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

[Lloyd_Christmas]

I predict a bigger role for Kevin Faulk this week. He is better at blitz pickup than any other RB the Patriots have and has better hands as well.

They will need better protection for brady and the ability to dump off quick passes. The Ravens will likely focus on Gronk/Hernandez, hoping to limit them and force Brady to throw short passes.

I am also predicting better performances from Branch. He always seems to come through in these big games at the end of the year (see SB performances from the past).

 

[jays52]

They're going to be coming for interior pressure with 4-rushers. That means a back will have to stay in to block. That also means draws won't be very effective, and I expect the screen game to be a very low priority. That kind of defensive gameplan means one thing; a back stays in to pickup trash. I want Green-Ellis in there for that. Woodhead trying to chip Ngata? No bueno.

 

[IllegalContact]

They're going to be coming for interior pressure with 4-rushers. That means a back will have to stay in to block. That also means draws won't be very effective, and I expect the screen game to be a very low priority. That kind of defensive gameplan means one thing; a back stays in to pickup trash. I want Green-Ellis in there for that. Woodhead trying to chip Ngata? No bueno.

anyone recall how many balls hernandez caught when he lined up in the backfield? any?

 

[PatsFan2]

I predict a bigger role for Kevin Faulk this week. He is better at blitz pickup than any other RB the Patriots have and has better hands as well.

They will need better protection for brady and the ability to dump off quick passes. The Ravens will likely focus on Gronk/Hernandez, hoping to limit them and force Brady to throw short passes.

I am also predicting better performances from Branch. He always seems to come through in these big games at the end of the year (see SB performances from the past).

Yeah Branch numbers could have been even better if he caught that ball that hits off his hands on the dive. Branch is a Big Time performer...i expect a good game from him.

 

[Mogamedogz]

Could Ocho be a factor with his knowledge of the Ravens?

No.

To me, this is the type of game that BB kept our old buddy KEVIN FAULK on the roster for. I suspect that we will see a lot of Faulk and Gronk helping out in Pass Protection this weekend.

Welker/Hernandez/Branch will carve them up.

 

[Wax Frog]

Woodhead is not a good blocker so I really don't want to see him in the backfield much this game since we know the Ravens will be sending pressure. the formations with Hernandez in the backfield will be used a lot this game, IMO and the Ravens won't know how to counter it effectively.

Football semi-dummy question - to what extent did that wrinkle make its appearance to give the next opponent, a tough D in either case, something to think about?

 

[NEP4Life]

No.

To me, this is the type of game that BB kept our old buddy KEVIN FAULK on the roster for. I suspect that we will see a lot of Faulk and Gronk helping out in Pass Protection this weekend.

Welker/Hernandez/Branch will carve them up.

That sig.....

 

[NEP4Life]

Physically, Woody and Faulk are very similar. Why is it that Faulk can pick up blitzers but Woody can't?

 

[Marqui]

Physically, Woody and Faulk are very similar. Why is it that Faulk can pick up blitzers but Woody can't?

Faulk is WAY stronger than Woodhead. He also has much better technique when blocking rushers.

 

[rainmaker]

Hernandez is the secret weapon unveiled solely for the playoffs. The other teams won't have enough time to figure out a counter and won't until next season. He's perfect for the pass rush up the middle which is the Pats only krytonite. When the rush comes up the middle, you need size to block them which AH has. They won't be able to stunt and use one DL to push our o-line aside to free up another DL which Giants love to do. They can do this because Brady doesn't run so gaping holes are not a problem and they don't need to maintain gap control. With AH in the backfield, one hand-off or forward flip (will be done before play-offs are over), and its a big play. AH will go for a 100 combined yards and a TD in each playoff game. Hopefully, he stays injury free and they don't run him on the goalline in a game where the outcome is already determined.

