![]() |
Indianapolis Breakdown (AFC Championship)
Don't ask how I conjured up the strength to do this.
... Defensive Series #12 Touchdown Contributor: Pats1 Time: 2:17 remaining in the fourth quarter Statistics: 7 plays (3 run, 4 pass), 80 yards (11 run, 57 pass, 12 penalty), time of possession was 1:17 Breakdown: 1 green play (0 run, 1 pass) for 0 yds., 1 black play (1 run, 0 pass) for 3 yds., 5 red plays (2 run, 3 pass) for 65 yds. (8 run, 57 pass), 12 penalty yards lost for the Patriots. 1st and 10 Ind 20 Result: Pass, Wayne, 10 yard out, 11 yds. Analysis: Shotgun 3 WR, Clark right slot, TE left, RB right vs. 3-4 with CBs well off. Banta-Cain and Vrabel both blitz off the edges, but are picked up by the OTs and RB. Seymour and Wright are also stopped cold by the LG and C. The only pressure came from Warren, who beat the RG inside and nailed Peyton after the lobbed throw. Bruschi shadows the RB chipping Vrabel and coming out. The Colts ran three levels of out/crossing patterns here. Clark came across short, covered by Scott. About 8 yards out, Fletcher was covered by Alexander on an out route. Wayne did a 10-yard out, but with Hobbs playing so far off, was open to make the quick catch and step out of bounds. 1st and 10 Ind 31 Result: Pass, Fletcher, Incomplete. Analysis: No huddle, shotgun same formation and personnel vs. 3-4 with RCB press and SILB about 7 yards off the TE. Same pass rush, but this time it was Banta-Cain who broke free but hit Manning just a second too late. Same crossing routes by the Colts, with this time Manning opting for Fletcher at about 8 yards, as Hobbs played Wayne up tight. Alexander was playing behind Fletcher and got a hand in there to knock it free. 2nd and 10 Ind 31 Result: Pass, Fletcher, 20 yard flag, 32 yds. Analysis: No huddle, shotgun same formation and personnel vs. 3-4, SILB 7 yards off TE and RCB backed off again. Bruschi blitzed this time, but was picked up by the RB. The other 4 rushers couldn’t get to Manning, but Warren stunted around Banta-Cain but could only fall at the feet of Manning, pressured but relatively unaffected. The C picked up a Seymour stunt, handing Wright off to the LT, who gained more ground on Wright than vise versa. Vrabel was checked off by the RT and dropped into coverage. The Pats were in man free (cover -1), so the deep FS was playing the entire deep zone, and had to stay between Fletcher and Harrison deep. Sanders came up to pick up Clark, and Hobbs stuck with Wayne on a short crossing pattern. This left Alexander chasing Fletcher deep downfield. Bryan Fletcher ran a 4.82 40. Alexander ran a 4.59 40. Still, Fletcher wins. The problem here is that the Pats essentially rushed 6. If you’re going to do that, it is imperative that you get serious pressure on the QB. That didn’t happen here. If Bruschi and Vrabel didn’t blitz, for example, they’d be available short to at least take up space underneath. Instead, Hobbs and Sanders are required underneath, leaving these undesirable matchups deep. I’m also wondering why Alexander was on the field in favor of a Scott or Mickens or Baker, considering the Colts lining up 3 wide. 1st and 10 NE 37 Result: Pass, Wayne, 5 yard square-in, 14 yds. PENALTY on NE-T.Banta-Cain, Roughing the Passer, 12 yards, enforced at NE 23. Analysis: No huddle, shotgun same formation and personnel vs. 3-4 with RCB press. 6 blitz again, but Bruschi’s hopping and skipping gets him caught in no-mans land with the RB tripping over Vrabel too. Wright and Seymour got nothing on the LT and LG; Warren stunted outside and was picked up by the RT. Vrabel fell into the RG. Banta-Cain beat the LG around the corner, but again Peyton stared down the pressure and hit Wayne in-stride across the middle. Hobbs was playing in “press,” but didn’t bother to hit Wayne. He set up behind the route, and was burned across the field, missing a tackle in the process. Sanders was also too aggressive, and was left in the dust as well. This left Scott to make the play, who, with the help of Bruschi coming from behind, knocked the ball out of Wayne’s hands and into mid air. With that suspension that probably felt like an eternity for all of those involved, Baker came out of nowhere, but Bruschi got in his way. Therefore, Baker could only use one hand to go for the ball, an attempt that was bested by Wayne’s two-handed effort on the ball. Adding insult to injury was a ticky-tack roughing the passer penalty on Banta-Cain, whose right hand grazed Peyton’s helmet as it came down on his shoulder pad. Without the penalty and the horrible tackling, this should have been a quick 5-7 yard gain. Note: 2 minute warning. 