I Expect SD to Come Out Throwing

[QB12]

Boy, what an important coin toss that will be. If SD wins the toss, I look for them to come out throwing it all over the field, perhaps to Vincent Jackson to exploit the size mismatch with either of our corners.

I also think SD is going to try to play this as the Pats-Steelers game of Halloween 2004 at Pittsburgh. Throw it downfield, THEN use LT, making the Pats play from behind.

SD knows the longer the game stays close the greater the Pats advantage because of their playoff experience, poise, Bellichick, Brady etc.

Having said all of this, I am still predicting the Pats big 30 - 20, in a game that's not even that close.

QB12

 

[Patriot Missile]

I expect them to force us to stop the run. It's worked for them all season,why stop now?

Marty would be put in a space capsule and shipped to the moon if he deviated from this.

 

[QB12]

I expect them to force us to stop the run. It's worked for them all season,why stop now?

Marty would be put in a space capsule and shipped to the moon if he deviated from this.

I agree with you in the normal case, but I just don't think that's how they're going to start out if for no other reason than to show the team 'Martyball' is dead and buried. There's enourmous pressure on him, and this is one way to get it off him.

QB12

 

[DagoTom]

I've heard a few pundits say they think BB will pretty much ignore the LT factor and focus on screwing with PR, the logic being that LT is going to get his yards and tends to have huge runs against teams who are selling out to stop him, while slowing down PR tends to kill the rhythm of our offense.

It'll be real interesting to see the chess match. I think a lot of it is going to be about who gets the initiative--whose early-game strategy works against the other guy. Then the other guy will have to adjust to respond and the adjustments to the adjustments will begin.

The big advantage the Chargers have, IMO, is the ability to stay balanced throughout a game. To me that makes it difficult to stack to stop one thing. Will Belichik get into a guessing game?

Last year you guys were real anxious about LT and ended up being vulnerable to the pass which then opened up LT and you ended up stopping neither.

And this is why football's the best game on earth. Strategy is so much more important than it is in other sports.

 

[Michael]

Yeah, throwing up.

 

[Patriot Missile]

I've heard a few pundits say they think BB will pretty much ignore the LT factor and focus on screwing with PR, the logic being that LT is going to get his yards and tends to have huge runs against teams who are selling out to stop him, while slowing down PR tends to kill the rhythm of our offense.

It'll be real interesting to see the chess match. I think a lot of it is going to be about who gets the initiative--whose early-game strategy works against the other guy. Then the other guy will have to adjust to respond and the adjustments to the adjustments will begin.

The big advantage the Chargers have, IMO, is the ability to stay balanced throughout a game. To me that makes it difficult to stack to stop one thing. Will Belichik get into a guessing game?

Last year you guys were real anxious about LT and ended up being vulnerable to the pass which then opened up LT and you ended up stopping neither.

And this is why football's the best game on earth. Strategy is so much more important than it is in other sports.

Good post and I do find it interesting that we may not stack the box and just play a 3-4 or 4-3 base and let it ride. I wouldn't be suprised in the least especially that you mentioned that LT has had teams with 8 or 9 men fronts and still torched them for many yards.