Aaron Donald 0 sacks 1 QBs hit

[manxman2601]

How is allowing 26 carries for 127 yards after 4/27 on the first drive “clamping down on the running game”?
The Patriots clamped down on the running game by allowing 18/62.

Because we got two big gains in the final quarter. Between that and the first drive, our RBs only got one carry that went more than 5 yards.

 

[50-yard-line]

The first drive is part of the game. I’m not sure why you think that doesnt count. But without it, minus kneeldowns we ran 26/127.
The Ram DL got very little pressure, 1 sack and gashed by the run. I’m not sure what constitutes good play in that.

The only thing wrong with the offense was that it was awful convering makable 3rd downs and that wasn’t becauae of the DL.

Exactly this. The Pats had over 400 yards of offense, the Rams 260'ish. Like the Chief's game, it wasn't nearly as close as the score.

One thought on that: the refs let them play. With the new rules, that gave the D's a chance.

 

[Ring 6]

Which makes the lack of production in the passing game all the more puzzling. I wasn't a fan of a lot of the offensive playcalling in this game, to be honest.

It wasn’t really a lack of production in the passing game. We threw for 261 yards. It was a lack of 3rd down conversions.
I think we were something like 3/12 and Brady uncharacteristically threw a lot of 3rd down passes short of the sticks.
I truly believe the offense was extra conservative because of how the defense was dominating. As soon as it got to 3-3 we played a different brand of offense to walk right down the field and score then followed it with a long FG drive.

 

[mgteich]

I would note that our blocking is about much more that the OL. Gronk, Develin and Allen played critical roles in helping the running game and keeping Brady on his feet (ZERO sacks for the playoffs).

How the O-Line held up was the key to the game for me. In the end they did just enough, which against those beasts on the Rams D-Line is commendable.

Donald may not have had any sacks, but there was pressure all game with the pocket collapsing and limited time to throw. In other years it would have been like the Giants all over again.

 

[Ring 6]

Because we got two big gains in the final quarter. Between that and the first drive, our RBs only got one carry that went more than 5 yards.

So now you aren’t counting the drive that iced the game?
Every running game in the nfl is made up of long runs and short runs. “Playing well” doesn’t mean you only count the good plays and ignore the bad ones.

 

[manxman2601]

So now you aren’t counting the drive that iced the game?
Every running game in the nfl is made up of long runs and short runs. “Playing well” doesn’t mean you only count the good plays and ignore the bad ones.

Read the damn post before you comment.

 

[Ring 6]

How the O-Line held up was the key to the game for me. In the end they did just enough, which against those beasts on the Rams D-Line is commendable.

Donald may not have had any sacks, but there was pressure all game with the pocket collapsing and limited time to throw. In other years it would have been like the Giants all over again.

See the post below, the rams had very little pressure.

 

[Ring 6]

Read the damn post before you comment.

I did. You are grasping at straws, just give up.

 

[mgteich]

Wasn't it. The score was 3-0 at the half. Stats don't matter. BTW, how dominant were the 2nd half stats of the patriots compared to those of LA?

As as far as the offense were concerned, 2 plays made all the difference: Cooks not catching his key pass, and Gronk catching his.

The Pats had over 400 yards of offense, the Rams 260'ish. Like the Chief's game, it wasn't nearly as close as the score.

 

[Ivan]

I actually thought he was a force in the game even if it didn’t show in the stats. Helped that line give same pressure up the middle that is in the book on defending the Goat.

That’s how I saw it as well.

 

[scott99]

I actually thought he was a force in the game even if it didn’t show in the stats. Helped that line give same pressure up the middle that is in the book on defending the Goat.

He was pushing back the offensive line all game. He’s a force without even getting a sack in all 3 playoff games. He’s a main reason why the Pats only scored 13, and why Brady was so inaccurate for a lot of the game. I think him and his teammates got gassed because of the great Pat’s defense kept the Ram’s offense off the field, and that’s when the Pats offense pounced, and got the only TD. And then the field goal drive to put the game away, the Pat’s Oline just gashed Donald and that line.

He’s a great player though, I give him a large amount of credit to holding the Pats to 13.

 

[50-yard-line]

Wasn't it. The score was 3-0 at the half. Stats don't matter. BTW, how dominant were the 2nd half stats of the patriots compared to those of LA?

As as far as the offense were concerned, 2 plays made all the difference: Cooks not catching his key pass, and Gronk catching his.

Pats played a ton of that game on the LA side of the field. They left a dozen points on the field in the first half. Yeah, as with KC, it came down to a couple of plays, but the Pats were the better team, start to finish.

 

[manxman2601]

I did. You are grasping at straws, just give up.

You either clearly didn’t or you chose to ignore what I said. The simple fact is, for much of the game where we held the Rams scoreless, our running game was stopped from contributing putting us in 3rd and long positions and as we were unable to convert on those a number of times. We weren’t able to take advantage of our stellar defense and put the game away.

