Kudos to Bill O'Brien

[woodheadwow]

I've been one of the ones that has been critical of O'Brien, but the guy did a great job last night. Some of the highlights:

1. The long play action pass to Tate.
I've been complaining all year that the Pats never give false keys, this time they did. They ran play action with Mankins pulling to the right. Poleomalo (sorry spelling) was reading the guard, he played run, and consequently Tate got 1 on one. I haven't seen the Pats do this yet this year.
2. The 2nd Gronkowski touchdown.
I've been complaining all year that the Pats never pass out of traditional running formations. I've also been complaining all year that the Pats often tip their runs by moving the RBs up half a yard. This time they ran PA off of I formation, which I haven't seen them do all year. Also, they had the RBs moved up. AND if I remember correctly, it was a quick count, which the Pats like to run in that situation for running plays. GREAT call.
3. Less shotgun, more traditional sets and 2 TE sets. At the end of the first half, he ran a lot of shotgun and it wasn't working. He came out in the 2nd half and went back to traditional sets.
4. An actual run on 3rd down and 3 or longer! It was draw, which I don't like, but at least it was a run. Woodhead should have picked up the first down on the play, too. It didn't work, but I still like the call.

 

[MrBigglesWorth]

great game plan

 

[FredFromDartmouth]

Was Brady yelling at him in the second quarter?

 

[upstater1]

Yes, execution and talent matter. Even mediocre coaches can succeed with great talent, although truly aweful coaches can fail even with fine talent (see SD and Dallas).

The issue has neve been whether O'Brien came plans would be successful with perfect execution.

The issues have been whether his game plans have taken greatest advantage of the strengths of the players, and made best efforts to mask any weaknesses.

I'll second this. I really liked the gameplan, obviously, last night, and will echo what someone said about Brady looking good when under center, but as for the Brady rant, are you positive it was about execution? Was he really going after Welker? Because Fred Smerlas on WEEI today said he heard from someone on the sidelines told him Brady yelled they were throwing on the Steelers with ease. It's no big deal, and obviously Brady was then going off on the Oline, but I think the whole sequence ticked him off.

 

[ausbacker]

It was a well called and well executed game plan last night. It's a credit to the entire organization.

 

[convertedpatsfan]

I'd really like to see more play-action in future game plans as well.

 

[aluminum seats]

You know, we always talk about how the Pats' young defense will likely improve over the course of the season (and next season) as the guys mature, Belichick coaches them up, etc. And it's also understood how young head coaches usually need time to get up to speed and learn the ropes. I wonder if we couldn't say the same for O'Brien--he's been a coach for years, but the NFL is obviously the big time, so there's room for growth there.

Just a wordy way of saying I think he might be improving.

 

[Haley]

I agree with the OP as well. Really nice play-calling, cheers BOB!

 

[PATSNUTme]

I did log on the patsfans, right? The OC getting kudo's?

I'm looking out my window so I don't miss the cows flying bye.

 

[West Philly Patriot]

I've been one of the ones that has been critical of O'Brien, but the guy did a great job last night. Some of the highlights:

1. The long play action pass to Tate.
I've been complaining all year that the Pats never give false keys, this time they did. They ran play action with Mankins pulling to the right. Poleomalo (sorry spelling) was reading the guard, he played run, and consequently Tate got 1 on one. I haven't seen the Pats do this yet this year.
2. The 2nd Gronkowski touchdown.
I've been complaining all year that the Pats never pass out of traditional running formations. I've also been complaining all year that the Pats often tip their runs by moving the RBs up half a yard. This time they ran PA off of I formation, which I haven't seen them do all year. Also, they had the RBs moved up. AND if I remember correctly, it was a quick count, which the Pats like to run in that situation for running plays. GREAT call.
3. Less shotgun, more traditional sets and 2 TE sets. At the end of the first half, he ran a lot of shotgun and it wasn't working. He came out in the 2nd half and went back to traditional sets.
4. An actual run on 3rd down and 3 or longer! It was draw, which I don't like, but at least it was a run. Woodhead should have picked up the first down on the play, too. It didn't work, but I still like the call.

