Box_O_Rocks

KO: Touchback. Lot's of kids getting a test drive on the coverage team: Slater, Ventrone, Crable, Green-Ellis, Bo Ruud. Vets I saw: Morris, Izzo, Alexander, Jimoh.

1st defensive series.

1st and 10: Pats base 3-4. Bucs run a FB lead up the middle, Vince was doubled, Tedy plugs up the FB and Mayo fills behind Vince, but Ty pursuing the play gets sealed inside by the RT, which allows the RB bouncing off the plug to find a new rush lane. Vrabes pursuing down the line, throws the TE off and turns the RB back inside where Vince fighting back off the double-team trips the RB just before Spann wraps him high to finish the play. 6 yds.

2nd and 4: Pats base 3-4. Bucs run another FB lead at LT. Sey and Vince are driven off the line 3 yds. Woods sets the edge on the FB, turning the play inside where Vince fights through the Center's block to grab the RB's ankles, Ty cleans up. 3 yds.

3rd and 1: Pats base 3-4. Bucs play fake into the line and run an end-around from the slot. I'm not sure who has what call, but someone in the secondary should have been yelling to watch the slot receiver's reverse - Meriweather was deep center field and seemed really slow to react to the reverse. Woods was sealed by a nice block by the FB, he was fooled by the fake inside the same as everyone else, if anything he was the first to read it, but a nice bounce outside by the FB off the play fake set up the seal block. 16 yds.

1st and 10: Pats base 3-4. Bucs run a FB lead behind RG. Sey is doubled on the backside. Vince is moved left by the C. Ty gets tripled by the RT/TE/FB, leaving Bru free to burrow through the pile-up for the tackle. 3 yds.

2nd and 7: Pats base 3-4. Bucs keep 6 in to block 4, Griese fired that pass right on 3-mississippi. The FB ran a 2 yd Out to the flat, picking up 2 yds after the catch. Woods in a zone, made up ground quickly to hold him to a 5 yd gain.

3rd and 3: Pats base 3-4. Bucs WR runs a 4yd stop (or smash route as Sterling motormush calls it) along the sideline for the first. Hobbs was outside zone over the WR and under the slot receiver with Meriweather deep half. Woods was over the slot receiver, walled him outside, jammed him, and set-up in a short zone - looked good. The Bucs kept 5 in to block 3, with a 6th chipping Ty before releasing.

1st and 10: Pats base 3-4. Bucs send 5 into the pattern, Griese hits the LRB on an Out. Mayo makes up ground quickly to limit YAC. I think a case can be made for a hold on Seymour - oh well. 7 yds.

2nd and 3: Pats base 3-4. Bucs run it behind the right side. Ty, Vrabes, and Tedy run a stunt (backed up by Spann) with Ty driving the RT outside to create an edge, Tedy slanting outside to pull the RG outside, and Vrabes filling behind them. He met the RB 2 yds deep in the backfield, but got juked out of his socks. Spann was there to turn the RB back inside at the LOS and make the tackle as the RB fell forward for the 1st. Nice effort by the foursome.

1st and 10: Pats base 3-4. Bucs set up for a FB lead inside, I'm not sure if this was a designed play or a QB/WR read, but the LWR runs a 6 yd stop and Griese turns inside as if to hand-off then turns back and hits him. Hobbs comes up quick and drags him down. Hobbs was 8 yds off the LOS playing soft - Meriweather was almost in the box on that side so my guess is a QB/WR read to take advantage of Hobbs needing to play deep to keep the play in front of him. 8 yds.

2nd and 2: Pats base 3-4. Ty stoned the RT while Bru and Mayo plugged inside forcing the RB to go outside, where Vrabel knocked 81 on his can - the kid's either a small TE or large WR and he stood no chance. Vrabes got the first hit on the RB, but Ty joined him to help spin down the RB. No gain.

3rd and 2: Pats 3-3 Nickel, Woods/Bru out, Alexander/Lynch in. Bucs in shotgun. Griese looks deep and dumps off a low ball to Hilliard just across the line to gain.

1st and 10: Pats base 3-4. Bucs keep 7 in to block 3. RB flares into the flat at the LOS, Vrabes forces him out after 3 yds.

2nd and 7: Pats base 3-4. Pats front 7 was owned by the Bucs, one-on-one blocking gave the RB his lane behind RG (right at Mayo) forcing Meriweather to make the stop at the line to gain. 7 yds.

