Do the Pats have a second half problem?

[Synovia]

Kaczur also looks like a shell of himself when Neal is out of the line-up. His play stands to improve with Neal back. I do have to give him props for gutting it out through what looked like a badly torn ACL yesterday. He didn't even leave the game for a minute. Guy's a trooper.

Aye. The jets saw something similar a couple years ago, where Ferguson looked MUCH better when they signed Faneca to play LG. Its tough to play tackle when you can't count on the guard beside you, and you have to spend as much time blocking his guy as you do yours.

 

[aluminum seats]

As of right now, I think it's more of a concern than a problem, if that makes sense. The second half offense, particularly in the last two games, has stalled. Yesterday, it produced 7 points. However, I have a feeling that this is because of the injuries to the O-Line. In the last two games the offense's undoing on the vast majority of their drives were because a slew of defenders were in Brady's face as he completed the third step in his dropback, much like the Super Bowl. Ryan even said yesterday that his defense didn't try to pressure Brady nearly as much in the first half as it did in the second half. If it did, this game would have been MUCH closer (we still would have won thanks to the Sanchize though).

In short, these offensive problems are fixed when Light and Neal return to the line-up. I blame the early season Jets loss on Brady not being fully recovered and the Broncos loss as being a mixture of the same excuse for Brady and just bad defense. The defense seemed to have fixed itself yesterday. Brady is obviously back, but cannot complete throws on his back. When Light and Neal return, this offense should roll for the entire 60 minutes.

Well, Light and Neal aren't playing in the first half either. Is your point that the line is tired in the second half?

 

[aluminum seats]

I think Synovia meant the Pats never had less than a 10 point lead in the game.

Usually, "getting within 10 points" means 10 points or less, so that seems dubious. But fine.

 

[Patspsycho]

Definitely. Aside from one terrific (although probably illegal) block on a screen, Levoir looked terrible. Connoly also got abused a couple of times.

I don't like Connolly in as OG, he got blown up by Ellis twice. One of those resulted in a sack which led to that blocked punt.

And did I say how much I don't like him as FB? He lacks that explosive first step that you need to reach to seal, by the time the RB passes by you.

 

[Patspsycho]

Kaczur also looks like a shell of himself when Neal is out of the line-up. His play stands to improve with Neal back. I do have to give him props for gutting it out through what looked like a badly torn ACL yesterday. He didn't even leave the game for a minute. Guy's a trooper.

Badly torn ACL?

 

[Kontradiction]

Well, Light and Neal aren't playing in the first half either. Is your point that the line is tired in the second half?

The Jets didn't really blitz in the first half or send anymore than a three to four man rush. Ryan even said so himself in his presser yesterday. So basically, the line did what was expected of them in the first half and failed a major test in the second.

 

[Kontradiction]

Badly torn ACL?

It certainly looked like it. I thought he had blown his knee out for sure.

 

[Patspsycho]

It certainly looked like it. I thought he had blown his knee out for sure.

Are you talking about where Brady rolled over onto the back of Kaczur's calf?

 

[Kontradiction]

Are you talking about where Brady rolled over onto the back of Kaczur's calf?

Yeah. His leg twisted badly. My first thought went something like, "well that's it for him for the season". My dad agreed. We were both shocked he was still in the game after that.

 

[tombonneau]

I dont think we ran the ball much out of the shotgun yesterday, I could be wrong though.

Sorry that was phrased wrong. When I said "run" I meant as in "run plays", which kind of led into the rest of my post.

 

[maverick4]

The dramatic difference from 1st half to 2nd half is simple.

The team does a good job scouting their opponent, Belichick figures out their weakness, and they end up leading by half time.

In the 2nd half, it's more about adjusting to what the opponent is doing or will be doing, at which point our inexperienced (offense) or passive (defense) coordinators get exposed.

 

[The Dynasty]

Thats not struggling.

Seriously. Thats pretty much average, especially when the sample size is so small as to be useless. Most running backs in the NFL have negative carries on 30-40% of their carries.

That isnt true...

