PatsPropaganda

An Independent Patriots Blog

Throwback Thursday: My experience at the 2006 Pats vs. Chargers AFCDG

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Throwback Thursday: My experience at the 2006 Pats vs. Chargers AFCDG

There can’t be a Patriots game in San Diego without bringing back what was, until this year, the best fan experience of my life. I chronicled the tale here on my first Patriots blog back in 2007, from magically getting an amazing ticket, to finding out my childhood best friend lived within walking distance of the stadium, and of course, the incredible upset win. Fun looking back at one of my defining experiences as a Patriots fan.

WEEI/Price: One Scout’s Take: Stopping fiery Philip Rivers key to Patriots win over Chargers – WEEI | Christopher Price

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WEEI/Price: One Scout’s Take: Stopping fiery Philip Rivers key to Patriots win over Chargers – WEEI | Christopher Price

Always enjoy this read from Chris Price with some insight from a scout. If there’s one thing that seems clear with the 2014 Patriots now, it’s how well guys not named Revis or Browner cover that will determine how well the defense plays. When Arrington is healthy and on his game it pretty much leaves the tight end matchup as the major concern. Patrick Chung has played well this year, but teams are well aware that he’s a mismatch in coverage on a big tight end. Might be an area to address next offseason. Do big safeties who can cover grow on trees?

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Tom Brady’s Facebook page might just be the best addition of the 2014 season. It’s down to that or Revis.

https://www.patspropaganda.com/tom-bradys-facebook-page-might-just-be-the-best/

What are your thoughts on the Pats’ pass rush? Although Chandler Jones has been out, I think Chris Jones has definitely stepped up from an interior spot. Additionally, people were picking on the pass rush against Green Bay but I think more credit has to be given to Aaron Rodgers and his ability to escape pressure and throw on the run and the Patriots respect for his game.

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Well you can always have more pass rush, that’s for sure and I didn’t think it was good enough against the Packers. But I also think the people flipping out at the Pats only rushing three on some downs don’t really get it. Good quarterbacks pick blitzes apart. We’ve seen plenty of times teams have come at Brady with similar gameplans, most notably the Jets in the 2010 playoff game.

It’s about creativity, with defensive ends and even tackles dropping into coverage and linebackers/defensive backs blitzing, trying to confuse the offensive line to get at the quarterback. You can’t just send the house every down and think that that will be effective.

These kind of gameplans against good quarterbacks are also very dependent on your front four winning when they have one on one matchups, and that’s something the Pats front four were not doing against the Packers.

So in the playoffs it will be critical that when guys like Chandler (hopefully), Easley, Chris Jones, Ayers and Ninkovich have only one offensive lineman blocking them, that they beat that guy and force the quarterback off the spot.

But again, it’s even more complicated against a guy like Rodgers than even Peyton. Rodgers has that escapability, so even if guys win their single matchup, they can’t lose contain or let him get to an alley. We saw that a couple times and Rodgers ran easily for a first down.

This is what happens when two great teams play. They are going to make plays, and there are no easy answers to getting pressure and stopping them, but the key is to get off the field on third down, get stops in the red zone and hopefully remain within striking distance until the end. Then make that one critical play and you will set yourself up to win.

The Pats pretty much did that despite the lack of great QB pressure. I mean, the Packers had 3 points in the second half!