pats1

2nd and 2 Buf 44

Result: Run, Maroney, left tackle, 0 yds.
Offense: 2 WR, Caldwell wide left, Brown wide right, 2 TE, Watson down off LT, Graham motion right to left wing, Maroney lone RB.
Defense: 4-3, LBs shade defensive right on motion, SS comes up over Graham motion, both CBs press coverage.
Blocking: Graham attacks the SS off the left edge but is turned around
Watson drags the SLB laterally away from the run
Light slides outside with the RDE but gets pushed slightly back
Mankins cuts down the MLB in the second level
Koppen can’t get the angle on the RDT, who beats Koppen outside but is trapped after the Maroney cutback inside
Neal goes for the WLB in the second level
O’Callaghan can’t execute his cut block on the LDT
Caldwell blocks the RCB
Brown blocks the LCB

Analysis: There seems to be a problem in the run blocking with protection against backside defenders. Normally they’re either chipped or left alone, but such a strategy doesn’t appear to be working against the quicker Bills DL. The playside holes are taking too long to develop, and often times the RB is forced to cutback right into the backside defenders. In the case of this play, Light wasn’t able to create a solid corner for Maroney to turn around. He was clearly off-balance with his block, and was forced backwards to take away Maroney’s outside option. The rest of the blocks outside of O’Callaghan’s missed cutblock were executed, but it was the unblocked backside defenders which brought the play to a halt.

3rd and 2 Buf 44

Result: Run, Faulk, left guard, 1 yd.
Offense: Shotgun 3 WR, Childress wide left, Brown right slot, Caldwell wide right, TE Graham down off LT, Faulk RB to right of Brady in shotgun.
Defense: 4-2-5 nickel, NB a few yards off and showing blitz just before snap, both CBs 5 yards off.
Blocking: Graham turns the RDE outside
Light drives the RDT downfield
Mankins seals the LDT inside
Koppen chips the LDT before getting a knock on the MLB
Neal pulls left but can’t kick the penetrating WLB out
O’Callaghan chips the LDE inside before doubling the LDT with Mankins

Analysis: Again, it’s the speedy backside defenders hurting the Pats. This time, the NB came in on a blitz, rounded edge unimpeded, and tripped up Faulk from behind just before the necessary first down yardage was attained. Neal could have had a better pull block to give Faulk more room, something that would have prevented Faulk from slowing down at the line and having the NB catch up from behind.

4th and 1 Buf 43

Result: Timeout, New England – 2 remaining in the second half.
Offense: WR Brown wide right, 3 TE, Thomas down left wing, Watson down off LT, Graham down off RT, Dillon lone RB.
Defense: 4-3, all 3 LBs tight to the line, FS-RCB-SS tight left wing, LCB press coverage.

Analysis: Brady came up the line, didn’t like the defense, and called a timeout. The gaps were clogged by the DTs and LBs.

4th and 1 Buf 43

Result: Sneak, Brady, up the middle, 2 yds.
Offense: WR Brown wide right, 2 TE, Watson down left wing, Graham down off LT, I-form backfield with Evans at FB and Dillon at RB.
Defense: 4-3, all 3 LBs tight to the line, FS-RCB-SS tight left wing, LCB press coverage.
Blocking: Watson was late to stand off the snap
Graham and Light double the RDE
Mankins pushes against the RDT
Koppen dives forward into the MLB
Neal spears straight into the LDT to clear the way for Brady
O’Callaghan drives the LDE off

Analysis: The Pats showed a slightly different look for this play, but the only difference in the defense came in the SLB and WLB taking a step or two back. Neal got plenty of push on the LDT while Koppen dove forward, opening a gap for Brady to lower his shoulders into and push forward for the first down.

GoWesleyan

Don't know if you're taking requests, but I'd love to hear the thoughts of those who analyzed the tapes on specific players, in terms of report card like grades. I liked the rising and falling threads after Pres season games.

Specifically, I'm curious to know what grades people would give:

Seau
Vrabel at ILB
TBC
Wilfork
Caldwell
O’Callaghan (Actually each Olineman)

Did Bam get in the game?

__________________
Felger: Just looking at it on paper...

BB: What difference does it make? What is paper? You're going to put my paper out there against Buffalo's paper?

Box_O_Rocks

We'll see what we can work up for you, hopefully by Saturday as we work through the tape.

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J-E-T-S Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!
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captain stone

From Pats 1, Offensive series #9:

"We need not any more examples of why Evans can't lead block."

My suspicions have been corroborated.

Q: If Garrett Mills is healthy, then why is Heath Evans on the 53?

I say it's now time to add the "smash" to smashmouth football, by adding a true FB, a Mack Strong/Lorenzo Neal/Dan Kreider/Tony Richardson type, to the RB corps. He would serve as a complement to Mills' pass-catching ability, and as a member of STs. I know what Dillon accomplished in '04, but look at what he did in Cinci when he ran behind the aforementioned Neal. A healthy Dillon + Maroney + Mills = a useless and unneeded Evans.

Some available FBs, according to kffl.com, are:
Fred Beasley
Omar Easy
James Hodgins
Robert Holcomb
Nick Luchey
Harold Morrow
Alan Ricard
Jonathan Wells
There may be others on PSs, as well.

Should I start a "FB Appreciation" thread?

__________________
Question Authority.

Box_O_Rocks

You can if you wish. Evans isn't a great lead blocker, but what little I've seen so far, he looks better than last year (okay, that didn't need much, but you know how BB likes people to improve themselves ). He is the other downhill runner behind Dillon, that "bully boy" (to quote Cory) looks like a part of BB's vision for the run game this year the way he used Cory to pound the Bills' D. I'm working on the 8th offensive series and Graham has been the primary lead blocker working from the flanker position. At the moment, Evans running, receiving, and Special Teams seems to rate higher than a true Lorenzo Neal FB for BB's goal.

