LA Chargers @ NE Patriots divisional game rewatch thread

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LAC @ NE Divisional . re-watch . thread

This re-watch should be pure joy. One of the most amazing & complete performances by any team I can remember. Coming from “struggling team“ vs “most balanced“ team makes it all the more intriguing. Above all - the strengths of this performance should translate well to the next game esp. on offence.

Lets start this one with great ground game. Here is a nice analysis of a few running plays (and later screens) showing great McD schemes, Dante's perfection, and players' execution . showing how smart, focused, technically sound and athletic boys on Pats OL are. They may be “Jags“, they certainly are one of the cheapest units out there (contracts + draft capital) but they are doing an amazing job:



This was the most consistent unit throughout the season . the foundation for slowly building the team that rolled over the Chargers. And apart from Thuney (and Mount Brown who can be replaced with Wynn) they are signed through at least 2020..

 

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LA @ NE rewatch thread


Welcome to the analysis only thread. No hot takes allowed in here. Plenty of other threads for that.

Please be civil. Feel free to critique the play or disagree, but please don't become personal or start attacking each other. If you attack another poster, your post will be flagged for removal.

Also, this thread is not some sort of "exclusive club." Everyone is welcomed to participate, to post an analytical tweet that's relevant, or a clip from the game, or even better, to post an original analysis

Above all, if you don't understand something, whether it be terminology or concept, etc. Please ask!

 

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Snap counts and thoughts:

Clayborn returned to the line up as expected (considering the game plan vs “immobile“ QB) and a pretty healthy snap count (due to Wise absence id guess) but had limited impact as far as i could see live . certainly worth re-watching to see if he can add something vs KC. It is no given he will be active though - going against very mobile QB + Wise likely returning - although he probably will get the nod over Rivers in that case..

Some were happy about Shelton's performance last week but to me his fundamental problems with balance @Los are still a liability and Im not too optimistic he can be anything more than a depth piece going forward offering Guy and Brown a bit of a breather. He did show some better plays later in the last game but hard to tell if he built on that on such limited snap count (also due to predominant passing game of LAC).

Adam Butler was the key cog on the interior and seemed to do a great job yesterday both pushing the pocket and penetrating. Worth re-watching to see about KC game plan..

On offence it was nice to see Dorsett entering in the mix more . doing a nice job at it which could be quite important going to Arrowhead, keeping ARI DBs honest deep and prevent them eyeing the box & Pats rushing too much..

White & Michel on evenly distributed snap count both making it very productive - Sony nailing the runs, Sweetfeet the screens

Patterson was a bit on hold this time but he could be very useful chain moving tool again next week..

Most of all great to see the team healthy and ready.

 

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We saw a very dominant first half where Brady absolutely destroyed that Seattle style cover 3 scheme that the Chargers brought- he came very prepared and dialed in. This is the best Brady we've seen all year long, and the timing couldn't have been better.

 

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We saw a very dominant first half where Brady absolutely destroyed that Seattle style cover 3 scheme that the Chargers brought- he came very prepared and dialed in. This is the best Brady we've seen all year long, and the timing couldn't have been better.

Opened it half an hour ago..

 

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[Kontradiction]

In the lead up to the game last week, I (and others) commented on how we should see a similar game plan to the 2014 contest. Delayed A and B gap blitzes, stunts, and twists. This is exactly what they were doing with Hightower and Roberts a lot of the day. I loved the amount of Cover-0 they were showing. It confused LA's protections up front and led to a ton of pressures. I actually think they'll do this a lot again this coming week. Reid had to work with Mahomes a lot upon coming into the league on setting protections at the LoS since it wasn't a heavily featured part of Kingsbury's offense at TT.

 

[Kontradiction]

Gilmore was fantastic yesterday on all but one play... the TD. He got caught peaking into the backfield and tried to freelance a bit by jumping an inside route that he had no business trying to jump. Rivers put the cheese on the trap and he took it which led to 6. It's not like that's been a big problem for him in his career, but we cannot have that this week. Not against the offense we're going up against.

 

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Some nice insight to Gilmore's busted coverage (Gil called it “being too nosy“)

 

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Opened it half an hour ago..

I didn't see it, sorry. I'll just let the mods sort it out.

 

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[Vindicate]

This isn't an attempt to sell Brady short of excellence, more or less wondering something (pardon if I use the wrong terminology):

Why do teams employ C3 Zone coverage and what makes it so wild that Brady can diagnose the coverage? What makes it difficult to do what he does? It's absurd how effective he is against that style of defense - do other QBs have a hard time with it?

This coming from utter ignorance, as I want to appreciate his skill even more

PS: Sorry if this isn't the right thread, but I figured it could start some thread-centric discussion. Maybe if someone brings up a specific play in which Brady displayed his excellence to a T?

 

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[SVN]

Can we have a KC/IND rewatch thread .? hearing a lot about KC defense vs IND.

 

[WaterfallJumper]

Can we have a KC/IND rewatch thread .? hearing a lot about KC defense vs IND.

Probably best to split it into a different thread, but this will get you started.

Full game:

Condensed:

 

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Simon was really important pick up after Clayborn failed to grasp NE edge play.
All he does is good job. Clayborn outsnapped him this time but Id guess Simon will have an even bigger role vs Mahomes..