Tag Archives: Edelman

Jardine’s Means: The Keys To Beating The Saints

USE THE RUN TO SET UP THE PASSING GAME

One key to beating the Saints this week is controlling the game on the ground. This will accomplish many things if executed properly. First, it will allow the offense to get into the game and draw the Saints’ defense closer to the line of scrimmage. By drawing the defense closer to the line over time this will allow for play action passing. Brady is a master at reading the defense. The more of them at the line the better.

Running the ball also eats up the clock nicely. This allows the Patriots’ defense limit time on the field which keeps them very fresh. Running the ball accomplishes the most important goal of all, keeping Drew Brees and the Saints’ offense on the sidelines. They cannot score when they are on the sidelines looking at their tablets. The Patriots really failed at this in their first game. I guarantee you that Coach Belichick chewed the ear off Coach McDaniels about this very subject.

Expect a big ground game from Gillislee after Coach Belichick’s comment that “he could be a little better”. Yes Gillislee scored three touchdowns. But that was about it for positives in game one.

USE THE ENTIRE PASSING GAME

Anyone that watched the first game against the Chiefs probably shouted at their TV at least once during the game. The most likely phrase screamed at the TV was probably “why the hell are the Pats throwing it deep all the time?” Maybe that was just me, because I know I shouted that at least once.

The Patriots will move into their passing attack mode after running the ball. This strategy will also be much more effective than my “spreading the ball around” and not just throwing deep. Having Cooks and Hogan down the field was almost having a new toy for Brady last week. Like anything new, you don’t want to wear it out from overuse. The Pats have so many weapons in their passing arsenal that they should be OK. By spreading the ball to Gronk, Burkhead, White and friends, then it should allow for deep throws sometimes. Just don’t fall in love with the deep ball, Tom, because you don’t have to.

This so called spreading of the offensive wealth should allow for a better result then last week. The Patriots have such a wide and varied offensive attack that things should work themselves out this week.

BACK ON TRACK

With the slight change of our teams’ offensive outlook, the result of this game should be better. Keeping the Saints’ offens,e off of the field as much as possible, and grinding their D are going to be the keys to victory. T,ake a deep breath Patriot Nation, because I think that loss last week will be a blessing. Let’s Go Patriots. Check out more great Patriot articles at BostonSportsExtra.com

Edelman’s Unexpected Replacement

A Jule lost from the crown

When GQ Edelman went down with a torn ACL, a mass celebration erupted amongst Patriots Haters. They did their white-boy dance to Abba’s Dancing Queen like a drunk uncle at a wedding. They whiffed on their nerdy high-fives. They grabbed the ball that they took home every time the game didn’t go their way, and went back out to do what they always do … play by themselves. When they were kids, mom tied a pork chop around their neck so the dog would play with them. Mom would say to these ass-clowns, “You don’t need friends, Little Joey. I’ll be your friend!” Pathetic. These people are losers. Because let’s face it, that’s what losers do—they root for the Express train known at the Patriots to get injuries.

Let me tell you what I am not all aboard on—the Patriots’ fans mantra of “Next man up.” Unless a clutch-gene-injected-27-year-old-big-testies Wes Welker walks through the doors at Gillette Stadium, there is no replacement for Edelman. So who could possibly try to make up for Julian’s production? The answer is not Tom Brady, and it is not a wide receiver.

Being Brady’s Brain

The #1 reason why Brady is the best quarterback in the league against the blitz is his mind. His ability to read the defense pre-snap, and ultra-quick decision making after the snap make blitzing him as useful as Johnny Manziel attending church. The best slot receiver in NFL history, Julian Edelman, was reason #2. No one in the NFL gets open as quickly as #11. He’s Brady’s fail safe.

When the defense and coverage challenge Brady, he simply looked to Jackrabbit Julian, and waited the .002 seconds it took for him to juke away from his defender before tossing a strike for the first down. Brandin Cooks is physically the closest to emulating Edelman’s ability, (Cooks’ shuttle times at the combine were exceptional) but he’s not a slot receiver. Danny Amendola is a good slot receiver who does nothing but catch big passes in big games, but he can’t shake defenders the way Edelman could. Hogan and Mitchell are terrific receivers, and Dorsett is as fast as Cooks, but there is a difference between fast, and quick.

It’s why every receiver who runs a 4.2 forty is not a success. Straightaway speed is great. But if you can’t cut on a dime, and run precision routes, you better stop by Walmart and pick up a spatula to flip burgers, because you won’t last in the NFL. It won’t be a player who replaces Edelman, but playerSSSSS. (Plural.)

Who will make up for the loss of Edelman? Nate Solder, Joe Thuney, David Andrews, Shaq Mason, and Marcus Canon.

