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Just a few things that come to mind before Detroit arrives.
1. Just my humble opinion, but the biggest misconception we continually get from the media is that Revis will cover this guy and Browner someone else. The truth of the matter is that Revis will NEVER play press man on any one receiver exclusively, while he is a member of the Patriots.....for a couple of reasons.
Now that there is sufficient depth and talent on D, the Pats are free to put in practice one of BB's most cherished tenants. That is to create weekly defensive strategies based what the opponent does. Trying to creating favorable match ups each week designed to stop what the offense likes to do best. Secondly, NO defense will be successful within the current rules by simply doing the same thing over and over. You really can't stop a good offense man to man. What you CAN do is occasionally fool them by creating confusion and have them questioning what they are seeing.
THAT is why, While I expect Revis to spend a lot of time on Golden Tate, he is sure to see his fair share of snaps against Johnson. Also just because Revis lines up over one or the other doesn't mean he will be in press coverage. Sometimes he will, and sometimes he won't. Its all part of a strategy designed to have Stafford second guessing his reads, and not knowing where the pressure is coming from.
So when people/mediots speculate whether Revis will to do this or that, it is really a gross oversimplification of the reality of Patricia's design.
2. That being said, it will be interesting to see if BB continues the practice of locking Revis on a team's 2nd best WR (Tate) a majority of the time, and bracketing their top guy (Johnson). To me it makes sense. Like Hilton, Tate has been the go to guy for Detroit this season, mostly due to Johnson's injuries. Also Browner is a much better physical match up on Johnson in the short to mid range areas. Giving Stafford a look which makes him think he has a favorable match up with Browner only to try to go deep into a S covering over the top can be a big advantage for the Pats. However the problem with those rare guys like Johnson....and Gronk, is that you can cover them PERFECTLY and they can still come down with the ball.
3. The Pats OL has seen a lot of good DL's this season, but they haven't seen one this good thus far. It could be the ultimate test to see how good this offense really is. They are #1 against the run. They are #1 in creating pressure. They are #1 in getting off the field on 3rd down. They are #1 in creating the lowest QBR and finally they are #1 in points scored. They are also #1 in a few other stats, but I think you get the idea. This team's defense is GOOD and likely the best they will see this season
If the Pats manage to score over 30 points against THIS group, then I won't worry about an offensive collapse (barring injuries) late in the playoffs, like we've seen recently.
4. This team has some toughness, both mental and physical. What happens on Sunday will go a long way to telling us how much. It got me thinking about the 2001 team. IIRC, that team was SO tough, that regardless of whether that team won or lost,(and remember they were 5-5 to start) the team we played that week took a physical beating and most didn't fare well the next week or 2. I loved that team for that. I'd like to think that THIS team is trending in that direction.
5. I hope the lesson learned from the Raider victory over the team that croaked us just a month ago, reinforces the notion that there are NO casual victories in the NFL. EVERY team has a high degree of both physical talent and competent coaching (though some might have a bit better than others ) "on any given Sunday" is NOT just a cliche; it's a fact. We should keep that in mind when we face the Jets, Dolphins, Bills, and SD to close out this season.....and that goes double is we are lucky enough to win the next 2 weeks
6. It's very comforting to start to see some raw stats on how Stork has been playing. While I liked the pick, I did not think he'd be making such an immediate impact. I'm really liking this draft so far. JG is the best looking rookie QB the Pats have had in the BB era. Easley has been actually contributing more than expected despite the fact he's playing banged up and out of his ideal position. Flemming and Moore have shown great potential in limited roles. The lack of success of Halipio, Gallon, Thomas, and White is more than made up for by adding Butler, Tyms, Devey, and Grey....and who knows what White will end up being in a year or 2 (though I'm not hopeful )
7. Very interesting to see how as a C, Ryan Wendell was a soft spot in pass protection as an undersized OLman. Yet for some unknown reason he's become a rock as a undersized G. This is doubly surprising since he's rarely played the position prior to this year. Anyone want to try and explain that one to me? I'd love to see one of the mediots get Googs, Josh, or BB to come up with an answer. Can anyone remember a bigger one year perception turnaround by a Pats player?
8. The keys to this game are simple for the Pats.
a. Limit penalties
b. Don't turn the ball over
c. Limit big chunk plays (20+) to 3
d. Get off the field on 3rd down when on defense (50% would be great), and move the chains on offense (again 50% against these guys would be great)
e. Limit Detroit to FG's while scoring TD's
So now that we have established I have a keen sense of the obvious, we should move on.
9. I didn't notice a thread on who's crew will be reffing this week. Anyone know who, and what they are like? It's really a sad state of affairs in the NFL that this should even be a subject to discuss.....but scouting these guys these days is just as important as scouting your opponent.
10. Is it me, or does anyone else feel that if Ray Rice hadn't cold ****ed his GF, and the idiot on top hadn't blown the punishment, Andre Peterson would be getting ready to play this week for the Vikes.
