Patriots OTA's 5-31-2022

[Patsgofor4]

I’ve never owned a Patriots jacket but this one is pretty sweet… You just have to imagine it if it weren’t associated with Steve’s face, head and hair


Like this.

 

[venecol]

 

[venecol]

Lazar insists on Parker (X), Bourne (Z) & Meyers (slot).

Also, on zone based run scheme.

Herron at RT.

Fat Matt run coord. & Judge pass coord.

 

[SlowGettingUp]

Could you expound on "value of ST has dropped" means? Did he mean that the cost of special teams players in the market has gone down related to the economic question? Or that he values special teams players less than he did previously?

Just fewer impactful ST plays in every game. Many fewer kick returns, more teams going for it on 4th down, more fair catches, other changes made to rules in interest of player safety all make impactful plays less likely.

In 2021 the top punt return team (Chicago Bears) averaged only 21.8 punt return yards per game. Average across the League looks to be about 12 yards per game.

20 years ago those numbers were nearly double that.

Pats typically keep 3 or 4 ST-only players over-and-above kicker, punter, and snapper. With our faster LBs and a roomful of safeties maybe that number will now drop a bit.

 

[Family]

Brady wasn't calling plays in his 20th year.

There is absolutely no way that Mac Jones is anywhere near Brady's level when it comes to diagnosing the defense.

Now, it may be true that Mac will be doing something on the order of what Peyton Manning did, but that would require a significantly simple offense.

Personally, I can't imagine that Belichick would ever give up the playcalling control that the coaches have had over the years. I can't see it. Not in his nature.

Yeah I hear you. Bill could explain that the game has changed into a more QB/WR centered game and that relationship is most important on the field.

And I'm not saying Mac will call plays in every series or even a play in every game. It will be situational, like everything else they do.

JMO they have something strange going on.

 

[upstater1]

Yeah I hear you. Bill could explain that the game has changed into a more QB/WR centered game and that relationship is most important on the field.

And I'm not saying Mac will call plays in every series or even a play in every game. It will be situational, like everything else they do.

JMO they have something strange going on.

This would make more sense. Brady got to do it. Bledsoe got to do it as well, and for the first half of his career, Bledsoe was in that Erhardt offense.

 

[venecol]

 

[upstater1]

Yeah I hear you. Bill could explain that the game has changed into a more QB/WR centered game and that relationship is most important on the field.

And I'm not saying Mac will call plays in every series or even a play in every game. It will be situational, like everything else they do.

JMO they have something strange going on.

I should add that if Mac Jones can call plays, play hurry-up, prevent the opposing D from substituting, it might give the Patriots the advantage they are looking for. If teams are sending their big D onto the field to stop our running game, good luck now that we're using 2 TEs, 2 WRs and one RB.

We do need that RB to be able to catch though.

This offense will run defenses ragged, if that's the case.

I don't think defenses will ever respect our WRs enough to go light against the run, however.

 

[Wozzy]

To nobody in particular...

Mac isn't going to "call plays," Brady never called plays... what they'll expand upon with Mac is his ability to audible out of plays into more favorable matchups.

Uche is not Hightower and the comparison was a poor one, they play different positions. Hightower played that Sam role in the middle that Bentley will play, he also had the versatility to kick outside and rush off the edge. Uche will be used differently, like a more traditional LB. Hightower was 265 pounds, Uche is 245 soaking wet... apples/oranges.

The Pats offensively have always innovated or borrowed from other teams, and not just pro teams. They borrow liberally from college programs... as do other pro teams. They also ran zone schemes along the offensive line in spots, that's nothing new.

The game hasn't changed thats much. Teams that run the ball or have the ability to and stay balanced are still harder to defend. The only thing that changed dramatically from 2000 to 2010 was little yellow flags nearly doubled in number... the league changed defenses not offenses. Now teams simply take more chances in the passing game because it's more likely they'll draw a flag and because there is more opportunity. One thing that hasn't changed in passing the ball... there's still a premium on passing from the pocket with accuracy. In the playoffs that becomes crucial as you meet tougher and tougher defenses who can hem you in as a passer and who can make you complete passes into tight windows.

