A look ahead: Anyone with ideas of how to slow Brandon Marshall down?

[Gunnails]

well lets see

Marshall is one of the best WR's in this league...the phins QB and O line are NOT

u need all three units to complete a successful pass play, so atk the line and QB to make marshall innefective from the start

================================================================

Phins have the best O line in the AFCE, IMHO.

 

[Kontradiction]

The issue in that game was tackling I believe. He didn't really burn anybody, but when he got the ball in his hands he just ran through our guys to the endzone.

When we hit him, we need to hit him high and hard. Don't try to go low, as he has quick and strong legs that can leap over and run through arm tackles.

For one, tackling issues have been the one thing that's a constant on this defense this season. For another, tackling ANYBODY high is a horrible idea and is bad technique. You never tackle anybody high.

 

[JackBauer]

================================================================

Phins have the best O line in the AFCE, IMHO.

I'm not sure about that. I think, at the very least, it's a push. That ginger OG of theirs didn't look too great against your team.

 

[Kontradiction]

I'm not sure about that. I think, at the very least, it's a push. That ginger OG of theirs didn't look too great against your team.

That's because he's a back-up guard. Just like Connolly. John Jerry is their starter. He's a rookie, but he's pretty solid.

 

[sbpatfan]

That's because he's a back-up guard. Just like Connolly. John Jerry is their starter. He's a rookie, but he's pretty solid.

Still, Richie Incognito is pretty terrible too.

 

[JackBauer]

That's because he's a back-up guard. Just like Connolly. John Jerry is their starter. He's a rookie, but he's pretty solid.

Our backup OG is better than their backup OG

edit: Yes, I forgot about Incognito. Meathead of the first order. Should have Wilfork give him a subtle "balltap" and bait him into a 15 yard personal foul penalty.

 

[Sicilian]

Tackling someone high is always a terrible idea. It is always better to hit someone low than high. If you hit him high his strong legs still serve to keep him up. The difference between a good tackle and a bad one is wrapping up. Too many corners and safeties in the league try to launch their bodies into the ball carrier but bring their arms into their chests instead of using them to wrap up an opposing ball carrier.

Say what you want about Arrington but he is a good tackler (we've seen this on special teams going back to last season). As long as McCourty and Arrington wrap up Marshall will only hurt us not kill us.

For one, tackling issues have been the one thing that's a constant on this defense this season. For another, tackling ANYBODY high is a horrible idea and is bad technique. You never tackle anybody high.

I kind of realized this after I posted it. What I meant by tackle him high was don't think you're going to bring him down by the legs. I guess really it comes down to staying square and being in position. If you're trying to chase him from behind, he's probably going to slip away.

Either way, Kontra, tackling has been an issue at times, but I think we have a better group of tacklers in this secondary than we had last year. I know it was a problem, but that's no reason to believe it can't be corrected game to game. Just because it's been an issue doesn't mean it's not the key to this particular part of the game.

 

[BlueThunder]

I haven't been overly impressed by some of the tackling so far this year. Ninkovich gave LT a gift on a 32yd run that should have been a loss.
That's just the most obvious that stands out. Maybe someone who has watched the game film can give us a count of missed tackles.

I may be off, but it sure seemed like alot.

 

[Sicilian]

I haven't been overly impressed by some of the tackling so far this year. Ninkovich gave LT a gift on a 32yd run that should have been a loss.
That's just the most obvious that stands out. Maybe someone who has watched the game film can give us a count of missed tackles.

I may be off, but it sure seemed like alot.

I don't think we've missed more than the average defense. Every game I watch, either Pats or other games, I see a fair number of missed tackles, bad angles, blown reads, etc. I don't think we have a tackling problem, so much as we're not THE best tackling team in the league.

 

[jmt57]

Apparently the NFL Network has decreed Brandon Marshall to have replaced some other guy as a dog faker for taking plays off.
NFL Videos: Playbook: Brandon Marshall loses steam


More on the series in question here:
Miami Dolphins In Depth


And Marshall's response:
Miami Dolphins In Depth

 

[stinkypete]

Wanna slow Brandon Marshal down? Give him Chad Henne as a QB. Hehehe.

 

[The Brandon Five]

How about clutching him and grabbing him like Revis? Oh, that's against the rules? Who knew?

 

[Haley]

It seems to me that if you intend to slow someone down, you need some kind of utility to do so. Our defense has shown itself to be more on the side of futility than utility. Short of attaching cinder blocks to his ankles or hiring Ines Sainz to blow kisses to him from the sidelines, I don't really think we can affect his game. I don't expect us to be capable of slowing him down much, we simply need to outscore him on the offense where our strengths do lie.

Edit:
We should be planning to chew up as much clock time as possible. That is our best shot at slowing Brandon down: keep him on the sideline. Best defense? Good offense!!

 

[rookBoston]

I'll qualify this by stating I'm a Dolphins fan. In any event, I think the way to stop Marshall is to stop Henne. They clicked in the Jets game but I still think Henne's prone to making mistakes when he's getting pressured. Last night the Jets didn't really apply much at all so he had time for Marshall and the other WRs to get open. When he was pressured I thought his throws were erratic. I think his limitations at this stage of his career are more mental than physical. So to me I think the key for the Patriots D (and stopping Marshall) is whether hat-for-hat they can outplay Miami's O-Line.

This is one of the most cogent, well articulated and fact-based posting from a rival team's fan that we've had on this site in... well, maybe forever. And no one has responded.

Chevagus, I think you've read the situation right. Henne is the key to the offense, and susceptible to being abused. Trouble is whether our front 7 will be able to put the kind of pressure on him that you're talking about. Our best hope is that the scheme can shake a pass rusher loose without getting victimized by the short passing game or giving up on defending against the running attack. Our D is our weakness.

I'm not as concerned about our pass rush as I am about our running game. We can score points, but we need a strong running game to control the game clock and keep our young and unreliable D well rested and watching the game from the sidelines. That will be the key. If the Pats can execute offensive series that take 10 minutes off the clock and end in 7 pts each time, I'm confident they will prevail.

 

[PatsChamp88]

Wanna slow Brandon Marshal down? Give him Chad Henne as a QB. Hehehe.

 

[LuthierJr]

 

[Fencer]

One idea: Appoint Meriweather as Marshall's personal CB -- shifting all over the field as needed -- otherwise having a 10-on-10 scheme that will always lead to Marshall being double-teamed. That's one assignment Meriweather WON'T freelance from. Conversely, the rest of the DBs would have a mental challenge from the scheme change, so it would be good not to have Meriweather otherwise involved in that plan.

 

[Run DMC]

Two words- Blitz Henne! :rocker:

 

[Brarrell]

One idea: Appoint Meriweather as Marshall's personal CB -- shifting all over the field as needed -- otherwise having a 10-on-10 scheme that will always lead to Marshall being double-teamed. That's one assignment Meriweather WON'T freelance from. Conversely, the rest of the DBs would have a mental challenge from the scheme change, so it would be good not to have Meriweather otherwise involved in that plan.

i've got an idea why not start drafting corners 6' and up since the wide recievers are only getting bigger every year or maybe draft some people who can rush the passer they have enough ammo every year to do it.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

i've got an idea why not start drafting corners 6' and up since the wide recievers are only getting bigger every year or maybe draft some people who can rush the passer they have enough ammo every year to do it.

I'm forwarding this to Belichick right now. This is just what he needed to know.