Are the Pats too predictable at line of scrimmage?

[Snarf]

Something that kept coming back to me when I watched the horrible game was that whenever Brady pointed to a player at the line of scrimmage, identifying them as a rusher or whatever, that player almost ALWAYS dropped back into coverage.

It's almost like the Jets defense changed their defense based on what Brady was calling at the line and who he was pointing at.

So my question is this... is Brady too transparent at the line of scrimmage? As a defense, if the QB is pointing at you warning that you're about to pass rush, the last thing you should do is pass rush. Therefore, a defense could actually use all that pointing and coverage identifying against you.

Perhaps Brady and the Pats need to rethink what they do at the line of scrimmage to better hide what it is they have identified?

 

[chicowalker]

Re: Is Brady too obvious at the line of scrimmage?

All QBs do that, don't they? They need to make sure everybody knows who they potentially will need to pick up.

The defense can certainly then try to switch things up, but that also increases the chances of a blown assignment on defense.

 

[Hudson Pats Fan]

Re: Is Brady too obvious at the line of scrimmage?

I thought that he was pointing out the Mike?

 

[Snarf]

Re: Is Brady too obvious at the line of scrimmage?

Well yes, QBs signal protections.

But do the Pats perhaps use this information to act in an overly predictable manner that could be exploited by the defense?

Perhaps Rexy watched the tape, saw that the O line acted some specific way if Brady identified something, and then told his D to do something different if Brady set in motion those protections.

May be completely wrong... just a thought. It just seemed to me that whatever Brady was identifying was exactly opposite to what the Jets did. That implies that the Jets somehow knew how the Pats were about to react.

 

[capetide]

Re: Is Brady too obvious at the line of scrimmage?

I thought that he was pointing out the Mike?

Yes. He is just identifying the middle linebacker, like he has always done, and like most all QB's do. He was tipping off anything.

 

[Ring 6]

Something that kept coming back to me when I watched the horrible game was that whenever Brady pointed to a player at the line of scrimmage, identifying them as a rusher or whatever, that player almost ALWAYS dropped back into coverage.

It's almost like the Jets defense changed their defense based on what Brady was calling at the line and who he was pointing at.

So my question is this... is Brady too transparent at the line of scrimmage? As a defense, if the QB is pointing at you warning that you're about to pass rush, the last thing you should do is pass rush. Therefore, a defense could actually use all that pointing and coverage identifying against you.

Perhaps Brady and the Pats need to rethink what they do at the line of scrimmage to better hide what it is they have identified?

Wouldn't understanding why he is pointing be critical to your argument?

 

[Speedy Welker]

There are no true deep threat WR on this team as many people here have argued.... So that mean there are no deep threat for other team to worry about, and that will leave all the pressure at the line of scrimmage..and to prevent Brady from getting sack the short routes needed to be open....If they are covered like what the Jets did....there are nothing Brady can do but get sacked. So that turned the Patriots into a predictable 1 dimensional offense. The plays below say it all.

If you watched the game, this is where they lost the game: 7 minutes and 40 SEC Time of Possession and came away with NOTHING!!!
They did not made a single deep pass what so ever to get a PI perhaps, but just eaten up the clock on the short running & passing game. Whoever don't think the Patriots need a true deep threat WR, they need to go to the doctor and get their eyes check!!

1st-10, NE18 12:55 D. Woodhead rushed to the left for 4 yard gain
2nd-6, NE22 12:20 D. Woodhead rushed to the left for 2 yard gain. D. Woodhead fumbled. L. Mankins recovered fumble

3rd-4, NE27 11:28 T. Brady passed to W. Welker down the middle for 8 yard gain

1st-10, NE35 10:50 T. Brady incomplete pass down the middle
2nd-10, NE35 10:45 D. Woodhead rushed to the left for 4 yard gain
3rd-6, NE39 10:03 T. Brady passed to D. Branch to the left for 8 yard gain
1st-10, NE47 9:28 B. Green-Ellis rushed to the left for 3 yard gain
2nd-7, 50 8:47 D. Woodhead rushed up the middle for 8 yard gain
1st-10, NYJ42 8:23 D. Woodhead rushed to the right for 7 yard gain
2nd-3, NYJ35 7:40 New England committed 5 yard penalty
2nd-8, NYJ40 7:24 T. Brady passed to W. Welker to the left for 9 yard gain
1st-10, NYJ31 6:49 D. Woodhead rushed to the right for no gain
2nd-10, NYJ31 6:09 T. Brady sacked by S. Pouha
3rd-13, NYJ34 5:30 T. Brady incomplete pass to the right
4th-13, NYJ34 5:15 T. Brady incomplete pass to the left

