I never buy that inevitable talk every time some team sticks with the Pats offense for a (usually short) period of time. I do like how the Cowboys had a new wrinkle to throw at the Pats but the problem is that they didn’t have a counter punch to that.
Just about any team with a good front seven can get some shots on Brady, but how many can do it for 60 minutes? That’s the question and that’s the blueprint.
I always go back to Eric Mangini’s gameplan against the Pats in 2010 when he was with the Browns. He went into depth about it on ESPN later that season and made a few good points that are still true:
1. If you’re not lying you’re not trying: DISGUISE PRESNAP. You can’t let Brady know what you’re going to do. Guys should be walking around and not give away any keys as to what is comein
2. Have two gameplans, one in the first that should be coverage heavy. Disguise like you’re going to blitz a lot, but drop almost everyone. Then, once the Pats figure that out (Which they will) you need a second gameplan for the second half to throw them off again. Then you can go back to the stuff that worked in the first.
3. 60 minutes: It’s a cliche but once Brady figures out what you’re doing he’s going to torch it. Look at SB42. All of sudden they march down the field and take the lead after not being able to move the ball most of the game. Luckily for the Giants that Eli and the offense had a miracle drive of their own.
So I like some of what the Cowboys did but they didn’t do it long enough as the Pats put up 30 points on them. There’s long been a blueprint to slow Brady down, it’s just not many teams have the personnel, creativity and full-game discipline to execute it.
