Texans @ Patriots, pregame analysis

[PP2]

Some good stuff:

 

[PP2]

 

[Kontradiction]

Some good stuff:

The Pats used to run a ton of Deuce when they had Revis and Browner. I don’t recall seeing it as much since then but I might be wrong.

 

[Kontradiction]

Up front, I’d like to see them test Watson and that knee early on. Less contain on the outside and more push upfield. If he breaks contain consistently and is able to hit his throws on the move, switch back.

 

[signbabybrady]

Up front, I’d like to see them test Watson and that knee early on. Less contain on the outside and more push upfield. If he breaks contain consistently and is able to hit his throws on the move, switch back.

Don't disagree but you know we aren't attacking a mobile QB. Expect a lot of zone coverage and containment.

 

[Sicilian]

How is Houston's running game? I haven't been keeping track of that too much. I feel like our contain strategy against mobile QBs works a lot better when we don't also have to worry about big play running backs.

 

[Kontradiction]

Don't disagree but you know we aren't attacking a mobile QB. Expect a lot of zone coverage and containment.

That's what I'm expecting but I'm HOPING they'll at least test the knee. If he can't run and he can't hit his targets on the move, it's open season. But yes, I expect them to play it safe with a maddeningly frustrating defensive scheme.

 

[IllegalContact]

bigger issue will be keeping texans front 7 off of Brady

 

[TomPatriot]

That's what I'm expecting but I'm HOPING they'll at least test the knee. If he can't run and he can't hit his targets on the move, it's open season. But yes, I expect them to play it safe with a maddeningly frustrating defensive scheme.

I would think the same thing but . . . new DC who has a better front 7 than last year, players who can up and get it. I'm expecting (ok, hoping ) for more aggressive schemes, even in the first game.

 

[PatsFan2]

Texans have some nine Routes WR's in Fuller and Coates we already know what Hopkins can do. IF Watson slips containment a lot they could get some potentially Big Plays down the Field.

 

[PatsFan2]

bigger issue will be keeping texans front 7 off of Brady

Joe Thuney and Andrews were abused by that Front last time around they are in a long line though. We better not fall behind and make the most of our opportunities I see a lot of FG's on our part. They have a lot of fire power in that Front Seven.

 

[JMC00]

bigger issue will be keeping texans front 7 off of Brady

Joe Thuney and Andrews were abused by that Front last time around they are in a long line though. We better not fall behind and make the most of our opportunities I see a lot of FG's on our part. They have a lot of fire power in that Front Seven.

Brady's line from the last game

25 of 35 (71%)
378 yards
5 TD
146.2 QB Rating

So even when the Texans get after him Brady still tears through their ass like wet tissue paper.

BTW much of the protection issues was down to having to block for deep passes. Lewis & White had a combined 4 targets all game. Game plan will be different this time.

 

[PatsFan2]

Brady's line from the last game

25 of 35 (71%)
378 yards
5 TD
146.2 QB Rating

So even when the Texans get after him Brady still tears through their ass like wet tissue paper.

BTW much of the protection issues was down to having to block for deep passes. Lewis & White had a combined 4 targets all game. Game plan will be different this time.

Wow IF Brady can pull something like that off with this Group minus Edelman that would say something...that said this early and them being at full strength I doubt it. Again I see a lot of FG's in our First Four I hope Ghost is up to it. And if we a fall Two scores behind them or the Jags it will be a difficult up hill climb against those D's.

 

[Hyped]

I have been rewatching the 2017 season all pre-season and below is my week 3 vs. Houston game observations. I thought I'd paste them here....pardon my spelling errors...I took notes on my iPhone while on the couch:
============================

Week 3 vs. Houston:

• Q1, 13:32, 1&10, Pats ball on their 48 following an Amendola PR. Quickly snap the ball at the 25 mark in a power formation with 6 OL, Gronk, and Hogan all lined up closely together from L to R. Cooks on the right side doesn't even move. Gilly is behind Brady. Blocking was good on the right side with Gronk and Hogan. Watt and Clowney rush from the right side and Thuney seemed to try to get to the second level or something and Fleming has no chance. Watt grabs Gilly's ankle for a 5 yard loss. Gilly looked like he hesitated a bit after the snap sort of like he expected a whistle.

• Q1, 10:37, 3&G, Pats ball on the Texan 5. 4 wide with Gronk alone on the outside left side and Hogan in the right slot. White to Brady's left in the shot gun. Houston has 6 guys along the LOS. 4 guys in man to man with a single safety roaming at the middle goal line. It is times like this that I wonder WHO doesn't know that the ball is going to Gronk? Houston drops two guys back into zone coverage. The safety is still looking at Brady even when Brady already moved his legs/hips to the left and pulled back the ball! Gronk is tightly covered but uses his body to get open by rotating his torso instead of pushing off with a fully extended elbow (still a slight push, but subtle). Gronk needs to do this more, IMO. His shoulder pads are so huge and then there's the brace on his left arm.
• 1Q, 3:50, 2&5, Pats ball on their 11. I formation with two TE's and Hogan on the outside to the right. Allen, Gronk, and Hogan take off on vertical routes straight up. Develin slides thru to the right flat. Brady fakes a hand off to Gilly, but trips and is sacked for a 9 yard loss. Looks like Gilly might have tripped Brady by selling the PA fake hand off too much with his feet. TV showed Ivan Fears giving Gilly a look. Next play was a draw to White then a punt.

