The Hidden Indicator and One Other Thought

[Oswlek]

I posted this in the gameplan thread, and it appears that it wasn't the best place to put it.

Not really a "gameplan" per se, but one of the least discussed issues that killed NE last time was terrible KO coverage. Here are Wilkins' numbers for that game:

KR - 5
Yds - 175
Avg - 35
Lng - 70

Indy's post KO field position was:

Indy 18
NE 29
Indy 31
Indy 39
* there was another one that was returned to midfield that Wilkins fumbled.

NE absolutely cannot give Indy drive starting field position consistently beyond the 30.

BTW, I have said this before but I want to point it out again. NE really has an edge going into this game that they are going to gameplan for Indy's "new and improved" defense. Baltimore and KC were clearly surprised at the fact that Indy wasn't a totaly pushover and seemed to react with nothing by stunned disbelief. Not only that, but NE already faced the improved Indy defense earlier this year. Bob Sanders, who is the engine that makes that D hum, played in the last game. I have the same feeling that I had prior to the Pitt AFCCG in 2004; that NE had the upper hand because Pitt really couldn't play that much better than they did in the first matchup.

I welcome your thoughts.

 

[VJCPatriot]

I agree that NE has to win the field position battle. We were backed up all day against the Chargers and when they did get the ball they usually had it past their own 40 yard line. I think it was an incredible defensive performance to hold the Chargers to 21 considering the circumstances.

I'm not worried about our kickoffs as Gost has an extremely strong leg. He usually gets a couple touchbacks a game. (exception being that 1 kick that went out of bounds). Punt coverage and kickoff coverage teams need to play their best I think. Make the Colts go 80 yards and it's tough against our D. We're going to get a stop somewhere. Sauerbrun is well not very well known to me. Does he have good hangtime on his punts at least?

 

[unoriginal]

In the past few games I've seen a lot of potential kickoff returns amount to nothing for the opposition because the returner slipped making the decisive cut. Hello Michael Turner!

Actually, that's not just a New England thing, there have been a lot of unmolested wedges in the playoffs so far. I think for many teams the injury bug is gnawing away at the ability of the special teams. You can teach any 4 doofuses to get together at the 20 and start chugging upfield; whether or not they get decimated by the 30 is indicative of how many special teams aces you've got on your coverage team.

Indy has seven guys on their injured reserve, three of whom would have fit the bill for special teams' lunatic. Our list is much longer. Larry Izzo, our designated captain, is rarely seen - probably for the best. Heath Evans saved a bunch of big returns all by his lonesome, and he's a plus, along with Spann. Andrews has disapperaed as well, but he, like Spann, is more an outside-contain guy on kickoff. Mike Wright's our best wedge buster at this point and no matter how athletic the guy is, a 300 lbs lineman just isn't getting down the field that quick.

I think best bet is Gostkowski to put those kickoffs through the uprights. He's in a dome, he's got the big kickoff leg, and this is why we drafted him: to keep our patchwork STs out of trouble at this point of the year. Either that or squib it, kick it out of bounds again, whatever. You think BB made him get fancy with the kicking recently because the coverage was good?

 

[Oswlek]

I agree that NE has to win the field position battle. We were backed up all day against the Chargers and when they did get the ball they usually had it past their own 40 yard line. I think it was an incredible defensive performance to hold the Chargers to 21 considering the circumstances.

I'm not worried about our kickoffs as Gost has an extremely strong leg. He usually gets a couple touchbacks a game. (exception being that 1 kick that went out of bounds). Punt coverage and kickoff coverage teams need to play their best I think. Make the Colts go 80 yards and it's tough against our D. We're going to get a stop somewhere. Sauerbrun is well not very well known to me. Does he have good hangtime on his punts at least?

Gost is very good at KOs, but I am a little worried about this area. Wilkins is a good return man and I personally think that NE's KO coverage against SD was average at best. I still think that the final return for SD could have gone another 10 yards had he not slipped.

 

[Oswlek]

In the past few games I've seen a lot of potential kickoff returns amount to nothing for the opposition because the returner slipped making the decisive cut. Hello Michael Turner!

Actually, that's not just a New England thing, their have been a lot of unmolested wedges in the playoffs so far. I think for many teams the injury bug is knawing away at the ability of the special teams. You can team any 4 doofuses to get together at the 20 and start chugging upfield; whether or not they get decimated by the 30 is indicitive of how many special teams aces you've got on your coverage team.

Indy has seven guys on their injured reserve, three of whom would have fit the bill for special teams' lunatic. Our list is much longer. Larry Izzo, our designated captain, is rarely seen - probably for the best. Heath Evans saved a bunch of big returns all by his lonesome, and he's a plus, along with Spann. Andrews has dissapperaed as well, but he like Spann is more an outside-contain guy on kickoff. Mike Wright's our best wedge buster at this point and no matter how athletic the guy is, a 300 lbs lineman just isn't getting down the field that quick.

I think best bet is Gostkowski to put those kickoffs through the uprights. He's in a dome, he's got the big kickoff leg, and this is why we drafted him: to keep our patchwork STs out of trouble. Either that or squib it, kick it out of bounds again, whatever. You think BB made him get fancy with the kicking recently because the coverage was good?

I wholeheartedly agree with everything in this post.