Author Archives: Mike Clement

Patriots’ Keys to Victory Against the Bills

Leave a reply

This weekend the Patriots aim to continue their siege upon the AFC East as they head north to Buffalo.

Weirdly enough this will be only the Patriots’ third division game this season and first against the Bills. Ranking second in the division, the Bills are just above 0.500 at 6-5. They have had a few huge wins coming against the Falcons, Broncos, and Chiefs due to their stingy defense. However, in recent weeks the Bills have looked absolutely lost in some games. They went from beating the Raiders by a 20 point margin to getting manhandled by the Jets, Saints, and Chargers consecutively.

The entire season up until week nine the Bills’ defense only allowed their opponent to score over twenty points twice against the Bengals and Bucs. From week nine to now that stat flip-flopped, and the defense allowed more than twenty points in every game but one. Going into the midpoint of their season (week 9), the Bills had allowed 115 points. From that week to now alone they have allowed 145 points in four games.

The Nathan Peterman experiment dissipated after his unruly NFL debut against the Chargers. Tyrod Taylor is the team’s current answer as signal-caller if the team has playoff aspirations. The Bills are the captain of their own ship, and only head coach Sean McDermott can make it sink. In their first home game since they were annihilated by the Saints’ running game, the Bills are determined to get a statement win against their big brother in the AFC East. The Patriots rolling into town is always a huge game for the Bills, and if they can demonstrate any form of dominance they are very much alive in the wildcard race. Here are three keys to this game for the Patriots in order to rain on the Bills’ parade:

Dion Lewis Needs to Run Rampant

For the first time in his career last weekend Dion Lewis rushed for over 100 yards. With a slippery back like Lewis coming off a hot week the Patriots would be remiss to script their start of this game around him. The Patriots began their game against the Raiders running it down their throats until they tired it out and then took to the air. It worked then and it will work now, especially with the Bills’ rushing defense woes as of late. The Saints were able to post 298 rushing yards with 6.2 yards per run on the Bills with their running back committee of Ingram and Kamara. Dion Lewis could set the tempo of this game if he is able to return to a performance similar to last week against Miami.

It All Rests on Elandon Roberts’s Shoulders

Linebackers Kyle Van Noy, Marquis Flowers, and Trevor Reilly all questionable this week. With these integral parts of the defense potentially gone, Elandon Roberts has tough sledding ahead. All three linebackers were limited in practice this week. Worst case scenario David Harris and Nicholas Grigsby will assume the workload. Regardless, Elandon is tasked with stopping Bills’ workhorse LeSean McCoy. Bills’ offensive starters Kelvin Benjamin out and Jordan Matthews and Charles Clay are questionable this week as well. The Bills’ playbook this week will potentially be run-heavy in their absence. Roberts will be tasked with keeping the one-cut back at bay this weekend.

Watch out for Will, Mike, and Sam

The Patriots’ offensive line needs to protect Tom Brady. Period. The amount of hits Brady took last week against the Dolphins slowly got to him during the game. He began trying to force passes and ended up throwing a rare interception. Marcus Cannon is out and LeAdrian Waddle and David Andrews are questionable, which is not a good sign.

The Bills are aware of the Patriots’ o-line ailments, and will likely go for Brady as much as possible. Lorenzo Alexander will come for Brady’s head on a Sam (strong side) blitz. Ramon Humber will come on a Will (weak side) blitz. The duo will likely aim for the edges of the line if Nate Solder and Cameron Fleming are alone in their positions pending Marcus Cannon’s status. If Ted Karras gets another start this week in David Andrews’s potential absence he will have to look out for a Mike (down the middle) blitz. Buffalo is a difficult place to play in if the Bills’ defense is getting their way.

What’s up with Mike Gillislee?

1 Reply

Fans have been seeing a lot less of running back Mike Gillislee in the last few weeks.

The man we saw taking the majority of snaps in the early games of the regular season has been inactive for three straight weeks. All three have been healthy scratches from the active list. Gillislee joins the inactive list with Marcus Cannon, David Andrews, and Chris Hogan, who were ruled out on Friday. Cornerback Eric Rowe will miss his seventh consecutive game, and Matthew Slater will miss his second. Martellus Bennett will miss his first game as a Patriot with an ailing shoulder.

