Personnel groupings and rotations

[Fencer]

I won't take it too seriously until a trustworthy reporter confirms it, but the MCI mentioned various things about personnel in https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/...ed-steelers/jFDExrPQS7q6tc55PnRNqM/story.html

• The Pats used a 4-TE set for half a dozen plays, including a Gronk TD.
• Not only did the Pats rotate 3 guards; they also rotated 3 tackles.
• They played a lot of big nickel, with Chung in a LB-like role.

The latter is the most interesting one, to the extent that it's true.

 

[Cantabrigian]

Patriots LB snaps: Jamie Collins 73, Dont'a Hightower 61, Jerod Mayo 11. (per Reiss)

 

[Fencer]

Patriots LB snaps: Jamie Collins 73, Dont'a Hightower 61, Jerod Mayo 11. (per Reiss)

Yep. Here's his defensive snap count post -- http://espn.go.com/blog/new-england...the-low-snap-count-for-patriots-lb-jerod-mayo

Besides Chung getting 49 snaps vs. Mayo's 11, the other thing that jumped out at me was that Jones, Ninko and Sheard were together on the field for most of the game. Sheard played 50 of 73 snaps, but Jones and Ninkovich only missed 6 snaps combined.

 

[Fencer]

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/...ts_2_minute_drill_ups_and_downs_from_win_over

Jeff Howe's breakdown gets better as it goes along. He has a LOT of detail on the OL. And his last two points on DL shifting are pretty funny.

 

[JMC00]

The Pats used a 4-TE set for half a dozen plays, including a Gronk TD.

I actually think they had 4-TE on 3 of the TD

Gronk's 2nd and 3rd and Chandler's. Only that on Chandler's and Gronk's 3rd 3 of them were split out.

 

[mgteich]

I won't take it too seriously until a trustworthy reporter confirms it, but the MCI mentioned various things about personnel in https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/...ed-steelers/jFDExrPQS7q6tc55PnRNqM/story.html

• The Pats used a 4-TE set for half a dozen plays, including a Gronk TD.
• Not only did the Pats rotate 3 guards; they also rotated 3 tackles.
• They played a lot of big nickel, with Chung in a LB-like role.

The latter is the most interesting one, to the extent that it's true.

The guard rotation was a true rotation, with all three getting a similar number of reps.

With regard to the OT's, Cannon gave both Vollmer and Solder a bit of a rest (I believe one series each).

 

[Fencer]

The guard rotation was a true rotation, with all three getting a similar number of reps.

Actually, Kline got a lot more reps than the rookies. I don't know whether this is because he got more series, or whether his series just happened to last longer.

Cannon apparently had a rough time at LT.

 

[mgteich]

Actually, Kline got a lot more reps than the rookies. I don't know whether this is because he got more series, or whether his series just happened to last longer.

Cannon apparently had a rough time at LT.

I believe that Kline split with Mason at LG (after starting) and with Jackson at RG. So, we ended up with more reps.

 

[mgteich]

Cannon apparently had a rough time at LT.

Agreed.

Cannon is an expensive, needed, backup RT. If Solder is injured, Vollmer would need to go to LT. I think that Barker looked better at LT in the preseason than Cannon has looked.

 

[BradyFTW!]

I actually think they had 4-TE on 3 of the TD

Gronk's 2nd and 3rd and Chandler's. Only that on Chandler's and Gronk's 3rd 3 of them were split out.

Pretty sure you're right. This thread on Reddit covered it pretty well:

https://www.reddit.com/r/nfl/comments/3kjgtm/quick_gif_breakdown_new_englands_red_zone_4_tight/

Every TD after the first one came in a 4TE set.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Mayo only getting 11 snaps jumps out a bit, but isn't really surprising. He's clearly #3 on the LB depth chart, and the Pats primarily use 2 LBs. He's still valuable, though: I hated being one injury from Deonte Skinner playing a prominent role.