Miami Breakdown - Home Game

[Box_O_Rocks]

I won't be doing the player by player look - too many other things to absorb my patience for that level of detail:

1st defensive series: 13:59 in the 1st Qtr, 1st and 10 - Mia sweep right - Pats in a 3-4 (they stayed that way against a five wide set). McMicheal sealed Warren inside, Vrabel absorbed two blockers leading the RB (Ronnie Brown) and stretched the play out, Chad Scott absorbed another blocker turning the RB back inside to the pursuit and leaving the RB open for Harrison to get a straight shot on him. Result, fumble - Pats ball on Mia 37.

1st offensive series: 13:47, 2nd and 10, Dillon off tackle for 8 yds - great blocking. Watson locked onto the LDE while Light and Mankins doubled the LDT and Koppen turned the RDT away from the play. Caldwell locked up an OLB, sealing him inside (an excellent block), Neal pulled and pancaked the other OLB trying to cut through to Dillon - Caldwell and Neal forced Zach Thomas to go around them upfield and tackle Cory from behind. Gabriel also did a nice job sealing the LCB outside. Without Reche's block this was a 3-4 yd run.


13:07, 3rd and 2, Troy makes his first grab. Good blocking, though Mankins was beaten inside by Holiday who pressured Tommy a bit as he rolled right. Mia brought both OLBs, but Maroney and Faulk picked them up (Faulk had the key block, standing up the ROLB then pancaking him as Tommy rolled that way).

11:47, 3rd and 8 pass to Gabriel - incomplete, Light checks down to help Mankins inside leaving Jason Taylor unblocked and hurrying Tommy.

Gostkowski kicks one in. On the kickoff, nice job by Sanders and Wright absorbing the wall and keeping Chad Scott clean for a nice tackle.

G'night.

 

[Joker]

We won

4-1

 

[pats1]

We won

4-1

Thanks for the insight. I guess we don't have to do the breakdown anymore.

 

[Brownfan80]

Even a shortened breakdown is a pleasant read, Box. Thanks.

 

[Krugman]

I appreciate these,BOR,thanks.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Even a shortened breakdown is a pleasant read, Box. Thanks.

I appreciate these,BOR,thanks.

Your welcome gents. Since I will be picking and choosing more, any special requests?

Sticky please.

 

[Brownfan80]

Your welcome gents. Since I will be picking and choosing more, any special requests?

Sticky please.

As much as you can stand is my request I know it must be a tiring task (especially when it's unpaid), but I eat this stuff up.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

As much as you can stand is my request I know it must be a tiring task (especially when it's unpaid), but I eat this stuff up.

It's not the "tiring" aspect, it's the sleep inducing meds I get to take, when I can be up expanding energy I'm usually fine, sit me down punching the remote button and keyboard and I'm taking hits so fast you'd think I was a bobble head doll.

 

[PatsFan37]

Re: Miami Breakdown - the Pats DL

It's always good stuff, Box, in any format.

Come December, when the WR's are better in the passing game but can still use their size to block for the run, this will be a more dangerous offense than people expect. Givens was a good blocker but the other typical Pats receivers didn't have the size of Gabriel, Caldwell, and Jackson (who still has to learn to block). Too early to tell if Gaffney will stick. Despite his size, Troy has thrown some pretty impressive blocks so far this year.

Here's an article on the Miami OL that spends at least as much time discussing the Pats DL. Highly recommended.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Re: Miami Breakdown - the Pats DL

It's always good stuff, Box, in any format.

Come December, when the WR's are better in the passing game but can still use their size to block for the run, this will be a more dangerous offense than people expect. Givens was a good blocker but the other typical Pats receivers didn't have the size of Gabriel, Caldwell, and Jackson (who still has to learn to block). Too early to tell if Gaffney will stick. Despite his size, Troy has thrown some pretty impressive blocks so far this year.

Here's an article on the Miami OL that spends at least as much time discussing the Pats DL. Highly recommended.

