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There were plenty of Q marks / concerns raised in various threads about NE running game - both run D and O - albeit going mainly by the stats and live game feel - many of them in the weekly @patfanken Idle Thoughts The "why do I feel so bad about a 23 pt. victory" edition. -
While running game was the strength of NE offence and defence over the last month . the KEY is actually the gameplan they go with and as we know it differs week to week. Going by alignments alone it was clear (as could be expected) that offensively this will not be a run heavy game. TEN run D is a strength and BB likes to take away the strength so it could've been expected that he will not try to force running game through thick TEN wall.
Clear run personnel w Jakob on the field was a rare sight esp. in first half. His snap count was cut in half in this game. Similar goes for Harry - by far best run blocker outside OL - who is not even a part of the package below. They also did not use jumbo formation - not even in GL situations.
As you can see in the picture below most of the time Pats were outnumbered in the box with Mac not considered a running threat by TEN. And if you are outnumbered by equally physical players (or in some cases more so) the proposition is not too good. It had a purpose though since even wo Jakob NE was able to keep TEN run D honest (also based on previous games) which set up much easier passing / play action game.
So from TEN perspective they were all in on stopping the run. BB knew that he will get these looks so he gameplanned around it and for the most part successfully so. If Mac would be his accurate self in some key opportunities in the first half - this game could be in cruise control before halftime.
As far as EXECUTION goes it was a joy to watch how well prepared TEN lines (O & D) were and how well they executed.
Simmons and Byard were monsters.
There were some issues on NE side (Harris missing gaps on 2 occasions early, OLs losing grip on some blocks, TEs poor blocking) but on the whole it was mostly about numbers game.
Note that when in 4Q NE wanted to run the clock and used full run packages with both Jakob and Harry they were able to run the ball as usual.
On the other side of the ball the picture was reversed. TEN was all in on running the ball (they didn't have much choice wo all top receivers) which is also their strength even without D.Henry (OL, very good blocking TEs and WRs). 2/3 of their plays were runs (most of 1st and 2nd downs) - 39:21.
They used at least 8 effective blockers on the line in those plays (3 TE sets combined w 2TE+1FB). The TEs used were blocking TEs (Swaim, Pruitt).
As you can see in the picture above Pats used lighter 7 men box with wide spread line (Guy and God in this case playing 5T outside OTs).
The plan looked to be containing Tann (running, scrambling, long shots) & eliminating outside runs - TEN bread and butter.
The problem was both Tann (short) passing and inside runs worked well at the beginning - also due to great TEN execution across the board.
In the end the plan worked and despite giving up “alarming“ 270 rushing yards they stopped the passing game completely allowing only 11 receptions (most of them early in the game) for 93 yds.
Again there were some problems in execution but for the most part it was the numbers game.
One continuing problem was TEN TEs dominating Pats OLBs on the line making it 5 vs 3 all day with 1 guard (+FB) or even 2 guards running free to second level eliminating HT and Bentley. They even brought in Tavai for KVN at OLB at some point since KVN could not handle his TE. After they rotated KVN, HT, Wise opposite Judon which helped to stop the bleed (& sometimes further exposed the middle wo HT).
Hilliards TD run was discussed already - just a note that Phillips was overrunning plays before (his worst game) and TEN made notice (also about Dugger playing way outside) - so it was combination of TEN using what they saw at the right moment, executed perfectly (again hitting free blocks on HT and Bentley) while all 3 NE safeties were caught off guard.
Looking at individual run D performances DTs actually did a good job considering game plan, alignments esp. God who was good at variety of positions - nose, 3T, 5T - so i see this game as a positive development in his game that shows versatility beyond nose. Bentley had a great game again despite being eliminated on occasion by unblocked guards. While PFF grades mean only so much this list should not be a surprise to anyone rewatching the game.
Sometimes you have to give credit where credit is due and in this game that was TEN blocking TEAM as @BaconGrundleCandy already described in his thread:
Id only add once again that there is only so much a line can do when it is outnumbered by design & perfectly executed by equally physical opponent.
Hopefully this puts some run worries at peace before the big game.
I am fully confident Pats will return to their power running game vs BUF & will have success.