Examples from a few teams
Ravens- 33 out of 274 for negative yardage 12%
Patriots- 26 out of 284 9%
Vikings- 30 out of 297 10%
Panthers- 35 out of 320 11%

 

[Kid~Brady]

i wouldnt call it a problem but it seems like they always slow down in the second half. They need to do it like they played the Titans but even then with that high score they slowed down

 

[aluminum seats]

The dramatic difference from 1st half to 2nd half is simple.

The team does a good job scouting their opponent, Belichick figures out their weakness, and they end up leading by half time.

In the 2nd half, it's more about adjusting to what the opponent is doing or will be doing, at which point our inexperienced (offense) or passive (defense) coordinators get exposed.

I think Belichick would be last guy to say he doesn't take responsibility for coaching adjustments at halftime. I don't buy that it's great Belichick coaching in the first half and bad coordinator coaching in the second half.

 

[brady et al fan]

I think Belichick would be last guy to say he doesn't take responsibility for coaching adjustments at halftime. I don't buy that it's great Belichick coaching in the first half and bad coordinator coaching in the second half.

agreed, so how do you explain this year's second halves? Very unBelichekian and the opposite of what I have grown accustomed to during the BB years. I am still inclined to blame it on the current coordinators but I don't think we'd ever know unless one or both were dropped this offseason.

 

[Kontradiction]

agreed, so how do you explain this year's second halves? Very unBelichekian and the opposite of what I have grown accustomed to during the BB years. I am still inclined to blame it on the current coordinators but I don't think we'd ever know unless one or both were dropped this offseason.

I already explained them. In the losses...

@ Jets: Rusty Brady.

@ Broncos: Rusty Brady, poor defense, McDaniels had figured us out, etc.

@ Colts: scheme breakdown on defense, terrible blocking on offense.

Like I said, the defense took care of business this week, largely helped out by Sanchez. It was the blocking and, subsequently, the offense that continued to struggle.

 

[aluminum seats]

I already explained them. In the losses...

@ Jets: Rusty Brady.

@ Broncos: Rusty Brady, poor defense, McDaniels had figured us out, etc.

@ Colts: scheme breakdown on defense, terrible blocking on offense.

Like I said, the defense took care of business this week, largely helped out by Sanchez. It was the blocking and, subsequently, the offense that continued to struggle.

"I already explained them?" That's funny. Anyway, you make a couple of valid points, but I think you're missing several as well. Yes, Brady sucked early on, but the second half problems have continued. Agree that injuries to the O-line have contributed, as well as Morris and Taylor being out. Something more, though.....

 

[maverick4]

I think Belichick would be last guy to say he doesn't take responsibility for coaching adjustments at halftime. I don't buy that it's great Belichick coaching in the first half and bad coordinator coaching in the second half.

Zolak revealed on his radio show last week that not much is done at half time. It's a total of 12 mins long, 4-5 of those minutes are spent getting into the locker room and back out, and then 3-4 minutes of stretching before 3rd quarter kickoff. The coaches basically say a short speech with very high level points, and then it's time to get back into the game.

The 1st half dominance stats show how well we scout and game plan, but once teams adjust to what we are doing, it is pretty much an even game from the 3rd quarter onwards. My bet would be that the Pats coordinators aren't changing the play calls that worked for them, thinking the original game plan will still work.

 

[Kontradiction]

"I already explained them?" That's funny. Anyway, you make a couple of valid points, but I think you're missing several as well. Yes, Brady sucked early on, but the second half problems have continued. Agree that injuries to the O-line have contributed, as well as Morris and Taylor being out. Something more, though.....

It's a combination of things. I forgot to mention Morris and Taylor, but I think the O-Line injuries have impacted the offense more.

 

[Rob0729]

Second half adjustments is overrated. Belichick has said repeatedly that if you are waiting until halftime to make major changes, you are going to lose. Belichick and his staff are making adjustments after each possession. When you see Belichick working with the defense when the offense is on the field or O"brien sitting with Brady, they aren't giving pep talks. They are making adjustments.