Troy Brown has been a consistently good blocker when I break down a play, Dwight and Branch were also very good, Dwight excelled at running the DB upfield and then locking them up if the RB made it that far.

A good article to highlight the Pats pass rush doesn't just focus on sacks, the preferred course of action is a change in the throw to create a turnover opportunity for the secondary and LBs.

 

[pats1]

Breer's 'Tale of the Tape:'

http://www.bostonherald.com/blogs/patriots/?p=442

October 11th, 2006
Tale of the Tape
Posted by Albert Breer at 5:03 pm

Some more from the 20-10 win over Miami:

– It seemed, looking at it, like the fallout for the Patriots from the Dolphins’ late quarterback change was Joey Harrington’s outstanding first-half performance. The book on Daunte Culpepper was if you bring pressure, he’ll fold. And early on, New England brought waves of five-, six- and seven-man rush packages. Like Culpepper hasn’t this year, Harrington made the quick read and got rid of the ball swiftly on his way to a 17-of-22 first half. In the second half, the Patriots rarely brought more than four rushers, forcing Harrington to read the coverage, check down, and get the ball into tighter spaces. The result was a 9-for-19 second half and just 56 yards through the air. It’s worth mentioning that CB Asante Samuel’s picks came with three and four men rushing, respectively, and the field flooded with coverage.

– Conversely, the blitz seemed to handicap the Patriots offense a little bit. But maybe not for the reason you might think. QB Tom Brady, of course, didn’t wilt. No, the problem was that when the Dolphins sent five or six or even seven rushers, the offense was forced to keep tight ends and backs in to block to match up. In other words, the guys with the most experience in the passing offense weren’t able to release. And that left it to the receivers, who still have a ways to go. The one adjustment the team made was getting the ball out quickly to Ben Watson and David Thomas, before the rush could get there, on second-half completions.

– That Dolphins defense, for all the team’s struggles, can really play. At the point of attack, the Miami front seven stood strong and actually probably got the better the Patriots line in straight-ahead, man-on-man situations. New England had its most success running zone-based stretch run plays and inside traps and counters. The loss of Daniel Graham, who does a great job sealing off the edge and motioning to lead block, clearly hurt a running game that averaged just 2.3 yards a pop.

– Samuel’s picks, of course, were perhaps the biggest difference in a game where New England was outgained in total yards 283-213. But the corner may have been even better tackling. Samuel made a big stop near the left offensive boundary on Ronnie Brown in the third quarter, when the front lost contain, to keep the tailback to 3 yards (though Ellis Hobbs‘ face-mask penalty at the end of the run negated it.) And, in the fourth quarter, he aggressively snuffed out a screen on a third-and-10 with 6:47 left, taking down Brown for a 3-yard loss.

– Rosevelt Colvin’s become a pass-rushing terror and against the Dolphins, in the third quarter, he forced a big incompletion with pressure on a third-and-6 from the Patriot 35. It forced a three-and-out to follow Kevin Faulk’s punt-return fumble. But the outside linebacker still has issues keeping contain. On a 3-yard run by Brown in the second quarter, where the back should’ve been dropped for a loss, Colvin went inside toward the pile and Brown bounced outside to get the yards back. Then, on Chris Chambers‘ 18-yard reverse in the fourth quarter, Colvin followed the play left and was way out of position when it went the other way.

– You can say both teams have to play on the same field. But it clearly had a more adverse effect on the Dolphins. On at least two running plays, Brown had clear running lanes through the middle of the defense, and simply fell when he tried to cut. Then, there was the kick game. The blocked field goal, where Olindo Mare hit the deck, wasn’t the only one, either. On the 50-yard attempt Mare missed wide right, down 20-10 in the fourth, the kicker clearly short-stepped his approach, which put his form in peril and didn’t allow him to get a lot of leg into the boot.

...

As for me, I'll probably start off with the Heath touchdown, then pick-and-choose from there.

With the bye this week, I might go back and finish up a few drives that I left hanging in past weeks.

