More schefter analysis

[PatsDeb]

now schelerth says ..no one i mean no one can block dwight freeney one on one for 40 plays

Correct me if I'm wrong, but hasn't Freeney had a terrible year? Everyone has figured out his little spin move and up until recently, I believe he had few or no sacks this year. We've also played Indy in Indy previously and put up some serious points, but I guess that counts for nothing since it doesn't fit with the story line.

 

[Krugman]

Freeney is hard to block in some situations,thats true,but BB will be awre of that ,and try to neutralize it.If it does work and we win,several "experts"will be saying things like"never seen that before" or "no one thought of that",and that is why they are reporters and Bb is the best coach in the game at this time.
Also they will then tell you why the Bears/Saints will beat the Pats in the SB....

 

[Jacky Roberts]

said on nfl network that freeney and mathis indoors on that turf will be more dangerous than phillips and merriman in san diego...

Now i dont want to be a homer and say it may not happen but to give facts like this which are just an opinion is what all these media guys come to..no thought of what BB will do help their O line or brady will do ..no ...brady will just sit back and wait for the colts DE's come and our o line will just let rush since they are at home....

we should collect all the analysts talk both pro and against the pats and put them up ..should be a good laugh

Didn't Indy only have 25 sacks all year? That playing 9 games in a dome ain't that great.

 

[maxhagen]

Schefter is a Bronco fan... what can u expect?

 

[Pat_Nasty]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but hasn't Freeney had a terrible year? Everyone has figured out his little spin move and up until recently, I believe he had few or no sacks this year. We've also played Indy in Indy previously and put up some serious points, but I guess that counts for nothing since it doesn't fit with the story line.

Freeney hasn't been "figured out," he's just not playing on a unit that can maximize his strengths.

A Tampa-2 front four needs to be able to get pressure on the QB without the blitz or the threat thereof, and usually without a lot of stunting. What you need is a speed demon edge-rusher like Freeney or Simeon Rice and a 3-technique defensive tackle who can get penetration or collapse the pocket on the QB, preventing him from stepping up. Warren Sapp was this guy for Dungy in Tampa, and to a lesser degree, Corey Simon contributed some of this for the Colts last season.

This year, they're without Simon, they let Larry Triplette go, they moved a DE (Raheem Brock) to DT, and they picked up Booger McFarland, who was washing out as a Sapp-stand-in in Tampa Bay. They get no pressure from the inside. Offensive lines know they can easily handle the interior rush, so the tackles can just let Freeney + Mathis rush themselves into the backfield, knowing their QB will be able to step up in the pocket.

If the Colts keep playing the way they've been in the playoffs, this should be even easier next Sunday. To make up for their inability to stop the interior run, the Colts have been pinching their DEs on early downs, sending them into the line of scrimmage, as opposed to their usual playing the run on the way to the pass.

If the Pats offense can have success throwing on early downs, when Brady should have plenty of time, the Colts will have to adjust, and that will open up the run.

 

[Oswlek]

Freeney hasn't been "figured out," he's just not playing on a unit that can maximize his strengths.

A Tampa-2 front four needs to be able to get pressure on the QB without the blitz or the threat thereof, and usually without a lot of stunting. What you need is a speed demon edge-rusher like Freeney or Simeon Rice and a 3-technique defensive tackle who can get penetration or collapse the pocket on the QB, preventing him from stepping up. Warren Sapp was this guy for Dungy in Tampa, and to a lesser degree, Corey Simon contributed some of this for the Colts last season.

This year, they're without Simon, they let Larry Triplette go, they moved a DE (Raheem Brock) to DT, and they picked up Booger McFarland, who was washing out as a Sapp-stand-in in Tampa Bay. They get no pressure from the inside. Offensive lines know they can easily handle the interior rush, so the tackles can just let Freeney + Mathis rush themselves into the backfield, knowing their QB will be able to step up in the pocket.

If the Colts keep playing the way they've been in the playoffs, this should be even easier next Sunday. To make up for their inability to stop the interior run, the Colts have been pinching their DEs on early downs, sending them into the line of scrimmage, as opposed to their usual playing the run on the way to the pass.

If the Pats offense can have success throwing on early downs, when Brady should have plenty of time, the Colts will have to adjust, and that will open up the run.

Excellent summary. You just put everything that I have scattered on 3 or 4 different threads in one nice, concise post. On top of that, you did a better job of explaining the nuances of Indy's pass rush and the way to counter it than I have seen anywhere.