I think the offensive twist will involve this player...

[supafly]

Not likely. While this is beating a dead horse, the consensus appears to be that '85' can't read the defense and adjust his route in a way that puts him on the same page as TB. I think the fair conclusions is '85' has minimal receptions because A) too many options for TB + B) he is largely limited to static route running.
I suspect in some other offenses '85' would be far more productive. In this offense he just isn't bringing enough flexibility to the table.

For Sunday's game (assuming the O line gives decent protection to TB) there are three possibilities: 1) The least likely is TB will slice and dice the Ravens right from the get go and the Patriots easily score over 30. But, like them or not, the Ravens have a good D and they are not likely to allow that to happen. 2) A more likely scenario is the Ravens give TB and the Patriots trouble and we struggle to score points. 3) What IMHO reality says is the Patriots struggle at points but make crucial adjustments in game which results in multiple scoring drives.

I do not agree that this is a game where Faulk will see a lot more playing time unless protection for TB is porous. Faulk is out of gas, so to speak. This is why he is not getting much playing time. What we will see is plenty of our 2 TE/2 WR/1RB formations as well as our 2 TE/3 WR formations, playing our normal 'open guy/guy who with the favorable match up in coverage gets the pass'. These formations will have our normal personnel groupings. Why would a high powered, successful offense change their personnel groupings? However, if there is a guy who strikes me as getting a bit more playing time above what would be expected, that would be Polite. It wouldn't surprise me at all to see the Patriots try and work a few passes to him based on his ability to knock a pass rusher on his @$$, his general very physical play (dishing out some blows to some Raven defenders) as well as the Ravens likely paying him no attention.

I agree on all points.

 

[rainmaker]

A.Hernandez had 5 carries this year out of the backfield, prior to the Broncos game, and had done it in college, especially on reverses etc.

He was even actually a RB in high school too.

Plenty of receivers / TE's do reverses which accounts for all or most of AH's carries. Not many are lining up in the backfield and getting direct hand-offs like AH was in the Bronco game. Lining up in the backfield to get direct hand-offs and block is a new twist that the Pats are doing. I don't know how you can argue that. It wasn't a one-time gimmic play like a flea flicker - Pats used it often and effectively.

Also, plenty of players play different positions in high school. Often, they put the most skilled positional players at RB or QB in high school. AH playing RB in high school was no indication that Pats would start using him in the backfield in the play-offs. If you knew that, you should apply for a defensive coordinator position or fortune teller.