 

[captain stone]

Your welcome gents. Since I will be picking and choosing more, any special requests?

Sticky please.

A couple, please, if you have the time. The game wasn't shown locally, so I'm not able to see for myself.

1) How often did Heath Evans line up ahead of Dillon/Maroney, and what were the results of those runs, as opposed to single-back formations?

2) Did Izzo, Davis and Alexander see the field for any defensive snaps, or did Seau, Bruschi, Vrabel, Colvin and TBC go wire-to-wire?

Thanks in advance.

 

[pats1]

A couple, please, if you have the time. The game wasn't shown locally, so I'm not able to see for myself.

1) How often did Heath Evans line up ahead of Dillon/Maroney, and what were the results of those runs, as opposed to single-back formations?

2) Did Izzo, Davis and Alexander see the field for any defensive snaps, or did Seau, Bruschi, Vrabel, Colvin and TBC go wire-to-wire?

Thanks in advance.

Izzo, as usual, saw time in the goal line formation.

 

[psychoPat]

I have said on several previous occasions that the interpretive analysis
by Box and pats1
helps us less pains-taking fans more
than does the detailed, player-by-player breakdown.
Therefore, the Albert Breer format is quite acceptable.

Those of us who follow these careful reviews
already know the care that goes into them ...
and therefore trust your summary conclusions.

I have never imagined that the authors go to all this trouble
mainly for the audience's benefit.
It must be a labor of love.
What we acclaim you for is the vast additional time and effort
you expend writing it up for us to understand.

The detailed breakdowns ... i wish to say ... are of greatest value in pre-season games
... and even the NFLE reports.
For example, i have not been even slightly surprised by the rise of Antwain Spann's star.
Ever since Box first pointed to his excellent ... specific ... performances in Europe this past spring,
i have expected him to somehow be a player on or close to the 53 ... or the 61.

 

[captain stone]

Izzo, as usual, saw time in the goal line formation.

Do you mean the formation that lasted a total of one play, in which the Miami RB walked into the End Zone?

 

[pats1]

Do you mean the formation that lasted a total of one play, in which the Miami RB walked into the End Zone?

Off the top of my head, sure. But Izzo is usually in there on goal line formations.

(See also: Izzo falling on his face while Mike Anderson walks in...)

 

[captain stone]

(See also: Izzo falling on his face while Mike Anderson walks in...)

Ouch. Painful memories.

 

[Urgent]

If you are taking requests for the Miami game as a bye-week project, I think some of the most interesting insight would be the half-time adjustments.

When comparing the offensive formations and plays from the first two or three series to the plays after halftime, what adjustments do you see?

Similar for the defense. Seemed to be a lot of cover two in the first half. What adjustments were made during the half, as shown by the defensive formations and personnel in the first couple series after the half?

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

A couple, please, if you have the time. The game wasn't shown locally, so I'm not able to see for myself.

1) How often did Heath Evans line up ahead of Dillon/Maroney, and what were the results of those runs, as opposed to single-back formations?

2) Did Izzo, Davis and Alexander see the field for any defensive snaps, or did Seau, Bruschi, Vrabel, Colvin and TBC go wire-to-wire?

Thanks in advance.

Evans - 1st Qtr - 12 offensive plays (not counting FG attempts) - Evans was in for 3 plays (25%) - results:
1st play (1-10-NE31 (3:25)): Lead Block for Dillon - led into left 'a' gap and went toe-to-toe with Zach Thomas, Dillon went to right 'b' gap for 1 yd - Thomas plugged the left 'a' gap, but was unable to shed Evans and join the tackle despite the NFL.com play-by-play crediting him for the tackle - he was just standing around the pile.
2nd play (2-9-NE32 (2:39)): Evans started flanked alongside Watson in a double flanker set, then shifted wide left, CB played very soft and gave him a big cushion, Evans ran a 5 yd buttonhook then carried the CB and OLB over the 1st down stripe.
3rd play (1-10-MIA47 22)): Evans led Dillon through the left 'c' gap and blocked the S outside - Dillon for 8 yds.


