What is Your Gameplan for Beating the Colts?

[maverick4]

What is your gameplan, on both sides of the ball, to defeat the Colts?

My 2cents:

Defense - We will need to stop Addai with our DL and minimal help, so we can play more nickel and dime packages. Play deep, and force Manning to be patient and take short passes. Once in our red zone, bring on the blitz and hope he can't find a receiver in 2 seconds.

Offense - Go with the Dillon & Maroney & Faulk show. Take advantage of Indy's weak run defense as well as over-aggressive pass rushers through various runs, screens, and draws, and use play-action at the goal line since they'll have to respect it with their pathetic run D.

 

[BelichickFan]

I would try a Nickel on D and see how it goes. Replace TBC with Chad Scott. Vrabel goes back outside. The Front Six would have to try to stop the run. Then I have Scott to take Dallas Clark and I can double both Harrison and Wayne.

Offensively I wold run. A lot. I don't think we will but I would. I have extrme confidence we'd get 180 yards running if we ran 40 times. The passing game is still intermittent.

 

[hwc]

Offense - Go with the Dillon & Maroney & Faulk show. Take advantage of Indy's weak run defense as well as over-aggressive pass rushers through various runs, screens, and draws, and use play-action at the goal line since they'll have to respect it with their pathetic run D.

Nope. Not if the Colts play the overloaded run defense they've played so far in the tournament.

Start the game with a play action fake to Dillon and a deep pass down the middle to a tight end.

Then, spread the field, go hurry up, and throw the ball until you force them out of the eight-man in the box defense. When they adjust, start hitting them with draws and misdirection run plays.

It's stupid to run against eight men in the box when there are only two corners and a lone safety in coverage. Force them into cover 2 early and then go to the run.

 

[bakes781]

Well offensively I would be a lot more creative with my play calling than the previous 2 opponents for Indy were. I would look to pass early, especially on 1st down when they're most likely to expect run. Continue to utilize the screen pass to negate the pass rush of Freeney. If we can get ahead early the running game will take care of itself.

Defensively we do what we've always done & avoid the big play. I know this may sound odd against a Peyton Manning lead offense, but I would put a greater focus on stopping the run. If the Colts are able to play action us later in the game we don't stand a chance. With that said Wilfork & Co. up front should be able to handle that without the help of a safety cheating up.

 

[maverick4]

I would love to see a few early screen passes to start the game, right behind where Dwight Freeney sprinted away from.

 

[PlattsFan]

Defense: go nickel all the time (except when you go dime). Mix up Vrabel's assignments, sometimes he's a ILB with Chad Scott taking over the area outside the hashes, sometimes he's an OLB with Sanders helping Bruschi on the inside. Mix up Scott and Hawkins assignment in the backfield, one as a safety and the other as a third corner, with assignments changing all the time. All to make it hard for Manning to get a good presnap read on the defense. Rush four, get the two on the edge up the field quickly to set edges on Addai. Bump the receivers.

Offense: Spread offense, but run out of that alignment. Force Sanders to move laterally so he needs to focus on more than just run support. Put TEs in motion to help with that. Use Maroney a lot on quick hits off guard out of the spread formation. Isolate the bigs on bigs because our bigs are better than their bigs. Use Gaffney to grind out first downs against the Cover 2.

 

[PatsFaninAZ]

Ultimately, it's hard to gameplan for turnovers, and at the end of the day, I think turnovers will decide the game.

I think it's important for the patriots to find a way to play with the lead, because I thnk the colts are far more susceptible to turnovers when they are playing from behind. They are simply not a team accustomed to punting when they are behind by 4 points, and that may lead to Manning trying force one in there on a difficult third down on his side of the field.

If I could imagine a blueprint of how we win this game, it would be to get up 7-0 or 7-3 and hope for some points defensively that puts us in position to hang on through the 4th quarter by making just enough plays. So I think we need to look at or think about some sort of high flying offensive push at the begining of the game, particularly when the colts are expecting us to try to "estblish" the run (whatever the heck that cliche means).

 

[slam]

On offense, misdirection, misdirection, misdirection. Runs that look like passes, passes that look like runs. Screens. Fake the screen and go deep. Flea Flickers, maybe more than one. An end around. Fake the end around and give it up the middle. And if they aren't paying attention early in the play clock, quick snaps to run it right up their gut like vs. the Jets. Everything designed to take the aggression from the defense that keys on speed. Speed won't matter if they don't know which way to go.

On defense, coach the line to sacrifice the pass rush in order to try to knock down passes at the LOS. Bump Addai whenever possible coming out of the backfield. Play in the nickel all game. Hit the receivers whenever possible.

 

[ELOrocks17]

It seems to me that whenever Manning faces the Pats...he gets that "Deer in the headlights " look. He is afraid of us. All we have to do is exploit that.

 

[maverick4]

Misdirection. Fake the screen and go deep.

I hear what you're saying about misdirection. I agree in spirit, but the above suggestion would get Brady killed!

 

[BelichickFan]

It seems to me that whenever Manning faces the Pats...he gets that "Deer in the headlights " look. He is afraid of us. All we have to do is exploit that.

In the playoffs, yes. Not usually in the regular season. Hop;efully that trend continues . . .

 

[slam]

I hear what you're saying about misdirection. I agree in spirit, but the above suggestion would get Brady killed!

They've run fakes off the little WR screen that they like before, against the Colts even.

 

[nukin]

The way I see it is:


Defense: Shut down the pass. Simple as that. Put enough pressure on manning while covering his high powered offense - and keep them in front of you.

Offense: Run it. Run it all day. Hand it to Maroney and Dillon, pound the inside, outside, screens, draws, play action... etc. Run it straight at em.

