Bedard's Indy film review: Pressure may be short lived

[Deus Irae]

So the change of scheme/philosophy, though short lived, DOES make a big difference. Where are the doubters now who proclaimed our defense, especially our secondary, was terrible due to talent ALONE and not scheme. You know who you are.

The team blitzed the Colts because the Colts have:

1. A QB who gambles on his throws
2. A poor offensive line
3. A poor running game

The coaching staff, which you spend your time bashing, is good enough to understand that and plan accordingly. The coaching staff is also good enough to understand that they can't do that with every team, because they don't have the defensive secondary they'd need to pull it off. They alson blitzed the Rams because the Rams line stinks and Bradford withers under pressure.

When you've got personnel problems, you have to scheme to cover them up or minimize them. Since BB believes that the worst thing you can do is give up a TD in one big play, his approach is going to be that of defending against the big play before anything else, and it's worked to the tune of 5 Super Bowl appearances in 10 years. I don't know why you can't seem to figure that out.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Some audio elaboration on his views on D&C this AM. He's backed off a few of his criticisms and made it pretty clear he grades on a curve and based on an expectation. Said he probably has been too hard on Brady all season based on his expectations of him. I think his OL grades have a bit to do with his stand coming out of camp that he had no concerns based on his faith in Dante alone.

Did have an interesting observation. When we've ramped up the rush against Sanchez we've lost whereas when we've let him pile up completions we've won. Really feels that Bill is a percentage player. Says we've brought more pressure against suspect lines this season, he doesn't think the JETS line fits the mold. Is also concerned about our OL facing pressure up the middle from the JETS. Colts tried but they don't have the horses and Brady was too quick for them. Waffled on his concern about Jones, now says his absence may force Bill to be more creative since when he is in it's largely on him to generate pressure. He's basically calling for a middle of the road approach, not unleash the hounds but mix it up more. Also thinks they need to do more with the backup TE's to get back to 2 TE as opposed to trying various 3 WR groupings. Says they couldn't with AHern out as Shiancoe is his backup and he just wasn't ready. Seems to think Fells subbing for Gronk would work better. Not sure I agree with that at all.

He hasn't been challenged much as far as who he is on with. All the other mediots to some extent are treating him like an oracle, much like they did Breer back in his game film breakdown blogging days. X's and O's intimidate most of them. I'd be interested to see if he can hold his own against someone better versed, but there isn't anyone I can think of.

Greg Bedard, Boston Globe, breaks down Pats-Colts, Aqib Talib and Brady's performance

 

[Cassanova792]

The team blitzed the Colts because the Colts have:

1. A QB who gambles on his throws
2. A poor offensive line
3. A poor running game

The coaching staff, which you spend your time bashing, is good enough to understand that and plan accordingly. The coaching staff is also good enough to understand that they can't do that with every team, because they don't have the defensive secondary they'd need to pull it off. They alson blitzed the Rams because the Rams line stinks and Bradford withers under pressure.

When you've got personnel problems, you have to scheme to cover them up or minimize them. Since BB believes that the worst thing you can do is give up a TD in one big play, his approach is going to be that of defending against the big play before anything else, and it's worked to the tune of 5 Super Bowl appearances in 10 years. I don't know why you can't seem to figure that out.

The only coach i bash is Patricia. I love BB even though i think his philosophy is outdated. Pressure on ANY QB in the NFL makes it more difficult to execute plays, regardless if they make it or not. Because:
1. Forced to think on their feet.
2. Routes cant fully develop.

I agree 5 Superbowl appearances certainly has to do with BB, never did i say he had nothing to do with them. But you also forget we have TB leading an offensive Juggernaught year in and year out. This defense needs a better defensive.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

My only thing with that is if the blitzing was the gameplan going in where was it the first two series?

The improvement came after Belichick got the D together and broke out the white board.


I'm just saying wouldn't Bill want the defense that only allowed 200 yards on the seven drives that forced 3 punts*, 2 int, 1 ff and only allowed 3 pts rather than the 164 yards and 2 td allowed on the first two drives.

*I consider the long FG that Vinateri missed at the end of the half a punt.

I hear ya. I called that post game. After that second TD Bill and Patricia had a come to jeezus meeting on the sidelines. No screaming, so I assumed it was more along the lines of screw this, not again. It may be he wasn't counting on the Colts rookie coming out of the gate Chuck strong. The whole team seemed to be attempting to. Seemed to underscore once again what we struggle against is the 3rd and 4th string receiving options of QB's given too much time to locate them.

