Defeating the Ravens, All-22 Look At How the Patriots Can Advance

[PatsFans.com Article]

Defeating the Ravens, All-22 Look At How the Patriots Can Advance

Steve Balestrieri

San Diego, as New England should, spread out the Ravens defense

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[patfanken]

Thanks for the great effort on this. I'd never have the patience. Just a formation thought I've had this week. In an effort to better protect Brady and get the ball off faster, obviously spreading them out and being in the shotgun makes that easier. But it also can be seen as limiting the run game. I'd offer this as a possible solution.

Line up in the shotgun with Blount as the RB. Not only is he your best RB, he's your best pass blocker. Now line up with 2 TE, one of them being Cam Fleming (or Solder), with Gronk on the other side. Now you present a 7 man front with 2 great outside blockers. This formation HAS to be respected as a run formation that has to be addressed. It also has the benefit of forcing Denver to play zone behind it because it can seriously be out flanked if the WR's can simply run off the DB's out of the play..

Now think about the possibilities if you put Gronk in motion where he can wham block in the middle or extend the motion and sweep block, or extend it even further to become a slot, screen or WR threat The possibilities are endless

But here's the point. Using this formation or some variation of it, gives the Pats offense the flexibility to run power like plays from a "spread-like" shotgun formation. When the Pats line up in a standard one or 2 back formation with the QB under center, our play selection is just too predictable. (either the RB between the T's or a play action pass up the seam). If its PA, it forces BRady to turn his back on the LOS. If its a straight pass play a 3 step drop take more time, and still leaves him feeling the pressure even when its blocked well. A 5 -7 step drop takes too long.

The shot gun solves most of the rush issues, but limits the rushing options. I see the using 2 TE's or the like adds to the rush threat, while keeping most of your passing options.

I could explain it better if I had a chalk board. I hope I got my point accross

 

[ALP]

Can you feel it everybody? this is our year

That's all

 

[BradyManny]

Line up in the shotgun with Blount as the RB. Not only is he your best RB, he's your best pass blocker. Now line up with 2 TE, one of them being Cam Fleming (or Solder), with Gronk on the other side. Now you present a 7 man front with 2 great outside blockers. This formation HAS to be respected as a run formation that has to be addressed. It also has the benefit of forcing Denver to play zone behind it because it can seriously be out flanked if the WR's can simply run off the DB's out of the play..

I like this idea Ken. Blount would give them a lot of flexibility.

Part of me says they are unlikely to roll out a new personnel grouping, or rather move Blount up on the depth chart in the passing packages - but with an extra week to self-scout, if the Pats are going to make any changes, the AFCDG is the week to do it. We've seen them bring out new wrinkles for the game in the past.

 

[SacPete1]

I would like to see a variety of packages in this game but I would love to see them come out with empty backfield and no huddle with their opening possession.
Nothing forces a defense to declare itself more than an empty backfield and its not the 4 man rush that concerns me as Brady will know very quickly who he is going to but rather the stunts and the communication required on the Oline to pick these up.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Line up in the shotgun with Blount as the RB. Not only is he your best RB, he's your best pass blocker. Now line up with 2 TE, one of them being Cam Fleming (or Solder), with Gronk on the other side. Now you present a 7 man front with 2 great outside blockers. ...
Now think about the possibilities if you put Gronk in motion where he can wham block in the middle or extend the motion and sweep block, or extend it even further to become a slot, screen or WR threat The possibilities are endless

I could explain it better if I had a chalk board. I hope I got my point accross

Ian, could you please add a KENestrator feature to the Forum?

 

[Nunchucks]

I am going to go against my usual suggestions of run the damn ball and agree that the Patriots need to come out and spread out the Ravens. Sure, keep Vereen in the backfield and have him chip Suggs on his way out to run a route, but the Patriots cannot play to the Ravens strength, they need to spread them out and force them to declare.

 

[PP2]

Suggs and Dumervil are both edge rushers, so the focus is going to be on Stork. He is going to need to have a big game, in setting the point on the wall-off, which will let Brady step up into the pocket if one or both edges get crushed. He is also going to have to handle Ngata, but he did a good job on pot roast and so I would expect this to continue. I expect Balt to move Ngata up and down the line to stress gaps and see where the weakness is, if any. There will be a number of combo blocking, but at times, Stork will need to go hat on Ngata. The line needs to hammer back with angle and wham blocks in the run game. Wear them down.

The strength of the Balt D is all up front. If we hold up against that, we will kill their flat and exploit the backfield. I expect Brady to exploit Smith on the short game and depending on who Melvin lines up on (wonder if we will deliberately put Lafell there) we'll see plenty of double-move routes.

And Brady has to stop turning the ball over. 10 INT in his 8 playoff games, and 7 were against Balt. Granted not the same team as in the past, but sometimes just hearing footsteps is enough.

 

[RelocatedPatFan]

Line up in the shotgun with Blount as the RB. Not only is he your best RB, he's your best pass blocker. Now line up with 2 TE, one of them being Cam Fleming (or Solder), with Gronk on the other side. Now you present a 7 man front with 2 great outside blockers. This formation HAS to be respected as a run formation that has to be addressed. It also has the benefit of forcing Denver to play zone behind it because it can seriously be out flanked if the WR's can simply run off the DB's out of the play.

Ad if protection is holding up well, you can switch (assuming we don't need Blount as a blocker) Vereen out for Blount and run or go empty backfield or roll Vereen out on play action. I don't like hte idea of Vereen making too many attempts up the middle on this D.

 

[patfanken]

Ad if protection is holding up well, you can switch (assuming we don't need Blount as a blocker) Vereen out for Blount and run or go empty backfield or roll Vereen out on play action. I don't like hte idea of Vereen making too many attempts up the middle on this D.

Absolutely. You see, what you do is open the game spread but in your maximum protection version, while you have to endure the onslaught of arcane blitzes and pressures that are bound to come. Then as the protection starts to see them and adjust, you start to slowly get more aggressive and by the start of the 2nd half you are ready to explode on them.

Pease is rarely going to all out blitz with 6 or more guys. Mostly he will be sending just 4, but doing a lot of overloading and crossing. The blitzes are designed to confuse and cause mistakes rather than to overwhelm and outnumber. With them he'll sprinkle in a few more 5 man attacks with a LB or DB thrown in. So for the most part it will still be 5 on 5 even when they are blitzing. (6 if the RB stays in) The difficulty is making sure we have our 5 going on their 5. Since its never perfect we have to expect some hurries, hits, or even sacks. The key is to keep that total around 10 for the 35-40 passes I expect us to throw.

For out OL and other pass protectors, its going to be more a matter of being smart than being tough.