Many have complained that Hobbs had a bad game, so I'm looking at him too. He platooned with Hawkins at FS and was nickelback in the nickel defense.
- 1-10-MIA30 (11:34) - Harrington hit Welker for 4 yds in the right flat. Pats in a 3-4 against a 3 wide set, Hobbs at FS, came up quick and stopped Welker for no YAC.
- 3-3-MIA37 (10:18) - Harrington hit Welker for 4 yds in the left flat. Pats in a 3-3 nickel, Hobbs at nickelback playing press on Welker, made tackle on the catch for no YAC. Dierdorf credited Welker for a good route to get the 1st down and Hobbs for good coverage - I agree with his assessment for whatever that's worth.
Hobbs looked good, with the exception of getting an ineffective jam on Welker on the first down play wearing his cast. He had good coverage on Welker for the other nickel defense, Harrington went elsewhere with the ball.

For Urgent:
- Defensive tactics in the first quarter involved aggressive blitzing with 5 and 6 man rushes. Lots of movement in the front seven, Bruschi even outsmarted himself one time moving Warren inside and running a run blitz on the right side, Miami picked it up, pinned Warren inside, Vrabel outside, and drove Harrison inside - only Chad Scott coming up aggressively from RCB held Ronnie Brown to 2 yds with a sweet open-field tackle.
- Pats switched up fronts using a 4 man heavy with Green a couple times, and the 4 man pass rushing D with Green/Seymour inside, Vrabel/Colvin outside once. Mostly 3-4, a couple 3-3 nickel packages. Warren was left in a lot on passing downs and was spelled once by Wright in a 3-3 set - Wright was the draw spy underneath on that play while Sey and Jarvis rushed.
Breakdown: (8) 3-4 sets, (2) 4-3 heavy, (1) 4-3 lite, (2) 3-3 nickels.
- Offensive tactics - 1st series 3 run, 3 pass, FG.
2nd series 4 run, 2 pass, end of 1st Qtr.

General observations: As people were noticing, Harrison is back playing his old SS, aggressively working in the box and covering TEs. Credit him with one FF. Hawkins/Hobbs played the FS with the deep responsibility to keep all the plays in front of them.
- Chad Scott played a very physical quarter, the only time his man caught the ball was a WR screen to Chambers on the first drive where the slot man got enough of a piece of Chad to help Chambers break the tackle, Vrabel had to make the stop after a 5 yd gain.
- Seau looks very good, he looks to be fitting well with this LB corps.
- Watson and Thomas have been making all their blocks and did a very nice job in that department. Standout play (1-10-NE42 (2:14)) Maroney up the middle for 6 yds - Watson at RTE with Thomas on his flank - stretch play right, Watson got inside Jason Taylor and kept him outside left. Thomas flowed right with the play and got playside on Zach Thomas trying to cut in the middle behind the play, blocking him left, Maroney saw the cutback lane up the middle behind Thomas' block and zipped in there for 6 - Dierdorf showed on the replay how Maroney was running too high and didn't have any leverage when he was first hit by the S, if he had lowered his pad level he might have broken the tackle and picked up a few more yards - he certainly would have punished the DB.
- Passing: Brown 2 catches, 19 yds, 2 1st downs (both completions to Brown came on frozen ropes between two defenders) - Evans 1 completion, 9 yds, 1st down.
- Gabriel 2 incompletions (misses - QB/WR communications + pass rush pressure) - Watson 1 incompletion (a miss, hurried throw, best guess was a throwaway, because even with Watson doing a quick out, he hardly had time to get his head around).
- O'Callaghan could be seen passing along some extra love, the kind that makes us so proud of Mankins.