When they start to get tired and/or put all their men on the line, go for the long ball.

 

[shirtsleeve]

I would try a Nickel on D and see how it goes. Replace TBC with Chad Scott. Vrabel goes back outside. The Front Six would have to try to stop the run. Then I have Scott to take Dallas Clark and I can double both Harrison and Wayne.

Offensively I wold run. A lot. I don't think we will but I would. I have extrme confidence we'd get 180 yards running if we ran 40 times. The passing game is still intermittent.

I like your D game plan. I would add that both Harrison and Wayne need to get a good chuck off the line. Doubled up, that should disrupt their routes and set Manning up for a long day.

But on O, I would play action and spread offense them out of the box, THEN I would run it on them. If they start creeping back up, I would go back to play action. Quick drops and quick hits behind Freeny and Sanders to the TE's with lots of YAC. There will only be 3 small guys back there to defend it. Like I said in an earlier thread, these would be run from a power formation,2TE set, with Maroney in the backfield. Watch the Dolts cheat up to the line when they see LM in there!

 

[Fogbuster]

Nope. Not if the Colts play the overloaded run defense they've played so far in the tournament.

Start the game with a play action fake to Dillon and a deep pass down the middle to a tight end.

Then, spread the field, go hurry up, and throw the ball until you force them out of the eight-man in the box defense. When they adjust, start hitting them with draws and misdirection run plays.

It's stupid to run against eight men in the box when there are only two corners and a lone safety in coverage. Force them into cover 2 early and then go to the run.

That's what I'm talkin' 'bout. Don't do what the silly Chiefs did, and what (I believe) the Ravens repeated: run into their 8-man box and let them think their run D is all of sudden good. Deal with Booger.

Play-action, screen, short drop scoots out to Graham and (gasp) Watson. Maybe a flair or three to Maroney. Get Jafney and Reche involved early. When they loosen up, pound Corey into their soft underbelly. Traps.

On D, stop Addai and his backfield bud, Rhodes. Lull Peyton into a few Ty Law throws to Assante. P0UND their receivers -- legally, of course -- and mess up their routes. Get after Peyton and make him show his happy feet.


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[SoonerPatriot]

That's what I'm talkin' 'bout. Don't do what the silly Chiefs did, and what (I believe) the Ravens repeated: run into their 8-man box and let them think their run D is all of sudden good. Deal with Booger.

Play-action, screen, short drop scoots out to Graham and (gasp) Watson. Maybe a flair or three to Maroney. Get Jafney and Reche involved early. When they loosen up, pound Corey into their soft underbelly. Traps.

On D, stop Addai and his backfield bud in the. Lull Peyton into a few Ty Law throws into Assante. P0UND their receivers -- legally, of course -- and mess up their routes. Get after Peyton and make him show his happy feet.


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I'm concerned any contract with Indy WRs is going to result in a penalty, whether it's legal or not. Look for the Polian induced hair trigger with the officials this week. I have a bad feeling we're walking into an ambush in regard to the officiating.

 

[Fogbuster]

I'm concerned any contract with Indy WRs is going to result in a penalty, whether it's legal or not. Look for the Polian induced hair trigger with the officials this week. I have a bad feeling we're walking into an ambush in regard to the officiating.

I'm not so worried about that. BB & Co., including the Krafts, have influence, too. Don't make Polian into Superman. He's given his shot at influencing the officials, and I'm sure the Pats have had their say, too, even we didn't hear about it. BB doesn't allow these kinds of things to go untreated. If you're still in doubt, write your own letter to the League and tell them you are concerned about the Colts getting special treatment, that the integrity of the game is more important than any one player or team, including the Colts and Pay-a-ton.


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[mosi]

Long drives against them. Score touchdowns. Put pressure on Manning and limit them to field goals.

Win the turnover battle by +2.

 

[shirtsleeve]

And to stop the wise-a##es, on offense score more points than their offense. On defense, allow less points than their defense.

 

[arrellbee]

What is your gameplan, on both sides of the ball, to defeat the Colts?

My 2cents:

Defense - We will need to stop Addai with our DL and minimal help, so we can play more nickel and dime packages. Play deep, and force Manning to be patient and take short passes. Once in our red zone, bring on the blitz and hope he can't find a receiver in 2 seconds.

Offense - Go with the Dillon & Maroney & Faulk show. Take advantage of Indy's weak run defense as well as over-aggressive pass rushers through various runs, screens, and draws, and use play-action at the goal line since they'll have to respect it with their pathetic run D.

I think you have a pretty good basic plan. However, I think you need to set up the run and keep it set up as hwc says:

Nope. Not if the Colts play the overloaded run defense they've played so far in the tournament.

Start the game with a play action fake to Dillon and a deep pass down the middle to a tight end.

Then, spread the field, go hurry up, and throw the ball until you force them out of the eight-man in the box defense. When they adjust, start hitting them with draws and misdirection run plays.

It's stupid to run against eight men in the box when there are only two corners and a lone safety in coverage. Force them into cover 2 early and then go to the run.

hwc, bakes781, maverick4
Freeney has been PROVEN to not be a threat against the Patriots. In their last playoff game, Matt Light handled Freeney one-on-one the WHOLE game and neutralized him COMPLETELY. Ironically, there were only two plays where they double teamed Freeney and he got a sack and a pressure - go figure.

This leaves a TE on Freeney's side free to run a route if they use the 2 TE set. They may well use Graham to double team block Mathis. This frees up the 3 interior OL to block the 2 Colts DTs and run block into the LB area.

You really don't run screens to Freeney's side. He is much better at reading screens and using his quickness to get involved. On run plays, he is non-existent - so look for a lot of runs over Freeney's end of the DL.