Double pass -- more than a gimmick?

For those that didn't watch the coaches tape (link in this thread), Belichick points out Nate Solder's critical role of getting his pass rusher (I think Suggs) to the ground. If Suggs gets his arms up and tips or blocks that lateral (not pass) that would be disasterous because it would be a live ball.

strngplyr said:

They generally reek of desperation.

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They do?





Sure, if you are chewing up the other team, there is no reason to fire unnecessary bullets. But a well timed trick play can keep the defense honest and make the rest of your offense more efficient. It also puts things on film that opponents now have to prepare for, adding more to their already full plate.

I figure anything that makes the opponent have to plan more and be more doubtful during the game is a good thing.

I heard one account of Spygate was that the biggest benefit of taping signals was not getting the signals themselves, but to make the defense have to spend extra time disguising/masking/changing them. Essentially a distraction to create needless works.

Fencer said:

There was one guy, actually. Gronk didn't engage with him as a pass blocker, but he would have if Edelman had been running with the ball.

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As Charles S. Pierce wrote in Grantland:

Julian Edelman threw a touchdown pass to Danny Amendola on which Rob Gronkowski provided pass protection. (The Raven in front of Gronkowski simply stopped dead in his tracks, unwilling to entangle himself with Gronkitude and unable to get back in coverage. “The Beast,” said Edelman. “The Big Dog’s gonna eat what he wants to eat.”)

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http://grantland.com/the-triangle/a-gronking-to-remember-and-the-ravens-were-nevermore/

OhExaulted1 said:

Bill breaks down the "gimmick" nicely here. Obviously well practiced and executed.

http://www.patriots.com/media-cente...t-Ravens/42df1ca8-4621-4457-81f0-91e7104c50cc

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The most important part to me, however, is BB's ****-eating grin. That's usually an indication that the team was all on the same page and responded well to coaching.

Next stop, superbowl.

ctpatsfan77 said:

As Charles S. Pierce wrote in Grantland:

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/a-gronking-to-remember-and-the-ravens-were-nevermore/

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Right. But if Edelman really had been running, I don't think Gronk would have given the guy much choice about tangling with him.

Originally the DBs were two guys, both hesitating in front of one blocker, ready to try to tackle the shifty Edelman whatever angle he took. Then one of them belatedly realized he should run after Amendola.

strngplyr said:

Trick plays are nice tricks. I hope we see a 100% conventional offense this Sunday and the only time we see these plays again are in desperation mode.

That's where they belong. You save them for when you need them.

Never use them simply because you have them, that's showing your hand WAY too early. You could make an argument that using them might keep your out of trouble but I'm staying in the other camp..

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I disagree. Trick plays are a means of keeping the defense honest and away from their prefered tendencies. The Edelman pass was exploiting Baltimore's willingness to attack the center of the field with their secondary. A reverse counter-acts overpursuit. A flea-flicker forces defenders to pause an extra beat on their run reads. It is an extreme constraint play that should open up what the offense does on a regular and preferred basis even if a trick play is only shown on film, it should slow down pursuit, it should slow a read, it should spread a defense out a bit more after they see film on it to keep the offense honest as well.