Early impressions

[Patspsycho]

Am I the only one who thinks Brady ignored the audible and set his own QB sneak to convert that 3rd and one that led to the 35 yd bullet to Moss on the last drive of the first half (Baker for TD)?

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Am I the only one who thinks Brady ignored the audible and set his own QB sneak to convert that 3rd and one that led to the 35 yd bullet to Moss on the last drive of the first half (Baker for TD)?

Brady has carte blanche regarding QB sneaks, the OC stil has to call in a play, but if Tommy looks over the defense and see's the chance for the sneak he gooses Koppen and they go.

 

[Patspsycho]

Brady has carte blanche regarding QB sneaks, the OC stil has to call in a play, but if Tommy looks over the defense and see's the chance for the sneak he gooses Koppen and they go.

Right, that is protocol but I'd think they would want him taking it easy bionic leg and all

But a good sign he wants to push himself and test himself in a scrum.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Right, that is protocol but I'd think they would want him taking it easy bionic leg and all

But a good sign he wants to push himself and test himself in a scrum.

Well, seems the folks who left him out there had confidence his bionics would hold up under all working conditions - even up to and including his newly installed Brazilian brain wiring harness.

 

[Mike the Brit]

Just to say "thank you" for this wonderful thread. Box, DaB, Ken, you're in mid-season form.

Actually, it feels ... I don't know if you've ever done this ... like taking some high-spirited and highly intelligent dogs for a walk in the back of your car (Irish setters?). They know what's happening and can't wait. Then you open the door and out they rush with all that energy... It's great! But I want to say "Don't go crazy for that first game. It's a long season, you know!"

Specifically, I need your eyes to keep track of the defense. It seems possible to me that they are going from basic 3-4 2-gap to basic WTF? -- expect the unexpected in formations and player rotations. I need your help to keep track!

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Box - The play was 1st and 10 from the Eagles 29 with 2:12 remaining on the clock in the 2nd quarter...

If you could re-watch that entire series focusing on Alexader, I'd appreciate it.

The NFLN feed from Philly comes back from commercial after the KO, 2:05 remaining in the second Qtr, Philly ball on their own 29.

1st and 10: Phi 4-wide, Feeley under Center.
-- NE 4-2 Nickel,
---- Guyton MLB sets up 3 yds off the LOS before the snap,
---- Alexander 2 yds off the LOS over the slot's inside shoulder (set to deny the receiver an inside release) on the short side of the field,
---- Richardson in as NB 4 yds deep over the slot's inside shoulder on the wide side,
---- Butler/Wheatley CB, Chung/Meriweather S,
---- all three CBs 4-6 yds off the LOS - for the record, Wheatly on Alexander's side of the field has the deepest set, for whatever that might tell anyone.

-- It's definitely Cover-2, and it looks like the outside CBs are in zone along the sideline.
-- If this was a Tampa-2, Guyton would be responsible to drop deeper into the middle to take away that soft spot in the zone coverage. Guyton appears to be working the underneath zone and not the middle because he checks his drop to cover the RB coming through the line.
-- Arguably, Wheatley is releasing the outside receiver for Guyton if it's a Tampa-2, or Chung if it's a regular Cover-2. (Within the limits of my understanding assignments in zone coverage and assuming I'm somewhat close in my coverage identification).
-- Both outside receivers are running Post or Slant routes into that soft middle of a Cover-2.
-- Both slot receivers run outs along the LOS.
-- Feeley never looks anywhere else, he's locked onto his outside receiver on that side, presumably because he knows:
---- #31 is a starting Safety,
---- #28 has been playing outside CB in Nickel packages all of the first half, so he's already past the jitters and into the game,
---- two 'starters' and a reserve NB on the left side vs
---- three reserves, including a LB, on the right side.

You believe Alexander is out of position on this play. Before making that judgement, I have to ask myself a couple questions:
-- Do I want my LBs dropping into coverage off the snap on 1st and 10? I'd say no, even with a better than two TD lead facing a likely hurry up offense a draw or screen can pick-up just as many yards under these circumstances as a pass.
-- Who would be responsible (or most responsible) to read the play developing and communicate to the DL? The DBs are already dropping into coverage off the snap, the guys who could first affect a developing draw or screen are the DL, but they are rushing and not always watching the backfield. I would argue the two LBs would be the guys with primary responsibility to read the play developing and communicate it to the DL - the Safeties would be responsible for the DBs.

