Shall we play a game?

[Box_O_Rocks]

The current Defensive roster: Assuming Baker, Wilson, and Wright are limited or unable to go on Sunday with unknown injuries - how might a demented Defensive Coordinator align the remaining players for the Jest? Remember last season the Pats used the 4-3 in game one, and a busted up 3-4 in game two, before using a healthier 3-4 to crush them in the playoffs. Would BB use some wacked out college formation such as a 3-3-5? The infamous Belichick curve ball, the 1-6-4? We can always whine about the media later after the injury reports come out. Your options are limited, how do you use your players?

   LB          CB          S           DL      Injury/Inactive
Alexander     Gay       Andrews       Brown        Baker
Bruschi       Hobbs     Meriweather   Green        Wilson
Colvin        James     Mitchell      Smith        Wright
Herron        Samuel    Sanders       Warren
Izzo                                  Wilfork
Seau                                                                         
Thomas
Vrabel
Woods

My choice, the ever popular 2-5-4.

                                  o
                         Warren       Wilfork
          Vrabel    Bruschi      Seau      Thomas     Colvin 
  Samuel                                                      Hobbs
                      Sanders               Gay

That lets you use Alexander, Izzo, and Mitchell to spell linebackers. Green and Smith can rotate in at DL. Mitchell, Meriweather, and Andrews spell at Safety. James, Meriweather, and Gay spell CBs.

 

[cstjohn17]

I may be old school but I would prefer the play their base 3-4 for most of the game and maybe pull out some of the exotic schemes in obvious passing situations.

IMO we should be able to beat the Jets playing man up.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

I may be old school but I would prefer the play their base 3-4 for most of the game and maybe pull out some of the exotic schemes in obvious passing situations.

IMO we should be able to beat the Jets playing man up.

So I would assume, but if Wright is unavailable there is a serious shortage of big guys to plug in up front. At this point he would be the only reserve who plays the correct techniques. Smith may have been a good penetrator at DE, but he was making the same mistakes there he was making at NT, they just weren't magnified to the same degree.

 

[DynastyDriven]

If this Jets O line is as bad as everyone says then you need to play the 3-4 to get some pressure on Pennington and force him to make mistakes

 

[Ring 6]

Nothing clever or tricky here, I expect to see the base 3-4 defense.
Dealing with DL depth can be handled by using Vrable, Colvin, Thomas, and/or Woods as DEs on 3rd downs, which is what we typically do. Rotate the DL on 3rd downs to play inside, so they all get plays off.
I do think where we will get creative is in nickel and dime. There is so much versatility and depth in the LBs and Dbs that we may see some things we havent before.
I know at one point in the preseason we were running with Meriweather at safety and Harrison at LB in the nickel. Obviously we wont see that, and I dont see another safety who would fill that role, but with Meriweather, Gay, Wilson, and even Andrews all capable of playing either corner or safety, I think we will see a lot of disguised coverages on 3rd downs. (Weve seen that work vs Pennington before) and I think the result is going to be hesitiation by Pennington due to the confusion which will give our pass rushers a great chance to carve up that swiss cheese OL.
I think we will own 3rd down on both sides of the ball in this game, not just in conversion %s but I see a lot of big plays on O and D for us coming on 3rd downs.

 

[Ring 6]

I may be old school but I would prefer the play their base 3-4 for most of the game and maybe pull out some of the exotic schemes in obvious passing situations.

IMO we should be able to beat the Jets playing man up.

As I just posted (before reading yours) I totally agree.

 

[BelichickFan]

I may be old school but I would prefer the play their base 3-4 for most of the game and maybe pull out some of the exotic schemes in obvious passing situations.

IMO we should be able to beat the Jets playing man up.

Agreed, I don't think the Jesters are worthy of anything too creative. As long as we pick up their blitzes well, we'll win going away.

