NE @ TN rewatch thread

[SammyBlueCat]

SO the offense struggled because:

1) Brady's mechanics (excellent link to article w/ videos by Lazar already Posted)
2) Musical Chairs being played by sick and injured OLineman (Noted by several members)
3) Mike Vrabel coached up his DLine regarding Brady's audibles

If members of a message board can bring forth this information, the coaching staff
certainly must do so too.

 

[Kontradiction]

Keegan: Tom Brady under pressure, but still the 1

Saw that. Disagree with it. His mechanics have clearly been off on multiple throws the last couple of games which has resulted in some balls sailing on him or not having enough on them to squeeze in through tight coverage. The good news is that it’s an easy fix and the interior OL getting Mason back should do wonders.

 

[Deus Irae]

Saw that. Disagree with it. His mechanics have clearly been off on multiple throws the last couple of games which has resulted in some balls sailing on him or not having enough on them to squeeze in through tight coverage. The good news is that it’s an easy fix and the interior OL getting Mason back should do wonders.

Prior to this disagreement you have, when have you ever heard Brady lie about his mechanics?

 

[Kontradiction]

Prior to this disagreement you have, when have you ever heard Brady lie about his mechanics?

When has Brady ever had issues with his mechanics prior to this season?

 

[Deus Irae]

When has Brady ever had issues with his mechanics prior to this season?

With some frequency, actually. There was that one year, a while back, where it was so bad (for him) that he had to bring in the mechanics doctor on an emergency basis. But it's usually been just a minor issue that he's tweaked once he spotted it.

 

[Kontradiction]

With some frequency, actually. There was that one year, a while back, where it was so bad (for him) that he had to bring in the mechanics doctor on an emergency basis. But it's usually been just a minor issue that he's tweaked once he spotted it.

Outside of his first few years in the league, I don’t recall these issues happening over a 3 game basis. I don’t think it’s an issue that’s signaling that he’s declining, though. I think it’s more or less indicative of the increased pressure he’s seen up the A and B-gaps.

 

[Deus Irae]

Outside of his first few years in the league, I don’t recall these issues happening over a 3 game basis. I don’t think it’s an issue that’s signaling that he’s declining, though. I think it’s more or less indicative of the increased pressure he’s seen up the A and B-gaps.

Well, Bedard was just pimping an article he'll be posting tomorrow, in which he had a 1-on-1 with Brady. Apparently, mechanics was one of the things they discussed, so maybe we'll get a bit more in depth stuff on it.

But, I can tell you that, based upon what has been reported so far, it doesn't sound as if Brady's going to be buying too much into the idea of his mechanics being a major issue.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

With some frequency, actually. There was that one year, a while back, where it was so bad (for him) that he had to bring in the mechanics doctor on an emergency basis. But it's usually been just a minor issue that he's tweaked once he spotted it.

One instance before this year is not “with some frequency.” He brougt in Tom House to help him out a while back.

 

[Kontradiction]

Well, Bedard was just pimping an article he'll be posting tomorrow, in which he had a 1-on-1 with Brady. Apparently, mechanics was one of the things they discussed, so maybe we'll get a bit more in depth stuff on it.

But, I can tell you that, based upon what has been reported so far, it doesn't sound as if Brady's going to be buying too much into the idea of his mechanics being a major issue.

Should be some good stuff. Brady even said that he has to play better. I’m fine with the dirt balls in the instances his receivers aren’t getting open. But in the cases where he’s either air-mailed his throws or didn’t put enough on them, if those have nothing to do with his mechanics, then we should be worried. As far as I’ve seen on those throws, the mechanical issues have centered around his hips and legs. It’s part of the reason why I started this thread by asking if Brady had just been hit/sacked/pressured up the guy prior to those throws because I really believe that the pressure coming from that direction is what has been affecting him going back to the game in Buffalo. It’s also part of the reason why I’ve said that Mason returning is just as big (if not bigger) than Gronk returning. They sorely miss him up front.

 

[Deus Irae]

One instance before this year is not “with some frequency.” He brougt in Tom House to help him out a while back.

No ****.

It's been more than one instance. I just named one that was a big deal at the time. He self-scouts his mechanics all the time, and he used to be famous for calling up his mechanics gurus with questions out of the blue.

 

[Deus Irae]

Should be some good stuff. Brady even said that he has to play better. I’m fine with the dirt balls in the instances his receivers aren’t getting open. But in the cases where he’s either air-mailed his throws or didn’t put enough on them, if those have nothing to do with his mechanics, then we should be worried. As far as I’ve seen on those throws, the mechanical issues have centered around his hips and legs. It’s part of the reason why I started this thread by asking if Brady had just been hit/sacked/pressured up the guy prior to those throws because I really believe that the pressure coming from that direction is what has been affecting him going back to the game in Buffalo. It’s also part of the reason why I’ve said that Mason returning is just as big (if not bigger) than Gronk returning. They sorely miss him up front.

From the preview I heard on the radio while I was out and about, it's going to be centered much more on the continuity problems with receivers, and the trust factor (likely framed differently, say as a "we're still looking to get more in sync" sort of thing). Apparently, Amendola was specifically mentioned, which caught Bedard's ear.

 

[Deus Irae]

Anyone who is interested in the Bedard/Murray discussion, and gets BSJ, can check it out here

https://www.bostonsportsjournal.com/2018/11/17/podcast-bedard-gasper-murray-11-17-18/

I've not gotten BSJ, so I can't add more than I've already done, but this would give some of you more of the info, and allow you to correct any 'translation' errors I may have made.

