Patriot Gameplan

[sonnyboy]

I know this is two months early but I just cant help myself.

Watching the Pats last I had a similar feeling/thought that I had at the beginning of the second half of our game with them in week 6.

That's when I had what I'm calling an epiphany.

Field position against the Pats means almost nothing, possesion of the ball almost everything.

Their offense is close to unstoppable, but we can move the ball and score on that defense. Since thier offense is so unstoppable, why give it the ball?
This is thinking outside of the box and I'm sure most of you wont agree, I just hope Wade employs some of these ground rules I'm going to lay out.

1) At least one surprise onside kick. And if it works try it again. Seriously, we should consider trying 3,4 maybe 5 times. What's the real risk. Lets just assume thier average starting position on a conventional KO would be the 27 yard line. I'd guess the average starting position on an unsuccessful onside attempt to be our 45. So we'd give up about 28 yards of field position. Is that really that much to risk. Thier offense is so unstoppable it might be worth 3 unsuccesful attempts just to recovery one and steal a posession.

2) 4th Down Attempts I want to for it on 4th down between our 40 and thier 33 yardline. I really wouldnt want to go for it inside our own 40. Dont want them to be in FG range without having to move the ball moving at least 10 yards. Might try a 4th and very short inside our 40. But after the 40, I'm in 4 down mode until we get to FG range. Then I'm only going for it on 4th and very short, dont want to take points off the board.

3) Defensive philosophy - I actually think we did do some nice things in the first game. Just not enough.
I think we need to go dime defense most of the game. Watkins and Hamlin at S and Newman, Henry and Reeves at CB. Roy at LB or on the bench.
We need to keep a tight rotation of our LB's and DL's to keep them fresh varying the number of each based on down and distance.
Dont blitz. At least not that often and never send more than 5 guys. Brady's too good against the blitz. We do need to vary how many and from where the rushers are coming. We should mix it up between 2-5 pass rushers. I think 2 DL rushing with 9 LBs and DB's in coverage might just screw him up a few times.
Coverage coverage coverage. We need numbers in coverage. We need to mix man with zone, give him tough combos to crack. We also need to take some chances in coverage. As often as possible we need to put guys in postion to jump routes. We cant win without a couple of ints. Must get them even at the cost of some big plays.

Play pass every down. How ever many people we're sending on a given play, get those guys shooting a gap up the field playing run on the way to Brady.
Give up yards in the run game to be more effective against the pass.
Play for the drive killing sack or interception.



Two guys on Moss all game.

 

[smarta5150]

lol...

 

[aikemirv]

See Indy game.

Ball possession and long drives is the key to beating them, but unlike the Indy game, you have to score at the end of those long drives.

Keep your defense off the field and keep them fresh.

And in opposite to your post, don't give them anything easy, it just makes them thrive!

 

[sacowboysfan513]

To be honest, I don't think its that bad of an idea.

The Patriots are pretty incredible on offense. Although pinning at the 10, 20 yard would be nice every time, in order to stop them, you need to make them go 3 and out. And if they get that first, first down, they will most likely score on that possession. They just seem to get into a groove that cannot be messed with.

So if we kicked an onside kick and they recover, they would get it around midfield, which means if we stop them 3 and out, which we need to do, they will not score.

The longer they stay off the field, the more out of rhythm they are likely to be.

And we have to score a TD on every possession.

 

[theogt]

I like it. You have to do something unusual to beat this unusually good team.

We definitely don't need to start off with 3 straight 3 and outs.

 

[manimal]

I was discussing this exact same thing last night after I heard they had scored 7 tds on their first 7 possessions. If they are going to score non the drive, it seems like your defense would be out there for a slightly shorter time during their possessions. But I really think this may be more applicable to teams that have no hope of causing turnovers.

 

[nathanlt]

Absolutely on points 1 and 2. As for defense, we must do all out blitzes often and get Brady a little jittery. Play the WR's tight, and force the quick throw every down. The interceptions will come.

