Shockingly Obvious: McDaniels, Don't Be Afraid of the Run!!!

[Kontradiction]

It is a nice sentiment, but practically, if the running game is not working, it is virtually impossible to just stick with it if your team falls behind, particularly in the playoffs, on blind faith that it will start to work. I would like to see them run more in the red zone--seems like their best option.

I'll agree here. In the AFC playoffs, the Pats are not going to be facing a murderer's row of run defenses. The best they'll face, actually, would be Denver, who ranks 10th against the run. Unless Dobson is healthy and the team feels that they can count on him, Vereen underneath, or any of the JAG TE's we have down there or unless Brady really loves what he sees match up-wise, they should absolutely run it when they get close to the goal line.

 

[Deus Irae]

What? Hold on here. It was supposed to be primarily based on Amendola, Gronk and Vereen. Amendola tore his groin, Vereen broke his hand and Gronk was out longer than expected AND then obviously hurt his knee. Thompkins and Dobson are OK but far from great and are also HURT!!

No...

It was supposed to be based on Hernandez and Gronk, with Amendola taking over the Welker role and Edelman keeping his outside position and one of the rookies getting the other outside position when the team opened things up. However, Hernandez decided to go gangsta, and .................


as many of us talked about prior to the season, counting on Edelman/Amendola/Gronk meant counting on fragile players, which meant that the rookies would have to take the field. We were told that such a thing wouldn't happen, because Gronk's and Amendola's injuries were flukes and they'd be fine, and that the rookies would be fine even if they did have to play, because Belichick/Brady

The 12-4 is an absolute miracle but many games were nailbiters (Houston, Clev, Buffalo (1st meeting), Jets, New Orleans....The key for the playoffs has to be the running game. You can throw any stat at me you like. If they go empty backfield and throw 75% of the time in the playoffs they WILL LOSE!

The key to the playoffs is not the running game. The key to the playoffs is scoring more points than the opponent for 3 games in a row.

The strength of this team at this time consists of the O Line, the RBs and and a GOAT QB who can make an undrafted FA Rookie and a 2nd round pick rookie WR and make them look decent. But lets be honest, other than Edelman no one on the Pats receiving corp. scares the oppositions D coordinator and requires double teams. If we had Gronk it would be a completely different story.

The strength of this team is Tom Brady. Everything else is inconsistent.

 

[Deus Irae]

Exactly.

What Deus fails to understand in his zeal for Brady to throw the ball 55 times in a game where he had only two proven WRs is that the Jets and Bills beat that same team the following 2 weeks by a combined 39-7 by running a combined 97 times.

The Jets averaged a mere 3.7 YPC and won easily.

The Bills averaged a mere 4.0 YPC and won easily

Meanwhile, the Pats had to abandon a running game that averaged 4.4 so that Brady could throw to Hoomanawanui/Mulligan,Amendola/Edelman/Boyce/Develin and lost.

I don't want Brady to pass 55 times. I don't want Brady to pass 5 times. I want Brady to pass often enough that the Patriots win, or are at least in position to win. I want the Patriots to play sound football and to call plays that are appropriate to the situation, whether they be runs or passes.

You're the one trying to cram the magical formula that's proven to be garbage since the beginning of time down people's throats. Your arguments have been destroyed in game by game breakdowns, yet you keep spouting off as if you've discovered the rosetta stone.

You've discovered nothing. Correlation is not causation. Passing teams tend to pass more than running teams, and teams who are behind tend to pass more than teams that are ahead. This isn't news to anyone except, apparently, you.

 

[coolguy]

No...

It was supposed to be based on Hernandez and Gronk, with Amendola taking over the Welker role and Edelman keeping his outside position and one of the rookies getting the other outside position when the team opened things up. However, Hernandez decided to go gangsta, and .................


as many of us talked about prior to the season, counting on Edelman/Amendola/Gronk meant counting on fragile players, which meant that the rookies would have to take the field. We were told that such a thing wouldn't happen, because Gronk's and Amendola's injuries were flukes and they'd be fine, and that the rookies would be fine even if they did have to play, because Belichick/Brady



The key to the playoffs is not the running game. The key to the playoffs is scoring more points than the opponent for 3 games in a row.