 

[Ring 6]

There are no true deep threat WR on this team as many people here have argued.... So that mean there are no deep threat for other team to worry about, and that will leave all the pressure at the line of scrimmage..and to prevent Brady from getting sack the short routes needed to be open....If they are covered like what the Jets did....there are nothing Brady can do but get sacked. So that turned the Patriots into a predictable 1 dimensional offense. The plays below say it all.

If you watched the game, this is where they lost the game: 7 minutes and 40 SEC Time of Possession and came away with NOTHING!!!
They did not made a single deep pass what so ever to get a PI perhaps, but just eaten up the clock on the short running & passing game. Whoever don't think the Patriots need a true deep threat WR, they need to go to the doctor and get their eyes check!!

1st-10, NE18 12:55 D. Woodhead rushed to the left for 4 yard gain
2nd-6, NE22 12:20 D. Woodhead rushed to the left for 2 yard gain. D. Woodhead fumbled. L. Mankins recovered fumble

3rd-4, NE27 11:28 T. Brady passed to W. Welker down the middle for 8 yard gain

1st-10, NE35 10:50 T. Brady incomplete pass down the middle
2nd-10, NE35 10:45 D. Woodhead rushed to the left for 4 yard gain
3rd-6, NE39 10:03 T. Brady passed to D. Branch to the left for 8 yard gain
1st-10, NE47 9:28 B. Green-Ellis rushed to the left for 3 yard gain
2nd-7, 50 8:47 D. Woodhead rushed up the middle for 8 yard gain
1st-10, NYJ42 8:23 D. Woodhead rushed to the right for 7 yard gain
2nd-3, NYJ35 7:40 New England committed 5 yard penalty
2nd-8, NYJ40 7:24 T. Brady passed to W. Welker to the left for 9 yard gain
1st-10, NYJ31 6:49 D. Woodhead rushed to the right for no gain
2nd-10, NYJ31 6:09 T. Brady sacked by S. Pouha
3rd-13, NYJ34 5:30 T. Brady incomplete pass to the right
4th-13, NYJ34 5:15 T. Brady incomplete pass to the left

So, being the only team to ever score over 30 points in 8 staright games is nothing, and not throwing deep on one drive is proof of why the best offense in the NFL that had a subpar day against a good defense is impotent without a WR who catches 4-5 deep passes in a season?

 

[brady199]

So, being the only team to ever score over 30 points in 8 staright games is nothing, and not throwing deep on one drive is proof of why the best offense in the NFL that had a subpar day against a good defense is impotent without a WR who catches 4-5 deep passes in a season?

Thats what I was gonna say. Just ask the teams that we torched all year if we were to predictable.

Also the GB Packers used to be predictable, they had like 3 diffent running plays, but no one could stop them.

 

[billdog3484]

NO!!! the defense just SUCKS

 

[robbomango]

the offense went from unstoppable enigma to predictable

threads talking about focusing more on the D and changes with the O-line made valid points and some good suggestions.

BB won't look for a high caliber receiver imo. Look what he did to the "Greatest show on turf" Bills a great defensive mind, he doesn't seem comfortable when his team is more loaded on offense. just my perception

 

[patriotscpfc]

There are no true deep threat WR on this team as many people here have argued.... So that mean there are no deep threat for other team to worry about, and that will leave all the pressure at the line of scrimmage..and to prevent Brady from getting sack the short routes needed to be open....If they are covered like what the Jets did....there are nothing Brady can do but get sacked. So that turned the Patriots into a predictable 1 dimensional offense. The plays below say it all.

If you watched the game, this is where they lost the game: 7 minutes and 40 SEC Time of Possession and came away with NOTHING!!!
They did not made a single deep pass what so ever to get a PI perhaps, but just eaten up the clock on the short running & passing game. Whoever don't think the Patriots need a true deep threat WR, they need to go to the doctor and get their eyes check!!