If you couldn’t see the difference between the first drive where we got some good gains (13 yards, 6, 5) and the rest of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd quarters where we had one gain of 19 yards, one gain of 5 yards and nothing else above 4 yards (twice), I don’t know what else to tell you. If the Rams hadn’t stopped the running game in that period we’d have put them to bed long before the 4th quarter.

 

[Boomer B]

You got to give Wade Phillips and the LA D credit, they had a great game plan which they executed well. They simply got gassed because their O couldn't sustain a drive and the Pats had a big chunk of time of possession.

Donald didn't show up on the stat sheet but he played well. They only had to rush 4 and were able to drop more into coverage. They manned up Hogan who couldn't get any separation on 1 on 1 coverage. Suh and Donald were penetrating on the Jet sweeps and runs for much of the game. Just a tough game when the only option for much of it was Edelman. Once the LA D was gassed and we went to the heavy formation it was game over. They were done and we created more favorable match ups for Gronk and then the running game on the last drive.

 

[Kontradiction]

I did. You are grasping at straws, just give up.

Eh, I don't think you did. Either that or you decided to go ahead and straw man the thread...

Nice. I’m not being contrary but I do think Sony Michel might take issue with Donald not having an input though. Aside from the first drive and the last quarter, the Rams DL clamped down hard on the running game. But the OL deserves huge credit for the way they played last night and all season and to limit the best defensive player in the NFL as they did is certainly worthy of praise.

There's not really anything false about that.

 

[Ross12]

Scar is a HOFer for sure.

 

[mgteich]

Pats played a ton of that game on the LA side of the field. They left a dozen points on the field in the first half. Yeah, as with KC, it came down to a couple of plays, but the Pats were the better team, start to finish.

Yeah, and if a couple plays were changed, the "best team" would have lost. It is NOT a plus to have decimated the Rams for a half and be ahead 3-0.

 

[mgteich]

You got to give Wade Phillips and the LA D credit, they had a great game plan which they executed well. They simply got gassed because their O couldn't sustain a drive and the Pats had a big chunk of time of possession.

Donald didn't show up on the stat sheet but he played well. They only had to rush 4 and were able to drop more into coverage. They manned up Hogan who couldn't get any separation on 1 on 1 coverage. Suh and Donald were penetrating on the Jet sweeps and runs for much of the game. Just a tough game when the only option for much of it was Edelman. Once the LA D was gassed and we went to the heavy formation it was game over. They were done and we created more favorable match ups for Gronk and then the running game on the last drive.

this

Even the LA offense has been even a little bit better, the patriots would have driving at the end, needed a QB to take the lead. And, they would have been playing against a fresher LA defense. Of course, Brady, Edelman and Gronk still would have executed a won the day.

 

[Ring 6]

You either clearly didn’t or you chose to ignore what I said. The simple fact is, for much of the game where we held the Rams scoreless, our running game was stopped from contributing putting us in 3rd and long positions and as we were unable to convert on those a number of times. We weren’t able to take advantage of our stellar defense and put the game away.

If you couldn’t see the difference between the first drive where we got some good gains (13 yards, 6, 5) and the rest of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd quarters where we had one gain of 19 yards, one gain of 5 yards and nothing else above 4 yards (twice), I don’t know what else to tell you. If the Rams hadn’t stopped the running game in that period we’d have put them to bed long before the 4th quarter.

You are disagreeing that the patriots did a good job game planning to limit the impact of Aaron Donald.
When, he had 1 QBs hit, 0 sacks, and the entire defense had pressure on only 14% of the pass plays the least by any sb team in 10 years. Because while the patriots ran for over 5 yards per carry they didn’t run well on every play. Here are their rushing numbers by drive (again leaving out kneeldowns)
4/27 (1 tackle for Donald)
5/7 on a 11 play 60 yard drive ending in a FG attempt (0 tackles for Donald)
1/4. (0)
1/1 on 6 play 49 yard FG drive (0)
1/3. Run pass pass 3 and out (0)
1/3 converted 1st after that run (1)
3/14 rrp converted rpp didn’t convert 3 and 2(0)
1/2 failed on 3rd and 5 after a penalty on a pass play (0)
4/26 failed 3rd and 4 (1)
1/2 TOUCHDOWN (0)
8/67 FG (2)

i dont See any of the instances you say happened where we couldn’t run and that caused missed 3rd and longs.
I see one drive of good run defense (the second one) and that included a -4 that wasn’t Donald making the play.
And I see Donald making 5 tackles, 4 of which were assists.

Please point out to me the instanced where Aaron Donald had the type of impact on this game that a DPOY and best DL would be expected to have.

 

[Ring 6]

Eh, I don't think you did. Either that or you decided to go ahead and straw man the thread...



There's not really anything false about that.

Other than the fact that he is disagreeing that the patriots limited the impact of Aaron Donald.