Playing to their strengths?

[Tb12goesinya]

Is it fair to say the overall game plan is throttling the offense a bit to win games in this exact fashion week after week? Dont turn it over, play field position, and obviously put it on the shoulders of the defense.

I'm not saying Pats offense could be top 5 right now, but if the defense wasn't this dominate maybe we would have seen the offense breakout of its shell already instead of biding it's time and playing to the team's strength. Thoughts?

 

[jboston19]

I’d like to think that they’re holding back for the playoffs but I don’t think they are. Hopefully Sandy gets healthy and Wynn improves the offensive line even more as he gets his feet under him.

 

[TB12GOATQB]

I dont think they're holding back, and they cant possess the ball to chew clock because they struggle to string together first downs....I think if they could execute a little better and string some drives and score 20 a game it's enough with this D. Well see. I'm optimistic

 

[Tb12goesinya]

Maybe they

I dont think they're holding back, and they cant possess the ball to chew clock because they struggle to string together first downs....I think if they could execute a little better and string some drives and score 20 a game it's enough with this D. Well see. I'm optimistic

Yeah I hear you, obviously they are struggling offensively. Basically I'm saying are they just trying to eliminate offensive risks to not 'blow it'. Their record speaks for itself. If defense was average the offense would be forced to pick up slack and I'm wondering if their back was to the wall could they be better offensively if they HAD to

 

[PatsFanInVa]

Radical theory: Right now the offense isn't very good

But what we have all over other not-so-good offenses is
1) we could become dangerous at any moment
2) We have the best D in the league to fall back on
3) We don't panic when things aren't good... because, you know. We always win all the time.

We've done the reasons to death (and we could argue the various units' culpability if you want, but that's another topic.)

I just don't think there's much 3-dimensional chess going on here. This team's better at defense than offense. Great if the O gels. Possible to win it all Ravens-style even if it doesn't. But that's not the preferred plan.

 

[Tb12goesinya]

To give a real life example because my point seems to confuse people....Would they throw a slant to Burkhead on 3rd and long if defense wasn't lights out?

I think it's fair to say the offense(though struggling) has not felt a dire need to step up and carry team. If defense was not as good I think offense could muster a little bit more.

 

[mosi]

No, it is simply doing what they need to do to win. BB has a plan and a vision. He plays to the plan and he does what he thinks will win them the game. Most often, he is right. Not always, but often.

 

[Tb12goesinya]

In basketball players feed the hot hand. In baseball teams bunt on both sides with a dominate pitcher. In hockey a defensive team will ride out a game and prevent odd man breaks when they get a lead. I know, I know it's not a perfect analogy.

If you disagree with my premise and think the offense is just flat out struggling to death then ok that makes sense, but to not understand the angle I'm taking is just being obtuse.

 

[sean10mm]

2 out of the top 3 WRs were out and the conditions were dire.

If Wynn and the WR corps are alive at the same time I think they can make it work.

 

[Bruins29]

2 out of the top 3 WRs were out and the conditions were dire.

If Wynn and the WR corps are alive at the same time I think they can make it work.

And Cannon could barely dress himself.

 

[maust]

If you disagree with my premise and think the offense is just flat out struggling to death then ok that makes sense, but to not understand the angle I'm taking is just being obtuse.

I don't think you are seeing the icon because folks don't understand what you are getting at but rather because what the Pats are doing is what they have always done. It may look a bit different because the offense has been struggling but in reality the core philosophy is unchanged. BB has always coached to the talent and been as risk averse as circumstances allowed because that's the sensible route to victory. In '06 that meant going for it on 4th and 2 was, to his way of thinking, the best chance to win. In 2019 it means punting isn't such a bad thing.

 

[TouchDown Patriots]

TB12 is the GOAT! I Know it, Bill's Knows it, Everybody Knows it...

 

[ALP]

starting at the houston game is when we will start to see what this team will look like/be able to handle in the post season

now the games are going to show a lot more, i hope to see continued performance by D (minus Balt game) and improvement every week by O

 

[thecore762]

This team needs to work harder on offense, the top receivers are banged up so we need the rookies to really step things up.
I like what Meyers has done so far, Harry is slowly getting there.

We need to improve the run game, right now we are just mediocre at best, if Tom had a run game then things would be much better.

The Pats need to draft another stud o-lineman next year, we don’t know if Andrews will be back next year due to health conditions.

 

[TheRainMaker]

No coach ever wants an offense to struggle because they have a good defense. They are just flat out not very good on offense right now.

In fact, a defense will play even better when an offense scores which makes the opposition one dimensional and predictable.

 

[TB#1Fan]

From what I have gleaned in years of watching Patriots football, the team would not have been so successful without Bill Belichick and his staff. The man is an analytical genius when it comes to analyzing the situation, and then developing a counter to the opponent's strategy. If he has the player to execute, the Pats are virtually unstoppable. I just hope the offense gets healthy before the playoffs. Go Pats....make it #7.