Half Time Adjustments

[BelizePats]

I really like watching this team play and while I find it stressful at times, particularly when the opposing team has the ball on 3rd down, I know that this is a young team that's going to make mistakes. This is just part of the deal when practically half your roster in either their first or second year in the league. Another byproduct of this youth movement that we fans have to be patient with is more penalties at inopportune times. It's just part of the process of growing pains when you are fielding a young team.
What I've really been impressed with the over the last month is the way the team is playing when it comes out of half time. I remember a time when it did not look like any half time adjustments were being made and the team was often flat and sluggish to start the 3rd quarter. This goes all the way back to the 2006 AFCC game against the Colts.
Over the last month it seems that the Pats have taken a giant step forward in this regard and the W's are now starting to pile up. I like the way the team is playing in the second half and I think that the coaching staff deserves a pat on the back for making the necessary adjustments.

 

[Ron Sellers]

I remember a time when it did not look like any half time adjustments were being made and the team was often flat and sluggish to start the 3rd quarter.

That wasn't in the distant past. The forum was filled with threads and comments about the problem (and it's twin brother, predictable game plans and play calling) as recently as just a few weeks ago.

The turnaround is noteworthy, in a very positive way.

 

[mgcolby]

Or it could be the players are executing the game plan and adjustments better?

Nah...

 

[Kontradiction]

Or it could be the players are executing the game plan and adjustments better?

Nah...

This. There was never the huge problem with the second half adjustments that many of the posters made out. It was simply the execution all the way around. It's easier to blame the coaching staff (particularly Bill O'Brien) than it is to blame Tom Brady for having a crappy game.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

I prefer the term 'in game adjustments' because they are occuring thoughout the game, not just halftime. But I do agree we seem to be doing better. Hard to say how much of it is execution and how much was on the coaches, I'm sure it was a bit of both. But once again this team is starting to take its licks early on and play better in the 2nd half, complete turnaround from last year.

 

[lamafist]

I prefer the term 'in game adjustments' because they are occuring thoughout the game, not just halftime. But I do agree we seem to be doing better. Hard to say how much of it is execution and how much was on the coaches, I'm sure it was a bit of both. But once again this team is starting to take its licks early on and play better in the 2nd half, complete turnaround from last year.

Hard to say? Not really.

The Pats didn't make any major coaching hires this past offseason, so pretty much all of the coaches making this year's adjustments were also involved last year. Meanwhile, the team's had an unusual amount of roster turnover, especially atop the depth chart.

We've also had Brady, and a few other Pats, make note of how in tune this year's locker room is with their head coach, much more than last season.

All this doesn't prove anything, but it does suggest pretty strongly which is more likely. And it makes sense, too, considering the youth infusion; our rookie and 2nd year players both need more coaching, but are probably more receptive to it and more plastic in their technique than an older player.

 

[MrBigglesWorth]

how come they are getting off to slow starts in the first half now?

 

[TruthSeeker]

how come they are getting off to slow starts in the first half now?

I think it's so we can appreciate their half-time adjustments.

 

[rookBoston]

The reason for the improvement in play is the fact that Gary Guyton isn't the only healthy ILB on the roster this year. Thank god.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Hard to say? Not really.

The Pats didn't make any major coaching hires this past offseason, so pretty much all of the coaches making this year's adjustments were also involved last year. Meanwhile, the team's had an unusual amount of roster turnover, especially atop the depth chart.

We've also had Brady, and a few other Pats, make note of how in tune this year's locker room is with their head coach, much more than last season.

All this doesn't prove anything, but it does suggest pretty strongly which is more likely. And it makes sense, too, considering the youth infusion; our rookie and 2nd year players both need more coaching, but are probably more receptive to it and more plastic in their technique than an older player.

I wouldn't base any conclusions solely off the fact that the coaches, namely O'brien was here last year. JMD, for example, wasn't the same in '05 that he was by the end of '06 and beyond.

 

[Brady2Welker]

This. There was never the huge problem with the second half adjustments that many of the posters made out. It was simply the execution all the way around. It's easier to blame the coaching staff (particularly Bill O'Brien) than it is to blame Tom Brady for having a crappy game.

It's not just Brady (although he had his part to play). A lack of execution by the offense as a whole would be a better description.

