The homestretch: What adjustments would you make for December/playoffs

[maverick4]

We're entering the last 5 games, where we find out what kind of team we'll have for the season. What adjustments would you make, playing armchair coach?

I'll start:

1. Stop using shot-gun so damn much. Why are we passing out of shot gun for 75% of our passes. We should be running almost all plays from under center, keeping defenses honest, forcing DE's and CB's to respect the run, unless it's in a blatantly obvious passing situation.

2. Utilize tight ends more in the passing game, especially in the red zone. Start using tight ends in red zone packages off of play action. Use the middle of the field more with Baker and Watson. Everyone knows that Welker is pretty much the only guy Brady looks at right now over the middle.

3. Stop using Welker so damn much. For two reasons. First, he's being over-used so much that he'll be cheese by January. Second, teams know exactly how he's being used now since we don't deviate. This past game he had 6 catches for 30 yards - teams know where he'll be and is getting stuffed the moment he touches the ball.

4. On defense at least PRETEND to blitz. Have a bunch of guys line up close to scrimmage more often so the O-line and QB have a hard time figuring out who to block. Almost every play we have corners and linebackers playing off the line, making it easy to set blocking schemes and leaving now chance of confusion for the QB.

 

[wilfork is beastin']

Re: The Homestretch. What Adjustments Would You Make for December/Playoffs

1. Get the tight-ends more involved.
2. Don't abandon the run when it's working
3. Don't go to the shotgun formation or call a long-bomb play in short yardage situation
4. Stop putting the pass rushers in coverage so much

 

[mcmurtry86]

Re: The Homestretch. What Adjustments Would You Make for December/Playoffs

1. Be less predictable on both side
2. Find some way to get to the QB
3. Put Chris Baker's face on a milk carton....where the hell has he been?

Those are the ones that maybe they can fix this year. They are in desperate need of a #2 WR to play opposite Moss to take the pressure off Welker. Their O-Line has been a constant problem, the usual guys can't stay healthy and/or Kaczur is a waste of flesh. No pass-rush exposes the inexperienced DB's against good QBs.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Re: The Homestretch. What Adjustments Would You Make for December/Playoffs

Run the ball from time to time.

 

[HEY BRO! WHAT UP?]

Re: The Homestretch. What Adjustments Would You Make for December/Playoffs

Maverick, I couldn't agree more with all your points. Here are some of my adjustments.

1. Enough with the shotgun. Not only is it predictable but it's putting your O-line on an island way too much. If you want the base of your offense to be run out of the shotgun the Pats need to value the O-line a little bit more. I still like the drafting of Vollmer, but Oher should have been picked with their first round pick as well.

2. Play calling is still atrocious on offense! Whether they win or lose, I can't stand their play selection. They run when they should throw and they throw when they should run. A perfect example is tonight's game plan. The Saints dared the Pats to run as they had a 3 down line and dropped 8 almost the entire night. I'm also tired of seeing the Pats throw on 3rd and short. I'm tired of them abandoning the run when their RB's are doing fairly well. And the Pats throw way too much when they enter the opponents 10 yard line.

3. They need to take better care of the football. The Pats had the momentum early in the game but Brady threw a careless pass which was intercepted by a guy who just signed with the Saints this week.

4. Defensively, they're a lost cause. They don't have a pass rush, their front seven can't stop the run and their secondary can't cover elite receivers.

In the end, it really doesn't matter what we think because the Pats will continue to do the same thing over and over again until they're on vacation in January.

 

[neuronet]

Re: The Homestretch. What Adjustments Would You Make for December/Playoffs

1. Someone on the Patriots defense should touch the opponent's quarterback every now and then.
2. The offensive line should stop the pass rush every so often, especially when the opponent is only sending in three guys.
3. Our secondary might try to cover receivers.

Take care of the above three, and we will win the Super Bowl. Don't take care of them, and we will be lucky to make it to the playoffs.