Is Alexander out of position on this play?
-- He's a LB not a DB, he most likely should 'not' be dropping into coverage off the snap on 1st and 10.
-- Guyton's own actions suggest this is the case.
-- Since both LBs reacted the same way, I'm comfortable saying they were first assigned to play the run, while watching the backfield and communicating to the DL.

-- Would I have liked Alexander to be deeper in his zone when the ball was released? Yes.
-- Does his not being as deep indicate a failure on his part? I don't see how if I'm going to expect him to play run first and be an observer for the DL.
-- Should Alexander have been dropping straight back in an effort to clog the throwing lane for the outside receiver running behind him? How would he know where the receiver is?
---- Wheatley could have made a call to signal Alexander to drop straight back and take underneath coverage, but 'we' can't know if that occurred.
---- Alexander starts dropping towards the one receiver whom he should have known about without further communication from behind him.
---- It's more likely Butler and Richardson communicated a handoff on their side, but Alexander and Wheatley? I can't know if Wheatley was expected to work with a LB the same way he would work with a DB. I can't know if Wheatley made the call if he was responsible. I can only know that Wheatley and Chung where the two who had the play in front of them on that side of the field, it's awful hard for me to assign blame to the LB without a lot more information than is available to me.

-- Neither Alexander or Guyton start dropping into coverage until they see Feeley set up to pass on a three step drop.
-- Guyton does start dropping first, but he's got an unimpeded view of the QB from MLB while Alexander is looking over the top of OL/DL moving across his field of vision as they set up/rush - I'd say it's reasonable to expect him to be a fraction slower than Guyton, and he's barely that fraction behind Guyton's first step back into coverage.

I'll go through the rest of the series next, but for this first play you've identified I couldn't reasonably say Alexander was out of position, at best you could argue he should have been dropping straight back and leaving the slot receiver heading towards the sideline for Wheatley - that is what Richardson is doing on his side, but he's a CB and he's playing deeper, he and Butler would have communicated their intentions. Wheatley probably should have been playing it differently on his side with a LB over the slot than Butler would with a CB - just my guess. I'd also think Chung would cheat up just a bit with a LB on his side - not enough to let the receivers get behind him, but enough to react faster to the ball going where it did. As it was, Meriweather makes the tackle because Chung is so deep (over 20 yds when he comes into the picture).

More traditionally patsfans excoriate a DB when a completion occurs in a soft zone, hanging a LB out is a new twist.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Just to say "thank you" for this wonderful thread. Box, DaB, Ken, you're in mid-season form.

Actually, it feels ... I don't know if you've ever done this ... like taking some high-spirited and highly intelligent dogs for a walk in the back of your car (Irish setters?). They know what's happening and can't wait. Then you open the door and out they rush with all that energy... It's great! But I want to say "Don't go crazy for that first game. It's a long season, you know!"

Specifically, I need your eyes to keep track of the defense. It seems possible to me that they are going from basic 3-4 2-gap to basic WTF? -- expect the unexpected in formations and player rotations. I need your help to keep track!

Well, we agree you need help...now when are we getting to the park, huh when, let's run, woohoo I smell a rabbit, are we there yet? **pant** **pant** **pant**

 

[Mike the Brit]

Well, we agree you need help...now when are we getting to the park, huh when, let's run, woohoo I smell a rabbit, are we there yet? **pant** **pant** **pant**

Uh ... down boy! (That's my leg!)

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Uh ... down boy! (That's my leg!)

Arrooo-oooo-ooo!

 

[mayoclinic]

Uh ... down boy! (That's my leg!)

Sounds like Box needs to take his medications on schedule to me.

 

[Synovia]

But a good sign he wants to push himself and test himself in a scrum.

I think Brady is fine, but injured players wanting to push themselves isn't a good thing. They ignore warning signs and do permanent damage.

 

[captain stone]

I don't recall Brady being hit hard, if at all, before the sneak. I believe that not only did he want the first down to extend the drive so that he could get more reps, but that he also wanted to feel the contact and get past that mental hurdle, however small it may have been to him.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Two minute warning, 1:59 1st half.

1st and 10: Phi 4-wide, 3 left, shotgun.
-- NE 4-2 Nickel
-- Man-free coverage with Meriweather deep.
-- Over the left side receivers from outside in: Wheatley, Chung, Alexander.
-- Butler gets a terric jam on the receiver on his side.
-- Guyton is MLB.
-- Alexander blitzes on the snap.
-- Feeley throws a beautiful back-shoulder bullet to Avant who was #2 on the left from whichever direction you count. Maybe Champ Bailey could have done a better job, but I can't get too upset at Richardson.

