Will Patriots keep the blitz coming?

[Uncle Rico]

Globe story today:

Will Patriots keep the blitz coming? - The Boston Globe

The Patriots blitzed Roethlisberger 22 times, with 21 coming before New England took a 29-10 lead midway through the fourth quarter on James Sanders’s 32-yard interception return for a touchdown.

New England hadn’t blitzed that many times in a game since it closed the 2006 season with a 40-23 victory against the Titans, according to Stats LLC.

Earlier in the week, there was also an ESPN story about the Patriots turning their D loose:

Wilfork: Game plan let us be aggressive - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston

"When we got this game plan, it was like, 'Man, I love it. I love it,'" Wilfork said. "Like I said, it allowed us to play physical and play aggressive. And that's how we played."

I thought this might be of interest on this board because there's always a lot of talk about read-and-react vs. turn-them -loose. The Patriots tend to be the former but this week they were the latter.

I'm curious about what some of the better X-and-O folks here have to say about this change. A one-off thing to suit the plan v the Steelers (my guess) or something we'll see more of? The players sure seemed to respond well to it.

 

[NE39]

It would be a departure, as it seems they play more coverage-heavy against Manning. It doesn't seem like they send more than 4 guys often against him, as he gets rid of the ball quickly and is hard to fool.

If they send a DB they are less likely to send a LB. I'd be surprised if they send more than 4 very often against Manning. I do think they play nickel a lot even on early downs, considering the Colts weak running game. They are going to limit the big plays against Manning, which means S playing back to help.

So, no, I don't see a lot of blitzing against Manning. If they do, I think it will be more of a zone or overload blitz, not sending the house.

 

[FirstAndGoal]

Only if they want Indy to win.

 

[The Brandon Five]

From that Globe article:

The book on Manning is that you don’t blitz him because he gets rid of the ball so quickly and knows exactly where to go with it. The Patriots have followed that line of thinking in their last two matchups, when Manning walked away with close victories (35-34 in ’09, 18-15 in ’08). New England pressured Manning a combined eight times in those games.

But the Patriots have had games in which they went after Manning. You play this many times — 15 times in 12 seasons (Manning is 6-9) — you have to change things up.

The statistics say that if there’s any season to go after Manning, it’s this one.

When blitzed this season, Manning is completing just 59.8 percent of his attempts, with a passer rating of 88.8 and has been sacked seven times (12 total). That’s his lowest completion percentage and passer rating against pressure since ’03 (59.3 and 80.5), according to Stats. In ’09, Manning completed 67.8 percent and had a rating of 103.4.

With so many injuries to his weapons — the Colts didn’t have tight end Dallas Clark, running back Joseph Addai, or receivers Anthony Gonzalez and Austin Collie in Sunday’s win over the Bengals — Manning may have to think more about whether his receivers will be in the right spot.

It’s the same predicament Roethlisberger was in Sunday night and the Patriots took advantage by dictating the game.

It might be time for an encore.

I can't wait for Sunday.

 

[mgcolby]

The Steelers O-line prior to losing Starks was garbage, blitzing was to be expected Sunday night.

Given that Peyton is down to water boys at receiver I would think they will play a lot of dime to get more speed on the field (Safeties). I think Fletcher and Guyton will see a lot of playing time this week as well. Hopefully Chung is healthy or at least able to play.

The other package I think we will see a lot of is the two man front. Dare them to run it. I think Wilfork and Warren will see reduced snaps this week, but I think that the extra rest will result in a bigger impact when they are in.

I think most blitzes will be safety blitzes, but I imagine they will be few and far between.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Can't blitz Manning like that or he'll carve you up. Do need to get pressure on him though as the key with him is moving him off his spot and making him uncomfortable enough that the timing between he and his receivers goes kafluie... A couple of hard hits also tend to rattle his cage. But it's tough to get them in since he reads disguises pretty well from us and knows us as well as any division rival ergo he's seen it all... Gotta get some chips on those receivers on the way out and some painful licks on 'em when they do catch the ball. And the young LB's and the safeties gotta maintain discipline and not fall that play action hooey...

 

[Willie55]

With Manning it's pick your poison. Do you blitz him hoping to get to him before he releases the ball. But he is such a great QB at reading defenses he picks you apart by throwing to where the blitzer came from.

Or do you sit back and only rush 3 or 4 and have him pick you apart that way. If you don't put pressure on any QB and just allow them to sit back in the pocket eventually their WR's are going to get open, it's just a matter of time.

This week I say blitz the heck out of him. The defense is young and fast, and the last few match ups against Manning the Pats have used the stay back approach. With most of his normal targets hurt, it's not a question of whether Manning will be able to be able to recognize the blitz and throw to where the it came from, it's whether his new receivers can be on the same page as him, and also whether they have the same timing.

 

[BradyManny]

Even if this is Manning's worst season against the blitz, he's still better than most against it. I wouldn't risk it.

With Manning, the key is not how many rushers you send, it's where you send them. You need 7 in coverage, so where are your four rushers coming from? If you can disguise it and gain a rush with a standard four, then you'll be OK. That's why the 3-4 and our defense has had success against him, and why it hasn't had success of late b/c we lacked versatile linebackers.

This year, I think we have the ability to do it. If anything, last week was a trial run at how to use our linebackers and DBs in pressure. We oughta do that against Manning, except keep one more in coverage while doing it. If Chung is rushing or if Mayo blitzes, then drop TBC or Ninko, for instance.

Manning has seen it all, but at least make him work to figure who is rushing, who is covering, and where they will be.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

I do not think the Pats will blitz Manning much, but if the do, I expect them to do it on third and medium to long's and do it up the gut.

If you want to cause Manning to hesitate in the pocket, then do NOT move your safeties prior to the snap. Let the down linemen and linebackers move around, but keep the safeties from giving away the coverage by making them stand still until the snap.

 

[NE39]

Manning gets rid of the ball so quick on blitzes, they rarely pay off.

I think he is more bothered by pressure up the middle, guys getting pushed back into his face and forcing him to move out of the pocket. I am not sure what the game plan will be to create that kind of pressure, whether it involve the blitz or anything else. Maybe they shoot the ILB up the middle like they have done with Spikes and Mayo at times this year, but if they do I still think they only rush 4.

I think the key is getting in Manning's face and forcing him to move laterally. If they can collapse the middle of the pocket they should have success.