Where Has Mike Been?

Mike Gillislee started his stint with the Patriots with a boom, racking up three touchdowns in the team’s home opener. His rushing numbers have not been nothing too impressive as he has not surpassed 69 yards all season. This was to be expected however since he shares the backfield with Dion Lewis, Rex Burkhead, and James White. In recent games Lewis has controlled the rushing game while Burkhead has been the recipient of most check-down passes. James White has been a viable backup for either role.

A four halfback committee isn’t necessary to have every game. The Patriots’ offense prepares for one game at a time, and each defense that they face calls for different play-calling. The Lewis-Burkhead duo has been the fit as of late.

With two backs on a hot streak, the question after that is how Gillislee has performed on special teams. He has been in a battle for an active spot on special teams with tight end Jacob Hollister. Who would you rather take: another return man like Gillislee or a big guy to play the front lines like Hollister? The answer for Coach Belichick has been the latter.

The Future for Gillislee

The Patriots’ backfield is composed of guys who have the ability to start any given week. Rex Burkhead has proved his worth as more of a receiving back on passing downs. Dion Lewis has demonstrated in the past and this season that he is a viable runner and returner now that he is healthy. James White is a combination of the two with his versatility being showcased in the playoffs last year. Gillislee is a one-cut back who can make a splash in any team’s running game. The only problem with that is that the Patriots have an abysmal rushing presence. Are they in need of one? With Tom Brady at the helm it isn’t essential.

Mike Gillislee might be in jeopardy of his job with the Patriots. His contract is too much for him to just glide in and out of the inactive list. This doesn’t mean that his playing ability has not been up to the team’s standards. This is more of a “it’s not you, it’s me” type situation. The Patriots have realized they don’t need a workhorse runner like Gillislee every game. Whatever happens there is reason to believe that there will not be bad blood between the Patriots and Gillislee.

Marquis Flowers is Blooming into Patriots’ Injured Linebacker Corps

Leave a reply

The Patriots have a history of nurturing young seeds into full bloom. Bill Belichick handles his crops with such care that once playoff harvesting season comes around they will win him the big blue ribbon at the county fair. Belichick has done just that with linebacker Marquis Flowers in the past week.

All gardening puns aside, the Patriots defense in the past few weeks have substantially improved. This has come as a surprise to fans as defensive starters like Dont’a Hightower, Malcolm Brown, and Eric Rowe have been riddled with injuries. Since their second loss of the season against the Panthers, the Patriots’ defense has improved substantially each week. From Weeks 1 to 4 the defense let up 128 points. Ever since they have allowed only 75, not letting their opponent surpass 20 points in the past six games. Rocket scientist Matt Patricia has found the perfect playbook for his defense, and it all revolves around help defense.

One area of the defense that has struggled for the majority of the season have been the linebacker corps. The depth has been thin to start the season and has continued to diminish after Dont’a Hightower, Harvey Langi, and Shea McClellin were placed on injury reserve. Elandon Roberts has been tasked with filling the hole in the defense that Hightower’s absence has created. He has done a significant job thus far but was inactive against the Raiders due to injury. Kyle Van Noy has been a constant as of late in a system of changing parts.

Flowers are Blooming in November

This weekend fans saw third year linebacker Marquis Flowers play alongside Van Noy. The Patriots acquired Flowers from the Bengals back in August in exchange for a 2018 seventh round draft pick. He started 35 of 50 games at the University of Arizona, logging 272 career tackles, 7½ sacks, five interceptions, and five forced fumbles. In the NFL he has bounced from the Panthers in 2014 to the Bengals until this offseason.

Flowers served a role on special teams at the beginning of the season and became a reserve linebacker up until this weekend. Against the Raiders he shared reps are the starting linebacker along Van Noy, racking up four tackles and a forced fumble that kept the Raiders out of the end zone in the first half. The fumble came deep in the red zone where Raiders receiver Seth Roberts almost cut the Patriot lead in half. Roberts held the ball away from his body as Jonathan Jones kept him in place. Marquis Flowers saw the opportunity and punched the ball out of Roberts’s hand, keeping the Raiders from converting any points in their one scoring position in the first half.