 

[strngplyr]

Hernandez is the secret weapon unveiled solely for the playoffs. The other teams won't have enough time to figure out a counter and won't until next season. He's perfect for the pass rush up the middle which is the Pats only krytonite. When the rush comes up the middle, you need size to block them which AH has. They won't be able to stunt and use one DL to push our o-line aside to free up another DL which Giants love to do. They can do this because Brady doesn't run so gaping holes are not a problem and they don't need to maintain gap control. With AH in the backfield, one hand-off or forward flip (will be done before play-offs are over), and its a big play. AH will go for a 100 combined yards and a TD in each playoff game. Hopefully, he stays injury free and they don't run him on the goalline in a game where the outcome is already determined.

Hernandez has 79 receptions and 910 receiving yards on top of 5 hand offs for 45 rushing yards, the only thing we did differently against Denver was line him up in the back field a few extra times. Nothing was really new, just used more often.

We haven't been saving him as a secret weapon by any means, and if we were, we did an awful job at keeping the fact that he's a very dynamic player a secret. I'm pretty sure everyone in the NFL knows what he is capable of.

 

[mgteich]

You might ask the coaches.

The reality is that Faulk has been one of the very best at picking up the blitz and at blocking. Woodhead has been mediocre.

Physically, Woody and Faulk are very similar. Why is it that Faulk can pick up blitzers but Woody can't?

 

[supafly]

You might ask the coaches.

The reality is that Faulk has been one of the very best at picking up the blitz and at blocking. Woodhead has been mediocre.

That's being awfully generous to Woodhead.

 

[JR4]

Maybe the surprise will be Solder as a Receiving 3rd TE.
Helps to protect Tom as TE while Cannon is RT but also
has a real role as a receiver. I'd love to see him catch one
in the open field and rumble over a few DBs.

Ravens are thinking they will have to be real physical on defense.
The extra beef in there may help to counter that attack.
It's good they have been experimenting with this formation already.

 

[hovis]

Faulk is WAY stronger than Woodhead. He also has much better technique when blocking rushers.

I think technique's the bigger difference between the two. I'm not sure what Faulk's 225 combine stats were, but Woodhead put up 21 reps. For comparison, BJGE put up 24.

 

[NEP4Life]

I think technique's the bigger difference between the two. I'm not sure what Faulk's 225 combine stats were, but Woodhead put up 21 reps. For comparison, BJGE put up 24.

I think Faulk's quite a bit stockier/thicker in the thighs/lower body. Can make a big difference when blocking an oncoming blitzer.

 

[rainmaker]

Hernandez has 79 receptions and 910 receiving yards on top of 5 hand offs for 45 rushing yards, the only thing we did differently against Denver was line him up in the back field a few extra times. Nothing was really new, just used more often.

We haven't been saving him as a secret weapon by any means, and if we were, we did an awful job at keeping the fact that he's a very dynamic player a secret. I'm pretty sure everyone in the NFL knows what he is capable of.

AH is not a secret, but how they are using him now is. AH has never been utilized as a running back and blocker in the backfield. He didn't get any of the 79 receptions and 910 receiving yards coming out of the backfield. It will not be a Bronco only formation. Pats saved it for the playoffs because it takes a few games before defensive coordinators can scheme against it. It will be used extensively and be a reason why Pats win the Lombardi.

 

[mgcolby]

I think the Pats will use the Ravens defensive aggression against them. I fully expect them to put little twists on a few plays, show them a play they are sure to recognize run it and then hit them with a misdirection play out of the same read/play start.

They have a tendency to over pursue at the LB position. I think AH could have some big plays out of the backfield using counters.

 

[supafly]

AH is not a secret, but how they are using him now is. AH has never been utilized as a running back and blocker in the backfield. He didn't get any of the 79 receptions and 910 receiving yards coming out of the backfield. It will not be a Bronco only formation. Pats saved it for the playoffs because it takes a few games before defensive coordinators can scheme against it. It will be used extensively and be a reason why Pats win the Lombardi.

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.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

Could Ocho be a factor with his knowledge of the Ravens?

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.