TBTW- don't bother rebutting my points. I already know most of the answers. This is just a rhetorical case I made just to show that we should not take this team for granted.
Not trying to refute anything you said, just asking questions to try to understand how the Pats can overcome those Chargers strengths.
I noticed that of your six points four were about Chargers offense, one was general (strength of schedule), and only one addressed how the Chargers defense matches up against the Patriots. That got me wondering how you see the matchup going if it turns into a shootout?
My other big questions center on your analysis of the Chargers defense and how the Pats might best attack it. You emphasized the ability of the Chargers to generate pressure, and quickly, to speed things up for Maye.
My first question is whether that can be used against them? Will they be vulnerable to misdirection? Can they be baited into defending against something other than what we are doing? How good are their rushers at adjusting and recovering if the play doesn’t go the way they’re expecting it to go? You talked about Tart giving Bradbury a handful and opening things up for the LBs and safeties and that makes me wonder if they might overcommit, and if that can be exploited? If they’re coming up the middle can Hendo gash them outside, for example?
That leads into my more general question: how can Josh best attack the Chargers defense?
I’m just a dilettante, you certainly have better understanding and insights than I do, but the first thing your emphasis on their ability to generate pressure makes me ask is how good are they against the run? Can we establish our running game? Right now I think Rham and Hendo are as good a one-two punch in the running game as I can remember. Both have shown they can run with power and also break away in the open field. I’m wondering how much Josh can show them the same look and then either run or pass out of it? To my simplistic thinking it seems that would be a good way to start the game, to keep them off balance and give Josh a chance to figure out what works best against them.
What do you think would work, both tactically and strategically?
The fact is that we can beat anyone and everyone can beat us. It is as simple as that. When we look back on it next Monday it will all probably come down to the TO's. Who get's them. Who loses them.
Here is a case for the Chargers to come in and win. .,
1. LA's (still hard from not to put SD down) biggest weakness is their OL. no question. HOWEVER, the Pats biggest weakness on D is their pass rush That sort of negates each other and bodes well for LAs passing game and Herbert and his top receivers, who are better than the Pats' top receivers.
2. Herbert will have almost 2 more weeks of rest for his left hand when he takes the field and be as healthy as he's been in months. Plus he's hungry to get his first playoff win in his 3rd try. He'll be VERY motivated and locked in
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3. Lately the Pats defense against the run has been bad. Even with Milt back it didn't look great against lowly Miami. The Chargers have a great rookie RB and will take advantage of that weakness and the lack of speed at the 2nd level and strong edge play, especially if Spillane and Landry don't go.
4. LA's pass offense is strong where the Pats pass defense is weakest. at the 2nd level and up the middle. We watched Miami move the ball up and down the field through the first 3rd quarters using motion and 7th round rookie QB. Twice in the 2nd half Miami was driving for the tying score in the red zone when they pissed themselves.
5. On Defense they Chargers have the ability to create INSTANT pressure both from the outside and up the middle. Tart will go head-to-head with Bradbury and make his life miserable forcing the Pats to double him all day and open big gaps for their speedy LB's and S's to take advantage of. The Chargers have 2 proven edge rushers to put fast pressure that way too. They will have Maye speeded up all game and prone to making mistakes against the chargers fine secondary, which includes a top 5 safety in Derwin James who will figure largely in both the Passing and run game. This is a defense who held the #1 seeded Broncos to 19 points ALSO on the road and with no offense to protect them and a Denver team with everything gain, against a Charger team who had 0 to gain
6. And lastly, This Charger team has faced a FAR harder road to get here. They played the #1 seed Broncos twice. the best defense in the league and rapidly rising Texans, plus they beat the eagles . PLus KC at the start of the year when they were at their best. They have wins over Denver and the Steelers.