“Huge play,” Marquis Flowers reflected to reporters.

“A lot of times when a guy is trying to break a tackle, their ball security, they’re just trying to make a play and, not intentionally, but the ball is usually loose, especially the skill players,” Flowers explained. “When I went over there to go grab a tackle I thought I saw him re-grab the ball. I thought he almost dropped it the first time. So just basically tried to wrap my arms around where his hands were, and the ball came out.”

A New Chance in New England

With Elandon Roberts nursing an ankle injury, it is possible that Flowers could earn more snaps soon. In the Belichick system, more preparation and practice translates to more playing time Flowers has done just that this season. Last weekend Flowers played 19 snaps against the Broncos. This weekend he was a regular on the defense’s third down unit.

“I’m thankful that I went to an organization that allows you to compete, and when you are doing something well they allow you to play to your abilities,” Flowers said.

It’s no surprise to fans now that the Patriots have utilized yet another player acquired in the offseason. This is one of many instances this season alone where this has happened. Johnson Bademosi, traded from the Lions in August, has earned a significant increase in snaps after shutting down Julio Jones in Stephon Gilmore’s absence earlier this season. Cassius Marsh, a defensive end traded from the Seahawks in the preseason, also has been able to add depth to a once ailing left side of defensive line after Rob Ninkovich retired. Flowers is the newest addition to the role players that have come up big for the Patriots this season alone. The Patriots thrive upon bringing in players that were insignificant on one team and exploiting their strengths.

It just comes to show that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. Coach Belichick can convert just about any player to look like a star for the Patriots.

Martysaurus Rex Returns to New England

Leave a reply

A familiar face has returned to the New England Patriots.

Yesterday, the Patriots claimed tight end Martellus Bennett from the waiver wire. The Green Bay Packers released the ex-Patriot earlier this week after he failed to disclose a medical condition to the team.

The thirty-year old-vet, on the Patriots’ squad last season, overtook a starting job in the offense after Rob Gronkowski had season-ending surgery. Bennett went on to have a statement year, showing fans his prime hadn’t passed by filling Gronk’s role perfectly. He posted 701 receiving yards and seven touchdowns with the Patriots. Three of these touchdowns came from Tom Brady in his first game back from suspension against the Browns. He earned his first Super Bowl ring with the Patriots after playing in the league for now a decade. He anchored the Patriots’ offense in Gronk’s absence, and fans admired what he did on and off the field in Foxborough.

In the 2016-17 off season, though Marty had fun in New England,  he double-downed on his all-business attitude. He left the Patriots for the NFC-giant Packers, who offered more money. This season so far, however, took a turn for the worst quickly for Bennett.  So far, Marty has seen fewer targets than anticipated. His quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, suffered a broken collarbone in October, now out for the remainder of the season. These events all led up to Bennett’s release, a positive note in an otherwise sour season.

Looking into Marty’s Injury

Martellus Bennett has not played in a game since October 22nd. His absence from the field came shortly after he announced that he’ll retire after this season. Currently on a three-year, $21-million contract with the Packers, Bennett showed no signs of nearing retirement prior to this year. His explanation? “Life.” Almost at the same time as announcing his retirement, Marty suffered an unexplained shoulder injury that has kept him sidelined since.  The Packers released him because he did not offer a reasonable explanation of his ailments.

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk is not fully convinced by this situation. Florio claims that Bennett probably toyed with retirement in order to be traded near the deadline, and afterwards his shoulder injury popped up. This all happened after Aaron Rodgers hit the injury reserve list, so what Florio says makes sense. It would be an advantage for the Patriots if Bennett was not actually injured. Only time will tell in the next few days.

