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Good tweet from Matt Chatham showing how the Pats sold out against the pass and let the Broncos take what they could on the ground. Forcing continued execution and not allowing any big plays is “bend, don’t break” at its finest.
Up now on @weei w/ @MutWEEI and @LouMerloni to talk #Patriots #Broncos …referencing Pats D approach in this pic: pic.twitter.com/zNektNOlCu
— Matt Chatham (@chatham58) November 26, 2013
But outside of a couple audacious calls he makes each season, Belichick isn’t an especially strange coach. It’s not like the Patriots’ defense is Finnegans Wake, scheme-wise. They do what works and remain flexible. The only reason Troy Brown ever played nickel corner for the Pats is because the team didn’t have a halfway-decent nickel corner, not because his coach was trying to show the rest of the league he could use a slot receiver in his secondary and still win games. Belichick isn’t inscrutable. The refrain of his most famous speech is “Do your job.” He decided, before a Super Bowl, to remind his team that football is about execution. That’s about as orthodox as it gets.
Nice little read on BB. One thing that always kind of annoys me is people who call BB a genius and then hold it against him when he makes wrong decisions or his team loses. I simply prefer to think of him as one of the best football coaches of all time, and we can save the “genius” label for those who actually deserve it.
https://www.patspropaganda.com/but-outside-of-a-couple-audacious-calls-he-makes/
I don’t think any of our backs have an issue that I would say would prevent them from being a productive player,” he said, in remarks that seem to reflect his view that Ridley’s mistakes are correctable. “Look, there are some plays that happen in football that are plays that happen in football. Then there are other plays that are caused by a lack of discipline, a lack of technique, just carelessness. Those are the ones we have to eliminate.
https://www.patspropaganda.com/i-dont-think-any-of-our-backs-have-an-issue-that/
ReFo: Broncos @ Patriots, Week 12 | ProFootballFocus.com
Veteran Aqib Talib manned up with Thomas, allowing 3-of-6 into his coverage for 30 yards and a touchdown with one pass break up to his name. The stats may flatter a bit when you consider Thomas dropped two passes in his coverage, but the constant close coverage ensured Manning was rarely prepared to test his arm against the ball skills of the former Buccaneer. That left Logan Ryan and Kyle Arrington trying to stop Welker and Decker, and as the combined 6.0 grade shows, you can consider that mission accomplished. The two were targeted seven times in coverage with the result two receptions for 15 yards, two pass break-ups and one interception. If they’d found a way to stop Jacob Tamme then it could have been a whole different ball game.
It’s difficult sometimes for people to have close relationships and friendships when they are this high a level of competitors, but a lot of that changed when Tom Brady was hurt. The first call he got, or one of the first calls he got, was from Peyton Manning. Peyton Manning called several times after that. It kind of changed Tommy’s thoughts toward Peyton. And then when Peyton got hurt, Tommy reached out to him. The injury and the realization that their football mortality someday would end really changed the two and how they approach one another. They started sharing more information. And Tommy told me this week that one of the most interesting things was when Peyton Manning was getting ready to make a decision as to who he was going to sign with, he reached out to Tommy and wanted to exchange information, and he wanted to know what Tom thought would be a good idea for him to do. Amazing how this relationship has evolved over the years from two top competitors.
https://www.patspropaganda.com/its-difficult-sometimes-for-people-to-have-close/