Nice objective post here. I know your not a BOB guy and thats cool, but good to see posters being objective need more of this on the board. Even when u bagged on BOB u gave details not just vague complaints, and the same here liked that.

Gotta give a +1 to kontra who has been on the get gronk more involved train since like week 3. Utilizing gronk in some mismatches has been long overdue. I really like the play-action calls last night especially the call that didn't get made with tate, would like to see more.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

The playcalling has been great this season for the most part.

Like I said in another thread I was quite suprised how clueless the Steeler defense was and kept falling for the PA.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Yes, execution and talent matter. Even mediocre coaches can succeed with great talent, although truly aweful coaches can fail even with fine talent (see SD and Dallas).

The issue has neve been whether O'Brien came plans would be successful with perfect execution.

The issues have been whether his game plans have taken greatest advantage of the strengths of the players, and made best efforts to mask any weaknesses.

Oh yeah, as ascertained by all the armchair offensive playcalling geniuses posting on this message board...

 

[aluminum seats]

Oh yeah, as ascertained by all the armchair offensive playcalling geniuses posting on this message board...

What's the point of posts like this? Seems to me this thread has been filled with some interesting observations.

 

[The Dynasty]

Fred Taylor wasn't able to go on Sunday against the Steelers, but the veteran running back had a strong opinion about what happened in the Patriots' win.
Asked if he believed the running game was set up for success by the New England passing game, Taylor said it was the complementary game plan that did the trick.

"Coach [Bill] O'Brien probably had his best game as the Patriots offensive coordinator, at least since I've been here," Taylor praised. (O'Brien doesn't carry the OC title but fills the role.)

O'Brien's caught his share of heat when the Patriots offense sputters. Taylor says that the criticism hasn't been realistic.

"People want him to be Josh McDaniels in 2007 (the OC when the Patriots broke virtually every offensive scoring record)," said Taylor. "That's really not fair."

This was from Tom E. Curran's "Patriot Notes" on CSNE.com

 

[BritPat]

I would run the ball down the Colts throats until they start whining for mommy - and then run it some more.

Guarantee to open up some yardage for the TE's.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I would run the ball down the Colts throats until they start whining for mommy - and then run it some more.

Guarantee to open up some yardage for the TE's.

They are allowing 5 yards a carry?! Sheesh. It's not like in prior years that they have been sitting back in dime defenses. Interesting.

 

[The Dynasty]

I would run the ball down the Colts throats until they start whining for mommy - and then run it some more.

Guarantee to open up some yardage for the TE's.

Probably a similar game plan for the Pats like the had in the 2nd half against the Vikings.

 

[RayClay]

Fred Taylor wasn't able to go on Sunday against the Steelers, but the veteran running back had a strong opinion about what happened in the Patriots' win.
Asked if he believed the running game was set up for success by the New England passing game, Taylor said it was the complementary game plan that did the trick.

"Coach [Bill] O'Brien probably had his best game as the Patriots offensive coordinator, at least since I've been here," Taylor praised. (O'Brien doesn't carry the OC title but fills the role.)

O'Brien's caught his share of heat when the Patriots offense sputters. Taylor says that the criticism hasn't been realistic.

Fred Taylor? Who is this guy? Obviously he knows nothing about football.

 

[JMarr]

I've railed a lot about BB "speading himself too thin," "having no real coordinators," etc. etc. the last couple of years, but it seems like both O'Brien AND Patricia are really starting to hit their stride right now.

Again BB shows that he knows exactly what he's doing in patiently developing these guys. It's great to see and I hope it continues this way.

 

[emoney_33]

One of the TD drives was run on 1st, play-action on 2nd for the 1st down. They did that all the way down the field. The play that ended up as a[nother] Gronk TD, came on 2nd down after a 1st down run. The Steeler DB STILL bit on the play action. I couldn't believe it.

Anyway, back to O'Brien. He has his ups and downs, overall he seems to have improved from last year. We won't know for sure how far he's progressing until probably next year whether BB feels he has earned the OC title or not.