Double Trouble

A healthy Gronkowski and Bennett will pair up in the near future, and the Patriots’ offense can now regain its scary edge. With injuries plaguing the wide receiver core, Bill Belichick could electrify the offense by adding in more dual tight end sets. The Patriots have not seen this type of big-man offense in years, but it worked like a charm. Gronk and Marty share vertical threat similarities. Together they present a nightmare for linebackers and safeties assigned to either of them. Dual tight end sets will relieve the workload the wide receiver core will face. At the same time, it will give Tom Brady more wiggle room with calling play action, which could also spark the running game as well. The Patriots originally were planning to a similar set with Gronkowski and Dwayne Allen, but Allen has not lived up to expectations.

Watch out world, the Martysaurus is back in New England.

UPDATE: 11/10 AT 11:00 AM EST

This morning ESPN’s Adam Schefter has confirmed that Martellus Bennett has a torn rotator cuff and torn labrum. Pending Bennett’s physical with the Patriots he could possibly be facing season-ending IR or the waiver wire once more. More to come in the next 24 hours.

UPDATE: 11:50 AM EST

Ian Rapoport has reported that Marty passed his physical with the Patriots and practiced today. He hasn’t attended practice since October 22nd while he was on the Packers.

Five College Quarterbacks Who Could Be Brady’s Successor

Leave a reply

The Fountain of Youth could possibly be located in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Tom Brady is still a quarterback in the NFL at age 40.

As the Patriots exit their bye week, Brady has looked nothing short of phenomenal, something we all have come to expect. With an injured receiving core, Brady has managed to lead the league in passing yards thus far. Critics and fans alike have wondered when Brady will hang up his jersey for the last time. Showing no signs of aging in his eighteenth season, Brady hopes to play as long as possible. In 2014, on WEEI’s Dennis and Callahan morning show, when asked when he plans to retire Brady simply said:

“When I suck I’ll retire. But I don’t plan on sucking for a long time.”

In the wake of Tom Brady’s play during the first half of the season, the Patriots made roster moves. During the team’s bye week, the Patriots agreed to trade backup quarterback, Jimmy Garoppolo, to the San Francisco 49ers. Earlier in the season, the team also moved third string play-caller Jacoby Brissett to the Indianapolis Colts. Both backups saw starting time early last season, and have won at least one Super Bowl ring under Tom Brady. After trading both substitutes to Brady, the Patriots resigned 32 year old Brian Hoyer. With Brady proving to the Patriots that he can play well into his 40’s, the team now has time to pursue a new successor. Luckily for the team, there are a few quarterbacks who could hold down the starting job in New England after Brady.

J.T. Barrett, Senior at Ohio State University

Barrett has been somewhat consistent in his four years playing for OSU. Coached by Urban Meyer, J.T. has realized his craft in passing, and running, the football. Barrett is having his best season at OSU, posting 28 touchdown passes, and 2374 yards. He is quickly zeroing in on his career bests, with a few games to spare. Barrett quietly sits in the Heisman Poll rankings, with a quarterback rating of 83.3. He could be a raw prospect who could learn a lot watching Tom Brady play out his final seasons. With a similar throwing arm, Barrett could fit right into Patriots’ offensive scheme which focuses on medium passes over the middle. One component Barrett could add to the offense is his own running game, which could open up a few passes downfield to Gronk, or Brandin Cooks. Expect the Patriots to exercise that second round pick they acquired from the 49ers, or a third rounder in the 2018 Draft, to get Barrett if Belichick is impressed by him.

Sam Darnold, Sophomore at University of Southern California

Darnold has put up considerable numbers as a young college quarterback. For the second season in a row, he has accumulated almost over 3000 passing yards, and 20+ passing touchdowns. With an average QBR of 79.2, he has proven to be a reliable quarterback for the Trojans. With talks of Darnold remaining at USC for the 2018 season rather than declaring for the draft, he could be a possible prospect for the Patriots in the future. He would be a top prospect if he were to declare in 2018. Were he to drop to the second round to the Patriots, it would be a steal. Coming from a big team in the PAC-12, Darnold would have what it takes to play the next level for the Patriots.

