Week 2: Patriots' Game Preparation - Inactives Announced

[Deranged Rhino]

 

Haha that dude in the back peering over the wall - is that McNally or Jastremski?

 

That's the emperor himself. The Sith Lord of New England.

[DC Tom]

 

That's the emperor himself. The Sith Lord of New England.

 

No way. That's Walt Anderson?

[Deranged Rhino]

[26CornerBlitz]

Ruben Brown: "Good teams win at home" (25:11)

Former Bills Pro Bowl Guard Ruben Brown joined The John Murphy Show to share his thoughts on this weekend's game against the Patriots, how to disrupt Tom Brady, and the Bills run game.

 

[eball]

@billsequipment

White on white to #BeatThePats. #RockTheRalph Go #Bills

 

 

I was wrong about blue-on-blue, but this is always a classic look. Old school.

[GG]

Didn't see this linked. Bucky Brooks with a detailed analysis of Ryan's pressure psycho D.

[26CornerBlitz]

‏@mikerodak

The Bills are looking to end 15 years of futility against the Patriots. @MikeReiss and I break down Sunday's game: http://es.pn/1imvs8U

[26CornerBlitz]

@MatthewFairburn

Can Bills fans at The Ralph get to Tom Brady? (5 things to watch for Bills vs. Patriots) http://www.syracuse.com/buffalo-bills/index.ssf/2015/09/can_rowdy_fans_get_to_tom_brady_5_things_to_watch_for_bills_vs_patriots.html

Didn't see this linked. Bucky Brooks with a detailed analysis of Ryan's pressure psycho D.

 

Nice breakdown by Brooks!

[YattaOkasan]

remember a couple years back? was it the jets? Maybe it was the rookie/late draft?? RT who had graded poorly. Playing against Mario ?

I'm a bit senile with details.

But Mario did not dominate as expected. Bill makes the low level players look good enough. As a whole group. If we focus on the center now, he will counter.

These are two major coaching minds about to tee off.

 

I told a fellow today. We are going against the SB champs. repeat SB champs. these guys have owned us for over a decade.

 

This is the biggest game in Bills History about to be played. it is well beyond the superbowl.

I was there for the run years ago. and the losses when the Big Game was played. so i have perspective .

This is IT. do not under estimate the effort that both teams are going to put forth.

i have no idea why anyone even knows we are playing Miami the following week. I dont.

But geebus. This is the game of the decade for the Bills and Bills fans.

i could write a chapter as to why.

 

Lets all expect the win and cheer as loud as we can. whether at home , like me, or the stadium and make enough noise to do what you guys did to A. Luck.

But never discount whatever Bill fields. he has that deal signed in blood dont forget

Black and Blue.

oh wait that will be the patriots colors after the game

Agree this is a huge game. I can't wait.

 

As for the middle I am not sure what they will do to help besides keep the running back in. I expect heavy pressure up the middle similar to what Luck saw (I think Bradham blitzed like 15 times). If Bradham is blitzing I am not really sure if you can double team Dareus or Williams. That would leave Bradham 1 on 1 against Blount or Lewis. I'll take either of those matchups over the course of a game.

[26CornerBlitz]

@TyDunne

Karlos Williams' role could grow even more on Sunday. #Bills RB is driven by the memory of his friend, "Kase" ... http://bills.buffalonews.com/2015/09/17/memory-of-young-friend-motivates-bills-williams/

[thebandit27]

Agree this is a huge game. I can't wait.

 

As for the middle I am not sure what they will do to help besides keep the running back in. I expect heavy pressure up the middle similar to what Luck saw (I think Bradham blitzed like 15 times). If Bradham is blitzing I am not really sure if you can double team Dareus or Williams. That would leave Bradham 1 on 1 against Blount or Lewis. I'll take either of those matchups over the course of a game.

 

The way I've seen other teams handle the interior problem is to keep an extra TE in to block on the edge, and having the OT on the strong side squeeze down immediately on the snap to try to chuck the interior rusher closest to him. The TE, in turn, will take an initial pass set a bit wider than would be typical in an attempt to force the edge rusher inside, where the OT can re-direct outward to catch him. This effectively double-teams 3 pass rushers using 5 blockers (G-C combo on one interior rusher, G-T combo on the other, and TE-T [same T as second combo] on the edge rusher), while leaving the other edge rusher 1-on-1; 6 to block 4. You're right that the blitz can totally hose this up, requiring an extra back to stay in and block, so now you've got 7 to block 5, which leaves Brady**** with 3 targets running pass patterns and 6 in coverage.

 

I think they're better off trying to get more players in pass routes and into space than trying to win with numbers at the LOS.

[26CornerBlitz]

@TBNSports

.@viccarucci's 3 thoughts 3 days before #Bills-#Patriots: This RB, a WR & the Gronk: http://bills.buffalonews.com/2015/09/18/vic-caruccis-3-thoughts-3-days-before-bills-patriots/

[YattaOkasan]

 

The way I've seen other teams handle the interior problem is to keep an extra TE in to block on the edge, and having the OT on the strong side squeeze down immediately on the snap to try to chuck the interior rusher closest to him. The TE, in turn, will take an initial pass set a bit wider than would be typical in an attempt to force the edge rusher inside, where the OT can re-direct outward to catch him. This effectively double-teams 3 pass rushers using 5 blockers (G-C combo on one interior rusher, G-T combo on the other, and TE-T [same T as second combo] on the edge rusher), while leaving the other edge rusher 1-on-1; 6 to block 4. You're right that the blitz can totally hose this up, requiring an extra back to stay in and block, so now you've got 7 to block 5, which leaves Brady**** with 3 targets running pass patterns and 6 in coverage.

