what happened with the D? A switch got flipped

[sarge]

Any of you X and O guys, what changed with the D in the forth quarter?

Did they change there scheme? It was like a switch got flipped. Ravens could not pass, they could not run, the pocket was collapsing.

Plus what was nice was it was the D stopping them. It wasn't like it was dropped passes or missing open recievers. The Pats D stopped them.

If this D is for real and getting it, we might have a season on our hands!

 

[RobertWeathers]

Don't think I can answer from a schematic- standpoint what had happened, but to me, it was clear that their intensity was outstanding.

 

[Patriot Missile]

They lent their safeties to the cb's to help with outside coverage and clipped the wings on the LB's with the emphasis of holding their lanes.

 

[Rob0729]

It's a team growing up before our eyes. Look at most of the guys who stepped up today especially down the stretch - Spikes, McCourty, and Cunningham. These are rookies finally getting used to the speed of the NFL and learning from their early season mistakes.

 

[shirtsleeve]

I didnt see the game, but I did hear Berman et al on espn say that Baltimore looked "tired" and "worn out" late in the game. They tried to say that it was due to their schedule and playing on the road alot etc, but then shocker of shockers, Tom "they hate their coach" Jackson said it was BB, and how he just is heads and shoulders so much the better coach, and how they made Woodhead look like a power back late. Other than being shocked at the praise for BB spilling from that mouth making my jaw drop, I couldn't help but smile.....


They're BA-ACK!!!:singing:

 

[Mack Herron]

Got to give huge props to the D, especially for hte way they stopped the run. But Harbaugh went into a shell when our CBs were hanging by a thread all day. We will learn more about the Pass D next week.

 

[upstater1]

It looked to me that they dared the Ravens to run after they tied the game. The Ravens still had 2 minutes but they were throwing mode and the Patriots sent everyone into a zone. 3 men rushing, and there was nowhere to throw to.

In the OT, they guessed right on first down runs and put the Ravens in second/third and longs.

What I saw was that Flacco became really jittery out there, and Harbaugh must have seen it too.

That's why all the people beating up on Brady are out of their minds. That TD to Branch was classic Brady, the guy bought time, moved around the pocket like he had eyes behind his head, and threw a ball with perfect touch.

 

[The Dynasty]

The defense got pressure on Flacco with only a 4 man rush, this helped a lot seeing they could drop 7 into coverage and get pressure on Flacco. The LBs did a nice job of taking away the middle of the field, which was killing them in the 1st half.

I am very excited to continue to see the D progress for the remainder of the season. The secondary continues to improve each week and learn from their mistakes. Not enough can be said about the games of Mayo and Spikes, I'm not even sure the SB year LBs had a game like these 2 had today

 

[patsfaninpa]

It looked to me that they dared the Ravens to run after they tied the game. The Ravens still had 2 minutes but they were throwing mode and the Patriots sent everyone into a zone. 3 men rushing, and there was nowhere to throw to.

In the OT, they guessed right on first down runs and put the Ravens in second/third and longs.

What I saw was that Flacco became really jittery out there, and Harbaugh must have seen it too.

That's why all the people beating up on Brady are out of their minds. That TD to Branch was classic Brady, the guy bought time, moved around the pocket like he had eyes behind his head, and threw a ball with perfect touch.

Chargers have fallen in love with the passing game. There were a couple of times we rushed 2 players!! I would even mix that in on 3rd and long. Rivers isn't running anywhere. Send Cunningham and TBC after him. Let the rest cover.

Flacco looked like a basketball player that lost his touch after a red-hot start. Could still hit the easy ones. Got tentative on the long ones. If they pick up a first on that qb sneak. They probably win the game in regulation. Shocked they didn't give it to McClain.

 

[sarge]

So may times this D has been close to 3 and outs and just misses it. At the end they started making them.

If this D can play to it's potential, we could make a good run.

Still remains to be seen. Was very frustrating watching them give up long drives. I was stunned they stopped them twice in overtime

 

[40yrpatsfan]

Young legs

In past years our D would have been the one that was gassed in the 4th qtr and OT. Instead they played their toughest, and it was the Ravens D that was tired.

The youth movement not only got us speed and tackling but also guys that can run all day. Really excited about what I saw today.

 

[alvinnf]

Re: Young legs

Beware.... The rookie wall looms around week 12....

 

[SEA_Pat]

I was stunned they stopped them twice in overtime

How did you feel after they stopped them three times in overtime? Were you used to it by then?

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

The REAL Patriots are back!

 

[SVN]

Reiss:Key defensive tactical change helps pats

Maligned New England Patriots defense got it right when it mattered - ESPN Boston

interesting read..not sure how much it really worked but interesting nevertheless.

 

[TriplecHamp]

Re: Reiss:Key defensive tactical change helps pats

IMO the key was eliminating those comeback routes that Baltimore was so effective with early. Flacco was forced to dump the ball off to Rice and we started swarming.

 

[shirtsleeve]

The REAL Patriots are back!

:singing:
oh and
:singing:

 

[ahmed]

It was a combination of things. The Ravens got tired near the end as they had a lot of possession in the first half. They also got very conservative with their play calling. Finally, the D made some great plays.

 

[SVN]

A tactical change, which came after the Patriots were scorched on third-and-10, third-and-9 and third-and-11 situations early in the game, helped spark the turnaround.

On those third-and-long plays, the Patriots lined up in a 4-2-5 nickel defense, with four rushers, two linebackers and five defensive backs. Obviously unhappy with the results, they substituted a linebacker for a defensive lineman, making it a 3-3-5.

Having one fewer rusher often put the Patriots into more of a coverage mode and explained why rookie linebacker Dane Fletcher -- an underdog free agent out of Montana State who wears Ted Johnson's old No. 52 -- started showing up on the field in more key situations.

The goal was to get more physical with Ravens pass-catchers at the line of scrimmage and take away quarterback Joe Flacco's first read. When Flacco doesn't see his first read open, Patriots defenders said, he has a tendency to look at the rush, so New England tried to disrupt the rhythm of Baltimore's passing game that way

The first time the Patriots went to the 3-3-5 was a third-and-6 play late in the second quarter. Flacco attempted to run for the first down, and after a replay review, was ruled short of the first-down marker.

The Patriots stuck with that scheme for most third-down situations, with some of the biggest plays coming in overtime.

.......................

 

[DaedalusX]

.......................

Wait, so, second half adjustments?