Luke Falk, Senior at Washington State

Luke Falk has fallen out of the constant media coverage CFB stars like Baker Mayfield receive. Falk quietly threw for two 4000+ yard seasons at Washington State, something which has definitely raised a brow for Coach Belichick. Bill Belichick has had a history of scouting players at lesser-known colleges (i.e. Jacoby Brissett at NC State, Jimmy Garoppolo at Eastern Illinois). Falk is on pace to have three consecutive seasons with 30+ touchdowns, with a high passing rating. His name might slip in the 2018 Draft due to the hype of some other quarterbacks, but Falk can hang with the rest of them.

Mason Rudolph, Senior at Oklahoma State University

Rudolph might be the lesser hyped quarterback coming out of Oklahoma this season, behind Mayfield. However, Rudolph’s consistency with passing the ball in his career at Oklahoma State has been downright impressive. Since his first full season starting in 2015, Rudolph has not had a season where he has thrown for less than 3000 yards. His passing percentage has been around 63% his whole career. He has also been consistent with throw 20+ touchdowns per season. These numbers are not extremely flashy, but show Rudolph can play at a similar level each year without going cold. This trait will be coveted in the NFL. Rudolph could possibly fall to third or fourth round, where the Patriots can draft him.

Jake Fromm, Freshman at University of Georgia

Fromm is certainly a young prospect, but he has helped the Bulldogs rise into the top three of the national rankings. With around 1500 yards and 15 touchdowns, Fromm has played exceptional, but could definitely use some work. Should he declare for the draft in 2018, which is doubtful, he could learn a lot from Tom Brady. He has shown leadership in Georgia early, which is a great skill. He should be a future prospect for the Patriots, if they do not take a quarterback in the 2018 draft.

Johnson Bademosi — The Next Man Up

Leave a reply

Flashback to September.  The New England Patriots brought in corner back Johnson Bademosi from the Detroit Lions for just a 2019 sixth-round draft pick. Originally Bademosi was acquired as a solution to the depth problem at corner. However, his niche on the team might have changed after the past few weeks. Injuries to Stephon Gilmore and Eric Rowe sent Bademosi to the starting lineup in Weeks 6 and 7, which will influence his role later on.

When the Patriots rolled into East Rutherford to take on the Jets, they did not know how Bademosi would perform. Stephon Gilmore and Eric Rowe, the number two and three cornerbacks, were both inactive going into Week 6 with injuries. Jonathan Jones took over operations as corner in nickel formation while Bademosi relieved Gilmore’s duties. After a 24-17 victory, Bademosi logged in five tackles, being present in the Patriots’ secondary for 96% of defensive snaps. That following Monday, Coach Belichick praised Bademosi on WEEI’s Dale & Holley with Rich Keefe.

“[He] did a great job for us”, Belichick reflected. “He played [73] plays on defense, 14 in the kicking game, and we really didn’t know that he was going to play until Saturday- defensively. To have a big role like that, it says a lot for for his preparation, and he came through for us.”

Johnson earned another starting nod this past weekend with Super Bowl 51 opponent Atlanta Falcons. He rose to the challenge of covering Pro Bowl receiver Julio Jones, and posted a considerable first half:

At the conclusion of the game Bademosi recorded seven tackles and a pass deflection, letting up only thirty one yards. For the second week in a row he stayed on the field for 96% of defensive snaps, tying Malcolm Butler. Bademosi’s one pass deflection came from a huge third down-and-short stop intended for Julio Jones.

“If you want to win games you have to be able to stop teams on third down, and everybody knows that”, Bademosi reflects. “We have to do that on defense.”

What’s to come for Johnson now that he is on the rise? The Patriots still are not in the clear, still having offensive powerhouses Raiders and Steelers left in their season. In a press conference on Tuesday, Belichick hinted on Bademosi’s future role:

“The guys that play the best play the most. The guys that don’t play as well continue to keep working until their performance either moves ahead of somebody else’s or they get an opportunity because of circumstances.”

As Gilmore and Rowe return from injury hopefully in the near future, the corner could still see an increase in reps after showing success. All the practice and preparation Johnson Bademosi has clocked in will not go unnoticed by Belichick. He will find a way to incorporate him more in the secondary, because he is potentially the next man up.

