Broncos Harris: Falcons used Patriots-esque gameplan to defeat Broncos.

[Joey007]

Chris Harris: Patriots-esque game plan beat Broncos

This is interesting in many ways. Atlanta used its two speedy RB's to outrun Denver LB's in coverage.

We should absolutely take advantage of this vs. Denver later this year. If we can get Lewis and White BOTH into a game plan like this, it could be lethal.

 

[Froob]

Makes sense, Falcons are repeat cheaters. Doesn't surprise they dig so low to use great coaching to win a game. Scumbags.

 

[PF_SU]

As I said yesterday, we have a tremendous matchup advantage against Denver's LBs. Not only with Lewis (should he get healthy) and White, but also with Gronk and Bennett. Key will be buying Brady enough time in the pocket to find them.

 

[luuked]

Chris Harris: Patriots-esque game plan beat Broncos

This is interesting in many ways. Atlanta used its two speedy RB's to outrun Denver LB's in coverage.

We should absolutely take advantage of this vs. Denver later this year. If we can get Lewis and White BOTH into a game plan like this, it could be lethal.

Yeah it has been mentioned a few times yesterday in the "Other games" live thread that it was a copy of McD's gameplan against Denver in the regular season game. If the team stays healthy until the meetup in December I think we will easily take them apart.

 

[upstater1]

I see Von Miller is still getting a jump on the snap:

 

[chasa]

I see Von Miller is still getting a jump on the snap:

probably wasn't even called. Yet a patriots pinky has just the right angle of the sun to have shade on the LOS and its encroachment.

 

[PatsBoy12]

Chris Harris: Patriots-esque game plan beat Broncos

This is interesting in many ways. Atlanta used its two speedy RB's to outrun Denver LB's in coverage.

We should absolutely take advantage of this vs. Denver later this year. If we can get Lewis and White BOTH into a game plan like this, it could be lethal.

Both meetings last season would likely have played out differently if Dion played.

 

[Soul_Survivor88]

It's all about match-ups and mismatches....if you can utilize a two tight end set with Gronk and Bennett, as well as shifty, fast running backs (Lewis and White) then the Patriots will be formidable against Denver's D.

That's why having a healthy roster in January might even be more important than HFA

 

[Dagg]

Loved Atlantas game plan very smart of their coaching staff to recognize and exploit these matchups and both RBs ran well and caught well out of the back field. Very impressive.

Couldnt believe the push their OL was getting hats off to them. I alwyas thought the best way to handle pash rush DEs is run right at them.

 

[neuronet]

It's all about match-ups and mismatches....if you can utilize a two tight end set with Gronk and Bennett, as well as shifty, fast running backs (Lewis and White) then the Patriots will be formidable against Denver's D.

That's why having a healthy roster in January might even be more important than HFA

I really, really want both. If I had to choose, I'd say healthy roster.

 

[Deus Irae]

We should absolutely take advantage of this vs. Denver later this year. If we can get Lewis and White BOTH into a game plan like this, it could be lethal.

Gronk
Bennett
Edelman
Hogan
Lewis

That's (theoretically) the base. There's not a team in the NFL that can cover that, if Lewis is what he was last year, pre-injury. If the Patriots can have that group healthy heading into the playoffs, we'll probably see teams being forced to sell out to get Brady.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Having a RB covered by a LB in space should be considered a matchup win against all but a couple LBs across the league. The difference with Atlanta is that they have two RBs talented enough that they make you pay not with a 5 yard completion, but with 20+ yard gashes with some regularity. As is usually the case, this gameplan is impossible for most due to the requirement of talent - most teams don't have 2 RBs as talented in space and between the tackles as Coleman / Freeman. That includes us, which is fine. We can attack the same weakness in Denver's D in different ways.

Losing Trevathian really hurt the Broncos, after yesterday I think we can safely say that. He was the LB that they leaned on to make plays against RBs and TEs, because he was the guy that they could lean on to make plays on that level without having to take Miller out of the pass rush. It'll be really interesting to see what they do against the Pats; wouldn't surprise me if the Broncos use Miller in coverage a lot, and hope that Ware/Ray/Barrett are enough to get a strong pass rush on their own. I don't see how else the Broncos match up with Gronk and Bennett. They won't be able to sell out on Gronk like they traditionally have, because that just creates a repeat of yesterday: defense throws the kitchen sink at making sure Gronk doesn't get the ball anywhere near the goal line, and that just leads to Bennett walking into the end zone untouched.

 

[Wheelman]

Both meetings last season would likely have played out differently if Dion played.

I can agree that this may have helped mask the o-line problems but if the o-line could block just a little longer, we got quite a few big plays.

 

[patsinthesnow]

Brady has the weapons this year. It will be just a matter of if he has enough time.

Similar to Coates on Pitt, Hogan will present problems for DCs and especially Phillips. A DC can't afford to shift safety help towards Coates/Hogan with Brown/Gronk in the game.

Besides the rb matchup, I think this will be the first year Talib is in Denver that we have a WR that can challenge him 1 on 1. Hogan torching Talib once on a double move with no safety in sight would spook the Broncos and open up the rest of the field.

From a DC perspective, there is no feasible game plan to stop all the weapons when they are healthy.

 

[upstater1]

probably wasn't even called. Yet a patriots pinky has just the right angle of the sun to have shade on the LOS and its encroachment.

It wasn't called.

Ryan completed a long pass though.

 

[PatsBoy12]

Gronk
Bennett
Edelman
Hogan
Lewis

That's (theoretically) the base. There's not a team in the NFL that can cover that, if Lewis is what he was last year, pre-injury. If the Patriots can have that group healthy heading into the playoffs, we'll probably see teams being forced to sell out to get Brady.

And that's when the fun begins. Brady will eat those teams for breakfast, lunch, dinner and seconds. It will be a feast.

 

[patriot1136]

Would love to see Dion back in action against the Broncos. If not, we have a good set of weapons. White is still a good receiver and combining him with Gronk, Edelman, and this time Bennett, we should do some damage. Would like to see Mitchell get involved more too.

 

[Marqui]

Hogan torching Talib once on a double move with no safety in sight would spook the Broncos and open up the rest of the field.

I don't see Hogan ever winning that match up.

 

[FourierSeries]

And this is why I don't ever fear playing these guys when we're healthy. We have the gameplan and personnel to easily shred their defense. They took advantage of playing - and barely beating - our practice squad in both meetings last year, but deep down that's still the same team that was ****ting their pants at the prospect of playing us in the postseason a couple of years ago. They no they're not on our level when we're healthy.

When we're healthy and firing on all cylinders, our offense is better than Atlanta's. We'll win by 3 scores in Denver if we have no significant injuries.

 

[Zeus]

I don't see Hogan ever winning that match up.

Wasn't that Hogan running right past Joe Haden yesterday?