 

[Deus Irae]

The only coach i bash is Patricia.

You bash the secondary coaches as well, if I recall, and you continue to ignore the simple reality that Patricia is carrying out Belichick's orders.

I love BB even though i think his philosophy is outdated. Pressure on ANY QB in the NFL makes it more difficult to execute plays, regardless if they make it or not. Because:
1. Forced to think on their feet.
2. Routes cant fully develop.

Claiming BB's philosophy is outdated is not supported by the facts. Also, you need to learn that "blitz" and "pressure" are not synonyms.

I agree 5 Superbowl appearances certainly has to do with BB, never did i say he had nothing to do with them. But you also forget we have TB leading an offensive Juggernaught year in and year out. This defense needs a better defensive.

Season after season, BB has proven you wrong with his defense.

 

[Deus Irae]

I hear ya. I called that post game. After that second TD Bill and Patricia had a come to jeezus meeting on the sidelines. No screaming, so I assumed it was more along the lines of screw this, not again. It may be he wasn't counting on the Colts rookie coming out of the gate Chuck strong. The whole team seemed to be attempting to. Seemed to underscore once again what we struggle against is the 3rd and 4th string receiving options of QB's given too much time to locate them.

What changed was that the Colts running game got shut down.

 

[upstater1]

To be fair, Lloyds YAC would be considerably better if Brady could actually hit him (or anyone for that matter) in stride on those deep sideline patterns.

I mentioned this in another thread, but an area of Brady's game that I feel has regressed is this exact type of route - deep down the sideline, deep down the middle.

I think of the miscues for Welker and LLoyd on Sunday - I think back to the poorly thrown deep balls to Welker and Gronk in the Superbowl.

Brady has been awesome for a long time now - but the glaring weakness in his game is the deep bomb - often underthrown it feels like it has more chance of being picked than caught by a receiver.

I see it as the opposite. Brady's long balls this year have been perfect. Several times the WR couldn't snag them. Can't run under them either. When I watch other receivers they seem to adjust to the ball quite well, and that comes from natural speed so that the long balls from other QBs look perfect. No one sprints and runs under a perfect ball. I always see other WRs modulating their speed.

 

[upstater1]

Belichick spends 2/3rds of the season making his defenders learn their responsibilities through game play. Then he allows them to become more aggressive. Last year the playoff defense was eons better than the nearly worst in the league D we saw during the season.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

The only coach i bash is Patricia. I love BB even though i think his philosophy is outdated. Pressure on ANY QB in the NFL makes it more difficult to execute plays, regardless if they make it or not. Because:
1. Forced to think on their feet.
2. Routes cant fully develop.

I agree 5 Superbowl appearances certainly has to do with BB, never did i say he had nothing to do with them. But you also forget we have TB leading an offensive Juggernaught year in and year out. This defense needs a better defensive.

Bashing Patricia or any DC here is a fools game. Belichick calls the ball, period. And it's not like he doesn't want to generate more or consistent pressure. He just doesn't have the horses to absent taking risks that his desire to play the percentages don't warrant. I'd like to see him reach some middle ground. But who is to say that wouldn't backfire. Then what will be biatch about...beyond blaming it on some coach or coordinator.

 

[Danger Zone]

I see it as the opposite. Brady's long balls this year have been perfect. Several times the WR couldn't snag them. Can't run under them either. When I watch other receivers they seem to adjust to the ball quite well, and that comes from natural speed so that the long balls from other QBs look perfect. No one sprints and runs under a perfect ball. I always see other WRs modulating their speed.

The inverse of this might be that other quarterbacks throw to where their receiver is going to be and Brady throws to where they should be.

And if my point is completely erroneous, as someone said if you doubt Brady's ability to throw long lets remember how he did with one aging, longball receiver.

 

[TruthSeeker]

I see it as the opposite. Brady's long balls this year have been perfect. Several times the WR couldn't snag them. Can't run under them either. When I watch other receivers they seem to adjust to the ball quite well, and that comes from natural speed so that the long balls from other QBs look perfect. No one sprints and runs under a perfect ball. I always see other WRs modulating their speed.

I must need glasses because I see Brady consistently throwing (a little) long. However, I do agree with you that receivers occasionally slow down for unknown reasons, but only rarely would going full speed have put the receiver in a position to catch the ball. The primary problem is the QB, not the receivers. It's the only real weakness in Brady's game (other than not being able to run the ball at all).