Tale of the Tape: Brandin Cooks’s Catch Percentage

Leave a reply

Brandin Cooks has not failed to impress as the NFL zeros in closer to the midpoint of the season. He has clocked in 472 receiving yards on 24 receptions and two touchdowns, including a game-winner against Houston, all in six games. Leading the Patriots’ crippled receiving corp, Cooks has held down the role of running routes on the sideline. Before the season began there were comparisons to Cooks and Randy Moss, one of Tom Brady’s all-time best receivers.

Cooks is on pace for a third consecutive 1000+ yard season and is comfortable being a Patriot. But one of his stats so far this season has raised a few eyebrows in confusion. In his three-year stint in New Orleans prior to this season, Cooks has boasted extremely high catch percentages. From 2014-2016, Cooks averaged 7.5 targets per game and caught 69.5% of his targets. In his first six games as a Patriot, he has averaged 6.8 targets, hauling in 58.5% of them.

How Could This Be?

Brandin Cooks is not on a decline surely enough, he is the same receiver that he was in New Orleans. But how could he catch targets more often on the Saints? The answer could lie within the routes Cooks has ran for the Saints compared to the Patriots. He has solely ran deeper routes across the sideline for the Patriots, but did similar things for the Saints. If anything, the Patriots have relied on Cooks a little more in the absence of Julian Edelman. At the same time, however, Chris Hogan has shared a similar role to Brandin Cooks in the offensive scheme.

Football and Physics

The answer to this enigma could possibly be the product of pure physics. No two quarterbacks throw at the same velocity and force. Brandin Cooks has had the privilege so far in his career to work alongside Drew Brees and Tom Brady. In an ESPN Sports Science segment years ago, Drew Brees clocked in his throwing speed at 52 miles per hour, or 23.2 meters per second. Tom Brady on average takes 0.39 seconds to get a pass off at an initial velocity of 61 mph, or 27.3 m/s.

https://youtu.be/Kl7ZK3a0TkU

The acceleration of each QB’s passes are found using the equation Δv/t, or the change in velocity over time. Assuming the initial velocity is the same as the final and using 0.39 seconds as the time for each, Brady’s acceleration would be 70.0 m/s² and Brees’s would be 59.5 m/s².

The formula for force is m·a (mass multiplied by acceleration). If the average football mass is about 0.425 kilograms and using the accelerations yielded, Tom Brady would throw with a force of 29.75 N and Drew Brees would throw with 25.29 N.

The Math Doesn’t Lie

Brandin Cooks’s targets from Tom Brady are thrown harder than from his former quarterback Drew Brees. In order to catch a more forceful pass the receiver has to bring his hands in closer to his body to absorb the ball’s momentum. Brandin Cooks has been fairly successful with catching Brady’s passes, but has shown some struggle catching shorter passes.  In recent weeks, however, he has shown improvement with his catch percentage. It has fluctuated from around 40% in Week 1 to around 65% in Week 6, and the high was Week 3 at around 70%. The Archer is slowly acclimating to a new quarterback, and will be in mid-season form in no time.

BSE’s Keys to Pats – Jets Week 6

Leave a reply

As the 2017-18 NFL regular season rolls towards being more than a third finished, very few people would have thought the Patriots and Jets would have the same record. The Patriots have surprised fans by not performing as well as envisioned, and the Jets have had an adverse effect. Coming into the season, a few expressed unwarranted confidence that the Patriots would finish the regular season undefeated. The Jets, on the other hand, were prophesied to finish with three wins if lucky. Yet here we are in a season that has already exceeded fans’ expectations in upsets.

The Patriots’ losses have come from the red-hot Chiefs and the Panthers, who rarely show up on the schedule. These losses have proved to be a learning experience for the team and the coaching staff. The Jets began their season with two consecutive losses to the stingy defense of the Bills and the Raiders. Since then, the Jets have picked up three wins against the Dolphins, Jaguars, and Browns. Though the Jets have defied their odds so far, the Patriots have had little struggle against them in recent years. Tom Brady has only dropped seven games out of thirty against the Jets since 2001.

