5 Keys to victory thread

[Patspsycho]

5. Take the Flack- Limit the running game of Willis and Rice and make Flacco beat you with his arm, without Heap.

How does that sound?

I think this will be key.

I see us stacking the box with either Merriman or McGowan if we are in nickel, but mostly rush 4 drop 7 which will probably madden some of us, but it's working so far in that it has prevented the big play.

Will McGowan shadow Mason? If not, I see a cover 3 with FS at LOS (no motion/spy). Wonder if Butler gets extended reps? No Heap means less trouble over the middle which is what I like because the anticipation is still not there.

Someone else than Moss has to have a big game- he carried too much of the load last time, playing the X and Z, in and out, too much. Atlanta didn't expect him to come inside as much as he did last week and that, I believe caught them off guard, but he won't be able to pull that against the Ravens. Edelman must have a solid game, and Galloway must be competent to pull some coverage his way.

I don't expect our runners to get anywhere near a 100 yard game, but we must put in a respectable outing, just enough to make them respect the run to the point where they think sending men past LOS becomes a gamble.

I believe key matchup is Suggs vs. Light. Someone said whoever wins the trench battle will probably win the game and I think that is true. Our OL has to give Brady time to make hot throws. And he must finish drives into the red zone because there will not be many opportunities to do that against the Ravens D.

 

[mayoclinic]

I think this will be key.

I see us stacking the box with either Merriman or McGowan if we are in nickel, but mostly rush 4 drop 7 which will probably madden some of us, but it's working so far in that it has prevented the big play.

"Merriman"? "Madden"? Little Freudian slips there? Been playing too much fantasy football?

 

[Patspsycho]

"Merriman"? "Madden"? Little Freudian slips there? Been playing too much fantasy football?

Merriweather. I have no idea what I was saying last night. Last time I'm gonna make a comment in the wee hours.

 

[PATSNUTme]

1. Protect & Serve-Must protect Brady from the outside rusher,Suggs and Johnson. Blitz pickup is vital and, by the way, don't let them get a push in the middle. The OL, TE, RB's have to make this priority #1.

Yes they did give up a couple of sacks and a strp sack but overall, againts this defense, they did a good job

2. Taylor Made Driver- The Ravens have not given up 100 yards rushing since 200. That's OK, all things must come to an end. Taylor and Co. don't have to get 100 yards, just get enough so they have to respect the run. That will make play action effective.

and X

not as much running the ball as I wanted but enough to make the play action work.

3. Heaping Helping of Heap- Got to shut Heap off and limit his YAC's. I look for Brandon to be his watch dog

.

4.Dink and Dunk- Nothing hurts a good pass rush like a quick release. So, hit quick short passes all the way done the field and don't let Reed get a pick on a long or medium range pass. Welker, if he plays, and endleman would be keys here.

5. Take the Flack- Limit the running game of Willis and Rice and make Flacco beat you with his arm, without Heap.

Flacco is a better QB than I tought. buthe Patriots got good pressure on him most of the day.

How does that sound?

Overall, mission accomplished.:rocker:

 

[mayoclinic]

Overall, mission accomplished.:rocker:

Things that we did that I thought were key:

1. We controlled the TOP - 34:56 to 25:04.

2. We committed to running the ball and ran well. Not a lot of yards against a terrific Baltimore run defense, but 85 yards rushing well exceeded their 51 YPG average. I hoped for 80-100 hard fought yards before the game, and that's what we got. Including 2 rushing TDs. I doubt anyone expected 32 passes and 30 rushes against the best run defense in the league coming into the game. Much better balance.

3. Kept the Baltimore running game under control. 116 yards, well off their 156 pace. I wasn't too concerned about Willis McGaheee, but Ray Rice rightly terrified me, as we have a lot of trouble with backs of his style.

4. Handled the defensive pressure. Brady was sacked 3 times, but the OL did a good overall job of giving him time.

5. The defense stepped up when it counted - the Bodden INT at the end of the 2nd quarter, the stop on 3rd and 1 when Baltimore ran twice in the 4th quarter, and the last drive when the defense stiffened up in the red zone.

Baltimore's obviously a very good team, and a lot of the things we didn't do well had something to do with them.

 

[PATSNUTme]

Things that we did that I thought were key:

1. We controlled the TOP - 34:56 to 25:04.

2. We committed to running the ball and ran well. Not a lot of yards against a terrific Baltimore run defense, but 85 yards rushing well exceeded their 51 YPG average. I hoped for 80-100 hard fought yards before the game, and that's what we got. Including 2 rushing TDs. I doubt anyone expected 32 passes and 30 rushes against the best run defense in the league coming into the game. Much better balance.

3. Kept the Baltimore running game under control. 116 yards, well off their 156 pace. I wasn't too concerned about Willis McGaheee, but Ray Rice rightly terrified me, as we have a lot of trouble with backs of his style.

4. Handled the defensive pressure. Brady was sacked 3 times, but the OL did a good overall job of giving him time.

5. The defense stepped up when it counted - the Bodden INT at the end of the 2nd quarter, the stop on 3rd and 1 when Baltimore ran twice in the 4th quarter, and the last drive when the defense stiffened up in the red zone.

Baltimore's obviously a very good team, and a lot of the things we didn't do well had something to do with them.

I agree with everything that you said.

I was disappointed that after the the big 4th down stop by the defense, the offense could not go down and get a FG. It would have save 2 of my fingernails.

 

[mayoclinic]

I was disappointed that after the the big 4th down stop by the defense, the offense could not go down and get a FG. It would have save 2 of my fingernails.

Me too. That series was very disappointing to me.

Then again, it made for much better theatre at the end of the game - what an exciting ending. And I am fairly sure that my coronaries are clean, as I had no chest pain.

Actually, even though the Ravens were driving the ball into the red zone, I had a strong sense that our defense would stop them. I had the same feeling in the first half right before the Bodden interception. It's nice to feel that our defense is up to making the big stop when the game's on the line - we would have 2 more Lombardi trophies by now if that had been the case over the past 4 years.

 

[JoeSixPat]

6. Score more points than they do.

(Actually you can just scrap 1-5 as long as you do #6)

Indeed, judging by this corroborating quote from Tom Brady, I am indeed a football prophet, picking THE key aspect to winning the football game.

"That was the difference in the game," Brady said. "We got it in three times, and they got it in twice."

Clearly he read this thread and took my advice to heart.