Pats vs. Rams Superbowl pre-game analysis

[WaterfallJumper]

No wonder he hates Brady.

 

[BobDigital]

No wonder he hates Brady.

I'll try to post some tape of him vs Edelman if I can find it later tonight or tomorrow. It just won't be the clean cut stuff and a few segments on highlight film : /

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Okay I just found a revelation. The Rams finished 13-3 in the regular season (I thought it was 12-4.). I’ve felt for a long time like the team needs one more type of win to complete the dynasty, which is having the other team dominate the regular season and then run of gas at the end, while the Patriots play the role of underachiever, play the underdog card, and gel at the right time.

I realize I sound like a crazy person, but this has been my personal premonition for a long time. Their last win will be a bizarro game where the better team (that achieved more) loses, kind of like those bad beats against the Giants. The football gods owe them one.

 

[Uptown]

 

[Patjew]

Okay I just found a revelation. The Rams finished 13-3 in the regular season (I thought it was 12-4.). I’ve felt for a long time like the team needs one more type of win to complete the dynasty, which is having the other team dominate the regular season and then run of gas at the end, while the Patriots play the role of underachiever, play the underdog card, and gel at the right time.

I realize I sound like a crazy person, but this has been my personal premonition for a long time. Their last win will be a bizarro game where the better team (that achieved more) loses, kind of like those bad beats against the Giants. The football gods owe them one.

28-3

The football gods paid us back in spades.

 

[Uptown]

 

[Kontradiction]

I think this is going to be a big Burkhead game again in the second half. I fully expect them to do what we've done the last two - establish the run with Michel in the first half. It's opened up the PA and has helped keep Brady clean. I think we will see a heavy amount of Burkhead in the second half as he's the only back on the roster in which the defense can't key run (Michel) or pass (White). With Michel, Cossell said that the Patriots have exclusively run him out of 21 personnel and got him behind Truck Stick (Develin). This would be a very good game for some self-scouting in that case as the Rams will have seen this too and will crash the gap that Develin is blocking through. Should open up some misdirection stuff and the counter to the weak side for some chunk yardage.

 

[SBLIII]

 

[Redman443]

Rams have athletes on the front 7 with suh, Donald and fowler. We’re going to have to neutralize that pass rush somehow. It’s also worth noting that they don’t have the strongest linebackers. Mark Barron was a safety in college, he’s not a true linebacker. If the runners can get to the second level, they can have a field day. I have no doubt that Wade Phillips will try to emulate what the giants did.

 

[Brick27]

Found this interesting

 

[Redman443]

Found this interesting

We desperately need a turnover in this game

 

[RobertWeathers]

I was trying to figure this out yesterday.

Our line kicks ass.

 

[RobertWeathers]

We desperately need a turnover in this game

Desperately?

No they don't. They need to execute.

This isn't SB36

 

[Redman443]

Desperately?

No they don't. They need to execute.

This isn't SB36

But wouldn’t getting a turnover be executing?

 

[SBLIII]

But wouldn’t getting a turnover be executing?

I think we are due for a pair of interceptions.

 

[Redman443]

I think we are due for a pair of interceptions.

Well I think the rams are going to score. Winning or losing means taking away a few of those possessions

 

[RobertWeathers]

But wouldn’t getting a turnover be executing?

Executing the play as designed or defense called is executing.

Forcing turnovers such as fumbles and INTs are bonuses.

 

[BobDigital]

This is the Bills/Pats 2016 game. It was the best and most up to date footage I could find on Robey-Coleman against the Pats scheme/Edelman (he is #21 BTW and in his 3rd year. So he should be close to the player he is now).

:37 - This is a concept you see the Patriots run a lot when they do 5 wide. It tends to isolate Gronk and you have 2 slot in cuts. Edelman comes open but so does Amendola against Robey. He gives up the middle of the field pretty easily here.

2:01 - Robey is beat on a seam route by Gronk over the middle. It was clearly a 1 on 1. He was a bit flat footed here as if he didn't know he wouldn't have any help if his man went vertical. He tries to go for the ball to recovery but is too out of position by this point. A lot of things are interesting about this play. One is that he didn't have the Speed to catch Gronk from behind (if we get him 1 on 1 deep with anyone he may have long speed issues). The other is he gambled on a single man coverage instead of protecting the end zone. This is a play someone else should really look at and give their opinion on.

4:56 - An interesting play. We don't see a catch on Robey here but it is interesting how he handles his slot duties. He is sitting in his zone spot. The only WRs around him are Edelman and Hogan yet he kind of finds his way completely out of the play here. He starts to Shadow Edelman over the top a bit before Brady runs, but by this point he has already allowed this assignment to be handed off to a LB and would have no chance to help on Edelman. He reacts to the run quickly but that is in part because he found himself in no mans land with nothing else to do.

5:09 - In this one Robey finds himself defending the deep left side of the field. I can't seem to figure out why he was deeper than the 25 yard line when the ball was snapped a little short of mid field on a 2nd and 7. It seems clear, I think, that he was suppose to give over the top help on Gronk. He was just very late here. If they get him in a quarters look maybe attacking the underneath is a possibility?

5:33 - Robey on a corner blitz. Again it shows his speed isn't what it should be. His quickness is probably good but he seems unable to get to Brady on a free release before guys are breaking off their routes. IDK if this will come up or not but it is interesting to show he may not be versitile enough to reliably run this kind of play and get there before it matters.

That is all I saw worth writing about. I don't know how much he has improved between years 3 and 5 but this is the last time he faced the Patriots scheme and he looked to be out of place or picked on more than not. If we are facing the same player in the super bowl I find him to be very exploitable against our offensive style.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

We desperately need a turnover in this game

I think we just need to keep turnovers neutral and we should be fine. We lost the to battle 2-0 in kc (3-0 if you count the turnover on downs which to me is essentially a turnover) and still won. I wouldn’t say la is a considerably tougher opponent than that game was , especially being on a neutral and possibly more like a home atmosphere.

Winning the turnover battle would be a big help though

 

[luuked]

Winning the turnover battle would be a big help though

I don't see us losing the game if we are net-positive on turnovers.