People catching on to our TE based offense

[smg93]

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/teamReport?categoryId=67054&type=InsideSlant

Thanks to a pair of exceptionally athletic former first-round picks taking the field together in Daniel Graham and Benjamin Watson, when healthy the Patriots arguably sport one of the deeper tight end groups in the NFL. And if training camp action 2006 is any indication, rookie third-round pick David Thomas may be ready to add another option to the versatile tight end mix this fall.

Looks like more and more people are seeing the value in having multiple TE sets. How long till TE becomes a glamour draft position and then BB/Pioli will have to change their process of drafting again! Multiple TE's as legitimate primary options in a passing offense will likely affect the types of players teams will be looking at to draft as well to help stop these big and fast TE's. They'll shift from the smaller faster LB's probably to bigger LB's to help stop the Watson's, Graham's, and Thomas' of this world.

 

[Gopats!!!]

It's funny how a little originality and insight can affect the whole league.

The league tends to be very unoriginal in a lot of aspects. It can be seen in the hiring of old coaches that have proven they stink instead of giving new guys a chance, to the tendency to copy the latest fad.

I think the ability to step outside the box is what makes the Pats FO so awesome. Everything from the way they negotiate with players to the way they build their team.

Of course, we have to succeed with this possible strategy before everyone starts copying us!!

 

[smg93]

you're right, this has to lead to another SB victory before we start having more copycats. We can certainly see that by how many more people have switched to the 3 4 ever since we started winning SB's.

 

[Sporin]

They already have IMO, look at the success of Antonio Gates, look at how high Kellen Winslow Jr was picked, and this year, Vernon Davis.

 

[smg93]

They already have IMO, look at the success of Antonio Gates, look at how high Kellen Winslow Jr was picked, and this year, Vernon Davis.

True, but that's more of a one star TE on the field type thing. That's no different than say a Ben Coates offense of the 90's. What I'm talking about is three or even four TE sets like we saw last weekend.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

I think the double TE alignment creates mismatches and that creates tons of opportunities for the Pats offense.
However even with 4 TE's, if you are a one dimensional team, you will struggle. That's why it's so important that the Patriots run the ball this year.

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

If you check the Arizona game, I think that Arizona had 7 offensive snaps in the first quarter! This offense is designed to a) move the ball down the field and b) eat up the clock! Now add Maroney to a healthy Dillon, and Jackson and Branch on the outside.

I say the base offense is Branch on the outside, with 2 TEs (Watson & Graham) Dillon (spelled by Maroney or Faulk on 3rd down) with the wildcard being either a second WR (Jackson) or a third TE (Thomas) or a RB (Faulk, Maroney) in the slot. So the defense must first defend the run and now Brady has at least four qualitity receivers on every play to throw to.

I think the days of the five WRs are over, now the defense can not bring in 5-6 DBs, because the Pats could run a sweep with either Dillon/Maroney behind a very good blocking TE (Graham) plu another TE, and maybe even a third or fourth TE coming from the backfield (Mills) or run 5 qualitity recievers from the same offensive set. As long as defenses must respect and play against the run, Brady will have the time to pick them apart!

Dollars to doughnuts the Pats led the league in time of possession this year.

 

[JoeSixPat]

If you check the Arizona game, I think that Arizona had 7 offensive snaps in the first quarter! This offense is designed to a) move the ball down the field and b) eat up the clock! Now add Maroney to a healthy Dillon, and Jackson and Branch on the outside.

I say the base offense is Branch on the outside, with 2 TEs (Watson & Graham) Dillon (spelled by Maroney or Faulk on 3rd down) with the wildcard being either a second WR (Jackson) or a third TE (Thomas) or a RB (Faulk, Maroney) in the slot. So the defense must first defend the run and now Brady has at least four qualitity receivers on every play to throw to.

I think the days of the five WRs are over, now the defense can not bring in 5-6 DBs, because the Pats could run a sweep with either Dillon/Maroney behind a very good blocking TE (Graham) plu another TE, and maybe even a third or fourth TE coming from the backfield (Mills) or run 5 qualitity recievers from the same offensive set. As long as defenses must respect and play against the run, Brady will have the time to pick them apart!

Dollars to doughnuts the Pats led the league in time of possession this year.

I agree fully - it all starts and stops with the RBs - which leads to a big advantage in time of posession.

Any deficiencies on the team - at WR, on Defense at LB - just about anywhere - are significantly minimized when your offense is on the field for 40 minutes and the other team's offense is on the field for 20.