Week 2 against SD - that's a little more fun

 

[PATSNUTme]

I expect them to go both the 3-4 and 4-3. Watch for AD to line up at both DE and sometimes MLB when they are in the 4-3.

 

[patsox23]

I agree that up front we won't be quite as exotic. That said, good idea for a thread.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

I know at one point in the preseason we were running with Meriweather at safety and Harrison at LB in the nickel. Obviously we wont see that, and I dont see another safety who would fill that role...

In terms of size Mitchell or Sanders could fill as LB in a nickel...whether they have similar skill sets to Harrison for such a role is open to speculation.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

I agree that up front we won't be quite as exotic. That said, good idea for a thread.

Thankee! I'm not expecting BB to get two exotic either, but with all the rumor driven kerfuffle it is a way to talk football and player availability.

As Andy noted, a 4-3 in passing situations is pretty standard, my demented DC 2-5-4 could morph into that in a blink...especially if you believe the Jest's strength was the short passing game with Penny running a hurry-up offense. Based on preseason, I expect Woods to be pretty much limited to Special Teams with Izzo and maybe Herron. I could see the Pats pulling Bruschi or Seau for Alexander on passing downs, and using Green and Smith in place of the W brothers - old LeKevin was showing some ability to squirm into the backfield. With Thomas and Colvin on the same side over the rookie LG and still developing LT...who is coming? You would also have a lot of fun shifting the formation on the fly dropping both Thomas and Colvin on the left side and sliding Vrabel back and Seau over - with that shaky left side Penny would be steering TE and RB to cover his back or pulling the RT across the formation on the snap - kind of a trap block - while he slid right - which would allow Vrabes to come blitzing in...I think that young O-line is going to be a lot of fun to watch Sunday.

That 2-5-4 might also sucker the Jest into running a little more, and I "do" believe their strength is Coles/Cotchery/Washington catching the ball in space, so running more would be going away from that a bit.

 

[mgteich]

I also see no reason to get fancy against the jets. SD is a different story. We will need to stop LT and Gates.

Our front seven has sufficient firepower to beat them. I am fine with Smith at DE. I believed he started three preseason games. We have a fine 4 man rotation, even without Seymour. It will be good to get Wright back. I much prefer a 5-man rotation on the DL.

Obviously, our linebackers are in fine shape.

The issue, if there is one, is at free safety if Wilson is unable to play much. We have had several threads discussing this. My preference would be to have Gay start at free safety. Meriweather, James and Andrews would be available at nickel and dime back. Mitchell and Baker would be the backup safeties (along with Meriweather).

I guess this is what depth is about. We are in fine shape even with four significant contributers potentially out: Harrison, Seymour, Wilson, and Wright.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

I also see no reason to get fancy against the jets. SD is a different story. We will need to stop LT and Gates.

Our front seven has sufficient firepower to beat them. I am fine with Smith at DE. I believed he started three preseason games. We have a fine 4 man rotation, even without Seymour. It will be good to get Wright back. I much prefer a 5-man rotation on the DL.

Obviously, our linebackers are in fine shape.

The issue, if there is one, is at free safety if Wilson is unable to play much. We have had several threads discussing this. My preference would be to have Gay start at free safety. Meriweather, James and Andrews would be available at nickel and dime back. Mitchell and Baker would be the backup safeties (along with Meriweather).

I guess this is what depth is about. We are in fine shape even with four significant contributers potentially out: Harrison, Seymour, Wilson, and Wright.

"Fine shape" may be overstating it a bit, but there are workable options. Wright practicing today is encouraging, hopefully he doesn't miss anymore practice time this week and is available. I concur with Gay for Wilson if needed.

 

[rookBoston]

I like the 2-5 front, and it's really not that exotic. I'll bet we see at least one series run with all 5 top LBs on the field at the same time, especially on passing downs. I would use it as a stunt to bring the blitz off the wings... or applying standard reverse-reverse psychology, use it as a big dime package, with at least three of the LBs (randomly selected) dropping into zone pass coverage.