It doesn't justify he beating he gave his son, regardless of his love for him or any so called cultural justifications, but 9 weeks and the financial loss of millions in endorsements SHOULD have been enough punishment for a first time offender. Maybe you throw in 3 or 4 game checks as a fine, since he got paid during his absence. I find it horrifying that Rice might come off the suspension list before Peterson.
This overreaction and poor decision making by Goodell isn't too dissimilar to his over reaction and subsequent handling of the "spygate" drama. In both cases his handling of these issues has severely damaged the league, let alone the Pats and players involved. He really should go, and I'm disappointed in Bob Kraft's unconditional support of him.
11. Now back to football - Run or Pass. History has shown us that BB won't waste his time banging his head against the wall trying to run the ball against great rush defenses. Now of course the Pats ARE going to run the ball, but will the number be closer to 20 than 40.
Odds are the passing game will get the majority of calls this week, Now the question will be WHO gets the targets. Is THIS the game Wright finally breaks out? Amendola anyone? Personally I'd like to see the Pats throw to Devlin when they are in 2 RB formations.
12. Detroit has been great this season in creating a new LOS by getting great initial penetration on the snap. You can use this to your advantage if you execute well. Using a combination of Gronk, Devlin, or OT's pulling on "wham" blocks (trap) could create some huge holes. However they might also cause losses and fumbles if backside blocks aren't executed well. Screens and draws are plays that might also see a comeback.
13. This might be one of those throwback games like in 2001, when BB really didn't care how successful the run game was as long as it was good enough to move the sticks on short yardage/GL and didn't create negative yards I bet he'd take 30 attempts for 90 yds right now, because that would be enough to legitimize the play action passing game and keep TOP in balance.
14. It's infuriating how the media is making so much of the fact Blount left the field while his team was kneeling and running out the final seconds of a game and turn's it into that he quit on his team. Blount's release was due to a LOT more than that, but those mediots were too lazy or incompetent to flesh out the reasons other than to mention he'd been an ongoing problem for over a month.
I'm not naive enough not to believe that Blount CAN be a problem.....but clearly he wasn't here, either on the field or in the locker room. If its carries he wants, he'll get them.....if he EARNS them....and he won't get him running like a ****y scat back. His "pad level" story is a good one. I just hope he puts it into use. However, I will be surprised if he sees little more than a cameo role this week, because this is more of a Vareen game than a Blount/Gray one.
Feel free to add any other thoughts you might have on this game or comment on mine.
1. Just my humble opinion, but the biggest misconception we continually get from the media is that Revis will cover this guy and Browner someone else. The truth of the matter is that Revis will NEVER play press man on any one receiver exclusively, while he is a member of the Patriots.....for a couple of reasons.
Now that there is sufficient depth and talent on D, the Pats are free to put in practice one of BB's most cherished tenants. That is to create weekly defensive strategies based what the opponent does. Trying to creating favorable match ups each week designed to stop what the offense likes to do best. Secondly, NO defense will be successful within the current rules by simply doing the same thing over and over. You really can't stop a good offense man to man. What you CAN do is occasionally fool them by creating confusion and have them questioning what they are seeing.
THAT is why, While I expect Revis to spend a lot of time on Golden Tate, he is sure to see his fair share of snaps against Johnson. Also just because Revis lines up over one or the other doesn't mean he will be in press coverage. Sometimes he will, and sometimes he won't. Its all part of a strategy designed to have Stafford second guessing his reads, and not knowing where the pressure is coming from.
So when people/mediots speculate whether Revis will to do this or that, it is really a gross oversimplification of the reality of Patricia's design.
2. That being said, it will be interesting to see if BB continues the practice of locking Revis on a team's 2nd best WR (Tate) a majority of the time, and bracketing their top guy (Johnson). To me it makes sense. Like Hilton, Tate has been the go to guy for Detroit this season, mostly due to Johnson's injuries. Also Browner is a much better physical match up on Johnson in the short to mid range areas. Giving Stafford a look which makes him think he has a favorable match up with Browner only to try to go deep into a S covering over the top can be a big advantage for the Pats. However the problem with those rare guys like Johnson....and Gronk, is that you can cover them PERFECTLY and they can still come down with the ball.
3. The Pats OL has seen a lot of good DL's this season, but they haven't seen one this good thus far. It could be the ultimate test to see how good this offense really is. They are #1 against the run. They are #1 in creating pressure. They are #1 in getting off the field on 3rd down. They are #1 in creating the lowest QBR and finally they are #1 in points scored. They are also #1 in a few other stats, but I think you get the idea. This team's defense is GOOD and likely the best they will see this season
If the Pats manage to score over 30 points against THIS group, then I won't worry about an offensive collapse (barring injuries) late in the playoffs, like we've seen recently.