Thornton is correct, he doesn't have to get bigger, he needs to get stronger the way every rookie does entering the league except for a select few like Cole Strange. If in the pursuit of getting stronger he gets slightly bigger than so be it.

Kickoffs are becoming a lesser aspect of special teams because of rule changes but punt returns haven't changed... special teams are still very important... so are field goals. Ask Green Bay... they lost because their special teams units made 4 crucial errors in the final game of the playoffs and it doomed them. If teams want to be dangerous they could still tell their kickoff returners to take the ball out of the end zone and force opponents to cover. The Pats are still going to run the ball a lot, they'll still put a heavy emphasis on special teams. The more the game changes, the more it stays the same.

 

[SlowGettingUp]

Kickoffs are becoming a lesser aspect of special teams because of rule changes but punt returns haven't changed.

See the statistics I quoted up above - the total punt return yards per game has dropped steadily over the years (fewer punts and more fair catches).

Compare last year:

Punt Return Yards By Team 2021 | StatMuse

The Chicago Bears gained 338 punt-return yards in 2021.

www.statmuse.com

(sort by average yards per game)

to 20 years ago:

Punt Return Yards By Team 2001 | StatMuse

The Chicago Bears had 405 punt-return yards in 2001.

www.statmuse.com

 

[Pape]

Based on their personnel moves, types of players, schemes being rumored they're working on. Faster LBs, faster WRs, smaller faster CBs, faster RBs, more athletic G. Outside zone blocking schemes, RPOs, etc. Just what's out there. Obviously we won't know until preseason, but there's a narrative that fits what other teams are doing.

Rpo? Maybe.

Bootlegs? Definitely.

 

[Wozzy]

See the statistics I quoted up above - the total punt return yards per game has dropped steadily over the years (fewer punts and more fair catches).

Compare last year:

Punt Return Yards By Team 2021 | StatMuse

The Chicago Bears gained 338 punt-return yards in 2021.

www.statmuse.com

(sort by average yards per game)

to 20 years ago:

Punt Return Yards By Team 2001 | StatMuse

The Chicago Bears had 405 punt-return yards in 2001.

www.statmuse.com

I get it. Team are taking more chances on late downs, they're punting a little less. This has also blown up spectacularly in some coach's faces. Let's see how it plays out longterm when they realize going for it on fourth down isn't always smart... sometimes its outright dumb.

At the end of the day, until they remove special teams entirely, they're still an important third phase of the game. Green Bay lost because their ST's unit were ranked dead last in 2021 and it came up and bit them in the rear at the worse possible time in the playoffs.

 

[Zuma]

 

[borisman]

Still working on trying to overthrow Tyquan

 

[TommyD4207]

I should add that if Mac Jones can call plays, play hurry-up, prevent the opposing D from substituting, it might give the Patriots the advantage they are looking for. If teams are sending their big D onto the field to stop our running game, good luck now that we're using 2 TEs, 2 WRs and one RB.

We do need that RB to be able to catch though.

This offense will run defenses ragged, if that's the case.

I don't think defenses will ever respect our WRs enough to go light against the run, however.

If true Jones will throw for 6000 yards next year.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

If true Jones will throw for 6000 yards next year.

Who do you think he is, Bailey Zappe?

 

[SlowGettingUp]

Why would they want Tyquan to use his arms more when running routes? (Unless there is hand-fighting going on).

I recall one of the tricks Randy Moss had was to not put up his arms until the very last moment- makes it way harder for a defender with his back to the throw to know when the ball was arriving.

 

[WaterfallJumper]

Why would they want Tyquan to use his arms more when running routes? (Unless there is hand-fighting going on).

I recall one of the tricks Randy Moss had was to not put up his arms until the very last moment- makes it way harder for a defender with his back to the throw to know when the ball was arriving.

I wonder if they mean for counterbalance, like a cheetah manipulating its tail. That's my theory.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

Some kinda savate thing.

 

[venecol]

Why would they want Tyquan to use his arms more when running routes? (Unless there is hand-fighting going on).

I recall one of the tricks Randy Moss had was to not put up his arms until the very last moment- makes it way harder for a defender with his back to the throw to know when the ball was arriving.

Yea who knows. The kid was a track star, so he definately knows how to run.