4th Quarter Defense - Colts vs. Patriots

[bunzoburns]

The reason the Colts have had recent success against the Patriots is because their D shows up in the 4th quarter while the Pats D seems to turtle with blown coverage and untimely penalties. It's amazing how the Colts defense looks like a JV team for three quarters and then they are able to buckle down for key defensive plays to win the game. Once the 4th quarter comes along, the Colts pass rushers make plays and their DB’s are in tight coverage (no matter if they are rookies). The Pats pass rush is invisible and their DB’s are either 5 yards off the receiver or committing a penalty. During the Superbowl years, I had supreme confidence in the Pats D, now I cringe when the opponent has the ball on the final drive. I do not care about the 4th down call, the outcome of the game never should have come to that…we need a closer damnit!!!

 

[chrisfx811]

Colts have high motor pass rushers, we do not. Our playcalling did not take advantage of their, sometimes, over-pursuit.

 

[BionicPatriot]

Colts have high motor pass rushers, we do not. Our playcalling did not take advantage of their, sometimes, over-pursuit.

Yup. Pass rush wins in the NFL. We need to upgrade pronto.

 

[chris66]

The real reason the colts have won the past few is because the Pats no longer have that back that can kill the clock. Maroney is not the answer. pats also need serious help on the right side. Neil is done and Kazur just sucks.

Bottom line is Maroney doesnt fumble in the endzone then none of this matters.

 

[satz]

The real reason the colts have won the past few is because the Pats no longer have that back that can kill the clock. Maroney is not the answer. pats also need serious help on the right side. Neil is done and Kazur just sucks.

Bottom line is Maroney doesnt fumble in the endzone then none of this matters.

I do not know how you come up with such statments but football focus watches every snap and grade players .neal according to them is the best gaurd in 09. No idea how you claim he sucks.

can you prove it.

 

[edboc]

According to Reiss the Defense is still near the bottom of the league in Red Zone Defense:
New England Patriots Blog - Patriots by the numbers in key categories - ESPN Boston

Red zone defense(based on TD percentage)
28th (13 of 20, 65 percent)
Last week: Tied-25th (10 of 17, 58.8 percent)

 

[Kontradiction]

The real reason the colts have won the past few is because the Pats no longer have that back that can kill the clock. Maroney is not the answer. pats also need serious help on the right side. Neil is done and Kazur just sucks.

Bottom line is Maroney doesnt fumble in the endzone then none of this matters.

Wow. I've heard some stupid statements in the past couple of days but this has to take the cake. I agree that Kaczur sucks, but Neal is one of the better (if not one of the best) guards in the NFL today. Have you forgotton what happened in the Super Bowl after he broke his leg?

Anyway, I don't believe for a second that this defense was gassed or that they blew coverages. Actually, I think the coverage was good. What killed this defense is that either Dean Pees or Belichick (probably the former, considering the latter's history) scaled the defense back into almost a prevent defense about midway through the third quarter. In the first half, we called more attacking schemes that saw pressure come up the middle and from the outsides at times and one could tell that it was confusing Manning (he looked like he was about to **** his pants when Mayo came up the middle unblocked). It didn't shut Manning down, nothing can do that. But it sure as hell SLOWED their offense down while our offense was taking shots at every level of the field. For some reason, and it might have been the injuries to both TBC and Ninkovich, we got away from attacking on both sides of the ball. On offense, we called predictable, clock killing plays which the Colts defense adjusted to. On defense, we sat back in coverage in what looked to me like a prevent defense of sorts. You cannot do that against Manning. He will pick that apart every single time... and he did.

I hope that if we play them again, we disguise our schemes and blitz packages as well as we did in the first half, because that's what ultimately had us up by ten at halftime.

 

[mystrymaster]

Wow. I've heard some stupid statements in the past couple of days but this has to take the cake. I agree that Kaczur sucks, but Neal is one of the better (if not one of the best) guards in the NFL today. Have you forgotton what happened in the Super Bowl after he broke his leg?

Anyway, I don't believe for a second that this defense was gassed or that they blew coverages. Actually, I think the coverage was good. What killed this defense is that either Dean Pees or Belichick (probably the former, considering the latter's history) scaled the defense back into almost a prevent defense about midway through the third quarter. In the first half, we called more attacking schemes that saw pressure come up the middle and from the outsides at times and one could tell that it was confusing Manning (he looked like he was about to **** his pants when Mayo came up the middle unblocked). It didn't shut Manning down, nothing can do that. But it sure as hell SLOWED their offense down while our offense was taking shots at every level of the field. For some reason, and it might have been the injuries to both TBC and Ninkovich, we got away from attacking on both sides of the ball. On offense, we called predictable, clock killing plays which the Colts defense adjusted to. On defense, we sat back in coverage in what looked to me like a prevent defense of sorts. You cannot do that against Manning. He will pick that apart every single time... and he did.

I hope that if we play them again, we disguise our schemes and blitz packages as well as we did in the first half, because that's what ultimately had us up by ten at halftime.

That is what I saw as well, I saw the gas pedal get lifted on both sides of the ball by the Pats. Granted the Colts still had to execute but you could tell that they were trying not to lose instead of trying to win.

I hate the safe defense at the end of the game, The Colts do it as well and we gave up 14 to Seattle in that game that they didn't deserve.

Granted you don't want to take huge risks but there is a huge difference between prevent and gamble.

 

[Xplicit]

A little off topic, but I LOVE CHUNG.:singing:

His block on that punt return was AWESOME

 

[alvinnf]

That is what I saw as well, I saw the gas pedal get lifted on both sides of the ball by the Pats. Granted the Colts still had to execute but you could tell that they were trying not to lose instead of trying to win.

I hate the safe defense at the end of the game, The Colts do it as well and we gave up 14 to Seattle in that game that they didn't deserve.

Granted you don't want to take huge risks but there is a huge difference between prevent and gamble.

You are completely right, they started playing soft at the end of the first half. Another thing that happens is, once Manning stars getting hot, corners start playing off and backing up. Once he gets rolling you have got to press those recievers. You cant slow him down letting him play pitch and catch.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

This is actually a strategy the Colts have been persuing since 2006. I call it the conserve your energy defense. It relies on Manning and the offense being able to keep scores close or mount stunning comebacks in the 4th quarter. It's worked well for them in the regular season, not so well in the postseason. It's not like they've won multiple SB's with it, although they did manage to use it as an overall strategy to get past us in '06 which left them with a cakewalk opponent in the only SB they've won vs the offensively challenged Rex Grossman led Bears...

I still wouldn't trade the three rings and four appearances for one in 2006. We always played bend but don't break defense. The issue is over time it's found it difficult not to break. That has frustrated fans as well as players and coaches. There are two ways to go now. Fix/rebuild the part that breaks or abandon the prevent and let the chips fall where they may. Bill may do that later on if he's comfortable that this defense is up to the challenge. He won't do it prematurely though no matter how much regular season wins and seeding matter to fans. He's got something most fans lack, the courage of his convictions. He won't win with those every season, but then who else does with any approach...

 

[mystrymaster]

You are completely right, they started playing soft at the end of the first half. Another thing that happens is, once Manning stars getting hot, corners start playing off and backing up. Once he gets rolling you have got to press those recievers. You cant slow him down letting him play pitch and catch.

So true, you watch secondaries do the complete wrong thing against Peyton all the time, He starts beating them for 15-20 yard chunks and they back off THat just let's the timing become even more perfect.

Ty Law best ever against manning.