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CLICK HERE to Register for a free account and login for a smoother ad-free experience. It's easy, and only takes a few moments.So you just fell on this revelation - run the ball, control the clock and keep Brady off the field? That has been the blueprint against the Pats and every good passing team since Brady has been in the league and before. It is one thing to know what needs to be done, and another to do it.
Duly noted in your concerns, and prediction of failure on the line. I expect you will return and acknowledge your lack of confidence in your team if this game results in a win for the Pats. Happy to do the same if BB cannot come up with a plan to address these issues, to your shock and amazement.
The steelers are just awful. I watched that game and I was shocked to see that it took you as long as you did to close that game out.
Our biggest strengths on offense:
1. Cam. He's really started to reach a comfort level making the tough throws. He seems to live for 3rd downs where he passes for over 10 yards per attempt and has a league-leading quarterback rating on that down. The result has been tons of 10+ play drives and gobbling up clock. He runs on designed runs less now than ever. Our lone touchdown yesterday was a counter play where we used cam as a decoy in a triple-option formation.
2. Mike Tolbert. He gets the tough yards on short yardage situations like you'd expect, but you wouldn't expect the way he can catch the ball and change directions. And then once he runs over you, like commentators like to say, 'it's like trying to tackle a fire hydrant'.
Weaknesses on offense:
1. Offensive line. You'd never know it, but our traditional running game from an I formation/single back has been mediocre at best. We've been decimated at guard. After numerous injuries, we brought back Travelle Wharton off the street and he's been serviceable. We converted a backup DT to right guard in Nate Chandler. And another injury at RG forced us to convert Sione Fua, a DT that we cut earlier in the year to guard to be his backup.
Byron Bell at right tackle is an undrafted guy that has started for us for a couple of years, but he's been really weak against good edge rushers. (gave up 4 sacks to Mario Williams)
2. Receivers. Steve Smith is basically a 5'-9" possession receiver now. He's not going to take the top off any defense. The crew behind him all have incomplete developments as receivers to say the least. All of them have had a big problem with drops this year at times, including Smith.
Biggest strength on Defense:
1. Defensive Tackles: Under rivera, this has been a weakness. But the rotation of our rookies Lotulelei and Short have made our interior line play 10 times better than before. Quarterbacks are finding that they're not getting a good pocket to step up into. Opposing interior linemen can't get to the second level, and as a result our linebackers can run free.
2. Linebackers: aided by the DTs in front of them, they are flying around to the football. And in passing, there may not be any better linebackers in coverage than Kuechly and Davis.
Biggest weakness on defense:
1. Corners: Another area that was roiled by injury, this crew that is lacking in overall talent has come together and performed admirably. However, they lack the top end speed to cover deep shots. If brady can get some time, there is big play potential in this secondary. Our safeties are aggressive and can be caught out of position when it comes time for them to provide help over the top.
2. Zone defense: Like I said, we play a lot of zone. An experienced QB like Brady should be able to move the ball if he knows where to find the soft spots. Often times we leave Kuechly alone to cover the middle of the field, and he can't always shut down the elite tight ends up the seam.
Special teams may play a role. They've been playing great for the most part. Kick and punt coverage has been good. Gano takes kickoffs out of the end zone 3/4s of the time. Ted Ginn and our punter, Nortman, have flipped the field position game numerous times. The thing that keeps happening to us, though, is having a punt hit one of our punt return blockers for a muff. I think we've lost 3 of those this year.
Welcome to the board, JASE.
This is a straight up football question.
I did not see the Panthers-Niners game nor have I seen any of the other games in the impressive Panthers' streak leading up to the Patriots game. What was the difference between the way the 49ers defense played the Panthers that resulted in a 10-9 score and the four previous games when the Panthers rolled over their opponents scoring more than 30 points per game?
Is the Pats game going to be a shootout or a grinder like the Niners game?
the commutative property of football does not exist, lol :bricks:
Edit: we crushed the vikings who crushed the steelers
Edit: we crushed the vikings who crushed the steelers
The steelers are just awful. I watched that game and I was shocked to see that it took you as long as you did to close that game out.
From someone who watched the panthers more than i do...Mike Reiss @MikeReiss 2h
Patriots OC Josh McDaniels notes Panthers do a nice job getting pressure with standard 4-man rush. Physical, with depth & talent up front.
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Mike Reiss @MikeReiss 2h
Early impressions on Panthers after watching their win over 49ers: Good situational defense (3rd down/red zone). Strength of D is front 7.
Mike Reiss @MikeReiss 2h
Panthers rotate in four big-bodied DTs & they are tough to move. Quick, disruptive DEs and aggressive LBs that tackle well (Kuechly).
Mike Reiss @MikeReiss 2h
Projecting ahead, could envision Patriots exploring possibiity of more empty sets to test Panthers' secondary (e.g. Vikings 2006 MNF game).
Mike Reiss @MikeReiss 2h
Projecting ahead, would envision defensive plan that stresses keeping Newton in pocket (similar to Roethlisberger last week).
Mike Reiss @MikeReiss 2h
Also, on defense, this is the type of game where acquisition of NT Isaac Sopoaga could show up as key. Probably more of a big base D game.
From someone who watched the panthers more than i do...Mike Reiss @MikeReiss 2h
Projecting ahead, could envision Patriots exploring possibiity of more empty sets to test Panthers' secondary (e.g. Vikings 2006 MNF game).
I am surprised no one has posted pic yet of the famous "'its a trap" pic for the 'Trap Game' weekend.
...this game can certainly be considered a trap game with Denver on the schedule the following week and with a potential bye week berth tiebreaker on the line.
The Panthers defense is good and worrysome,but the players better not get involved in looking at Manning vs. Brady Denver vs. NE too early.
Playing an away game at a team with a winning record hardly sounds like a trap game to me...
Not going to lie, the thought of this one scares me a little.
I did not see the Panthers-Niners game nor have I seen any of the other games in the impressive Panthers' streak leading up to the Patriots game. What was the difference between the way the 49ers defense played the Panthers that resulted in a 10-9 score and the four previous games when the Panthers rolled over their opponents scoring more than 30 points per game?
Is the Pats game going to be a shootout or a grinder like the Niners game?
I think its little different with roethlisberger. He runs around to throw the ball. Not sure how good newton is throwing on the run. They wouldnt mind him throwing outside the pocket I think but dont want him to run. Very much like they tried with geno smith. had a couple of significant breakdowns in that game.Yeah, the Panthers game is the complete opposite of a trap game. The Patriots will put extra time into prep with the bye week.
This will be the toughest defense that Brady and Friends deal with for the rest of the season. We will see how much progress everyone has made since the Cincinnati game.
I said Ninko was very important against the Steelers; containing Roethlisberger. That goes for Newton too. Don't let him break contain. The Panthers don't have a great offense. Getting too aggressive will only help them. Luckily, Ninkovich is really great at keeping the QB stuck in a consistently tightening spot.
not me....need to prove they can beat a good team....SF is a ok team..but nothing like last year