Finally ! The Blitz has been implemented

[Hardboiled]

I posted this query on Ken's thread but this is also a good one to check: how much did Josh's familiarity with his former team help us in putting up such a commanding performance? (If you think zero, think about how Gruden and the Bucs demolished his former team, Raiders, in the SB a few years back; some Raiders mentioned that it was as if the Bucs knew every single play the second it was called out.)

Thanks!

The key difference is that the Raiders were running the same offense that Guden put into place - down to the same calls. John Lynch noted that anything Gannon called out, they knew what he was communicating. The Raiders kept everything in place. The Rams have replaced the coaching staff. It's Fisher's and Shotty's offense now. Certainly JM would know tendencies of Bradford, but no where near the extent of the knowledge that the Bucs used against the Raiders. I wonder if the Pats were better prepared for the Rams offensive because of past study of Shotty than anything MD brought in from the prior year.

 

[Tasco]

would be nice if there was any statistical analysis on our blitzes this season.

From live action (I was at the stadium) it seemed to me that it had more to do with being more creative in creating holes for the blitzers. But I'm no expert so if somebody has detailed insight that would be great.

 

[livinginthe past]

How successful was the Blitz?

Due to a heady combination of fans reacting in typical knee-jerk fashion (but at least in a mildly positiive told-you-so way, for a change) and those same fans not really understanding what consitutes a blitz its worth reading this piece on the Reiss blog.

If it seemed like the Patriots blitzed more than the norm in Sunday's 45-7 win over the Rams, it's because they did.

According to ESPN's Stats & Information department, which tracks every game, the Patriots sent five or more pass rushers 23.5 percent of the time vs. the Rams. That represents their second highest percentage of the season, behind 28.6 percent against the Seahawks on Oct. 14.

One of those blitzes set an early tone, with linebackers Brandon Spikes and Jerod Mayo surging through the middle to force Sam Bradford into an intentional grounding penalty for the Patriots' initial third-down stop.

That play was obviously a good one, but the Rams actually had success against the Patriots' blitz after that, finishing 6 of 8 passing for 70 yards with 1 touchdown and no interceptions, according to ESPN's Stats & Information. The other two plays against the blitz were runs.

So while the blitz created an early stop that helped set the tone, it wasn't necessarily the extra pressure that made a major difference for the pass defense.

New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston

 

[Sciz]

Re: How successful was the Blitz?

Without running the stats like they did, it appeared to me that the Pats had more success when they still rushed four, but with a defensive lineman dropping. I'd be really interested in seeing those stats.

 

[Sfpat]

Re: How successful was the Blitz?

Take out the TD play, and the blitz resulted in 5-7 for 20 yards. I'd take that from the Pats pass defense.

 

[Deus Irae]

Re: How successful was the Blitz?

Take out the TD play, and the blitz resulted in 5-7 for 20 yards. I'd take that from the Pats pass defense.

That's a hell of an "if"