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In 2011, successful defenses vs the Patriots passing attack flooded the middle of the field knowing 3 things.
1) Brady lived in the middle of the field with his TEs and Welker
2) Patriots lacked skill players that could successfully work sideline patterns
3) Patriots lack speed to force Ds to respect the deep ball.
In an ideal Patriots world, the Patriots would have secured a WR that owned the sidelines, and with enough speed to force safeties not to cheat forward as they were doing in 2011. In this ideal Patriots offense, the field would open up and the Patriots passing game would achieve greater heights.
Enter Brandon Lloyd....the master of the sidelines....with extraordinary hands and acrobatic skills. His diving catch in the 4th quarter was the single greatest leaping catch in my fuzzy memory bank. Amazing effort. Without question, Lloyd has upgraded the non-Welker WR position....34 catches (90 catch projection) in 6 games resulting in 24 first downs. Spectacular production.
But here's the question: With Brandon Lloyd on the field, have defenses changed how they cover NE? Since Lloyd primarily works the sideline, he faces single coverage....essentially the same as Branch faced last year. Do safeties respect his speed down field? Should they?
Stat time
Receptions...34...11th in the league
First Downs....24...10th
Yards...........401 yds...20th
YAC..............68 yds....93rd in the league
Brandon Lloyd averages 2 YAC.....TWO YARDS!!!
Yes....I understand that sideline patterns inevitably end up out of bounds due to momentum. And Yes....I understand that these patterns are often used during clock management situations. But as we all have seen, Lloyd has a propensity to hit the ground immediately after securing the ball. I would call it Standard Operating Procedure more than "propensity."
Now let's slip on the defensive coordinators cap and game plan the Brandon Lloyd pass coverage. Do you bring a safety down to double him as he patrols the sideline? Not a chance. That would open up the center of the field for Brady and his bread and butter passes. Do you leave a safety in deep coverage preventing the home run pass? Again why fear extra yards from a WR lacking speed that hits the turf immediately. It appears D coordinators are willing to single cover Lloyd and if Brady can squeeze the ball in on those back shoulder throws....they tip their cap and continue to flood the center of the field covering the original 3 headed monster.
LLoyd has proven to be a huge upgrade at the #2 WR position.....but the Patriots passing game remains a move the chains type offense without speed, and their newest weapon has proven to be a POSSESSION WR only whose presence has not forced defenses to alter their coverage. Teams are likely ecstatic that Fells and Welker are the deep threats.
Thinking forward.... looking at the defenses that typically make it deep in the playoffs, the pressure on Brady gets dialed up. Teams that don't respect their speed bring more defenders forward tightening the box once again. With Lloyd on the field, I see no reason for Ds to alter that approach.
Is this the Patriots greatest problem?....Certainly not these days. But in the second half of the Seattle game when Seattle was bringing the heat and the NE offense tightened up, you could see more blue/green jerseys closer to the LOS. Perfect time for a Brady to Moss type connection.....but with no deep speed...why would Seattle fear this
1) Brady lived in the middle of the field with his TEs and Welker
2) Patriots lacked skill players that could successfully work sideline patterns
3) Patriots lack speed to force Ds to respect the deep ball.
In an ideal Patriots world, the Patriots would have secured a WR that owned the sidelines, and with enough speed to force safeties not to cheat forward as they were doing in 2011. In this ideal Patriots offense, the field would open up and the Patriots passing game would achieve greater heights.
Enter Brandon Lloyd....the master of the sidelines....with extraordinary hands and acrobatic skills. His diving catch in the 4th quarter was the single greatest leaping catch in my fuzzy memory bank. Amazing effort. Without question, Lloyd has upgraded the non-Welker WR position....34 catches (90 catch projection) in 6 games resulting in 24 first downs. Spectacular production.
But here's the question: With Brandon Lloyd on the field, have defenses changed how they cover NE? Since Lloyd primarily works the sideline, he faces single coverage....essentially the same as Branch faced last year. Do safeties respect his speed down field? Should they?
Stat time
Receptions...34...11th in the league
First Downs....24...10th
Yards...........401 yds...20th
YAC..............68 yds....93rd in the league
Brandon Lloyd averages 2 YAC.....TWO YARDS!!!
Yes....I understand that sideline patterns inevitably end up out of bounds due to momentum. And Yes....I understand that these patterns are often used during clock management situations. But as we all have seen, Lloyd has a propensity to hit the ground immediately after securing the ball. I would call it Standard Operating Procedure more than "propensity."
Now let's slip on the defensive coordinators cap and game plan the Brandon Lloyd pass coverage. Do you bring a safety down to double him as he patrols the sideline? Not a chance. That would open up the center of the field for Brady and his bread and butter passes. Do you leave a safety in deep coverage preventing the home run pass? Again why fear extra yards from a WR lacking speed that hits the turf immediately. It appears D coordinators are willing to single cover Lloyd and if Brady can squeeze the ball in on those back shoulder throws....they tip their cap and continue to flood the center of the field covering the original 3 headed monster.
LLoyd has proven to be a huge upgrade at the #2 WR position.....but the Patriots passing game remains a move the chains type offense without speed, and their newest weapon has proven to be a POSSESSION WR only whose presence has not forced defenses to alter their coverage. Teams are likely ecstatic that Fells and Welker are the deep threats.
Thinking forward.... looking at the defenses that typically make it deep in the playoffs, the pressure on Brady gets dialed up. Teams that don't respect their speed bring more defenders forward tightening the box once again. With Lloyd on the field, I see no reason for Ds to alter that approach.
Is this the Patriots greatest problem?....Certainly not these days. But in the second half of the Seattle game when Seattle was bringing the heat and the NE offense tightened up, you could see more blue/green jerseys closer to the LOS. Perfect time for a Brady to Moss type connection.....but with no deep speed...why would Seattle fear this