1st-10, NE18 12:55 D. Woodhead rushed to the left for 4 yard gain
2nd-6, NE22 12:20 D. Woodhead rushed to the left for 2 yard gain. D. Woodhead fumbled. L. Mankins recovered fumble

3rd-4, NE27 11:28 T. Brady passed to W. Welker down the middle for 8 yard gain

1st-10, NE35 10:50 T. Brady incomplete pass down the middle
2nd-10, NE35 10:45 D. Woodhead rushed to the left for 4 yard gain
3rd-6, NE39 10:03 T. Brady passed to D. Branch to the left for 8 yard gain
1st-10, NE47 9:28 B. Green-Ellis rushed to the left for 3 yard gain
2nd-7, 50 8:47 D. Woodhead rushed up the middle for 8 yard gain
1st-10, NYJ42 8:23 D. Woodhead rushed to the right for 7 yard gain
2nd-3, NYJ35 7:40 New England committed 5 yard penalty
2nd-8, NYJ40 7:24 T. Brady passed to W. Welker to the left for 9 yard gain
1st-10, NYJ31 6:49 D. Woodhead rushed to the right for no gain
2nd-10, NYJ31 6:09 T. Brady sacked by S. Pouha
3rd-13, NYJ34 5:30 T. Brady incomplete pass to the right
4th-13, NYJ34 5:15 T. Brady incomplete pass to the left

No, the problem was not the pace of the drive, it was the execution of the Running plays by the O-Line and the Backs. The Jets were dropping 8 and rushing 3. These runs should have been getting first downs. Instead, they got 22yds from 5 carries.

The Jets D were very good. That was why we lost the game

 

[NEPats1]

Re: Is Brady too obvious at the line of scrimmage?

Yes. He is just identifying the middle linebacker, like he has always done, and like most all QB's do. He was tipping off anything.

I feel stupid asking but I never understood, how does pointing out the MLB let the O-line know who to block?

What's so special about telling the O-line is who is the MLB? Don't they already know?

 

[patsfan-1982]

i lot of that stuff that Brady and manning do at the line is just BS to make the defense think a lil more

 

[RobertWeathers]

The problem is that their entire offensive philosophy is predicated on Brady as opposed to him being a player in it. Thats not a shot at TB- thats a fact.

From 2007-2010, the team averaged 32 ppg in the regular season. In 5 playoff games they have averaged 19 ppg. Compared to the regular season, they have allowed 8ppg more ppg in the playoffs

From 2001-2006, the team averaged 24 ppg during the regular season. In 15 playoff games, they averaged 25 ppg. Compared to the regular season, those defenses allowed about 1 more ppg in the playoffs.

Difference between the two eras: 2001-2006 incorporated the run more in the regular part of their offense as opposed to 07-10 which only really runs when they have the lead or just down by the goaline. 01-06 was also better on 3rd down D and Red Zone D but that plays into it b/c the team was compelled to put points on the board as they regressed in their ability to stop teams on a regular basis.

So it's the offense needing to score through the air because the defense can no longer stop all styles of offense anymore consistently.

 

[alvinnf]

Re: Is Brady too obvious at the line of scrimmage?

I feel stupid asking but I never understood, how does pointing out the MLB let the O-line know who to block?

What's so special about telling the O-line is who is the MLB? Don't they already know?

He's pointing out the starting point for the protection, not the actual MLB. From play to play, the person he declares to be the Mic can change based on how the defense is aligned. The QB calls out the Mic because from his vantage point it's easy to scan the whole field. The line typically already has their blocking assignments based on the play. Recognizing the Mic is a verification or chance for adjustment based on the defensive alignment.

 

[upstater1]

No, the problem was not the pace of the drive, it was the execution of the Running plays by the O-Line and the Backs. The Jets were dropping 8 and rushing 3. These runs should have been getting first downs. Instead, they got 22yds from 5 carries.

The Jets D were very good. That was why we lost the game

Any time you gain 53 yards on a running drive, you can't say you're failing at running the ball.

As soon as they started passing, the drive stalled.

The point is, the Jets were daring them to run because of the situation in the game. The game was lost prior to that with mistakes.

Manning used this same strategy against the Patriots in the past, he ran the ball down, got a FG or a TD, and there was plenty of time to get the ball back for the Patriots. The big problem was that the Patriots didn't get 3 out of this drive and on the next one they made crucial mistakes (like throwing to Welker for 1 yard and not getting out of bounds on the last play).

 

[IcyPatriot]

Wow ... is Snarf really NEM ...