Two-back sets excel in red zone - New England Patriots Forums

***jmt57*** · 01-04-2010, 08:49 PM

Two-back sets excel in red zone by Mike Reiss for espn boston

Quote:

ANALYSIS: The Patriots were balanced in the first half, with 15 snaps out of the 3WR/1 TE/1 RB package and 13 out of the 2 WR/2 TE/1 RB package. But things shifted in the second half when 22 of the 27 snaps were in the 3 WR/1 TE/1 RB package. Part of that was because of the final two-minute drive (8 snaps). … One bright spot was the 1 WR/2 TE/1 FB/1 RB package on the goal-line. Fred Taylor scored twice out of that grouping as the Patriots’ red-zone offense continues to improve.

If it's working in the red zone, maybe the Pats should use it more on the rest of the field in short-yardage situations - especially now that Welker is unavailable.

On a side note, it is nice to see the offense settling for field goals less often when in the red zone.

Also, the Pats did not use an empty backfield at all against Houston, and used a 4-wide set only once.