• 1Q, 1:59, 1&10, Houston ball on the Pats 29. Houston lines up in max protect with a RB/TE in the back field. Hopkins on the left side covered by Gilmore. Ellington and Miller on the right side covered by J.Jones and Butler respectively. KVN, Roberts, and Chung are in the middle of the field. McCourty is the high safety. Ball is snapped...Watson fakes a hand off to the RB (Foreman I think) then stares down Hopkins before flicking the ball to Ellington running a post route with inside leverage on J.Jones. McCourty is late....beautiful TD for the rookie....didn't even have to step into the throw..ball was on a rope.
• 3Q, 12:54, 1&10, Pats ball on the Houston 43. 2TE's to the left of Solder. Hogan in the left slot about 5 feet off Gronk. Cooks on the right side. Lewis behind Brady. Brady fakes a hand off to the left side (along with Allen and the entire OL) while Gronk pulls to the right side snd picks up Mericuls Whitney blitzing from the right side. Brady steps up and hits Cooks streaking across the field for the TD. 27-21 Pats.

• 3Q, 10:21 remaining, Pats up 28-20, 1st and 10 Houston ball on their 46. After DeShaun Watson ran for a first down on 3rd and 1. Houston lines up 2 wide, 2 back (strong "I" ?), and the TE on the right side. Pats in a 3-4 look with Marsh and Wise showing blitz standing up near the LT/TE. Looks like Bruce Ellington ran into the backfield for a fake WR hand out. Giacomi (sp?) lets Marsh fly by him and gets no help from the FB. Watson steps up in the pocket. Giacomi (sp?) seemed to give up and Marsh circled back and sacked Waston. Does a dance for the cameras... then we see Brendan Daley yelling and motioning at Marsh to GTFO the field. Pats put in a dime/nickel package (unsure). Thought this would be an interesting tidbit given Marsh 's comments in the off season...

• Same drive...on 2nd and 22 after houston got a delay of game penalty...we flush watson, but he throws across the field to the TE for a 25 yard gain....insane throw off the back of his foot...

• Same drive....Watson drills a back shoulder to Griffin for a TD behind McCourty...and that is after almost getting strip sacked the play before...our pass rush was pretty good this drive though...

• Gilmore out because dehydrated....for a few snaps..interesting.

• 3Q, 1:49, Brady gets sandwiched by Clowney and Watt...but flips the ball to Gronk on 3rd and 17...Gronk gained about 8 yards. O'Brien challenges and loses, LOL. Great awareness by Brady to know Gronk was wide open 10 feet away though.

• 4Q, 13:38, 2nd and 7, Houston ball on their 46. Foreman runs into the flat and is followed by KVN who tries to jump the route....Foreman takes it to the Pats 20 before Harmon forces him OOB. Pats still up 28-27.

• We punted twice on 4th and 1 deep into our territory in the 4th. One was a failed Gilly Run and another was a Gronk drop in tough coverage and Brady under pressure.

• Brady almost throws a pick with 54 secs left, but it was dropped..the safety was aggressive on Cooks though...

• On final drive...Pats converted 3rd and 12, 3rd and 18...

• Goddamn, we are spoiled.....that Cooks TD was close! 377 and 5TD's.....

• Watson calls TO with the clock at 2 secs after a complete pass to Hopkins. Wasting 20 secs....only needing 40 yards. Then tossed s beautiful rainbow hail mary that is picked off by Harmon (but the Texans had a 50/50 at the ball when Gronk couldn't get his hand on it)

 

[Kontradiction]

I would think the same thing but . . . new DC who has a better front 7 than last year, players who can up and get it. I'm expecting (ok, hoping ) for more aggressive schemes, even in the first game.

Yeah but it's still BB's defense. Expect the same stuff we've seen against mobile QBs over the years. Contain, gap integrity, a lots of Cover-3/Cover-4 with some ridiculously easy completions between the 20s. The kind that will lose you games unless you have Tom Brady as your QB.

 

[IllegalContact]

Brady's line from the last game

25 of 35 (71%)
378 yards
5 TD
146.2 QB Rating

So even when the Texans get after him Brady still tears through their ass like wet tissue paper.

BTW much of the protection issues was down to having to block for deep passes. Lewis & White had a combined 4 targets all game. Game plan will be different this time.

Something to be concerned with....he was also sacked 5 times

If you think there’s nothing to be concerned with, then good for you

 

[Ras-IR Dowling]

Something to be concerned with....he was also sacked 5 times

If you think there’s nothing to be concerned with, then good for you

Plus 1 of those resulted in 7 pts for the Texans.

 

[TomPatriot]

Yeah but it's still BB's defense. Expect the same stuff we've seen against mobile QBs over the years. Contain, gap integrity, a lots of Cover-3/Cover-4 with some ridiculously easy completions between the 20s. The kind that will lose you games unless you have Tom Brady as your QB.

I think Flores is going to get an opportunity to mix it up a bit. The talent on D is better this year, except for coverage LB. They have the personnel up front to make noise so they should use that.

 

[supafly]

Something to be concerned with....he was also sacked 5 times

Plus 1 of those resulted in 7 pts for the Texans.

Brady was strip sacked 3 times, with 5 total sacks and 8 QB hits.

As others have noted, his passing numbers still looked great, but there obviously wasn’t much margin for error. In that sense it is similar to the recent SB loss.

 

[BadMoFo]

Brady newser: Pliability shirt. lol