Logan Mankins shout-out

[hwc]

Two days in a row on Sirius NFL radio, Pat Kirwin has given a shout-out to Logan Mankins. Said that reviewing the all-22 tape of the Colts game, the Pats ran behind Mankins at the point of attack about 90% of the time. Runs to the left. Runs to the right with Mankins pulling. Said that it reminded him of Jerome Bettis running behind Alan Faneca in the Steelers running game.

He pointed out the same problem for the Broncos defense: Do you bring a safety down to stop the run and invite Tom Brady to throw? Kirwin thinks that the threat of Brady throwing makes stopping their running game much more difficult.

I wish the caliber of talking heads analysts were a little higher across the board. Apparently the stuff the Pats are doing in the running game right now is VERY sophisticated and VERY complex. These are not simple running plays. Sounds like the Pats have dozens of different running plays in the game plan compared to a handful that most teams run in a game.

 

[ALP]

Two days in a row on Sirius NFL radio, Pat Kirwin has given a shout-out to Logan Mankins. Said that reviewing the all-22 tape of the Colts game, the Pats ran behind Mankins at the point of attack about 90% of the time. Runs to the left. Runs to the right with Mankins pulling. Said that it reminded him of Jerome Bettis running behind Alan Faneca in the Steelers running game.

He pointed out the same problem for the Broncos defense: Do you bring a safety down to stop the run and invite Tom Brady to throw? Kirwin thinks that the threat of Brady throwing makes stopping their running game much more difficult.

I wish the caliber of talking heads analysts were a little higher across the board. Apparently the stuff the Pats are doing in the running game right now is VERY sophisticated and VERY complex. These are not simple running plays. Sounds like the Pats have dozens of different running plays in the game plan compared to a handful that most teams run in a game.

interesting...i would love to read a writeup w/ the details...too bad most analysts prob wouldn't know what they were looking at either

the catch with the Pats and a run game, is that it cant simply materialize out of nowhere...the offensive players need to know they can do it whenever they please, they need to have set themselves up in the past, and have executed successfully

however for Brady? you can ask him to throw it for the first time in the 3rd Q, and the man will be just fine...same as if he were throwing all game

that is why its so much more difficult to go from pass to run, but easier to go from run to pass for the us

 

[hwc]

Kirwin predictions about the two games coming up on Sunday:

a) Blount to have the best game rushing.

b) Manning to have the best game passing.

c) Patriots to have the best offense.

NFL playoffs: 10 burning questions about AFC, NFC championship games - CBSSports.com

 

[Shockt327]

....Apparently the stuff the Pats are doing in the running game right now is VERY sophisticated and VERY complex. These are not simple running plays. Sounds like the Pats have dozens of different running plays in the game plan compared to a handful that most teams run in a game.

Huh? Uhh...no.

I was just watching the All-22 on NFL Game Rewind, too. The Patriots aren't doing anything special or new in the run game; they just do it well. The only thing that might be different is that NE does quite a few reps with both a blocking TE and a blocking FB. Obviously, most teams aren't doing that these days. But this offense isn't reinventing the wheel or doing anything that's new to the game, or anything.

Edit: Also, I wouldn't expect the Pats run game to just go into Denver and obliterate their front 7. They are pretty damn good.

 

[hwc]

Kirwin as not referring to the complexity of any one running play, but the number of different running plays and variations in formations that the Pats are using in the running game.

Specifically, I think the Pats are probably doing stuff with the receivers alignment and motion that is screwing with the defensive calls on running plays. I think it's also all about the "complementary" plays. Showing the same look a second time and doing something different.

 

[Marqui]

I remember when some here wanted Mankins cut

 

[nabwong]

Would it be legal if Mankins wore a sock puppet and change his name on the jersey to Mankind? I bet it would scare the crap out of the DL.

 

[JMarr]

I remember when some here wanted Mankins cut

Exactly. I remember the past couple of seasons before this one where a lot of people were bagging on him every chance they got--"not worth his contract", "old and slow", "turnstile up the middle", yada yada. Every false start he committed became an excuse for the haters to say he was the most overpaid and overrated OL in the league [and you who you are], while all I was seeing was a guy who was absolutely dominating when healthy, one of the toughest SOBs every to play the game, and a guy with the kind of nasty streak that the Patriots desperately needed.

And he may actually be the MVP of the team this year IMO.

 

[Deus Irae]

Exactly. I remember the past couple of seasons before this one where a lot of people were bagging on him every chance they got--"not worth his contract", "old and slow", "turnstile up the middle", yada yada. Every false start he committed became an excuse for the haters to say he was the most overpaid and overrated OL in the league [and you who you are], while all I was seeing was a guy who was absolutely dominating when healthy, one of the toughest SOBs every to play the game, and a guy with the kind of nasty streak that the Patriots desperately needed.

And he may actually be the MVP of the team this year IMO.

Past couple of seasons? Hell, they were doing it just a few weeks ago.

 

[Fencer]

http://itiswhatitis.weei.com/sports...ogan-mankins-still-one-of-best-guards-in-nfl/ is also full of Mankins praise, pass blocking not excepted.

Whoops! I edited a previous post when I meant to add a new one instead. But the old one is quoted below.

 

[ATippett56]

As for Mankins -- he's distressingly unreliable at pass protection, especially if you include the penalties, but I think few folks have doubted his run blocking.

Unreliable at pass protection ..... Ryan Wendell.

 

[Deus Irae]

If the analysis is correct, McDaniels is doing some stellar work.

As for Mankins -- he's distressingly unreliable at pass protection, especially if you include the penalties, but I think few folks have doubted his run blocking.

Logan Mankins is this team's best run blocker

Logan Mankins is this team's best pass blocker

 

[Marinlik]

I think that Mankins had a down year last year after playing a full season with an injury. But this year he has been a beast. He does a really good job at turning the D-line so they always have to go straight through him to get to the ball carrier. He does a very good job at getting to the linebackers when he double teams. He is without a doubt our best interior O-line by far. If he ceontinued to play like last year I would see why one would think that he isn't worth his salary. But this year he has been really good and a major part in our run offense.

 

[hwc]

SI has a blog post with some all-22 game film photos showing keys from last week's games. The two Pats keys are running plays:

The All-22: Keys to victory in the conference*championships | Audibles - SI.com

This one is interesting. Blount in the backfield. Two tight ends, both lined up up to Brady's left, showing a massive overload to that side, forcing the defense that way. Then, one of the tight ends goes in motion to the right side, Mankins pull to the right, and now there's an overload to the right for Blount:

 

[DocHoliday]

Exactly. I remember the past couple of seasons before this one where a lot of people were bagging on him every chance they got--"not worth his contract", "old and slow", "turnstile up the middle", yada yada. Every false start he committed became an excuse for the haters to say he was the most overpaid and overrated OL in the league [and you who you are], while all I was seeing was a guy who was absolutely dominating when healthy, one of the toughest SOBs every to play the game, and a guy with the kind of nasty streak that the Patriots desperately needed.

And he may actually be the MVP of the team this year IMO.

*Raises hand*

I'll eat crow. I hated on him a bunch last year.

 

[JackBauer]

Too bad that tony fellow got banned. He was one of Mankins' most vociferous haters here, and I'd love to see him rationalize that now.

 

[SalemPats]

On the CBS preview show before the pats/colts game BB did call Mankins (along with Brady, others) as a leader and an extremely hard worker