An Independent Patriots Blog
Good read to get educated on the Rams a bit.
“Ultimately, there are three things for the Patriots to keep in mind: The Rams’ offensive line is a winnable matchup. Neutralize the rushing abilities of Chris Long and Robert Quinn – the tackles have to protect the edge. And watch for the inside-outside ability of the two backs: with Jackson and Richardson, they have a nice complementary element.”
Can the New York Jets Be Successful Attacking the New England Patriots Safeties? | Bleacher Report
Good stuff from Frenz here. Really I think this game comes down to one thing, whether Sanchez’s deep throws are complete/pass interference or incomplete/picked.
It’s not too often that the NFL’s No. 1 offense faces its No. 1 defense. In fact, this meeting between the Patriots and Seahawks is the first time such a matchup has occurred in Week 6 or later in the season since New England’s own No. 1 offense beat up on the Steelers No. 1 defense 34-13 on Dec. 9, 2007 at Gillette Stadium.
[T]hat’s the real surprise about this version of New England’s offense. They’ve been using aspects and variants of the spread offense since 2007, but they haven’t had a running game like this since Corey Dillon gained 1,635 yards in the 2004 season – not coincidentally, the last season in which the Patriots ended their campaign with a Super Bowl championship.
It’s a huge improvement for a team that averaged just 110.3 yards per game – this year, they’ve pushed that number up to 165.4.
Tavon’s time? Rookie could start – New England Patriots Blog – ESPN Boston
If Gregory can’t go Sunday it should be interesting to see how things trickle down in the secondary, especially in the dime. Nate Ebner and Ras-I Dowling could see some more snaps. Personally I’d prefer moving Moore back to safety, keep Wilson at Money, and stick Ras-I on the outside in the dime only. Nate Ebner on the back end against Peyton Manning is not what I want to see.
Through four games, Wilson has logged 38.8 percent of the defensive snaps. His primary role has been at the “money” position in the dime defense (6 defensive backs), which is a linebacker-type responsibility. He also has rotated into the mix in the base defense, and overall, he has shown a nose for the ball at times (2 interceptions, 2 fumble recoveries). The trickle-down effect of not having Gregory, whose smarts have been lauded by the coaching staff, would also likely impact the dime defense. If Wilson remains in the traditional safety role, rookie Nate Ebner could get bumped up the safety depth chart and play the “money” position. The Patriots have other options, as cornerback Sterling Moore has safety experience, and Ras-I Dowling has also played the “money” spot this year.
If the Patriots sit in zones all day, QB Ryan Fitzpatrick will find the holes. What the Patriots need to do is junk their conservative coverages and get physical at the line of scrimmage with the Bills. The longer Fitzpatrick has to hold onto the ball, the more it plays into the Patriots’ hands. The rush will be able to affect Fitzpatrick, and he’ll start to throw the ball into bad spots. The Bills want Fitzpatrick to get rid of the ball as quickly as possible to keep him from making mistakes. Don’t give him easy, quick reads at the snap. And furthermore, the linebackers need to tee off on any crossing patterns. Don’t let them feel comfortable.
Inside the matchup: Patriots at Bills – Extra Points – Boston.com
The best Patriots read of Saturday…
Buffalo has done a great job of blocking defensive linemen in the running game, which has sprung their ball carriers loose many times through three weeks. The Patriots have to stop this from happening and one way to do it is get penetration from both the front four and linebackers, but especially the linebackers. If they can attack the gaps and cut off running lanes, they will make the Bills one dimensional by having to rely on Ryan Fitzpatrick to not make mistakes. Linebacker Brandon Spikes will be key here.
While most of the offensive statistics for this years Pats are solid (2nd in points, 5th in 3rd down conversions, 10th in red zone TDs) there is one stat that they aren’t so good in and it tells a lot. They are currently 28th in time of possession, and their average time of possession in […]