mgteich

If anyone should ever doubt that we are a passing team, note that we didn't even have a running back on the field for 27 of the 66 offensive reps.

Brady still ran out that formation, handing off to our h-back Hernandez. Hernandez looked good, until he was injured. It seems dangerous to use our #3 receiver as a running back, when the need is not there.

This was NOT done out of necessity. We had FOUR healthy running backs in the game: Green-Ellis, Woodhead, Ridley and Faulk.

AndyJohnson

It is a game plan facet.
With no RB on the field you have 5 dangerous recievers. With Hernandez in the backfield, especially when we start empty then move him in, no one would ever expect a run. It clearly worked. Of course it has a limited use now that its been shown.
Interestingly we had no RB on 27 of 66 plays, yet we passed only 34 times.

RelocatedPatFan

It should be fun for defensive coordinators to game plan for the Patriots offense. as if it wasn't bad enough with the 2 TE set, they can basically morph into any formation to cause a mismatch.

The only real chance a team has is to cause pressure using just 4 guys and our Oline seems to be up to the task.

__________________
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MaineMan

Seems to me that BB has been trying to fill/implement that "H-back" role for a few years, for the extra measure of complexity it presents for defenses, but had simply not been able to find the right guy. As late as last spring, I thought he might have given up on that quest and could draft a true FB again (someone like Charles Clay).

But now . . .

All BB/BoB/McD really have to do is line up Brady under center with Ahern and an RB behind with Gronk, Welker and Branch (or Ocho, or Edelman, or whoever) on the line and, well, what is the defense going to cover? Suddenly, almost everything effectively becomes a "trick play".

mgteich

FIVE dangerous receivers? Julian Edelman? Are you related to him? to his agent? Edlelman had 27 reps at WR.

I agree that this would be a great formation with 5 dangerous receivers. This formation is the argument for the importance of the #3 wide receiver (beyond injury protection).

AndyJohnson

As opposed to splitting out a RB?
Edelman has skills. They are limited to certain parts of WR play, but there is no doubt you must treat him as a legitimate WR who can run some routes very well.

AndyJohnson

There is a bit of difference between someone who is covered as a WR (the very minimum for playing the position) and someone who is a DANGEROUS receiver.

I do not question have a TE as Brady's protector instead of a RB.

We paid $6M this year to have a DANGEROUS #3 receiver, even though we had Welker and Branch. Personally, I think that we will try again next year, both in the draft and in free agency. Do you disagree?

Do you really think that anyone thinks that Edelman is a DANGEROUS receiver?

Do you think they don't cover Edelman like a WR?

mgteich

If Brady line up under center, any pass is a trick play. We almost always run from that formation.

AndyJohnson

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ay-yo

Of course what hasn't been shown is the PA fake to Hernandez out of the same formation. I'm really hoping we run that next week.

Gotta say great coaching by successfully saving a formation until the playoffs. The QB bootleg by Alex Smith against the Saints was also a great example of coaching and execution.