The strength of this team is Tom Brady. Everything else is inconsistent.

I don't see any of these afc playoff teams being able to stop or tackle Legarrete blount. Blount has the speed and elusiveness of Marshawn lynch and the body and strength of gronk.

 

[Deus Irae]

I don't see any of these afc playoff teams being able to stop or tackle Legarrete blount. Blount has the speed and elusiveness of Marshawn lynch and the body and strength of gronk.

If the Patriots come out against the Colts and run the ball, I'm fine with that. NE game plans as well as any team in the league, and the Colts are weak against the run. If NE wants to run against the Chargers, I'm all for it. If they want to pound the ball against Denver, I think that's great. Against the Bengals and Chiefs, I might have some questions.

If all that mattered was a run/pass ratio, every team in the league would come out and run the ball 30 times, and then throw the ball 30 times. But the overall point is that the final numbers don't matter if you don't look situationally.

 

[Double TE]

Tom Brady has been inconsistent and against the Bills (week 1) we saw what the offense was. Ridley running, Vereen catching passes and running, Amendola playing the Welker slot. It worked fine but was far from great. That offense was supposed to be given a significant jolt with Gronk's return. Instead this happened:

- Amendola tore his groin
- Vereen broke his wrist
- Gronk took longer to return
- Ridley fumbled and bumbled

This made TOM BRADY INCONSISTENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He was throwing to two rookie receivers, Edelman, Hooman, Mulligan and dumping off passes to Bolden not Vereen. And Bolden is no Danny Woodhead either.

Luckily the offense has redefined itself with Blount/Ridley/Vereen and Brady completing short accurate passes and Gost kicking FGs. That's fine with me so long as the D and SP play well. If you put the fate of this playoff team strictly in TB's hands the Pats will lose. Especially if we get into a shoot out with Denver. Key is ball control, keep Manning off the field and use play action passes off the run.

Also fortunately the SB is in a cold weather stadium this year. Again if you ask Brady to throw 40+ times I think the Pats lose. I hope I am wrong.

 

[coolguy]

If the Patriots come out against the Colts and run the ball, I'm fine with that. NE game plans as well as any team in the league, and the Colts are weak against the run. If NE wants to run against the Chargers, I'm all for it. If they want to pound the ball against Denver, I think that's great. Against the Bengals and Chiefs, I might have some questions.

If all that mattered was a run/pass ratio, every team in the league would come out and run the ball 30 times, and then throw the ball 30 times. But the overall point is that the final numbers don't matter if you don't look situationally.

but running the ball helps to wear down pass rushing teams and helps set up play action.

Tom brady needs the running game more now than he ever has.

 

[Deus Irae]

but running the ball helps to wear down pass rushing teams and helps set up play action.

Tom brady needs the running game more now than he ever has.

Please tell me the magic number of running plays you must have before you can use play action. Also....

Please tell me the magic number of running plays you must have before you can consider the pass rush worn down enough to try throwing the ball.


The 2013 New England Patriots, with all the injuries, prisoners, rookies and the like, just went 12-4 while having a 628/470 pass/run split. Please tell me why they

a.) Need a specific run/pass ratio each game

b.) Need to run more than ever

 

[Nunchucks]

Re: Re: Shockingly Obvious: McDaniels, Don't Be Afraid of the Run!!!

Please tell me the magic number of running plays you must have before you can use play action. Also....

Please tell me the magic number of running plays you must have before you can consider the pass rush worn down enough to try throwing the ball.


The 2013 New England Patriots, with all the injuries, prisoners, rookies and the like, just went 12-4 while having a 628/470 pass/run split. Please tell me why they

a.) Need a specific run/pass ratio each game

b.) Need to run more than ever

Enough times for them to start falling for playaction