betterthanthealternative

a. permanent, because BB is running the offense rather than Josh?
b. temporary, until Brady demonstrates he's fully back in form?

mayoclinic

Too early to tell.

We had better offensive balance in 2008 than in 2007, mainly because we used the running game more to put less pressure on Matt Cassel. Because we were successful doing this last year, I'm reasonably confident that we have the personnel to have offensive balance this year. The question is whether we are willing to commit to it. I hope so.

With that aside, I don't expect us to be able to run much against Baltimore this week, so don't be surprised to see less balance.

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nashvillepatsfan

Agreed. We certainly have the personnel to be more balanced, and i'd like to see them use it. There's nothing wrong with a little clock killing running attack. Not to mention, it will keep our defense fresh for when we get to the SB

But, like you said, this week wont be very balanced

JoeShmoe

Yeah, but I think you have to try - else we'll just see Baltimore did what he Jets did in terms of pass blitzing. Hopefully Welker is back and Galloway starts to do a bit better as well esp. if Moss' back is still bad

PatsfanGlo

As much as I enjoyed Pats light up the opponents, I would much prefer if the offense was balanced. 2007 was one of those rare season where we didn't have crucial injuries and with Welker and Moss already bit dinged up, and with Taylor, Morris, Maroney, BJEG, Faulk, it would make sense to run little more. I would love to see more play-action pass bombs. That would help Galloway, no?

SaCaCh

People seem to forget 2007. Look at the balance in the first three games and then look after the RB injuries we had for the next 10-12 weeks. We were forced to go into the air in that season.

DNR

I'm thinking its gonna remain a passing offense as long as Brady, Moss and Welker are on this team. They would be crazy not to favor it.

But I would like to see them continue to run more, depending on the strengths/weaknesses of the opponent. Seeing them get back to a more balanced attack last weekend was great.

PatsFanInVa

What we do remember from 2009 can be boiled down to "you don't mess w/success." I.e., 18 straight games, first half of the season blowing out opponents.

What we do not remember it that it became progressively harder to just play pitch n catch.

The moral of that story in part was that we could not gut out that one vitally important win... and that in retrospect we came closer more often to other losses later in the season as weather became a factor and defenses adjusted.

To your point: don't compare 09 to 07, compare it to 08. I'd put Brady at about where Cassel got to be a few games into the season, at the present. He's not back, they know he's not back, other teams know he's not back. But everybody knows he COULD get the rust off any given week, if it "just clicks".

So to answer the question, I believe that you are obliquely correct, that BB is installing the offense he prefers. That means the offense most likely to win in any given game, or succeed in any given situation. That's really his hallmark, not any particular run/pass mix. He's in New England and he knows it, defensive pedigree be damned. He'll never fool himself into thinking that 3 yards and a cloud of dust is the reality of today's NFL.

I'm thinking that Comparatively Unfragile Fred gives us reliability in the backfield that's been missing far too often and that's a valuable tool. Maroney's got this infuriating habit of coming out w/5 yards per carry, but kicking you in the nuts and getting you 1 or 2 when you need him to get you 3. (Oh yeah and of course he's made of glass.) He plays a role but I think what we're seeing is he's been consigned to a role, not to an "every down" capability, ever.

I'm wrong about a bunch of stuff and this may fall into that category... but I think given all the tools, BB will still not have very similar game plans game over game, based on opponents. Settle into an idea of those tendencies one direction or the other and he'll look for what you're trying to beat him with. My thought is he's the opposite of the coach that says "we'll do what we do best and dare them to stop us." He might say "UNTIL they stop us," as he did in 07, but that "until" did begin to happen later in the season, and finally happened in the SB.

With the right QB (sarcasm intended here, I mean w/a fully "back" Brady,) there'll be more of an air game.

PFnV

Reckedtrek

C. based on the game plan for the team they play that week X 16.

By the end of the season, I'd guess it to be about 60% pass/ 40% run. So not perfectly balanced, but more so than 2007.

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patsfaninpittsburgh

Except......

A review of 2007 stats shows they were 58% pass/ 42% rush.

Passing was #1 in every category

Rushing went from #13th in yards, #13 in average; to the most interesting stat.....

The Pats were third in rushing first downs. This infers many short yardage rushes to get first downs. "Situational football" like this will dampen yards and especially yards per attempt.

My best guess is passing and rushing will be determined specifically to the opponent. Who exactly preached "balance" in Minnesota in 2006 or the game against the Jets at home in 2007?

Don't be suprised to see tons of rushing against Indy and an aerial circus against New Orleans.