The key to beating the Patriots is beating their offensive line. And that can happen! Pass rush is essential to beat them.

 

[chinch]

See Indy game.

Ball possession and long drives is the key to beating them, but unlike the Indy game, you have to score at the end of those long drives.

Keep your defense off the field and keep them fresh.

And in opposite to your post, don't give them anything easy, it just makes them thrive!

bingo. the colts had them beat if not for missed FGs and terrible coaching/playcalling down the end by Dungy.

forget the onsides gimmicks. kick deep and make them go 80 yards. BRING IN A KICKOFF KICKER if needed to get the ball in the endzone EVERY KICK.

don't oversell stopping the run... we need to basically play pass defense every down. MAKE THEM beat you with the RUN because NE can't do that and they wont' even try becuase they'll pick apart Roy & co as pedestrian Campbell did yesterday then hit us with the deep quick strikes.

on offense we had the lead in the 3rd. ball control, big strikes, DO NOT OVER-RESPECT THEIR D because it's soft. Attack it again and again. No FGs, play 4 downs whenever inside their territory.

in short the Boys (& packers) can expose them as they did the Rams (heavy favority, great offense).

but we need to put the NE conversation on hold, lets win 1 playoff game first and TOUGHEN up at home.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I really don't agree with this. The worst thing you can do is give that offense the short field IMO. 1st down is the key to stopping them offensively. You must not allow them to have 2nd and short. You have to create as many 3rd and long situations as you can. I honestly don't believe they can run the ball effectively against us. They throw the ball well but I don't think you give up yards or play desprate football against them. The key to beating that offense is not to get down quickly and take your running game out of the equation. I'm a big believer in the fact that a defense has a certain amount of good snaps in them. If you get over that point, the offense starts wearing you down and it becomes a track meet. Cut the penalty yards out. Run the ball consistantly. Force there defense to play against long sustained drives. Try to stay in managable 3rd down situations defensively. Pressure Brady with your base package.

Not easy by any means but that's how you beat them IMO. I'm not for giving up lots of easy scoring opportunities cheaply.

 

[Maikeru-sama]

Every team that plays the Patriots, including the Dallas Cowboys have to play a near perfect game.

The Colts were able to get consistent pressure on the Quartback and keep big plays to a minimum.

The Cowboys were fine on Offense. They moved the ball very well against the New England Defense.

On offense, there is a quandry, do you protect against Moss or do you let Wes Welker kill you underneath and in the middle of the field.

The Patriots are one helll of a team and it is going to take one hell of a team to beat them.

Right now, Patriots > Cowboys until proven otherwise.

 

[lonestar6]

I've also had some similar thoughts about how to beat the Pats. Not sure I would try multiple on-side kicks, but I like the 4th down attempts, especially always going for it on 4th and 2 or less even if you're in field goal range (eg like the Pats did to Buffalo last night twice in the 2nd half...talk about ruthless).

But as been been echoed by others, I think the main key is to shorten the game with long scoring drives, so that it limits the number of possessions each team gets and doesn't allow a chance for the defense to get worn down, which the Pats always do to you in the 2nd half (with Indy, the Boys, etc). Throwing a 50 yard TD bomb is nice, but it's much, much better to score on a 10 play, 6-7 min+ drive with that team.

In the Indy game, I thought Indy played a perfect first half other than not finishing those field goal drives with TDs. In the 2nd half though, I thought several times that Manning got too impatient by going down field when they didn't need too, especially with that bomb on 3rd and 2, and I think that's what ultimately cost them the game. Possession possession possession.

On defense, since the Pats are likely going to score anyway, maybe take some chances occasionally. For example, maybe do an all out blitz then have someone jump the WR screen which Brady seems to do a lot when he senses a big blitz coming. Even if you give up a few big plays by gambling if they can guess right once and get a turnover it ultimately makes it worth it I think. I'd almost rather the Pats score on a big play anyway than go on one of those demoralizing 10 play drives that always seem to wear the defense down.