 

I think they're better off trying to get more players in pass routes and into space than trying to win with numbers at the LOS.

Thanks. This could work (I was trying to think of ways to free up the Tackle) but I would be happy if a TE is staying to block (or even to chip), and I really like the idea of Mario or Hughes rushing against a TE.

[thebandit27]

Thanks. This could work (I was trying to think of ways to free up the Tackle) but I would be happy if a TE is staying to block (or even to chip), and I really like the idea of Mario or Hughes rushing against a TE.

 

It's actually not a whole lot different from how NE**** adjusted in the week 6 game last year. Kyle and Dareus were caving in the interior, and Mario and Hughes were having their way with the OTs in the 1st half (in fact, each of Solder and Vollmer got benched at different points in the half).

 

In the 2nd half, NE**** went to 7 and 8-man protection schemes, keeping a TE and a back in to block on nearly every play. Schwartz never rushed more than 4, and dropped 7 into zone coverage most plays. The problem was that Duke Williams was the guy that drew coverage on Gronk most plays, and Brady/Edelman eat up that zone stuff when they have all day to sit in the pocket, so we got picked apart.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

Agree this is a huge game. I can't wait.

 

As for the middle I am not sure what they will do to help besides keep the running back in. I expect heavy pressure up the middle similar to what Luck saw (I think Bradham blitzed like 15 times). If Bradham is blitzing I am not really sure if you can double team Dareus or Williams. That would leave Bradham 1 on 1 against Blount or Lewis. I'll take either of those matchups over the course of a game.

 

Not quite so simple in this game of football chess. Belichek has run 4 TE or 3 TE/1 FB sets before.

 

I don't know anything much on the blocking caliber of NE other 2 TE and their FB.

[thebandit27]

 

Not quite so simple in this game of football chess. Belichek has run 4 TE or 3 TE/1 FB sets before.

 

I don't know anything much on the blocking caliber of NE other 2 TE and their FB.

 

Chandler is the weak blocking link in their TE group. Hoomanawanui is a good blocker, and Michael Williams is a former OT, so he's pretty much strictly a blocker.

[eball]

 

It's actually not a whole lot different from how NE**** adjusted in the week 6 game last year. Kyle and Dareus were caving in the interior, and Mario and Hughes were having their way with the OTs in the 1st half (in fact, each of Solder and Vollmer got benched at different points in the half).

 

In the 2nd half, NE**** went to 7 and 8-man protection schemes, keeping a TE and a back in to block on nearly every play. Schwartz never rushed more than 4, and dropped 7 into zone coverage most plays. The problem was that Duke Williams was the guy that drew coverage on Gronk most plays, and Brady/Edelman eat up that zone stuff when they have all day to sit in the pocket, so we got picked apart.

 

For all of those who a couple of weeks ago bemoaned the fact that the defense might be worse because the players "fit Schwartz's scheme better" this is the wake-up call. Rex won't sit back and fail to make adjustments.

[thebandit27]

 

For all of those who a couple of weeks ago bemoaned the fact that the defense might be worse because the players "fit Schwartz's scheme better" this is the wake-up call. Rex won't sit back and fail to make adjustments.

 

That's the thing, eball: players don't fit schemes; good coaches shape the scheme around the players. Rex does that very, very well on the defensive side of the ball.

 

And you're absolutely right that Rex won't sit back and take it without adjusting.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

 

The way I've seen other teams handle the interior problem is to keep an extra TE in to block on the edge, and having the OT on the strong side squeeze down immediately on the snap to try to chuck the interior rusher closest to him. The TE, in turn, will take an initial pass set a bit wider than would be typical in an attempt to force the edge rusher inside, where the OT can re-direct outward to catch him. This effectively double-teams 3 pass rushers using 5 blockers (G-C combo on one interior rusher, G-T combo on the other, and TE-T [same T as second combo] on the edge rusher), while leaving the other edge rusher 1-on-1; 6 to block 4. You're right that the blitz can totally hose this up, requiring an extra back to stay in and block, so now you've got 7 to block 5, which leaves Brady**** with 3 targets running pass patterns and 6 in coverage.

 

I think they're better off trying to get more players in pass routes and into space than trying to win with numbers at the LOS.

 

Well, I don't know, Bandit. Just like our rushing schemes rely on having a top-notch 2ndary which can handle an "island paradise", the Pats offense really relies on having 2-3 "go to" guys who they rely on to beat any coverage. Gronk, Edelman, and the RB or possibly Amendola or Chandler. I don't know what they'll use, but I'm sure they showed that 4 TE and 3 TE/1 FB formation last game for a reason.

 

Chandler is the weak blocking link in their TE group. Hoomanawanui is a good blocker, and Michael Williams is a former OT, so he's pretty much strictly a blocker.

 

Thanks, Bandit, I was unclear when I said "other two TE", I essentially meant "other TE besides Gronk and Chandler". We know Chandler is strictly "meh" on the blocking unless something big has changed.

[26CornerBlitz]

Buffalo springboard? Bills, fans hyped to host Pats

After stomping Indy in Week 1, Percy Harvin and the Bills welcome mighty New England into town. Judy Battista chronicles growing excitement in Orchard Park. Plus, three more Week 2 subplots.