 

[PP2]

From:

Coach's View: A bye week self-scout for the Patriots | Boston Sports Journal


We have this excellent excerpt:

OFFENSE


Quite simply put, the Patriots are trying to find an offensive identity. They have been in and out of different personnel groupings. They have attempted to utilize different players in different roles. The strengths offensively have been in their downhill run game (counter, power, lead, wham). The play-action pass game off of the downhill-run looks has been very effective. The gadget plays have also been effective and I think they should include that it every game plan. Their struggles have been in the one back run game and their traditional option routes.


Quarterback


Tom Brady is the GOAT. In my opinion, there isn't even a debate around this. Up until this season, he has only gotten better and more efficient on the field. The thought of him playing to the age of 45 seemed very attainable. However, this season has shown a chink in his armor and something has changed.


Physically, Brady absolutely still has the skill set to perform at a high level. I have not seen a drop in arm strength. When on time and in rhythm, he is still the best quarterback in the NFL. This on time and in rhythm part is where there have been issues.


Brady is not and has never been a gunslinger or quarterback with a howitzer for an arm. He's always been a quarterback that relies on timing and chemistry with his receivers. There has never been a quarterback with the decision making and intangible "it" factor on the same level as Brady. There's been a lot of talk about the complexities of the Patriots offense. These complexities are a result of Brady's ability to process defenses and understand weaknesses in coverages. The majority of the Patriots pass offense has route adjustments built in. The adjustments have to be made post snap and both Brady and the receiver have to be on the same page. Another huge part of this is the depth at which these routes are run. Brady essentially anticipates the breaks and throws the ball to spots. The throw takes place before the break of the receiver.


This chemistry and timing does not exist right now. Brady simply does not have confidence or trust in the execution of the scheme. As a result, his timing and rhythm has been off.


When you are a rhythm or tempo quarterback, you have an internal clock in your head that allows you to feel the timing of plays. Your tempo and rhythm is also completely tied into your fundamentals and technique. Thus the concept of three step, five step, and seven step drops (you can also get even more in-depth here by adding a hitch to the top of each drop). As I watch Brady, it is evident that his timing and rhythm are off. This manifests itself on the field as poor fundamentals and the appearance of feeling pressure that isn't there. A quarterback not in rhythm is a disjointed quarterback that is trying to ad lib plays.


This season, teams have been playing quite a bit more zone coverage against the Patriots offense. In years past, this was a death wish, Brady would carve zone coverage up. However, the lack of execution and ability of the Patriots receivers to adjust their routes based on coverage has allowed for zone coverage to be a viable option.


In order for the Patriots to achieve consistency on offense, execution of the scheme has to take place. Brady's ability to process what the defense is doing and adjust accordingly is his greatest strength and what differentiates him from every other quarterback in the game. The Patriots must use the bye week to figure out what concepts they can properly execute and build on those schemes so that Brady can get back to being the greatest of all time.

 

[QuantumMechanic]

BTW, it's worth clicking through, since the sections of that article on the entire offense and on the DL are free. (The sections on the LBs, secondary, and special teams remain behind the paywall).

 

[JarOfMayo51]

Beginning to think Mason being out is an understated factor.

Yea it may be.. and shows what i know about offensive lineman. I knew Mason was a good player, but thought we could easily move on from him with Wynn

Yikes

 

[Deus Irae]

With pretty much everyone worth reading having come around to seeing that the problems of the offense are not, in fact, Tom Brady, it will be interesting to see if those who have been bleating otherwise will jump right back on the "Brady's fault! Decline! Cliff!" train the next time the offense doesn't perform at 100% efficiency.

And I still want to know why Dorsett's not getting more targets. There's got to be a reason that the teams is seeing. "Oops! We forgot." is not a Patriots kind of thing, after all.

 

[Deus Irae]

Also, BB's WEEI interview was actually excellent, if you want to get BB's take on grading plays and players. I absolutely recommend that people go to WEEI and listen to it, once they put it on the site.

 

[Deus Irae]

Here's an excerpt from that interview:

“A lot of times on film we see that. We see a mistake and have to go back to see what the call was. We know somebody is wrong here, but it just depends on what the call was as to which guy is right and which guy is wrong. A lot of times we don’t know what happened until Monday. We know there’s a problem on the play, but until you actually talk to the players and say, 'OK, what happened on this play — oh, I thought he said this, I didn’t hear it, or he said this, but I played that, whatever it is.’ You’re right, in terms of analytics you get a lot of this guy should have had him, that guy should had him, but I know from our team there are times where we don’t know what went wrong until you really can sort the play out. There’s no way somebody else could know is the point. Sometimes what it looks like is not what it is.

Bill Belichick on OMF goes in-depth on breaking down film, including how it's tough to analyze without knowing play calls

 

[Deus Irae]

Here's another article about that BB interview, and another written excerpt:

“You see a play on film and a receiver goes uncovered down the field. So you know it’s probably one of two guys’ mistakes, so you don’t know which guy it is,” Belichick said on “Ordway, Merloni and Fauria” on Monday during his weekly interview with WEEI. “A lot of times the announcer will say, ‘[This guy] should’ve taken him,’ or, ‘[That guy] should have taken him.’ And I’m looking at the play saying, it could have been either guy, depending on what the call was.”

Belichick admitted sometimes his players will correct him, because he will approach the player with a teaching point only to learn there’s another player at fault because of an adjustment at the line of scrimmage.

Bill Belichick admits his limitations studying film, challenges accuracy of scouting services like Pro Football Focus

 

[Deus Irae]

Here's a link to that interview:

Bill Belichick on WEEI 11/19: 'We've been good at times'


For people with any amount of interest in the nuts and bolts of coaching analysis, I really do think this is almost at "must listen" status.