- Twice, once on each side, there were plays where the Tackles blocked down and allowed DEs to rush Tommy unblocked off the edge - both were incompletions - hopefully Dante kicked somebody's tushy and got that blocking miscommunication straightened out.
- Miami was mostly 4-3, but Taylor stood up a couple times to put them in a 3-4, he also dropped into coverage one time to keep the Offense honest.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Evans: 2nd Qtr, in for 3 offensive plays out of 13 not counting FGs and punts (23%).
1st play (2-3-MIA29 (13:49)):Evans led Maroney through the left 'c' gap, Light slipped down and Mankins was shed by the LDT they had been doubling, Evans hit the LDT hard enough to spin him so his back was to Maroney. Maroney slipped behind the LDT, but had to hurdle Light and was hit while still coming down by the LCB who got under his pads and stopped him short of the 1st down marker. A sweet block considering the disparity in weight.
2nd play (3-1-MIA27 (13:09)): Evans took the handoff from the upback position running against a packed short yardage defense. Keith Traylor penetrated into the backfield against Koppen and Mankins, stopping Evans for no gain.
3rd play (1-10-MIA22 (11:56)): Evans flared into the left flat, he was open and Tommy gunned it too far in front of him. Looked like a bad throw to me.

Tactics: 8 runs and 5 passes. They finished the second offensive series started in the first quarter with a FG using the same grind it out, kill the clock approach. Working with the short field for the TD - 1 run (Koppen lost his block, Maroney was stopped for no gain), and one pass to Troy - Tommy's first read was Chad Jackson on a square-out in the end zone - Troy did the drift in and score he used against Jacksonville in the playoffs last year. A Watson false start set the offense back on the last series (barring the kneel down) and the Pats ran a couple trick plays with a WR screen that the LCB sniffed out and a direct snap to Faulk with a borderline procedure call on Brady. It seemed they didn't want to try to press too hard against Miami's D while they had a lead.
- Defense: (11) 3-4, (3) 3-3 nickel, (9) 4-2 nickel, (1) 4-3 on 1st and goal.
- After the interception, Miami used a lot more no-huddle/shotgun and the Pats stopped blitzing. They seemed to get pretty much the same level of pressure with the 3 and 4 man rush, though the shotgun gave Harrington more time.

General observations: Hobbs had a solid first half, the cast gave him some trouble and did allow Welker to get a first down on one play when Hobbs was unable to grab him. Hobbs continued to play some FS and as the nickelback. I didn't think he had a bad game watching the game originally, and watching him on tape just reinforces that.
- Izzo was in on the goal line stand, but called timeout after noticing a problem with the D. They went from a 6 DL set to a 4-3 set coming off the timeout and Izzo wasn't in for that.
- Seymour disappointed on one play from a 3-3 nickel set, Green was doubled and Sey was easily handled by the RG (a former OT in his second game making the transition) on a decent run up the middle by Ronnie Brown. Warren is currently looking like the pro-bowler, and Jarvis could be one if they had a vote for 3rd down specialists, Sey has had some good plays, but there seems to be something dragging his backside.
- Watson and Thomas continue to block well, Thomas did have one where Crowder fought him off to tackle Dillon, but otherwise these two are looking very good.
- Caldwell had a block on Jason Taylor that kept Jason out of the play completely. That is two awsome blocks on OLB/DE types in the first half for Reche working from the slot. He also made a nice catch for a first down on 4th and a foot. He's been playing more of the Deion Branch outside role, but when they move him into the slot and run to his side, he is looking very impressive as a blocker - I think we have a strong candidate to replace D-Giv, both blocking and making the critical 3rd down catch.
- Hobbs had a hit on McMichael that brought the trainers in to help Randy off the field. Later Scott took his legs out from under him on a short pass that brought him up limping. Nice to see Asante isn't the only guy working to jack-up the offense.

Most offensive formations ran from two TE sets, roughly 2/3rds with both TE on the same side. The most productive runs went off tackle, almost all to the left, but there was one to the right where Neal did the heavy lifting blocking the RDT inside, then releasing in time to hit Zach Thomas as Cory was hitting the hole and past the DT. Miami LBs were too easy to seal inside, which is a nice thing.