It's the middle of the field.. The middle I tell ya

[D521646]

So, not that anyone is listening that can actually make the game plan work, but we ALL know that the Pat's live and will die by their success in the middle of the field, with wheel routes to their backs and seam routes to their TE's.. Yes, they throw deep when that is taken away but only to try to shift the defense and force teams to use two deep safeties, thus opening up the middle again.  McD, and this defense needs to stay disciplined with this.  They need to leave Gains (My God I hope he plays) and Tre on an island but playing off, allowing short outs to the sidelines all day long.  Percentages favor this approach.  Brady only throws deep to move the safeties, period!  He doesn't like to do it.  He makes his living in the middle and to the backs, we have to take that away by keeping at least one safety, maybe even two, all day concentrated into the middle and up the seams.  One S over the top on whatever side Gronk is at, and the other in the box cutting off the in-crossing route.

 

The push up front needs to be up in his face, do NOT allow Brady to move up into the pocket to throw, force him to move laterally. 

 

Ironically, the Pat's strength is also our strength on offense.  We have no competent Wide Outs, although a few deep shots need to happen Sunday.  Our strength is wheel routes to RB's and running in general.  TE's up the seams and crossing route to our Slot receivers, Brandon Reilly, are you there?

 

If we can stay disciplined with this, Brady will get frustrated, and we have a chance, if we allow the deep shot, it al goes to hell because McD, and Frazier will panic.  tre, and Gains are more than capable of one on one on the outside, as long as Cooks isn't allowed to run by them, this is the game plan to use.

 

Go Bills!  I know you can do it!  Do it for Johnny, stay Gold Ponyboy!!

 

 

Tim-

[Mike in Horseheads]

Tim... don't you think you should have sent this via PM to Coach McD? The Patriots are known for looking for game plans here so you pry just gave it away.

[D521646]

The problem is that most D-Coordinators MUST know this already, but teams can't execute, they panic.  Sure Xavian Howard was able to do this against the Pats a few weeks ago and the Dolphins won, was it luck?  Maybe, or maybe the Dolphins balled out..  Zero deep passes connected on that game, and the Miami defense was able to play the middle and move Brady laterally.  I mean, I saw what everyone else saw, right?  This is exactly what they did, and what Pitt tried to do last week with some success, but ultimately in a loss.

 

And for the love of God, McD, please send a LB up the middle in a delayed blitz from time to time would ya? 

 

Tim-

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

5 minutes ago, D521646 said:

The problem is that most D-Coordinators MUST know this already, but teams can't execute, they panic.  Sure Xavian Howard was able to do this against the Pats a few weeks ago and the Dolphins won, was it luck?  Maybe, or maybe the Dolphins balled out..  Zero deep passes connected on that game, and the Miami defense was able to play the middle and move Brady laterally.  I mean, I saw what everyone else saw, right?  This is exactly what they did, and what Pitt tried to do last week with some success, but ultimately in a loss.

 

And for the love of God, McD, please send a LB up the middle in a delayed blitz from time to time would ya? 

 

Tim-

 

 if Shazier is there on Gronk it’s a different game.  He’s the engine of the offense this season with Edelman out. 

 

Amendola nor any any of the backs are as big of a match up problem. 

[LABILLBACKER]

2 hours ago, D521646 said:

The problem is that most D-Coordinators MUST know this already, but teams can't execute, they panic.  Sure Xavian Howard was able to do this against the Pats a few weeks ago and the Dolphins won, was it luck?  Maybe, or maybe the Dolphins balled out..  Zero deep passes connected on that game, and the Miami defense was able to play the middle and move Brady laterally.  I mean, I saw what everyone else saw, right?  This is exactly what they did, and what Pitt tried to do last week with some success, but ultimately in a loss.

 

And for the love of God, McD, please send a LB up the middle in a delayed blitz from time to time would ya? 

 

Tim-

Agree, 1 safety back on Gronk's side. Other safety short, clogging the cross routes. Play Cooks man. And yes,yes,yes call the delayed blitz occasionally up the middle.

[K-9]

I'm more worried about their running game as I've been for years now when it comes to playing the Patriots. We need Milano to come up big because Brown is just too damn slow and gets his butt whipped every time we play them it seems. Stop Lewis and make Brady beat you. That may sound counter-intuitive, but Brady is that much better when he isn't forced to be one-dimensional. 

[mjt328]

Been saying this for 15+ years. 

I've long since given up.  Teams always let Brady pick them apart with short crap.

 

Defensive coordinators in this league are ridiculously scared of giving up the big play, and would rather let up a 12 play drive than a deep pass.  This philosophy may work against most teams, but it never works against New England.   

 

You would think coaches would have caught on, but against the Patriots it seems like teams are even MORE scared of letting up the big play.  They are intimidated.  And when facing intimidating opponents, their strategy is to play conservative and not make mistakes. 

 

If I was facing the Patriots, I would double Gronkowski on virtually every play, go single/man on the outside and focus my coverage assignments on the slot receivers and backs.  If I was an AFC East team, I would probably have my defenders hit Brady late on every play (especially in the first matchup), but I'm a jerk like that.

 

 

 

 

[Michael1962]

40 minutes ago, mjt328 said:

Been saying this for 15+ years. 

I've long since given up.  Teams always let Brady pick them apart with short crap.

 

Defensive coordinators in this league are ridiculously scared of giving up the big play, and would rather let up a 12 play drive than a deep pass.  This philosophy may work against most teams, but it never works against New England.   

 

You would think coaches would have caught on, but against the Patriots it seems like teams are even MORE scared of letting up the big play.  They are intimidated.  And when facing intimidating opponents, their strategy is to play conservative and not make mistakes. 

 

If I was facing the Patriots, I would double Gronkowski on virtually every play, go single/man on the outside and focus my coverage assignments on the slot receivers and backs.  If I was an AFC East team, I would probably have my defenders hit Brady late on every play (especially in the first matchup), but I'm a jerk like that.

 

 

 

 

That is too bad that they have not listened to you for 15+ years.  Makes sense to me but I don't think anyone will listen to me either.  One can always hope.

[CircleTheWagons99]

46 all day