1st and 10 NE 11 Result: Run, Addai, right tackle, 5 yds. Analysis: Shotgun reversed formation and personnel with slot motion to LT vs. 3-4 blitz look. Backside, Seymour was sealed by the LT, Banta-Cain ole’d Clark, and Alexander was driven well off by the LG. Wilfork came back in but was sealed by the C, just as Bruschi came down but was turned in by the RG. Warren came out and Wright shifted over to LDE, where he shed the RT to make the play. Vrabel also shed the TE to help out, but Addai carried both of them for an extra yard or two. 2nd and 5 NE 6 Result: Run, Addai, up the middle, 3 yds. Analysis: No huddle, same formation, personnel, and motion vs. 3-4 blitz look and FS in box. On the right, Wright and Vrabel held their ground to force Addai to cut inside. Bruschi was driven back at first by the RG but broke free to help on the stop. Wilfork and Alexander filled nicely on the C and LG, but they both read the run right and got caught outside. Seymour fell on the cut-blocking LT, also obstructing Banta-Cain, and Clark took out Scott on a quick slash block. Seymour got back up to take down Addai backside. 3rd and 2 NE 3 Result: Timeout, New England – 2 remaining in the second half. 3rd and 2 NE 3 Result: Run, Addai, up the middle, 2 yds., TOUCHDOWN. Analysis: 2 WR, 2 TE split vs. 3-4 blitz look with FS in box and CBs press. Scott came in on a blitz, but was driven back by the LTE Clark. Seymour and Banta-Cain were kept outside by the LT. Alexander was sealed by the LG. Wilfork was pancaked right by the C. Bruschi met the RG and fell down. Warren took the RT, and Vrabel took the RTE. Addai walked into the endzone. Extra Point Result: Converted. Score: New England 34 – Indianapolis 38 Assessment Not a tremendous amount to say about this one. Rashad Baker and Chad Scott both saw time at FS, with Hawkins hurt. Alexander was in there. Wright came in for a cramping Wilfork and Warren for a play. The Pats’ strategy was to attack Peyton on the blitz, but it quite frankly failed. Vrabel, for someone who was moved back outside at the expense (until Colvin’s injury) of Banta-Cain, didn’t make the impact as a pass rusher he has in years past. Bruschi was knocked all around. There was little to no pressure from the DL. When you have this many rushers, you’re leaving man-to-man coverage against a battered and tired secondary. Credit should be given to Samuel for shutting down Harrison all drive, but Hobbs had problems with Wayne whether he was in the press or not. The Pats knew the Colts would be coming out passing here – why not bring in the nickel and dime? Were they running that low on DBs? The Pats have historically taken away the deep ball for Peyton in these situations. By bringing extra rushers, they made a gamble with the man free coverage on the KILLER Fletcher catch and lost. Once the Colts got close, they didn’t completely manhandle the Pats’ front seven on their 3 rushes, but certainly got enough push to give Addai room to work. Him walking into the endzone with Wilfork on his ass was unacceptable. Drive Grades DL ‘D’ - No pass rush, troubles against the run OLBs ‘B’ - Good against run, OK against pass ILBs ‘D’ - Burned in coverage, knocked around on runs CBs ‘C’ - OK coverage, poor tackling Ss ‘C’ - Stretched thin, poor tackling DC ‘F’ - Bad time to gamble |
Re: Indianapolis Breakdown (AFC Championship)
http://www.boston.com/sports/footbal.../reiss_pieces/
Quote:
|
Re: Indianapolis Breakdown (AFC Championship)
http://www.boston.com/sports/footbal...al_grou_5.html
Quote:
|
Re: Indianapolis Breakdown (AFC Championship)
http://www.bostonherald.com/blogs/patriots/?p=941
Quote:
|
Re: Indianapolis Breakdown (AFC Championship)
Hobbs seems to be a hard worker and has improved the whole time he has been with the Pats. I would not be totally comfortable with the idea of him being the teams number one corner next year however. I think he still has a way to go yet.