 

[maverick4]

Re: The Homestretch. What Adjustments Would You Make for December/Playoffs

I'm including Mike Reiss' analysis of the game below. Reading this, for me the key cause is not personnel or throwing the O-line under the bus, it's the scheme and play calling. Moss and Welker were blanketed because teams scout us and know EXACTLY how we use these guys every single week, and stuff them. Welker caught 6 balls for only 30 yards, enough said - the D knows where we are using Welker. The way our offense got stuffed, and the lame blame on the O-line, is way too similar to how our predictable 07 offense got stopped in the Superbowl.



First-half analysis - Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston

Brady struggled to consistently find his rhythm, affected by the Saints’ pressure as the protection has broken down too often. The combination of the Saints’ tight coverage on Randy Moss and Welker helped the Saints win more snaps. Moss was held without a catch until 49 seconds remained in the half and appeared frustrated at times.

The Patriots’ pass-catchers aren’t getting separation, forcing Brady to work the ball into tight spots.

 

[mcmurtry86]

Re: The Homestretch. What Adjustments Would You Make for December/Playoffs

Run the ball from time to time.

Did you miss the 1st quarter of the game? The problem was that they gave up on the run once they realized their defense couldn't stop a pee-wee team.

 

[The Dynasty]

Re: The Homestretch. What Adjustments Would You Make for December/Playoffs

1. Someone on the Patriots defense should touch the opponent's quarterback every now and then.
2. The offensive line should stop the pass rush every so often, especially when the opponent is only sending in three guys.
3. Our secondary might try to cover receivers.

Take care of the above three, and we will win the Super Bowl. Don't take care of them, and we will be lucky to make it to the playoffs.

1. I agree with, we need to get pressure on the opposing teams QB

2. Our OL play particuarly defending the pass rush has been very good all season with the exception of week 2 and this week. Last week we were praising our OL play

3. Again our secondary has been very good all year long for the most part besides today. You have to rememeber how young we are.

Bottom line, this team will be in the playoffs and how far we go depends on how well we correct our issues on both sides of the ball.

 

[MrNathanDrake]

Re: The Homestretch. What Adjustments Would You Make for December/Playoffs

Replace Wilhite with Wheatley. Who knows, he might be able to break up a pass

 

[mcmurtry86]

Re: The Homestretch. What Adjustments Would You Make for December/Playoffs

2. Our OL play particuarly defending the pass rush has been very good all season with the exception of week 2 and this week. Last week we were praising our OL play

Well except when Mathis was abusing Kaczur at the end of the Colts game leading to the Pats 2nd half collapse

3. Again our secondary has been very good all year long for the most part besides today. You have to rememeber how young we are.

It's been a lot better than it was tonight, but it was hardly "very good" or even "good" vs. Denver or the 2nd half vs. Indy and they haven't played a strong passing team outside of those 3 games. The secondary isn't bad, but I don't think it can hang with a good or great offense. Unfortunately to hoist the Lombardi the Pats will most likely need to beat Indy and either New Orleans or Minnesota. All 3 teams are capable of shredding the Pats secondary and 2 of them have already shown they can score at will against New England.

 

[The Dynasty]

Re: The Homestretch. What Adjustments Would You Make for December/Playoffs

Well except when Mathis was abusing Kaczur at the end of the Colts game leading to the Pats 2nd half collapse



It's been a lot better than it was tonight, but it was hardly "very good" or even "good" vs. Denver or the 2nd half vs. Indy and they haven't played a strong passing team outside of those 3 games. The secondary isn't bad, but I don't think it can hang with a good or great offense. Unfortunately to hoist the Lombardi the Pats will most likely need to beat Indy and either New Orleans or Minnesota. All 3 teams are capable of shredding the Pats secondary and 2 of them have already shown they can score at will against New England.

The overall OL play in the Colts game was very good. Brady had plenty of time to find his WR's and didnt have to worry about moving around in the pocket.

The secondary did hang with a good/great offense just a few weeks ago vs the Colts. For 3 quarters they kept a dominant offensive in check. They showed that they are capable in stopping a powerful offense they just need to play a full game.

 

[Brady_12]

Re: The Homestretch. What Adjustments Would You Make for December/Playoffs

For 3 quarters they kept a dominant offensive in check. They showed that they are capable in stopping a powerful offense they just need to play a full game.

I would have settled for 3 qrtrs tonight. We might have had a shot.

