BI: Patriots biggest weakness may be Broncos greatest strength

Tom Brady's biggest weakness has made the Patriots vulnerable in one area

My only answer: we've improved?

Still makes me nervous.

@Connecticut As long as Brady is able to get the ball out in two seconds, like last weekend, then the interior pass rush will be negated.

Getting Edelman and Amendola back and on the field at the same time definitely helps, but the IOL will have to maintain the level of play that was manifest in the divisional round.

It's only a weakness if he can't get rid of the ball in 2 seconds.

The OL has been a weakness since they let Mankins go. They still won the Super Bowl last season. Brady gets the ball out of his hands too quickly, which negates the rush. If Edelman and Amendola go down again, it's something to worry about. Until then? Don't.

KontradictioN said:

The OL has been a weakness since they let Mankins go. They still won the Super Bowl last season. Brady gets the ball out of his hands too quickly, which negates the rush. If Edelman and Amendola go down again, it's something to worry about. Until then? Don't.

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They also put up 40 against Buffalo, and 30 against the NYJ, when healthy, so the author of the piece ignoring those games while pointing to the later, injury packed, games is more than just a bit disingenuous.

Without Edelman and Amendola and Gronk going down in the fourth quarter, Brady passed for 280 yards, 3 TDs, and 0 INTs against the same Broncos defense only two months ago.

KontradictioN said:

The OL has been a weakness since they let Mankins go.

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Imagine: At one point they had Mankins, Light, Solder and Vollmer on the roster at the same time.

Deus Irae said:

They also put up 40 against Buffalo, and 30 against the NYJ, when healthy, so the author of the piece ignoring those games while pointing to the later, injury packed, games is more than just a bit disingenuous.

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You guys put my mind at ease. With Edelman, Dola and Gronk things should be a little easier for Tommy.

tasmlab said:

Imagine: At one point they had Mankins, Light, Solder and Vollmer on the roster at the same time.

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IMO they are re-tooling the offensive line, which started in this past draft with the guards and 2014 with Stork at centre. I am sure I am not alone in thinking the OT spot will be addressed in some form or fashion this offseason as well.

If Brady is your biggest worry, you have little to worry about. My concern is defending Kubiak's zone blocking schemes.

nabwong said:

It's only a weakness if he can't get rid of the ball in 2 seconds.

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But Miller said he can get there in 1 second

Mack Herron said:

If Brady is your biggest worry, you have little to worry about. My concern is defending Kubiak's zone blocking schemes.

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This is my one legitimate concern as well.

Thankfully, Hightower and Collins look like they are on track to play this Sunday.

IIRC the Broncos running game did absolutely nothing until Hightower went out in the second quarter back in November (and Collins was inactive that game).

Be that as it may, the front 7 will have to have their heads on a swivel, to avoid damage from those infamous cut-blocks, and take good angles to the ball-carrier.

TommyBrady12 said:

But Miller said he can get there in 1 second

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Isn't that also Manning's biggest weakness, along with his noodle arm?

I think our biggest weakness this week is just playing at Mile High, that place has been a house of horrors for us as a franchise and Brady in recent years.

I feel like the Broncos pass rush is the type that Brady tends to be able to minimize when he's healthy and has all his weapons healthy. The biggest threats come from the outside, so if the interior can hold up, Cannon/Vollmer can ride Ware/Miller around deep and Brady can step up. No one better at that than Brady. Where the problems usually come in (and this is true for most pocket passers) is when the rush comes from the inside. Not only does that force Brady into a throw outside the pocket (which isn't his strength), but the shortest distance from point A to point B is always a straight line. Rushing up the middle tends to happen quicker, which negates Brady's throw time advantage.

Isn't this pretty much for any qb?

Denver's "biggest strength" is rushing from the outside. It's not the interior pass rush. Not that they are completely incapable of bringing interior pressure, but it's not their strength. With all of his weapons on the field, Brady can handle that pass rush.

I don't care what scheme you use because no way you can take away all three: Amendola, Gronk and Edelman and then there is a short screen to White that is deadly too. Unless Denver plays 8 DBs and 3 down linemen and then I am not sure what the Pats will do? Run White?

BadMoFo said:

and Brady in recent years.

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Wasn't for him the last 3 times he's played there

Week 12 (23/42 280 3 TD)
'13 AFCC (24/38 277 1 TD 1 Rush TD) (given the circumstances of throwing to guys like Austin Collie, Matthew Mulligan, Matthew Slater and Michael Hoomanawaui)
'11 (23/34 320 2 TD)

Ya he is 1-2 but it's laughable to consider any of those games bad games for him.