Pats O-line will be tested next weekend

[DaBruinz]

The Pats will be going up against some of the best next weekend in Williams, Merriman, Phillips, Castillo and Olshansky. The Chargers have some damn good depth behind those guys with the likes of Carlos Polk, Ryan Bingham and Jaques Cesaire.

San Diego loves to run stunts and delayed blitzes. This will REALLY put the O-line & TEs to the test with the new blocking scheme.

 

[patsox23]

DaCheney and I agree about something. Will wonders never cease.

 

[Nordy]

Next week might be a Kevin Faulk screenfest.

 

[PATRIOT64]

Brady will definately NOT have 7 seconds to sit in the pocket next sunday

With Jamal Williams,Luis Castillo and Shaun Merriman I say 3 seconds at best most of the game.

The Jets brought 7 guys and could not get to Brady - If the Chargers bring 7 guys Brady will look like a steamrolled QB without a major blocking scheme - So I think its crucial that the OTHER Brady in Kyle Brady plays as another blocker - Kyle may be key to keeping Brady from getting killed with what I expect constant SD blitzes all game.

 

[rabthepat]

Yes, SD will not be the cake walk the Jets were in terms of pass rush. Yet, SD's secondary stinks.

 

[Patriot_in_NY]

Next week might be a Kevin Faulk screenfest.

Or quick slants............ Not that I expect them not to be the challenge that we expect, but SD looked pretty rough today, I was underwhelmed.

 

[BelichickFan]

We won't be running the ultra deep routes like we did today until we see how things are going - we have good short options like the RB, Welker, Watson to get the ball out quickly and enough receiving threats that SD should be much more reluctant to blitz constantly than they were last year. But, yes, it will be a tough test and very important to hold onto the ball.

 

[PatsSteve1]

Williams is a stone wall at NT. They might want to run right at Merriman and take his speed away. And try to misdirect Williams. If the Chargers have to play off the LOS it might make it a little easier. I don't know how much they feared Grossman's passing game. But it won't be like the Jets game at all.

 

[smg93]

Nest week it'll be Welker time again, short quick passes that defeat the pass rush by getting rid of the ball fast.

After establishing that, bombs to Moss and Stallworth.

I know this isn't an original thought but it's just so nice to be able to say something like that about our team!

 

[Patsfanin Philly]

Next week might be a Kevin Faulk screenfest.

Maybe that's why they didn't overuse him today. One rush, one reception...

 

[PatsRI]

The key will be to get the running game going in order to have the play action working and having those LBs thinking for an extra second or two.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Jamal Williams is a rock in the center...on the other hand, the Pats' O-line does have some experience with him and someone who can convincingly emulate him in practice.

The Pats demonstrated that with Randy Moss lining up in a single receiver set and going max protection that they can pressure a secondary. I was unable to see the Bear's/Classy-dudes' game, but the post game shows seemed to think Rex Grossman hadn't turned in a bad performance...now if that's the case, imagine being a Classy-dudes' coach and having to make adjustments in the secondary and blitz schemes for that Brady kid?

One generally overlooked advantage to using O'Callaghan at TE, game reps. He's not gathering dust on the bench to start the season. A second advantage, using a two TE formation with O'C and Kyle Brady spreads the defensive front wider and puts the edge rushers further outside or heads up over a blocker.

Right on cue Mike Reiss has his positional groupings: http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/reiss_pieces/2007/09/positional_grou_6.html

2 WR/2 TE/1 RB -- 31 snaps
1 WR/3 TE/1 RB -- 12 snaps
1 WR/2 TE/1 FB/1 RB -- 8 snaps
3 WR/1 TE/ 1 RB -- 8 snaps
4 WR/1 RB -- 3 snaps
3 TE/1 FB/1 RB -- 1 snap

The Patriots had 65 total snaps, but two of them weren't accounted for here -- the botched field goal which technically goes down as a rushing play, and the final kneel-down.

Now if I only knew how many times O'C was in at TE...