 

[buffalo34]

IMO one of the best attributes about Belichick is his ability to make adjustments. Fool Belichick once, shame on you. Fool Belichick twice, well, I guess you won the Mega Millions in the process.

It's also very easy to pick up on his adjustments. Take the Baltimore game for example, where Brady was being pressured left and right during the first half. Baltimore's pass rush was silenced in the 2nd half and Brady was never really threatened for the rest of the game.

 

[MrBigglesWorth]

IMO one of the best attributes about Belichick is his ability to make adjustments. Fool Belichick once, shame on you. Fool Belichick twice, well, I guess you won the Mega Millions in the process.

It's also very easy to pick up on his adjustments. Take the Baltimore game for example, where Brady was being pressured left and right during the first half. Baltimore's pass rush was silenced in the 2nd half and Brady was never really threatened for the rest of the game.

In the Minny game the Pats rush for like 5 yards in the first half and explode in the second half. not really sure how Minny could fall apart that badly.

 

[RelocatedPatFan]

I'm sure Bellichick is coaching it up on the sidelines as well, but credit has to go to the players who seem to be better at recognizing plays/play development during the game.

While there is a youth movement in effect (younger/faster), I believe some of the guys are more cerebral and/or just willing to listen to the coaches. The chemistry and trust seems to be alive and well.

and yet it doesn't seem that our offense is clicking on all cylinders (yet).

 

[Sicilian]

I've mentioned this before, but I would be very surprised if any "adjustments" made during a game were 100% made up on the spot. I'm pretty sure BB goes into a game with a set of things he feels his team is prepared to do, and a more exclusive set that he thinks is the best gameplan to start with. If the opponent has success, he'll move to one of the other practiced sets that he think will counter. He's probably not on the sideline going, "Crap, that's not working, let's draw up some plays quick!"

For this reason, having so many young players really limits the scope of how many different looks you can prepare for. Rookies and such need more time to get the same understanding of the basic looks, so there isn't as much time to have plan C, D, or E. As the rookies get more comfortable, BB can implement more plans in practice, and thus has more counter options when things are going south on Sunday.

 

[N.Eman]

Half time adjustments is one thing. The other is having players (which we drafted and have now) with the right athletism and versatility to keep up thru the whole game and not give up!

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

I attribute this 'half time' (sic) perception to several factors...

1. Unlike past seasons, the 2010 offense has been a slow starter so the contrast in performance is more notable. The performance problem has shifted from the 2nd half to 1st half. Why are our coaches so bad with initial game plans?

2. One possible answer besides the obvious offensive adjustment problems to no-Moss deep, is that it's BB's pre-2007 style to start out games carefully and conservatively and later when a better assessment of that day's specific man against man performances are better understood, go with specific targeted attacks selected from the many available from the pre game plans. One recurring theme in response to good quality post game questions by football oriented reporters is that Brady et. al. always dodge any answers on specific adjustments. Part of the Patriots protected secret tradecraft not for public consumption. The only exception to this was Chung's analysis of how the Miami ST blocking was attacked.

3. The 2010 defense is younger and does not wilt late in the game as had happened several times in recent seasons with vets past their shelf dates

4. The youngsters are beginning to put into practise better the same old stuff the coaches have always been telling them. Listening better, executing better

5. Along these lines the D has starting to mature to a point where more complex and exotic defenses can finally be deployed without resultant confusion

6. The talents of the D line crew are so flexible that new defensive alignments (e.g. Wilfork at DE) and fresh platoon players (Pryor, Brace) can overwhelm the opposition. Starting to see the massive platoon system at LB also with Crable, Fletcher and Guyton used in specific situations

 

[lamafist]

I wouldn't base any conclusions solely off the fact that the coaches, namely O'brien was here last year. JMD, for example, wasn't the same in '05 that he was by the end of '06 and beyond.

On what, exactly, are you basing this conclusion about McDaniels? How do you identify what is due to McDaniels' development as a coach, and what is due to changing personelle, player development, and scheme changes based on these two latter variables.

As for O'Brien, he is - both this year and last - only one of a number of offensive coaches contributing to the in-game adjustments.

In the 2nd half against the Vikings, for example, the Pats started using more counter feints and pulling linemen in the running game, to get the Williams Wall off balance and get their blockers better angles on them. One would imagine that Freers and Scarneccia would have been more involved in directing the implementation of that then O'Brien.