4. This team has some toughness, both mental and physical. What happens on Sunday will go a long way to telling us how much. It got me thinking about the 2001 team. IIRC, that team was SO tough, that regardless of whether that team won or lost,(and remember they were 5-5 to start) the team we played that week took a physical beating and most didn't fare well the next week or 2. I loved that team for that. I'd like to think that THIS team is trending in that direction.
5. I hope the lesson learned from the Raider victory over the team that croaked us just a month ago, reinforces the notion that there are NO casual victories in the NFL. EVERY team has a high degree of both physical talent and competent coaching (though some might have a bit better than others
) "on any given Sunday" is NOT just a cliche; it's a fact. We should keep that in mind when we face the Jets, Dolphins, Bills, and SD to close out this season.....and that goes double is we are lucky enough to win the next 2 weeks6. It's very comforting to start to see some raw stats on how Stork has been playing. While I liked the pick, I did not think he'd be making such an immediate impact. I'm really liking this draft so far. JG is the best looking rookie QB the Pats have had in the BB era. Easley has been actually contributing more than expected despite the fact he's playing banged up and out of his ideal position. Flemming and Moore have shown great potential in limited roles. The lack of success of Halipio, Gallon, Thomas, and White is more than made up for by adding Butler, Tyms, Devey, and Grey....and who knows what White will end up being in a year or 2 (though I'm not hopeful
)7. Very interesting to see how as a C, Ryan Wendell was a soft spot in pass protection as an undersized OLman. Yet for some unknown reason he's become a rock as a undersized G.
This is doubly surprising since he's rarely played the position prior to this year. Anyone want to try and explain that one to me? I'd love to see one of the mediots get Googs, Josh, or BB to come up with an answer. Can anyone remember a bigger one year perception turnaround by a Pats player?8. The keys to this game are simple for the Pats.
a. Limit penalties
b. Don't turn the ball over
c. Limit big chunk plays (20+) to 3
d. Get off the field on 3rd down when on defense (50% would be great), and move the chains on offense (again 50% against these guys would be great)
e. Limit Detroit to FG's while scoring TD's
So now that we have established I have a keen sense of the obvious, we should move on.
9. I didn't notice a thread on who's crew will be reffing this week. Anyone know who, and what they are like? It's really a sad state of affairs in the NFL that this should even be a subject to discuss.....but scouting these guys these days is just as important as scouting your opponent.
10. Is it me, or does anyone else feel that if Ray Rice hadn't cold ****ed his GF, and the idiot on top hadn't blown the punishment, Andre Peterson would be getting ready to play this week for the Vikes.
It doesn't justify he beating he gave his son, regardless of his love for him or any so called cultural justifications, but 9 weeks and the financial loss of millions in endorsements SHOULD have been enough punishment for a first time offender. Maybe you throw in 3 or 4 game checks as a fine, since he got paid during his absence. I find it horrifying that Rice might come off the suspension list before Peterson.
This overreaction and poor decision making by Goodell isn't too dissimilar to his over reaction and subsequent handling of the "spygate" drama. In both cases his handling of these issues has severely damaged the league, let alone the Pats and players involved. He really should go, and I'm disappointed in Bob Kraft's unconditional support of him.
11. Now back to football - Run or Pass. History has shown us that BB won't waste his time banging his head against the wall trying to run the ball against great rush defenses. Now of course the Pats ARE going to run the ball, but will the number be closer to 20 than 40.
Odds are the passing game will get the majority of calls this week, Now the question will be WHO gets the targets. Is THIS the game Wright finally breaks out? Amendola anyone? Personally I'd like to see the Pats throw to Devlin when they are in 2 RB formations.
12. Detroit has been great this season in creating a new LOS by getting great initial penetration on the snap. You can use this to your advantage if you execute well. Using a combination of Gronk, Devlin, or OT's pulling on "wham" blocks (trap) could create some huge holes. However they might also cause losses and fumbles if backside blocks aren't executed well. Screens and draws are plays that might also see a comeback.
13. This might be one of those throwback games like in 2001, when BB really didn't care how successful the run game was as long as it was good enough to move the sticks on short yardage/GL and didn't create negative yards I bet he'd take 30 attempts for 90 yds right now, because that would be enough to legitimize the play action passing game and keep TOP in balance.
14. It's infuriating how the media is making so much of the fact Blount left the field while his team was kneeling and running out the final seconds of a game and turn's it into that he quit on his team.
Blount's release was due to a LOT more than that, but those mediots were too lazy or incompetent to flesh out the reasons other than to mention he'd been an ongoing problem for over a month.I'm not naive enough not to believe that Blount CAN be a problem.....but clearly he wasn't here, either on the field or in the locker room. If its carries he wants, he'll get them.....if he EARNS them....and he won't get him running like a ****y scat back. His "pad level" story is a good one. I just hope he puts it into use. However, I will be surprised if he sees little more than a cameo role this week, because this is more of a Vareen game than a Blount/Gray one.
Feel free to add any other thoughts you might have on this game or comment on mine.
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