|
Re: Indianapolis Breakdown (AFC Championship)
Quote:
A very informative ... instructive ... and helpful service, Pats1, that you and your accomplice, Box, furnished all season long. Extensively quoting the ordained reporter who does something similar sometimes, Breer, offers helpful parallax. Please accept my appreciation! |
Re: Indianapolis Breakdown (AFC Championship)
Nice work. To me, seeing the Colts center bend Wilfork over like an overcooked lasagna noodle said it all: when you play big dudes too long, they often wear out.
Quote:
|
Re: Indianapolis Breakdown (AFC Championship)
Quote:
|
Re: Indianapolis Breakdown (AFC Championship)
Quote:
I have a concern on him though especially in his tendancy to miss on the tackle when he has given up a catch underneath. To me personally he still gives up too many big plays. I would say, however, that he was excellent for long periods throughout the playoffs outside of one or two missed tackles. Funnily enough I would probably have been saying a lot of the same things about Samuel last year - they even seem to have suffered the same problems on pass interference calls - Samuel last year(Denver playoff game), Hobbs this year(Chicago game, Indy playoff game). |
Re: Indianapolis Breakdown (AFC Championship)
Quote:
Do you recall Lee Evans (Buffalo) being mentioned much in the first game? Hobbs shut him down. Hobbs doesn't miss anymore tackles than any other defender, and we do need to remember the other team drafted for talent and play making ability too. Samuel plays off his man and uses his burst to close and make a play, Hobbs, when healthy, plays more press coverage and plays tighter to his man, forcing the QB to look elsewhere. They are both fine CBs who the coaches have playing to their strengths and shielding their weaknesses. Please note that Hobbs was still wearing a cast in the AFCCG. Hobbs shut down Reggie Wayne for all intents and purposes. For a rare treat, Samuel did the same with Harrison (though I recall numerous stories on how Harrison disappears in the playoffs...). Do you remember that sick twirling/diving TD catch Harrison made when Indy played in Gillette this year? Afterwards Harrison spiked the ball, a rare show for him - Hobbs had been dogging his butt all game and they had a real battle going. San Diego challenged Hobbs with their big WRs and TE, and went away from Samuel until late in the game as they tried to ignite a rally. Hobbs stripped Antonio F-ing Gates on the 2 yd line in what was rightly called an incompletion after review. He stripped 6'5" Vincent Jackson to kill a drive in the 4th Qtr. Think back to the Miami away game last season, Miami went at Hobbs twice with their 6'4" big play man, throwing fades - Hobbs stripped him both times before possession could be established, preserving the win in the process. When I watch tape there is no question in my mind that Hobbs is the more physically talented CB than Samuel, and appears to be learning the position at a faster pace since he earned the starting RCB slot last season when Starks injuries finally handicapped him beyond the coaches' tolerance. You may gather that I've had to defend Hobbs before in this forum. :D Most people just don't have time to watch tape, even if they recorded the game, but slow-motion viewing, and rewatching a play focusing on each individual, often paints the play in a different light. I'm sure Pats1 can tell you individuals he was cussing during a game look much better when he slows it down for analysis. |
| All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:23 PM. |
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7 © Copyright 2000-2012. PatsFans.com Is a Partner of USA TODAY Sports Digital Properties. This site is owned and operated by I&K Internet Design Enterprises, LLC
Copyright ©2000 - 2013, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0 PL2
The opinions posted in this forum do not necessarily reflect the opinions of our staff at PatsFans.com or USA Today.
We are not affiliated with the New England Patriots™ or the NFL™. The Photo Used In the header was taken by Ian Logue.