 

[Danger Zone]

It's the only real weakness in Brady's game (other than not being able to run the ball at all).

Look at Tom Brady jukes Urlacher - YouTube

Tom Brady Slides to the Ground, Then Gets in Ray Lewis' Face - YouTube

All right, all right. I acquiesce. Brady cant run. :bricks:


And just for the random memory of it.

Longest Kick Return Made By Lineman ( Dan Connolly ) - YouTube

 

[scout]

I see it as the opposite. Brady's long balls this year have been perfect. Several times the WR couldn't snag them. Can't run under them either. When I watch other receivers they seem to adjust to the ball quite well, and that comes from natural speed so that the long balls from other QBs look perfect. No one sprints and runs under a perfect ball. I always see other WRs modulating their speed.

Additionally, I seem to recall Brady hitting Gronk over the middle in stride on a number of occasions.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

What changed was that the Colts running game got shut down.

No, what changed was the Colts started turning over the ball under ratcheted up pressure and allowed a punt return for a TD followed by a stalled passhappy FG drive and then another INT followed by a sack fumble and before you knew it and before the 3rd quarter ended they were too far down to run the ball - although they did manage 2 runs for 23 yards in their 5 play drive to close the gap back to 3 scores heading into the 4th. And ground and pound isn't Arians forte anyway. Why Pittsburgh let him go. They were fairly balanced on the first two drives. Then they went pass happy and had to settle for a FG. They they stayed pass happy and turned the ball over two more times on a pick six and sack fumble .

 

[BradyManny]

I see it as the opposite. Brady's long balls this year have been perfect. Several times the WR couldn't snag them. Can't run under them either. When I watch other receivers they seem to adjust to the ball quite well, and that comes from natural speed so that the long balls from other QBs look perfect. No one sprints and runs under a perfect ball. I always see other WRs modulating their speed.

This.

Though I wouldn't say he's been perfect - I do think a lot has to do with the receivers. I can think of a couple lobbed sideline passes have fallen long to guys like Brandon Lloyd (4.6 40) and Daniel Fells (4.95 40) that it's hard to blame Brady on. Lloyd has not done as good a job getting under passes as I would've thought.

That'll hopefully come with reps. They don't go deep that often in the game, so they haven't had too many live cracks at it. I'd love to see them get that sideline throw down though. It's the kind of throw that can get the offense going when we're being stifled underneath.

 

[Deus Irae]

No, what changed was the Colts started turning over the ball under ratcheted up pressure and allowed a punt return for a TD followed by a stalled FG drive and then another INT followed by a sack fumble and before you knew it and before the 3rd quarter ended they were too far down to run the ball - although they did manage 2 runs for 23 yards in their 5 play drive to close the gap back to 3 scores heading into the 4th. And ground and pound isn't Arians forte anyway. Why Pittsburgh let him go. They were fairly balanced on the first two drives. Then they went pass happy and had to settle for a FG. They they stayed pass happy and turned the ball over two more times on a pick six and sack fumble .

During his WEEI interview, BB noted that the team wasn't expecting the Colts to attack the Patriots on the ground they way they did it, and had to adjust to it.

10 for 57 on the first two drives (5.7 ypc), with 5 runs over 5 yards and a 6th for a TD

The Patriots made adjustments, the Colts started passing more often, and the change was noticeable.

 

[jnug]

The Pats made changes in the face of the unexpected success the Colts were having running the ball....most noticeably the Pats started to blow up the Colts O-line before they could surge. The Pats jumped Luck's snap count most of the day and shut off the Colts running game from the moment they started to do it. Most surprising is that the Colts had no answer. An experienced QB would have had an answer. Certainly the Colts coaches saw what was happening but as I stated earlier this must be part of the game that the Colts dumbed down for Luck since this was a road game.

 

[Gumby]

During his WEEI interview, BB noted that the team wasn't expecting the Colts to attack the Patriots on the ground they way they did it, and had to adjust to it.

10 for 57 on the first two drives (5.7 ypc), with 5 runs over 5 yards and a 6th for a TD

The Patriots made adjustments, the Colts started passing more often, and the change was noticeable.

another "CHANGE" that occurred around the same time, that no one is talking about, was the Pats concussing (is that a word?) one of the Dolts speedy wrs.

Not sure how much that had to do with any of the INTs as those were more pressure/tip related i think; but it certainly likely affected their offensive execution to lose their (I think) #2 wr.