 

[The Dynasty]

Re: The Homestretch. What Adjustments Would You Make for December/Playoffs

I would have settled for 3 qrtrs tonight. We might have had a shot.

Yeah, so would I. No one on the Pats came to play tonight, no one.

 

[patsfan-1982]

Re: The Homestretch. What Adjustments Would You Make for December/Playoffs

on O they need to get the ball to moss at the start of the game and not a 60 yerd bomb but how about a screen to him

and stop throwing so many deep ball's when guy's are coverd brady keep's forceing the ball to much its only geting them INT's and lots of 3 and out's

they need to use the TE's more and the WR's not named moss and welker need to see the ball because good team's will find a way to stop welker and moss like the saints did tonight

and when maroney is haveing a good game keep giveing him the ball

on D will they need to stop puting AD to cover TE's and use him only as a pass rusher and ever down put him at OLB or DE and let him do just one thing get to the QB

they have DB's that can cover a TE.... AD is the only passrusher they have with some speed let him use it

the D line i think they need to play the 4-3 more cause they are geting blown off the ball

and where has mayo been its he's job to stuff all dose wide open hole's that the saints RB's where running through

but there is not much they can do on D not much talent on that side of the ball i think the vrabel and seymour trade is realy hurting them a lot

seymour was there best run stoper and best passrusher

and vrabel was not the same player he was but i still think he is better then burgess

 

[goldspeed101]

Re: The Homestretch. What Adjustments Would You Make for December/Playoffs

Yeah, so would I. No one on the Pats came to play tonight, no one.

Maybe they just chalked this one up and were already looking towards next week

 

[patsfan-1982]

Re: The Homestretch. What Adjustments Would You Make for December/Playoffs

Maybe they just chalked this one up and were already looking towards next week

why whould you chalk up a win AT a 10-0 team to look at the 5-6 fish ?

they just got beat by a better team the pats are not a top team any more and the saints are thats it

 

[patsinthesnow]

Re: The Homestretch. What Adjustments Would You Make for December/Playoffs

Thats what happens when you pass on Barwin, Cushing, and Matthews.

Truth hurts, Bill

 

[farn]

Re: The Homestretch. What Adjustments Would You Make for December/Playoffs

Keep doing similar things. The shotgun has served us well - scoring has rarely been a problem. It didn't go well on Monday night, but it'll be back.

Owners fire coaches. But, in the end, players lose games. Players lost this one. They didn't play well. In some cases, they aren't as good as we thought.

Sure, coach Gruden talked about scheming a lot... but NO had the personnel to do what thye wanted.

I would say, let's get to the playoffs and see what happens. If it is nothing, then they are who we thought they were (thanks Green).

 

[convertedpatsfan]

Re: The Homestretch. What Adjustments Would You Make for December/Playoffs

I agree that the shotgun is overused. I know Brady is more comfortable out of it, but it's one thing to use it, it's another to rely on it. I'd like to see more balance with the packages, though I wouldn't go so far as to say almost all plays should be run from under center.

The OL was awful last night. Part of it was Light coming back, part of it was Kaczur sucking, but they were allowing consistent pressure on 3-man rushes. I even saw the back chip a few times with only 3 rushers and still they got near Brady. I like the idea of Vollmer replacing Kaczur, or Vollmer taking the LT spot and moving Light over to RT.

Offensive play-calling, I don't have a problem with the individual play-calls. But as Payton showed us last night, when you have a talented OC, you use plays to not only gain yards, but set up plays down the line. Throw the screen one way, then later on in the game, fake it, and throw it down the field. I haven't seen too many efforts from the Pats offense to take advantage of a defense based on previous plays. Like one person wrote last night, we're playing checkers, they're playing chess.

Wilhite needs to sit. Not much more to say about that.

And as for the defense, I understand the bend-but-don't-break philosophy, but it's not working. The red zone defense is atrocious. There's no pass rush, so 3rd downs are easily converted. And last night they started giving up the huge play as well. So basically, the things it should stop, it isn't stopping. So I think there are a lot of things we can talk about defensively, but the bottom line is I think pretty much any suggestion would be an improvement right now.