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J-E-T-S Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!
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dryheat44

A: Because Mills can't block either.

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Lockdown06

If you watched the preseason game vs. AZ, its clear that Mills at least has the potential to be a great blocker - he domnated Adrian Wilson on Dillon's touchdown run.(I'm not saying Mills is fantastic, or even consistently a decent blocker, i'm just saying he has that kind of upside.)

captain stone

Then let's bring in someone who can.

This position, lead FB, should have been filled during the offseason. I would have gone hard after Tony Richardson, who ended up changing teams, anyway.

Maybe when/if Patrick Pass returns, this problem will be somewhat alleviated. Pass is certainly a better lead blocker than Evans.

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Box_O_Rocks

True about Pass, but that dastardly scoundrel Belichick...words fail me sigh.

Edit: Of course, I'm waiting for Jonathan Sullivan to turn up in the backfield...

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pats1

1st and 10 Buf 41

Result: Pass, Caldwell, seam pattern, 24 yds.
Offense: 2 WR, Caldwell wide left, Brown motion wide to slot right, 2 TE, Graham offline off RT, Watson online right wing, Maroney lone RB.
Defense: 4-3, SS comes in box showing blitz, LCB backs off on Brown motion, RCB press coverage.
Blocking: Light chips the RDE inside before standing up the stunting RDT
Mankins sits back in reserve after the RDT stunts
Koppen sits back in reserve
Neal rides the LDT outside
O’Callaghan is driven back and almost beaten inside by the LDE
Coverage: Maroney comes through and turns underneath
Graham does a quick out to the right flat against the zoned SS
Watson does a flag route underneath the LCB in the sky zone
Brown hooks and finds a void between the WLB and SS
Caldwell takes a seam route against the RCB just outside of the FS’s range

Analysis: Great job by the Pats receivers to find the voids in the zone and exploit them. The SS showing blitz meant that the FS was on a midfield island, which also meant the seam would be given to Caldwell as the RCB had to protect the outside. Brady got the pass over the zoned SLB off the left edge, and hit Caldwell’s outstretched hands in-stride. The FS Simpson would converge with the RCB Clements for the tackle, but not in time to disrupt the catch. Watson, Graham, and Brown also stretched the zones of the LCB, SS, and WLB on the opposite side of the field, with all 3 open to some extent as well.

1st and 10 Buf 17

Result: Run, Maroney, right tackle, 4 yds.
Offense: 2 WR, Caldwell wide left, Brown wide right, 2 TE, Graham down off RT, Watson down right wing, Maroney lone RB.
Defense: 4-3, both CBs press coverage.
Blocking: Light rides the RDE outside
Mankins pulls right and chips the LDE
Koppen turns the RDT outside but the RDT breaks free and follows the run
Neal and O’Callaghan drive the LDT off the line
Graham stands up the LDE
Watson seals the SLB inside in the second level
Brown blocks the LCB

Analysis: O’Callaghan and Neal bulldozed open a hole for Maroney off the snap, but it was quickly closed when Koppen could maintain a block on the RDT. Maroney was forced to kick the run outside, where Watson, Graham, and Brown all had good blocks but the two unblocked LBs came over and took him down.

2nd and 6 Buf 13

Result: Draw, Maroney, up the middle, -1 yds.
Offense: 2 WR, Brown wide left, Caldwell wide right, 2 TE, Graham offline off LT, Watson down online left wing, Maroney lone RB.
Defense: 4-3, both CBs 5 yards off.
Blocking: Watson is beaten inside by the SLB in the second level
Graham pulls right, up the middle through the hole
Light rides the RDE outside
Mankins turns the RDT outside
Koppen turns the LDT outside
Neal is faked out by the LDE on the edge
O’Callaghan chips the WLB in the second level before going for the MLB

Analysis: The OL did a great job of letting the Bills DL get upfield, albeit outside penetration, opening a wide hole up the middle for the draw. Unfortunately, Watson was in no position off the snap to make the key lead block on the first penetrating LB. It would be the SLB Crowell, who got a tremendous jump off the snap and beat Watson to the spot. Graham pulled up the middle and was supposed to take care of such a LB, but Graham either ignored or missed the free SLB heading straight for Maroney. Graham would instead try to double the MLB with O’Callaghan, who himself broke off the WLB to add another tackler to the party.

3rd and 7 Buf 14

Result: Pass, Graham, Incomplete, 15 yard fly, pass thrown wide.
Offense: Shotgun 4 WR, Faulk motion RB to wide left, Brown left slot, Graham right slot, Caldwell wide right, TE Watson standing left wing.
Defense: 4-3, SLB tight on Watson, WLB 5 yards off Graham, SS press on Faulk, both CBs press coverage.
Blocking: Watson stands up the RDE
Light sits back in reserve
Mankins slides inside with the RDT
Koppen and Neal double the LDT
O’Callaghan rides the LDE outside
Coverage: Faulk goes against the SS
Brown gets off the jam from the RCB and goes up the seam
Graham turns the WLB around on an endzone route but the throw sails
Caldwell goes along the sideline against the LCB

Analysis: Lots of communication and positioning from Buffalo before the snap after Faulk went in motion. It took the FS a few seconds to get the WLB outside over Graham in the slot. Graham went up the seam and had ideal positioning inside on the overmatched WLB, but Brady’s pass sailed wide and high, off the fingertips Graham in the endzone. The WLB Ellison, a rookie, had his back to the pass while Graham had his body open to the throw. Brady could have made a better throw, and Graham should have caught it.

4th and 7 Buf 14

Result: Field Goal, Gostkowski, 32 yds.

Score: New England 17 – Buffalo 17