What do Pats do if NYG use a 3-8 defense?

[Keyser Söze]

screw em, we'll run a 2-9.

 

[Patspsycho]

I have to say that Chris Canty is a weapon for the Giants, even against the run. In the regular season game, 1st quarter, 5:59 to go, 3rd and 1, the Giants are clearly anticipating a run up the middle. Even though the Pats have spread their receivers out, the Giants have 6 in the box, and appear to have the D-line shaded toward the interior.

At the snap, Canty lunges into the backfield so fast he could have taken the handoff from Brady. That blows up the play. Woodhead runs for a loss of 2.

The analyst Aikman seemed to point the finger at Gronk, who had motioned across and had responsibility for interior blocking. It actually appeared that the ball was snapped before Gronk was set, so he had his weight shifted to his outside foot. He had no chance to react and block Canty.

It seems like the difference in this play would have been delaying the snap by half a second to let Gronk get set. I hope this type of timing error can be corrected by the Super Bowl.

That was an idiotic choice as far as the play call, it was the same play as the previous one. The Giants formation was so compressed and all the backers walked up to the line; it was pretty obvious what they were going to do, and that they knew exactly what was coming.

EDIT: BTW it wasn't Canty who blew up the play since he went past Woodhead and at Brady's feet, it was Deon Grant who was in man to man on Gronk and shaded him strongside and came in for the unchecked stop.

 

[Ring 6]

How do we take advantage of it? Move the two TE into the line and run, run, run from the no huddle, just beat them into having to call a time out in order to get different players on the field?

What are the options?

Do you mean after they stop laughing at them?

 

[Ring 6]

I have to say that Chris Canty is a weapon for the Giants, even against the run. In the regular season game, 1st quarter, 5:59 to go, 3rd and 1, the Giants are clearly anticipating a run up the middle. Even though the Pats have spread their receivers out, the Giants have 6 in the box, and appear to have the D-line shaded toward the interior.

At the snap, Canty lunges into the backfield so fast he could have taken the handoff from Brady. That blows up the play. Woodhead runs for a loss of 2.

The analyst Aikman seemed to point the finger at Gronk, who had motioned across and had responsibility for interior blocking. It actually appeared that the ball was snapped before Gronk was set, so he had his weight shifted to his outside foot. He had no chance to react and block Canty.

It seems like the difference in this play would have been delaying the snap by half a second to let Gronk get set. I hope this type of timing error can be corrected by the Super Bowl.

Not sure how making one play because no one blocked him convinces me a player is a big threat.

 

[NEP4Life]

EDIT: BTW it wasn't Canty who blew up the play since he went past Woodhead and at Brady's feet, it was Deon Grant who was in man to man on Gronk and shaded him strongside and came in for the unchecked stop.

Looking at it further, Light also stepped on Mankins' foot and tripped, falling to one knee. Mankins engages Kiwanuka and Kiwanuka sheds him and helps make the play. Connolly at C slips toward the other backer #59 Boley. With the C and G slipping to the backers directly, this was an interior run.

At the snap there are really 3 Pats blockers playside and 4 Giants defenders, so the numbers just don't seem to add up.

When the Pats ran an outside run on the previous snap, they had two tight ends playside (Gronk after motioning, and Solder), and they blocked down toward the play, clearly going for the outside.

I'm interested in examining the running plays from the regular season, because a growing hypothesis on the board seems to be that the Pats Oline and tight ends can outmuscle the Giants' front and have success running the ball.

Added: Another Pats run occurred 1st and 10, 12:50 remaning in the 1st. This was clearly an attempt to run the ball down the Giants' throat -- 3 TE , I formation. The Giants had 8 in the box, 10 including the DB's squatting 1 yard outside. The Pats give to Benny and he gets stuffed, with Kiwanuka slipping in almost unblocked to make the tackle.

 

[Patspsycho]

Looking at it further, Light also stepped on Mankins' foot and tripped, falling to one knee. Mankins engages Kiwanuka and Kiwanuka sheds him and helps make the play. Connolly at C slips toward the other backer #59 Boley. With the C and G slipping to the backers directly, this was an interior run.

At the snap there are really 3 Pats blockers playside and 4 Giants defenders, so the numbers just don't seem to add up.

When the Pats ran an outside run on the previous snap, they had two tight ends playside (Gronk after motioning, and Solder), and they blocked down toward the play, clearly going for the outside.

I'm interested in examining the running plays from the regular season, because a growing hypothesis on the board seems to be that the Pats Oline and tight ends can outmuscle the Giants' front and have success running the ball.

Added: Another Pats run occurred 1st and 10, 12:50 remaning in the 1st. This was clearly an attempt to run the ball down the Giants' throat -- 3 TE , I formation. The Giants had 8 in the box, 10 including the DB's squatting 1 yard outside. The Pats give to Benny and he gets stuffed, with Kiwanuka slipping in almost unblocked to make the tackle.

Well the encouraging thing I see is that we converted all our short yardage situations when we had to, and remember this is without Polite as FB.

That particular run you're talking about is puzzling; you just don't see the tank personnel on the field in a 1st and 10 situation which makes me think they wanted to test that particular play out. It failed because Vollmer didn't seal the backside crashing will (Kiwanuka).

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

Cry.....but then run

 

[makoute]

We all know the Pats should run the ball on the Giants, but will they actually do it? And if they start to do it, will they actually stick with it (especially when it is working!)

 

[guardplay320]

Gore is a damn fine footballer.

I do think the Patriots are going to run it lots though.

Not to mention that the stat is wrong. The 49ers as a team ran for 150. Gore for 74, Alex Smith for 42, Hunter for 31 and Dixon for 3.

As for them being undersized, that is not true on rushing downs. Joseph and Canty are big bodies and do a decent job of clogging up the middle on those downs. The key against the Giants is to keep them guessing in terms of pass and run, and getting into favorable 2nd and 3rd down situations. The Giants can't have Osi, Tuck and JPP all on the field all the time. That lineup is reserved mainly for passing downs. Avoid 3rd and long and you're a step ahead against the Giants. If I were the Pats, I'd use a heavy dose of run (especially on the edges), play action and screens.

 

[serifyn]

The Patriots are playing with house money thanks to Sterling Moore, they can run the ball all they want.