1st and 10: Pats base 3-4. Bucs run it inside at LG, Vrabes scoots behind the line to make the tackle. 2 yds.

Meriweather limps off with the trainers. Lynch in.

2nd and 8: Pats base 3-4. Bucs kept 6 to block 4. Tedy stunted inside with Vince and pulled three blockers to give Vince a shot at the QB. Dump-off underneath for 5, Vrabes and Spann on the stop.

Lynch out, Dillard in.

3rd and 3: Pats base 3-4. Quick slant to the 1.

1st and goal: Pats in goal line set. Bucs punch it in.

Post Mortem:
- The Bucs Center has a "#75 is my wench" tattoo.
- Spann played well.
- Woods & Meriweather played decently.
- Bryant was challenged once on a 2 yd low and away pitch.
- Hobbs appeared to be the security blanket on the side with Woods, Meriweather, and Mayo.
- Mayo is still reading and slow reacting, but his speed makes a difference - he needs to add strength.

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Deus Irae

A lot of people were complaining about Hobbs, so could you please explain what you mean by this?

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Box_O_Rocks

You mean the suicide watch in the game thread?

Hobbs played at RCB (from the defense's perspective).
Woods played ROLB.
Mayo and Bru switch sides, but Mayo seemed to appear in the picture a lot on passes to the defensive right side.
Meriweather and Spann did not appear to switch off on that drive (that I saw), Meriweather, and later Dillard, showed up on the right side whenever the camera shot wasn't being used to count someone's nose hairs.

Woods, Mayo, and Meriweather were the three "starting" players with the least amount of playing time. Spann doesn't have much either, but he's been in the NE system much longer than Meriweather.

Hobbs did draw some criticism in the game discussion thread. I didn't see much basis for it, and wonder even more how valid the complaints are in light of his "elder" statesman role amongst the youngsters. Most likely he wasn't being asked to compensate for their inexperience...then again, it's been done before.

We now return you to your previously scheduled hysteria, already in progress.

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RayClay

Posters would prefer all cornerbacks to play as tight as possible at the line to prevent those 5 yard passes allowing only touchdowns.

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Box_O_Rocks

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Shockt327

I got some questions for ya...

I though both Bruschi and Vrabel looked good on this play. But what about Spann? After Bruschi met the FB in the hole, Graham tried to turn the corner on Vrabel but was forced back inside...isn't it the job of the safety to clean up on this play? Seems like Spann was too late (about 7 yards too late).

The Pats seemed to be in a coverage with Hobbs 10 yards back on a receiver. On that play is Woods also responsible for defending the passing lane to the WR that Hobbs was covering? Or is he just responsible for the flat?


How often do the Pats use just a 3 man rush in the regular season?

Yeah, another 3 man rush with what seemed like all four DBs playing deep and all four LBs in a zone underneath. Do you think we'll see more of this during the regular season?

Isn't it Dillard's responsibility to guard against that slant? Seems like he didn't react till the ball was already is the WRs hands.

Oh and what did you think of Woods in pass coverage? It looked like they tried to pick on him a little bit.

BradyManny

Bumping this thread before I even read it, it was too far down on the page.

BradyManny

Interesting point.

Just curious, side point - does anyone know why AD wasn't playing last nite?

Anyway, my question would be about ROLB v LOLB - in the Pats system, what is the difference between the two. The strongside of the offense can change, and we see Mayo and Bruschi swap sides when this happens, but we always see Vrabel line up on defensive left and AD - or in last nite's case - Woods, lining up defensive right.

Box_O_Rocks

Griese went to his left a lot on that drive, whether he was picking on one person I can't say. Woods would be the one I'd test, but Mayo also was over there on defense when Woods rushed. The gains to short passes on Vrabel's side seemed about the same, I thought Pierre played decently on that drive, I'll be looking for some of the other analytical minds to weigh in on him.

EDIT: Plan B, AllWorldTE is leaving for a week of Training Camp as his school's practices are starting, we'll have to see if Unoriginal or someone else can answer the coverage questions.

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Box_O_Rocks

Strong side really doesn't apply to the Pats' OLBs, they try to be interchangeable. Adalius was suited up, I saw him on the sideline, probably a minor nick they decided to rest while giving Woods extensive first team work.

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