Stopping the Jets on Defense

New York offensively bullies their way down the field through the run game. Bilal Powell either runs the offense, or sits quietly in any given week. He is questionable for Sunday, but if he does play, expect the Jets to primarily run the ball. Josh McCown has done a considerable job incorporating the pass into the Jets’ offense. Jermaine Kearse,  picked up by the Jets early in the season, and who almost broke the hearts of every Patriots fan in Super Bowl 49, has shown to be McCown’s favorite receiver. The Jets do not have many offensive weapons, but they have gotten by with Robby Anderson, Austin Seferian-Jenkins, and Kearse.

The Patriots could possibly bring pressure to Josh McCown up the middle from Alan Branch and Trey Flowers. McCown tends to throw down the middle with medium passes– Dont’a Hightower and Devin McCourty will be important.

Rolling on Offense

With Mo Wilkerson also questionable this week, the Patriots offensive line can take a breather in the event of his absence. The o-line has let up too many hits on Tom Brady, to the point where last week he injured his non-throwing shoulder. Though Brady will start this week, it is imperative that the offensive line protects him well to avoid injury to that throwing shoulder. The Patriots can open up the run game this week with Mike Gillislee and Dion Lewis to add options. Expect Danny Amendola to be a viable option this week for Brady at medium range. Rob Gronkowskl returns from injury this week as well– a big addition for the offense.

 

 

A Quick Analysis of the Patriots’ Week 5 Match-Up Against the Buccaneers

Leave a reply

A short week of preparation for the Patriots after suffering an unexpected loss at home against the Carolina Panthers Sunday. A defensive breakdown by the Patriots caused a full-blown shootout between Cam Newton and Tom Brady. And it just so happened that the Panthers’ defense showed more resiliency.

There’s no doubt that the Patriots’ coaching staff this week focused solely on improving the defensive game plan. Currently, this season’s Patriots defense ranks as one of the worst since 2006. On average, in the past ten seasons the Patriots have ranked third in the league in touchdowns allowed per drive, out of every drive they have allowed six points 17% of the time. In the past four weeks that statistic for this year’s defense skyrocketed to 31.1%, ranked worst in the league. So far on goal-to-go situations this season the opposing team has scored 100% of the time, being ranked 30th in the league. Though it is early in the season, the Patriots’ defense is statistically slipping already.

Source: ESPN Stats & Information Group

 

This week the Patriots are tasked with another rare opponent, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. A Thursday night match-up in Tampa will be more difficult for the Patriots to prepare for than the Bucs. This will be New  England’s third NFC South match-up out of four still early in the season, and have had no trouble against the Buccaneers in the past. However, the Patriots and Bucs have not met in the past four years. Since then the Buccaneers have made a great addition with Jameis Winston. Luckily for the Patriots, the Buccaneers are one of the seven teams Tom Brady is undefeated against in his career.

Stopping the Buccaneers on Offense

Unlike any team the Patriots have faced so far this season, the Buccaneers boast a two tight end set on offense. Tight ends Cameron Brate and rookie O.J. Howard share playing time with either one blocking with the offensive line or both running routes over the middle of the field. Just last week when the Buccaneers squared up against the New York Giants, O.J. Howard burned the defense on a simple bootleg play-action pass because the corners were fixated on Brate and receiver Chris Godwin running the opposite way.

 

In addition to this set, the Buccaneers offense possesses a huge vertical threat in Mike Evans and speedy route-runner and returner DeSean Jackson. Rookie Chris Godwin is up-and-coming as well. At running back, the Bucs have Doug Martin, who in the past has ripped up defensive lines for huge gains. Jameis Winston is the perfect guy to sling the ball them. He has a cannon of an arm and in recent years has become more accurate. The Patriots’ defensive line will get a break this week when it comes to rushing the QB because Winstson does not scramble that often.

The most feasible way for the Patriots to stop this top-10 offense is to help each other as much as possible. Zone coverage and conservative play calling will help against the pass. Stephon Gilmore has struggled so far making mental errors, including one that cost the Patriots the game last week. If he continues to play as the team’s number-two corner, he should have someone helping in the backfield to reduce the field for him. Patrick Chung would capitalize on coverage like that and could force some turnovers. Dont’a Hightower will have to come up big on coverage in the middle of the field. Devin McCourty will have to hold down the top of the zone as well if Chung drops down.

