Gumby

Not sure what you mean by analysis. As an ANALYST I find him pretty good at analyzing the games past and identifying trends which occurred and pointing out little nuances.

As a PROGNOSTICATOR (part of analysis maybe - but I see it more projecting and predicting that analysis into the future as a different task) I would agree he leaves something to be desired.

That said this part made me go ??
I thought cunningham was in on Luck a good bit and another media-analyst reported he was "giving the RT fits all day". So not sure if he is on the money here (except for about TS).

Also would agree the comparing Luck to Rothlisberger is somewhat of a stretch; except that both are "growing up" or "grew up" in an Arians offense. So I think that coaching-similarity/game-design similarity is really the key to getting the same treatment; not any similarity between a rookie and an 8 year pro.

robbomango

When Lloyd was asked what type of production he'd bring to the pats in an interview he said "I get a lot of chunk yardage 10,15, 20 yards at a time"(something to that effect) and also said he's not the type of guy to get a lot of YAC. I can't remember who the interview was with, just his comments.

Seems like he's been true to his word, almost every catch he makes is at least 10 yards or more. I'd like to see more 20-40+ yarders.

The one thing I found unexpected about his performance is that he's dropped easy passes and caught virtually impossible ones...

KontradictioN

He's been open for a few of those 20-40 yarders, but the throw has been off the mark because the chemistry just hasn't fully developed yet.

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CREDIT - Sicilian

PatsWickedPissah

Bedard missed by a mile there. Too often the RBs were hit before the LOS or precisely at the LOS. I fault the guards. However, given that it's our 2nd team, props to Dante and to the players themselves as Brady did not face strong up the middle pressure.

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This is known as "bad luck." RAH

Kenneth Sims

Pressuring the QB works against every type of offense. This is where I agree with those you say the issue is personnel: this Patriots' defense doesn't have the experienced talent needed to be as varied in approach as Belichick would want.

It would be nice if it was, but it isn't. If you want this defense to maximize its effectiveness, it has to continue being aggressive and creative in how it pressures the QB. You can use Brandon Spikes in coverage or you can use him rushing up the middle to hurry the QB. Frankly, regardless of the opposition, the latter is the better way to go.

JJDChE

It wouldn't be a Greg Bedard article if he didn't put a negative spin on something positive.

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Kenneth Sims

One thing I've noticed in the last couple of games is how aggressively the bills and colts defenses attacked the middle of the LOS when Brady was under center and Ridley (especially) was lined up behind him. The Pats spend so much time in their spread offense that when they line up in a base formation it practically screams that a run is coming.

It's a good thing that teams are respecting the Pats running game enough to risk getting beat with play action to try to stop it. But, I wish the Pats did a better job of not tipping off their running plays.

PatsWickedPissah

Loved Bruschi and he was a college pass rusher but time and again he'd rush up the middle and get knocked down. Those times he didn't were memorable big plays though. Given Spikes' Bledsoe like mobility defending the pass, if he's on the field on a passing down the design should be for him to blitz. At the least he'll beat the snot out of an offensive player, wearing him down.

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Throughout history, poverty is the normal condition of man. Advances which permit this norm to be exceeded — here and there, now and then — are the work of an extremely small minority, frequently despised, often condemned, and almost always opposed by all right-thinking people. Whenever this tiny minority is kept from creating, or (as sometimes happens) is driven out of a society, the people then slip back into abject poverty.
This is known as "bad luck." RAH

JMC00

My only thing with that is if the blitzing was the gameplan going in where was it the first two series?

The improvement came after Belichick got the D together and broke out the white board.


I'm just saying wouldn't Bill want the defense that only allowed 200 yards on the seven drives that forced 3 punts*, 2 int, 1 ff and only allowed 3 pts rather than the 164 yards and 2 td allowed on the first two drives.

*I consider the long FG that Vinateri missed at the end of the half a punt.

Deus Irae

The team blitzed the Colts because the Colts have:

1. A QB who gambles on his throws
2. A poor offensive line
3. A poor running game

The coaching staff, which you spend your time bashing, is good enough to understand that and plan accordingly. The coaching staff is also good enough to understand that they can't do that with every team, because they don't have the defensive secondary they'd need to pull it off. They alson blitzed the Rams because the Rams line stinks and Bradford withers under pressure.

When you've got personnel problems, you have to scheme to cover them up or minimize them. Since BB believes that the worst thing you can do is give up a TD in one big play, his approach is going to be that of defending against the big play before anything else, and it's worked to the tune of 5 Super Bowl appearances in 10 years. I don't know why you can't seem to figure that out.

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