Screens Screens and more Screens

[Ice Cold Bruschi]

I think McDaniels needs to realize we need to get back to our Charlie Weiss roots now that the weather is changing. Look at the success we had on the 2 or 3 screens we had last night. With our almost all out passing attack the last couple of weeks we need to start screening more to slow up these pass rushes He had the right idea last night running draw after draw and throwing in a few screens to Maroney (although I feel like they were just check downs and not intentional screens) we have guys like Stallworth, Maroney, Faulk, and Welker we need to start taking advantage of the potential that screen plays possess. I mean screens were our bread and butter back in 01, 03, and 04 we need to get back to our roots and that will open up our deep passing game as well.

 

[Mogamedogz]

I think McDaniels needs to realize we need to get back to our Charlie Weiss roots now that the weather is changing. Look at the success we had on the 2 or 3 screens we had last night. With our almost all out passing attack the last couple of weeks we need to start screening more to slow up these pass rushes He had the right idea last night running draw after draw and throwing in a few screens to Maroney (although I feel like they were just check downs and not intentional screens) we have guys like Stallworth, Maroney, Faulk, and Welker we need to start taking advantage of the potential that screen plays possess. I mean screens were our bread and butter back in 01, 03, and 04 we need to get back to our roots and that will open up our deep passing game as well.

I think this is exactly what will happen down the stretch. The return of the screen play, and I welcome it. I would like to see more of Maroney in open field.

 

[TealSox]

100% agree.

Brady is great at running the screen and the Pats have all the pieces to make it work. Maroney and Faulk can catch the ball out of the backfield and can run in the open space. Then you have the wide outs that can run decoy downfield. I would even suggest running the tight end screen with Watson like the Chargers do with Gates because we all know how fast Watson is.

The main reason they need to go to the screen is because they obviously can't run the ball and the screen is pretty much the same thing. That is what the Pats used when they didn't have much of a running game in the past, so why not?

 

[mgteich]

Faulk is much better than Maroney is executing screens. And yes, I do expect to see more screens down the stretch.

 

[OnTheHeights]

Don't forget that last night there were at least two screens which were totally blown up by the Ravens. One in particular was a real mess and Brady had to throw the ball at Faulk's feet. But you're right, we're gonna see alot more of this down the stretch, especially as teams start to really take to the idea that maybe blitzing Brady will help slow him down.

 

[sieglo]

Don't forget that last night there were at least two screens which were totally blown up by the Ravens. One in particular was a real mess and Brady had to throw the ball at Faulk's feet. But you're right, we're gonna see alot more of this down the stretch, especially as teams start to really take to the idea that maybe blitzing Brady will help slow him down.

I was wondering when someone would bring this up. The Ravens certainly were good at sniffing the Pats' screens. I wonder if they have a tell?

 

[cblesz]

Screens and the quick pass in the seam to Welker and Maroney. I think it was the Washington game where Welker and/or Maroney would fly down the seam and Brady would hit them 3-5 yards into it...

 

[nummit]

Faulk is much better than Maroney is executing screens. And yes, I do expect to see more screens down the stretch.

Maroney was a monster on those short passes last night. What did he have, 2catches for almost 80 yds?
I can see why folks love him because when he makes it to the secondary he has great speed and great moves but he just never seems to make it past the line.

 

[Ice Cold Bruschi]

well on that one "screen" where brady threw it at Faulk's feet I don't think it was originally supposed to be a screen and Brady just was ending the play because he knew we had already been penalized.

 

[OnTheHeights]

Maroney was a monster on those short passes last night. What did he have, 2catches for almost 80 yds?
I can see why folks love him because when he makes it to the secondary he has great speed and great moves but he just never seems to make it past the line.

I still like Faulk better on screens, sure Maroney made huge gains on those two catches, but on one, a Ravens DB was running parallel to him for about ten yards and made no effort to tackle him (find a replay of this, it's one of the oddest things I've ever seen). And on the other play, he made a huge gain, but I have to figure that there are alot of guys who would have been able to avoid the last tackler and get the TD.

 

[Mogamedogz]

Faulk is much better than Maroney is executing screens. And yes, I do expect to see more screens down the stretch.

True... but we are going to need Maroney to help take the beating. Faulk can only absorb so many of the hits.

 

[Halifax_Pats_Fan]

I LOOOOOOVED those screens man, Faulk was a pro at those, and the O-line did a great job downfield. I would love to see more of those screens, maybe bring some coverage in and up it up deep...

 

[sebman2112]

I like the idea of throwing in more screens, but I'd really like to see the RB's get more involved in any fashion.

Sending Maroney into the flats, using more stretches, as well as using more pitches and swings could be an effective way to start using some of Maroney's ability, and get him into the open field. Also, the more times you run the ball, the more the defense wears down, and that gives your RB a better chance of breaking one. This is a concept I think some poeple have forgotten.

Those little screen passes to Kevin have always been effective, and even when defenses used to know it was coming the Patriots would get decent gains out of it. I think using both Faulk and Maroney on screens would be a good idea, especially since Patrick Pass actually used to be on the receiving end of a number of those screens a few years ago.

Against the Ravens Laurence made a few nice blocks in pass pro, so maybe the Patriots can start using him a little bit more while in the spread. I think this would help stop some of the predictability their offense has shown of late.

 

[bakes781]

Last night after the game BB told WEEI that screens were not really an option with Ray Lewis' ability to snuff them out. I don't know that I agree with him, but it's hard to argue with the mad genius. lol

 

[sebman2112]

Last night after the game BB told WEEI that screens were not really an option with Ray Lewis' ability to snuff them out. I don't know that I agree with him, but it's hard to argue with the mad genius. lol

Ray Ray did make a few nices plays last night, but I think he gets to much credit these days. From what I've seen, the guy isn't the LB he once was. He's still good mind you, but he's not a world beater anymore.

 

[aluminum seats]

I think what a lot of this gets to--more screens, utilizing backs more, etc.--more broadly means not discounting any part of the offense. There has been a reliance on the shotgun/empty backfield, throw it all over the place offense to date. Of course, you say, and look at the results--on pace to shatter the record for points in a season. Doesn't matter. Pats should use every page of the playbook. I agree that more screens would be welcome.

 

[TruthSeeker]

I was suprised not to see more screens against Philly. In the SB against them, Faulk was deadly against their blitz when they used the screen play. I suspect we will see a lot more against Pittsburgh, they blitz more than anyone.

 

[carolinatony]

I'm on board. Get Maroney past the line and he can make some big yards.