It will be interesting to see if they go with similar defensive game plan vs BUF (which would make sense) and how effective it will be against much better passing team.
-.-
While running game was the strength of NE offence and defence over the last month . the KEY is actually the gameplan they go with and as we know it differs week to week. Going by alignments alone it was clear (as could be expected) that offensively this will not be a run heavy game. TEN run D is a strength and BB likes to take away the strength so it could've been expected that he will not try to force running game through thick TEN wall.
Clear run personnel w Jakob on the field was a rare sight esp. in first half. His snap count was cut in half in this game. Similar goes for Harry - by far best run blocker outside OL - who is not even a part of the package below. They also did not use jumbo formation - not even in GL situations.
As you can see in the picture below most of the time Pats were outnumbered in the box with Mac not considered a running threat by TEN. And if you are outnumbered by equally physical players (or in some cases more so) the proposition is not too good. It had a purpose though since even wo Jakob NE was able to keep TEN run D honest (also based on previous games) which set up much easier passing / play action game.
So from TEN perspective they were all in on stopping the run. BB knew that he will get these looks so he gameplanned around it and for the most part successfully so. If Mac would be his accurate self in some key opportunities in the first half - this game could be in cruise control before halftime.
As far as EXECUTION goes it was a joy to watch how well prepared TEN lines (O & D) were and how well they executed.
Simmons and Byard were monsters.
There were some issues on NE side (Harris missing gaps on 2 occasions early, OLs losing grip on some blocks, TEs poor blocking) but on the whole it was mostly about numbers game.
Note that when in 4Q NE wanted to run the clock and used full run packages with both Jakob and Harry they were able to run the ball as usual.
On the other side of the ball the picture was reversed. TEN was all in on running the ball (they didn't have much choice wo all top receivers) which is also their strength even without D.Henry (OL, very good blocking TEs and WRs). 2/3 of their plays were runs (most of 1st and 2nd downs) - 39:21.
They used at least 8 effective blockers on the line in those plays (3 TE sets combined w 2TE+1FB). The TEs used were blocking TEs (Swaim, Pruitt).
As you can see in the picture above Pats used lighter 7 men box with wide spread line (Guy and God in this case playing 5T outside OTs).
The plan looked to be containing Tann (running, scrambling, long shots) & eliminating outside runs - TEN bread and butter.
The problem was both Tann (short) passing and inside runs worked well at the beginning - also due to great TEN execution across the board.
In the end the plan worked and despite giving up “alarming“ 270 rushing yards they stopped the passing game completely allowing only 11 receptions (most of them early in the game) for 93 yds.
Again there were some problems in execution but for the most part it was the numbers game.
One continuing problem was TEN TEs dominating Pats OLBs on the line making it 5 vs 3 all day with 1 guard (+FB) or even 2 guards running free to second level eliminating HT and Bentley. They even brought in Tavai for KVN at OLB at some point since KVN could not handle his TE. After they rotated KVN, HT, Wise opposite Judon which helped to stop the bleed (& sometimes further exposed the middle wo HT).
Hilliards TD run was discussed already - just a note that Phillips was overrunning plays before (his worst game) and TEN made notice (also about Dugger playing way outside) - so it was combination of TEN using what they saw at the right moment, executed perfectly (again hitting free blocks on HT and Bentley) while all 3 NE safeties were caught off guard.
Looking at individual run D performances DTs actually did a good job considering game plan, alignments esp. God who was good at variety of positions - nose, 3T, 5T - so i see this game as a positive development in his game that shows versatility beyond nose. Bentley had a great game again despite being eliminated on occasion by unblocked guards. While PFF grades mean only so much this list should not be a surprise to anyone rewatching the game.
Sometimes you have to give credit where credit is due and in this game that was TEN blocking TEAM as @BaconGrundleCandy already described in his thread:
Id only add once again that there is only so much a line can do when it is outnumbered by design & perfectly executed by equally physical opponent.
Hopefully this puts some run worries at peace before the big game.
I am fully confident Pats will return to their power running game vs BUF & will have success.
It will be interesting to see if they go with similar defensive game plan vs BUF (which would make sense) and how effective it will be against much better passing team.
-.-
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