Five for the cost of, well… five

Brady’s brain and quick release along with Edelman’s ability to get open in the blink-of-an-eye had covered up for the Patriots offensive line’s deficiencies. When one of the Buddha-bellies whiffed on a block, it went unnoticed by Brady, consistently getting rid of the ball before the pass-rusher destroyed him. I know this from my obsession with re-watching Patriots games several times and focusing on line of scrimmage play. Brady bails these guys out … a lot.

But there’s hope.

In 2016-2017, the O-line showed incredible improvement over the previous year. So, if the O-line has to take another step forward, and give the G.O.A.T. quarterback a consistent, extra second to survey the field. Give their new deep-threat toys a chance to get open, and the Patriots should survive without Edelman.

THE TRAIN IS RUNNING AHEAD OF SCHEDULE

Look for a drop in the Patriots’ 3^rd down conversion numbers from last year, but the total points to rise from more big plays. IF the big boys up front can build a Great Wall of Foxboro around TB12. Patriots Haters may want to leave the basement and head upstairs, see if mom bought any more pork chops for Fido across the street, because it’s gonna be another loooooong winter outside of New England.

If the O-line doesn’t step up, the New England Patriots Express could get derailed, and lose a game or two. Bye-bye 19-0. Guess Patriots fans will have to settle for a sixth Super Bowl Championship with a 17-2 record. Bear down, Pats fans. Tough times are ahead … tough times indeed.

Pats fans, please follow me @StevenViner1 and I will follow you back. Oh and I ALWAYS answer questions!

My Proclamation: Blitz for Six!!

Are You Ready?

It’s that time of year again! Summer is coming to a close. The days are getting shorter. Those mornings are getting a little chillier. Our thoughts start shifting from beaches and campfires to pumpkins and leaves. One thing we all have in common – our Patriots are the defending World Champions!

Tom Brady and team

After a season marred by the ridiculous and baseless suspension of Tom Terrific, the boys in blue rallied, put a foot on the gas pedal and never looked back. Through it all they displayed the perseverance, professionalism, and passion that we have loved from all our teams. Once they made the playoffs with the #1 seed we knew this season could be special.

As fans, we allowed ourselves to imagine Tom Brady holding the Lombardi high at the end of the same season that people all around the country told him he cheated. The players and coaches of all other NFL teams supplied the same answers that we knew to expect. “This next game is no different,” and “This season is no different.” But we all knew. We knew that they wanted to win a Lombardi. And to do it this year would have *wink-wink “extra meaning.”

Why They Win

Fast-forward to the playoffs, when they played like a well-oiled machine. The kind that can bring an unprecedented fifth Championship back to New England. Unprecedented because in the modern era it’s ridiculously hard to win one, let alone two or three NFL crowns within a decade. But our team has battled through many trials and tribulations in order to win five within 16 years.

During the Big Game (and I’ll remember this for the rest of my life) doubt crept into the New England faithful. Soul-crushing despair gripped the hearts of fans around the world. My response was always the same. “We still have plenty of time, especially for this team.” Even down 28-3 with just minutes remaining in the 3rd quarter, it was still, ‘there’s plenty of time.’ Sure enough, a couple mistakes on the part of the Falcons and some good drives by our boys completed the greatest comeback in sports history! Of course Tom Terrific had some help. James White set some records and Edelman’s incredible catch will surpass the helmet catch till the end of time. After a cowardly hand-off of the championship trophy by the latest New England villain (hint: initials RG), we got to see Tom Brady celebrating with his family and holding another Lombardi that he was bringing home to the greatest fans in the world.

What’s on the Line for 2017?

And the Pats don’t look close to slowing down. If anything, they approached this off season as if they had not been to the playoffs in 16 years. Belichick has attacked the off season by targeting veterans that can meld into the Pats culture to help the team. Brandin Cooks, Dwayne Allen, Kony Ealy — all stand to make significant contributions as we start getting rings fitted for the other hand. Tom Brady is also on the cusp of breaking some impressive personal records. If he sticks to his plan of playing into his 40’s he could be threatening some of the vaunted records from Peyton Manning and Brett Favre. No Days Off, indeed.

Why We Watch

All these achievements and accolades may have you asking what more can we hope to achieve as fans? Do the Pats really need a high level of fan support for a team that’s just going to win it all anyway? The answer is a resounding YES!! The New England Patriots are the epitome of professional sports excellence. They approach the game with the single-minded purity of winning within the rules. They don’t care about the final score or personal highlights. Just one question: did they execute their jobs to the best of their abilities? Period.

When we reflect back on this era of American sports, we may well be looking at the most unique phenomenon in the first quarter of the 21st century. This is greatness. We need to soak it in, enjoy it for what it is and be prepared for it to end. It may not be tomorrow, or the next day. But it could be soon. Let’s get out there and support our team in all the ways possible! Enjoy the 2017 title-defense season and Blitz for Six!

Written by: Andrew Lykins

Follow him on Twitter: @ALykins32

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