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Patriots* game planning


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Ok, so we know that Belichick's strength is game planning, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. He generally creates a game plan that attempts to take away what the other team does best, forcing them to adjust and do things they're less comfortable doing.

 

That said -- what do folks think his plan will be this week? What is the Bills' strength? Do they have anything particularly identifiable that another team can focus on?

 

If I had to guess, Belichick will focus his efforts on shutting down a running game that leads the league through two weeks, which may even further expose a secondary that has been shredded by Miami and San Diego. Is this Donald Jones' breakout game?

 

Looking forward to reading some of your thoughts.

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I think the Bills will continue to put up points this week. The big question is can they stop NE enough times to come out on top. I expect a shoot out like last week. Last man standing wins. I believe the Bills strength is the passing game. If NE can get pressure on Fitz, it could spell trouble. On the flip side, he is pretty good at reading defenses and getting the ball out quickly. Should make for an interesting matchup.

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I think on the flip side you can say that Chan Gailey and the Buffalo Bills strength is game planning and making adjustments. The key this week is going to be staying in the game in the first half so we an make our move in the 2nd. The Patriots need to be really concerned if we are within 7 points at half. Something tells me the Bills might win this one going away if they are going to win.

 

As for BB I think he has a lot to worry about. I think us spreading them out and running from the 4 wide sets or throwing from the 4/5 wide sets is real weakness for the Patriots Defense. I think he will have to game plan for a lot of that. I think we are a pretty balanced run/pass team and when I say that I mean production wise more so than attempt wise. I don't think you can try to shut one of the 2 down and feel like you are still in good shape. I think to an extent you will really have to do your best to shut down both and I am not sure the Patriots have the defensive make up to do so.

 

If I am BB planning offensively I spread us out. I put Welker, Ochocinco, Gronkowski, Edleman and Branch all on the field all game. I would be very confident letting Brady throw the ball 50 times on McKelvin and Florence with Reggie Corner and Aaron Williams coming off the bench. I like everyone else think this is going to be a points fest and could be the highest scoring game of this years NFL.

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Ok, so we know that Belichick's strength is game planning, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. He generally creates a game plan that attempts to take away what the other team does best, forcing them to adjust and do things they're less comfortable doing.

 

That said -- what do folks think his plan will be this week? What is the Bills' strength? Do they have anything particularly identifiable that another team can focus on?

 

If I had to guess, Belichick will focus his efforts on shutting down a running game that leads the league through two weeks, which may even further expose a secondary that has been shredded by Miami and San Diego. Is this Donald Jones' breakout game?

 

Looking forward to reading some of your thoughts.

Good question. Their offense will do what they do until someone proves they can stop it. The key to their game plan will be slowing down our offense.

 

How do you stop our spread attack? FJ has hurt them pretty bad the last 2 years, so I imagine they will key on him. Don't know what to expect pressure wise. With Haynes and Wilfork in the middle do they blitz much or just rush 3 or 4? Haven't paid much attention to their D.

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I like all that, but to be honest, I think we MUST pressure Brady early and often. It will force BB to run the ball a bit more as to take some of the pressure off Brady. Woodhouse is no slouch, but he's a 20/30 yard runner at best. I can live with giving up a few yards on the ground if we can take away the passing attack of the Patriots. When they run the ball, they're an average team, but when they're passing it, they are elite, perhaps the ebst in the NFL. Gailey surely knows this, and his goal should be to minimize their passing advantage, IMO.

 

 

Tim-

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If I had to guess, Belichick will focus his efforts on shutting down a running game that leads the league through two weeks, which may even further expose a secondary that has been shredded by Miami and San Diego. Is this Donald Jones' breakout game?

 

Looking forward to reading some of your thoughts.

When we are on O - He will want to take away the long runs and force Fitz to throw. He may blitz initially to see how the OL and Fitz respond. We need to pick up the early blitzes and burn them. Else we will see them all day long. He may try to confuse Fitz with different D looks but for the first time in several years I have confidence that our QB and OC both wont be fazed by such apparent trickery.

 

When we are on D - Brady will do what he does best. Go pass heavy in the beginning while challenging McK and Wilson. Gron will be heavily involved as well.

 

Folks, if the Pats* are leading by more than 14 at the half, we are hosed. They are not the Raiders. We cannot let this game get out of hand. Keep up with them and pull it out in the 4Q.

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Lat year they ran the ball quite effectively against the Bills. They never really had to pass...

 

 

This is exactly what I came here to post.

 

You say that BB is the master game planner. Well, the Bills have shown they can put up points this year and haven't been turning the ball over.

 

Last year, in the 2nd game against the Patriots, they didn't have Aaron Hernandez, who was out with an injury. Brady had a very pedestrian game throwing for only 140 yards. However, the Patriots ran for more than 200 yards. They forced 7 Bills turnovers and won 34-3.

 

Everyone is expecting a high scoring shootout on Sunday. While it could end up that way, I think the Patriots rely on the run to keep the Bills offense off the field. The Bills still haven't shown they have the ability to stop the run effectively, and with the Patriots 2 TE based offense missing one of its key components, they are going to run the ball more to set up the PA, which Brady is so effective at.