I cannot find fault with Alexander's performance on this play.

1:38 in the half.
1st and 10: Phi 4-wide, 2x2, shotgun, hurry-up.
-- NE: 4-2 Nickel
-- Chung/Richardson man on the slot receivers.
-- Butler/Wheatley 8 yds off the line outside.
-- Meriweather Deep.
-- Guyton MLB. Alexander at LOLB on the RB's side.

Draw, Alexander is first to react heading downhill before the hand-off is finished. The Center leads out and engages Alexander. Guyton over-pursues and slips down as the RB scoots by him. Richardson fights off a block and turns the RB sideways where Pryor wraps him up from behind.

I can see nothing to fault with Alexander on this play.

1:19
2nd and 1: Phi 3-wide, 2 Right, TE L, RB offset behind RT 2 yds deep.
-- NE: 4-2 Nickel.
-- Wheatley/Richardson in press/man over L-flanker/R-slot respectively.
-- Guyton MLB.
-- Alexander ROLB in press/man over TE.

TE/RB stay in to block, Feeley rolls out right, Alexander stays home as backside contain. Feeley scoots across the line to gain and oob behind his slot receiver keeping Richardson from coming up to pressure him in the backfield.

Again, I can see nothing to fault with Alexander on this play.

1:13
1st and 10 NE 22: Phi huddles with the clock stoppage and comes out in a 4-wide, 2x2, shotgun.
-- NE: 4-2 Nickel, straight man.
-- Guyton and Alexander set up in halves with Guyton on the RB side at LOLB.

Pats bring the jailbreak with both LBs and Chung. Philly OL caught out as C/RG double (looks like Jarvis Green, but I'm not sure) while LG ignores Pryor to focus on Alexander - Pryor gets a QB pressure/hit forcing the ball to sail long - incomplete.

I can see nothing to fault with Alexander on this play.

1:09
2nd and 10: Phi 4-wide, 2x2, shotgun.
-- NE: 4-2 Nickel
-- Guyton MLB
-- Alexander LOLB inside shoulder of slot receiver, then moves down behind Crable (LDE) showing blitz. Looks like Chung man on the L-slot.

Hugh Douglas for the Eagles' announcing team calls this a jailbreak - 4-man rush. Alexander fakes blitz and turns and runs with the R-slot. Guyton crashes down and jams the RB who can't get through the line. Green draws a holding penalty as he flushes Feeley out to the R where he runs for his life and throws the ball away.

I can see nothing to fault with Alexander on this play.

1:03
2nd and 20: Phi 4-wide, 2x2, shotgun.
-- NE: 4-2 Nickel.
-- Guyton MLB.
-- Alexander LOLB shading the TE in the slot to the inside.
-- Richardson or Chung NB on the L-slot (this creates a 4-3 look in the Nickel).
-- Outside CBs appear to be in man under a Cover-2 shell.

Alexander's man motions across the formation and he goes with him, Richardson/Chung backs off another step to clear Alexander if needed - ball is snapped as Alexander is in the middle of the crossing. Alexander and Richardson/Chung set up a bracket on the bunch that developed off the motion - Alexander inside, Richardson/Chung outside. Green doubled again, TBC bulls the LT back flushing Feeley into a scramble. Guyton and Butler combine to force Feeley to slide.

I can see nothing to fault with Alexander on this play.

Timeout 0:54
3rd and 15: Phi T-form, 3-wide, 2 L, L-flanker motions inside.
-- NE 4-2 Nickel.
-- Guyton and Alexander go halves and show blitz.
-- Richardson on the L-inside, Wheatley L-motion - CBs in man.
-- Both Safeties in the box showing blitz.

Another jailbreak, 8 on 7 blitz allows Meriweather to break through and hit Feeley's arm as he's releasing - incomplete.

I can see nothing to fault with Alexander on this play.

0:50
4th and 15: Phi FG attempt. Blocked by Chung (Alexander is part of the punt block team too).

I dunno Db, other than the one play where it's possible there was a miscommunication between Wheatley/Alexander, I can't see where you could fault Alexander for anything, and there's just too much we don't know about that first play to place any blame on his plate. He was part of the unit that stopped a pretty good reserve QB throwing to some first line receivers and held them scoreless on the drive. I go back to my previous cliff notes on the 2nd half and other than one missed tackled allowing a TD I can't really put any red marks on his paper.