Pats D vs KC O

[BobDigital]

We had the opposite thread of this not long ago. Here is how i see this.

The Pats will be hard pressed to score near 30 even if Edelman is 100%. So the Patriots D needs to have a good day and keep KC ideally below 20.

The good news is our d is pretty healthy all in all. We lost Brown & Easley for the year and Ebner is likely out but the unit seems overall intact and ready to go.

For the defense to control the game they need to do 3 (maybe 4) things. Kelce, Smith running, KC run game and maybe Maclin depending on health.

Though i don't generally root for injuries if Maclin can not go or is a shell then everything else becomes much easier.

If I were BB i would forgo inside pass rush and play contain. Also I would use 2 big DTs to do this (Hicks/Branch/Brown 3 man rotation 90% of the time) which would help stop the run to.

We need Chung to have a big day as he will see Kelce the most and even with help will need to play his best game of the season.

 

[FCB02062]

My main concern is if the Pats are overly concerned w Smith scrambling. In the past we've seen this type of approach give qbs all day to throw. We've seen belichick go heavy zone vs running qbs & that kinda worries me cuz we've seen schitty qbs march up & down the field at will with this approach....

 

[PatriotsPimp136]

Need a pass rush on saturday. We need a good offensive start to the game as well. These slow starts don't help at all.

 

[FreeCourtroomBrady]

How healthy is Kansas City's offensive line? I watched a few KC games in the middle of the year and Smith had all the time in the world to throw. When that happens he can usually find Kelce open and if not he can hit an unknown open receiver or scramble for 10 yards. I heard their O-line isn't what it used to be though?

 

[VrabelJr]

Our defense is going to show KC's offense its "O" face.

http://pixel.nymag.com/content/dam/slideshows/2014/04/office-space-quiz/o-face2.gif

 

[SalemPats]

KC is big on swing passes to the HBs, screens, outside runs. They've had to reshape their offense without Charles. I'm not scared of Ware and West, but typically using the HBs in the passing game, outside runs are gameplans that work well against a BB defense. The key will be our DEs, holding the edge and allowing our playmakers like Hightower and Collins to make plays.

In my opinion Collins, Hightower and Chung will be key to shutting down the defense. There are some things that i am interested in seeing.
-Do we use Collins as a spy against Alex Smith? I would assume we would want Collins to help out against Kelce and Chung, Hightower playing more aggressive on the edge. Do we use Chung on Kelce? will he be the spy?

In the secondary we are ok. I'm not sure if Maclin is out, but if he plays Butler will cover him, Ryan on Wilson with McCourty providing over the top help. Can we stop the dump offs to the r

 

[primetime]

Ware and Maclin missed practice today. I don't think Maclin's going to be able to go, and Ware's absence would hurt because he's the Chiefs best running back.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Pats are going to swarm around Kelce. He shredded them last year. Collins, Chung, DMC, High....

There is no way in hell Maclin will be what he was during the year. Putting Malcolm on him until it's learned that hes not playing is the starting point. Maybe flip Malcolm to Wilson and Ryan on Avent or Conley makes sense to me.

 

[luuked]

My main concern is if the Pats are overly concerned w Smith scrambling. In the past we've seen this type of approach give qbs all day to throw. We've seen belichick go heavy zone vs running qbs & that kinda worries me cuz we've seen schitty qbs march up & down the field at will with this approach....

I agree that we have this tendency of using more of a contain rush when playing mobile quarterbacks.

It will be interesting to see if we did that because of a general philosophy BB has when he faces mobile QBs or whether this was because we didn't have a good enough personnel to rush carefully enough to not give away easy running lanes.

I still remember 2013 when all games that were lost went the wrong way because of 2-3 QB runs through an open lane that led to a TD (@CIN, @CAR, @NYJ, @Mia).

 

[SalemPats]

Pats are going to swarm around Kelce. He shredded them last year. Collins, Chung, DMC, High....

There is no way in hell Maclin will be what he was during the year. Putting Malcolm on him until it's learned that hes not playing is the starting point. Maybe flip Malcolm to Wilson and Ryan on Avent or Conley makes sense to me.

This will be the key, stopping Kelce. Kelce plays like a protypical pass catching TE, running seams and ins (every once in awhile he lines up on the outside). This means that Collins, Hightower and possibly Chung in 2WR sets will have to cover him. They play the read option well and Reid loves the outside runs so it will be interesting to see how BB covers Kelce while handling Reid's offense. It's a fun matchup

 

[TinhWoodhead]

The Pats D need to K.O. KC's O

 

[Deus Irae]

Maclin was at practice today, although he did not participate in the team portions. He'll be a game time decision, according to Reid:

Andy Reid said neither Jeremy Maclin nor Justin Houston participated in the team portion of practice and that the decision on whether they would play on Saturday would be made before the game.

Andy Reid said neither Jeremy Maclin nor Justin Houston participated in the team portion of practice and that the decision on whether they would play on Saturday would be made before the game.

 

[patriot1136]

Besides Kelce who is on the Chief's O? Ha

 

[Connecticut]

Our D will enter the KC O, have no fear

 

[PatsBoy12]

The only thing that kind of gives me nerves vs. them defensively is BB has a propensity to go heavy zone against QB's who can escape the pocket. SEA was the outlier, as he went predominantly man, which is understood with Revis and Browner.

Though I know the overall game plan will be to mix it up, I just worry if the scale tilts toward more zone. Kelce would feast. I doubt we'll see that, though. And as good as the team was overall this season against the run, they've been somewhat inconsistent in recent weeks, if only due to the moving parts. We'll see.

 

[gitgronked82]

Wait.... Houston might not play???? That would be incredible

 

[SVN]

 

[ausbacker]

This is setting up for a Jamie Collins performance for the ages.

 

[SalemPats]

The key will be the disciplined play of our DEs to hold the edge, I see Ninkovich as a difference maker this weekend

 

[Mack Herron]

KC offense clearly not at full speed.