Getting the Patriots Offense Going

Tom Brady has kept the Patriots’ offense alive, despite all the injuries plaguing his receivers. He has picked up his tempo and slinging the ball more, but there is only so much that he can do individually. Chris Hogan and Brandin Cooks have been lighting up secondaries and finding the end zone without much adversity. Danny Amendola has successfully has been filling Julian Edelman’s slot-reciever role in his absence. With Rob Gronkowski the newest entry on the injury report, and Rex Burkhead continuing to be out this week, the Patriots will bring the next man up. Vernon Hargreaves and Brent Grimes will be tough to get catches over. However, Brandin Cooks has the capacity to out-speed Grimes win in a jump ball situation against Hargreaves. This leaves the middle passing game open for Danny Amendola to get open.

In the backfield, Mike Gillislee and Dion Lewis have shared reps on the team’s dismal running game. James White has gotten few targets in the backfield as well, which could be used against the Buccaneers defense. Linebacker Lavonte David is the only factor to interfere against a halfback screen. Expect this game to continue the trend of being pass-heavy for the Patriots.

A Quick Analysis of the Patriots’ Week 4 Match-Up Against the Panthers

Leave a reply

A once-in-a-blue-moon meeting for the Patriots to prepare for this weekend. The Patriots will face the Carolina Panthers, a team they have not played in the regular season since 2013. After a Monday Night Football game in week eleven of that season, the Panthers came out on top in the waning minutes of the match to win 24-20. The game finished with controversy over the referees picking up a penalty flag for defensive pass interference on the last play of the game where Tom Brady took a shot in the end zone to Rob Gronkowski.

Since 2013 the Patriots and the Panthers have been present in a Super Bowl: the Patriots winning two and the Panthers appearing in one. The Panthers have had both successful and unfortunate seasons since this season but have learned from their mistakes. Both teams are very different from four years ago, however Tom Brady and Cam Newton still reign.

Stopping the Panthers’ West Coast Offense

Cam Newton is one of the more popular quarterbacks in the NFL, mostly because of his impressive mobility. He can turn on the burners in an instant and run with the ball himself on a split second decision. At the same time he possesses the arm strength to heave the ball downfield. The Patriots had a similar task last weekend against rookie Deshaun Watson whose pocket presence and speed kept defenders from containing him.

Cam Newton might be quicker than Watson, but the Patriots’ defense should be working on pressuring the quarterback more in this week’s practice. Heavily relying on zone coverage will not fair well against Cam Newton and his strong running back corp. Jonathan Stewart is a well-used power runner who is deadly on screens in the back field. A similar principle goes for rookie Christian McCaffrey, a quick runner and can punish on running an angle or wheel route.  To stop Cam Newton, man coverage QB containment and a few crafty blitzes will come in handy. As for the Panthers’ backs, that’s when cover 3 should be used. Dont’a Hightower, pending if he returns this week from injury, will have a big task covering Stewart and McCaffrey. Malcolm Butler will also have to size up 6’5″ wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin.

Rallying on Offense

The Panthers used to boast one of the stingiest secondaries in the league two years ago under Josh Norman. Lately, they have become more centralized on building up the defensive line along with the linebacker corp: Charles Johnson, Julius Peppers, Star Lotulelei, Kawann Short, Mario Addison, Shaq Thompson, Luke Kuechly, and Thomas Davis. All of these powerful defenders work together on the defensive line. To beat a stacked defensive line like that, Tom Brady will have to replicate his performance last week. It is imperative that he gets the ball off quickly on short routes to receivers. The Patriots’ offensive line faces an even bigger task. Coach Dante Scarnecchia this week has more than likely hammered on his offensive line after they allowed Tom Brady to be sacked multiple times.

Quick slants will help beat a defense that will be trying to capitalize on rushing Brady. Danny Amendola is a perfect receiver for short passes and Rob Gronkowski is always a vertical threat. Chris Hogan might have a mixed role this game where he will catch short passes but at the same time run deep like he has done in the past two games. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.