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I like all that, but to be honest, I think we MUST pressure Brady early and often. It will force BB to run the ball a bit more as to take some of the pressure off Brady. Woodhouse is no slouch, but he's a 20/30 yard runner at best. I can live with giving up a few yards on the ground if we can take away the passing attack of the Patriots. When they run the ball, they're an average team, but when they're passing it, they are elite, perhaps the ebst in the NFL. Gailey surely knows this, and his goal should be to minimize their passing advantage, IMO.

 

 

Tim-

 

I take it you have been watching a little too much Archer as of late :P

 

http://www.babarshouse.com/@Archer/Images/charpics/woodhouse.jpg

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I think it's all about pressure. If they stop the run and get pressure on Fitzy, they should have it pretty easy. Fitzpatrick, unfortunately, doesn't follow through with throws when getting pressured, I've seen.

It's a matter of "can't," not "doesn't" -- no QB can step into throws with pressure in his face.

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This is exactly what I came here to post.

 

You say that BB is the master game planner. Well, the Bills have shown they can put up points this year and haven't been turning the ball over.

 

Last year, in the 2nd game against the Patriots, they didn't have Aaron Hernandez, who was out with an injury. Brady had a very pedestrian game throwing for only 140 yards. However, the Patriots ran for more than 200 yards. They forced 7 Bills turnovers and won 34-3.

 

Everyone is expecting a high scoring shootout on Sunday. While it could end up that way, I think the Patriots rely on the run to keep the Bills offense off the field. The Bills still haven't shown they have the ability to stop the run effectively, and with the Patriots 2 TE based offense missing one of its key components, they are going to run the ball more to set up the PA, which Brady is so effective at.

 

 

How do you define "effectively"? They won the games they have played. They played against 2 of last years the best rushing teams. They have been at least "pretty good" against the run so far.

 

I think it's the passing game they have struggled with, though the game plan obviously stressed containing the run. I don't see NE suddenly trying to become a rushing powerhouse. They know where their bread is buttered.

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I think there are three major factors that are going to be the biggest contributors of the outcome of the game. We have the best chance of winning if we can do these three things...

 

1: Control the clock- Get the running game going early and often and just tired out their fat D-lineman. This also keeps the ball out of the hands of Tom Brady. We cannot let them dictate the pace of the game, if we do its a done deal from the start.

 

2: Apply Pressure- Now of course I mean apply pressure to Tom Brady himself but even more than that, we HAVE to make sure the pressure is applied even more so to his receivers. Brady can't win by himself. I think teams take the wrong approach and focus all of their attention on trying to get to Brady. The main thing is to get physical within those first five yards on their receivers and especially their TE's. Timing is everything in their offense, take that away and force Brady to check down.

 

3: Take Chances- Let's face it, we are going to have to have luck on our side to beat this team. However we can persuade the luck to be in our favor is we take advantage of one on one matchups when we are on offense and delayed type blitzes on defense. When Tom Brady can look down over the line and see who's about to blitz its like shootin ducks in a barrel. But when they are delayed for 1/2-1 whole second he goes into panic primarily because he cannot predict whats going to happen.

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I like all that, but to be honest, I think we MUST pressure Brady early and often. It will force BB to run the ball a bit more as to take some of the pressure off Brady. Woodhouse is no slouch, but he's a 20/30 yard runner at best. I can live with giving up a few yards on the ground if we can take away the passing attack of the Patriots. When they run the ball, they're an average team, but when they're passing it, they are elite, perhaps the ebst in the NFL. Gailey surely knows this, and his goal should be to minimize their passing advantage, IMO.

 

 

Tim-

Honestly, I'm not trying to be argumentative but I think your a little off base. "The Firm" (Green Ellis) showed glimpses of what he could do last year with 1K on the ground, and that little sh*t Woodhead (not Woodhouse) is scrappy little guy. Simply, *NE is a pass first team, which they are very good at, so they've never needed to show a dependancy on the run...they just use it as a compliment and are pretty good at it popping off 4-8 yrds per attempt. I guess what i'm trying to say, is to not take their run game for granted, or we'll get burned. Just think of the opposite scenario from last week...we concentrated on McFadden, and an average, at best, Oakland pass attack smoked us a couple times.

 

My #1 goal would be to pressure Brady up the gut and flush him out of the pocket. Lets face it, he's not exactly mobile, not enough to be on the run all day anyway. I'd like to see them take a page out of a high school basketball D with a "box & 1," where we have someone with their eye on Brady all day long.

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Ok, so we know that Belichick's strength is game planning, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. He generally creates a game plan that attempts to take away what the other team does best, forcing them to adjust and do things they're less comfortable doing.

 

That said -- what do folks think his plan will be this week? What is the Bills' strength? Do they have anything particularly identifiable that another team can focus on?

 

If I had to guess, Belichick will focus his efforts on shutting down a running game that leads the league through two weeks, which may even further expose a secondary that has been shredded by Miami and San Diego. Is this Donald Jones' breakout game?

 

Looking forward to reading some of your thoughts.

 

For all his game planning his defense hasn't been that effective. His game planning and personnel sets on offense are what are winning games for them. They can run so many plays out of that 2 TE set that it gives opposing defenses fits especially when they go no huddle.

 

Nick Barnett, our safeties and perhaps another LB who is good at coverage will be challenged. If we can cover their TE's and be as effective against the run game as we were against KC we have a shot. We can't take our offense for granted but I think it will come down to how well the defense plays that will determine the outcome on Sunday.

Edited by PDaDdy
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