on “intangibles”, which includes fan support, the Pats are ranked for 10th. Perhaps my blog, podcast, and general Patriots obsession could sway Schein up to a 9 for us? That’d move the Pats into a tie for 3rd. Though I can’t complain too much, the Jets have a 6 for intangibles. 

4. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS: 54.5

  • Owner: 10
  • Quarterback: 10
  • Coach: 10
  • Front office: 8
  • Coaching staff: 8
  • Intangibles: 8.5

The Patriots, no surprise, totaled a perfect 30 points in the categories of owner, head coach and quarterback. Bill Belichick was the only head coach to get a 10. Defections through the years in the front office and the coaching staff prevented total perfection and contributed to the fall from the top spot they held in 2009 and 2010.

Belichick on the 3-4 Defense

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During Fairbanks-Bullough 3-4 defense week we brought you some notes from a coaching clinic where Dean Pees gave some pointers on the Patriots defense. Today I found some additional notes and it looks like BB spoke there as well, so forgive me since we’re in the middle of Erhardt-Perkins offense week but I had to share.

Here’s what Belichick laid out…

Bill Belichick Head Coach New England Patriots

Patriot Football

Organization

  • Sign going into the football offices at Gillette Stadium – Do  Your Job
  • Create a division of labor 
  • Put together an organization to become the best
  • Tell staff what to do and say in situations
  • Be out in front of the direction of the team
  • Meets with captains every week because it’s a more manageable group to deal with
  • Allow players to make some decisions, create a connection to program
  • Group discipline and rewards-Works both ways

Setting up a D

  • Must be able to defend what you are going to see
  • Define how you will defend a basic set of problems
  • Regardless of your personnel the 3-4 is more flexible
  • Originally made it easier to sign and draft  players but is changing as more teams adapt 3-4
  • Maintain as much coverage flexibility as possible in order to take away best player 
  • Establish the front 7 to handle running game
  • Running game force is OLB
  • Set Edge
  • Force inside
  • DL two gap responsible, if no two gap must add secondary into run game D
  • If LB is being committed to one gap then secondary comes down
  • Quarters (cover 4) is #1 coverage, Cover 3 is #2.

CSNNE/Curran: Breaking down Patriots with NFL Films’ Greg Cosell

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Great stuff here and here from Tom E. Curran over the past couple days and it looks like there will be even more coming. Here are some of Cosell’s most interesting Patriots observations:

On Brandon Tate

GC: Very often, the way players are used tells you how a coaching staff feels about them. The way the Patriots use Brandon Tate tells that they don’t think much of him at this point. He runs about three routes and the only time the ball comes to him is when a play is specifically called for him. In terms of physical ability, he’s very good. If you look at the skill set of a wideout, he has it. He’s big, he runs well, he’s got good lateral quickness. But in taking the spot of Randy Moss, he was stepping in for someone who was as good a vertical receiver as we’ve ever seen. Tate has vertical skills but not Randy Moss vertical skills and that’s why coverage was different for Tate after Moss left. I also think Tate’s hands can be erratic That can’t happen with the few plays they run for him. They just don’t feel he was ready last year. And he’s the kind of guy getting killed by the work stoppage. He really needed this offseason.

Two things to add here… Randy Moss was really only running one route at the end of his Patriots tenure, and Tate should clearly benefit from having a year in the system. Still Cosell is right, the lockout is killing guys like him and Taylor Price.

GC: “Reading the defense before the snap is critical for all quarterbacks. Tom Brady, (Peyton) Manning, (Drew) Brees and (Aaron) Rodgers are the best in football at deciphering the personnel packages and the favorable matchups that are there to take advantage of. The magic with Brady happens before the ball is snapped. With all the Patriots’ personnel packages and multi-dimensional tight ends, it makes it difficult for a defense. It makes them declare their personnel and their coverages and when they declare, that’s when quarterbacks like Brady have the advantage." 

On Presnap Reads of Tom Brady

GC: "Reading the defense before the snap is critical for all quarterbacks. Tom Brady, (Peyton) Manning, (Drew) Brees and (Aaron) Rodgers are the best in football at deciphering the personnel packages and the favorable matchups that are there to take advantage of. The magic with Brady happens before the ball is snapped. With all the Patriots’ personnel packages and multi-dimensional tight ends, it makes it difficult for a defense. It makes them declare their personnel and their coverages and when they declare, that’s when quarterbacks like Brady have the advantage."