Beating the Patriots (notes and observations)

[hoops]

i agree with the focus should be shane vereen...they are going to try and offset the loss of gronk by getting vereen in mismatch situations and the ball in his hands at or near the los and on wheel routes out of the backfield etc...

stop shane vereen...

 

[Roman529]

The Pats have forced turnovers and then scored quickly in each of their comeback wins the past three weeks. That is what they always do. We have to do this to them and get all over Brady. Play 60 Minutes of football. Not have one good half and then relax.

 

[TheWalrus]

I give up on handicapping the Patriots based on Xs and Os. I've tried it countless times and it seldom pans out.

I'd also be very careful bucking New England in this game, when favored by only 2.5. Brady has a phenomenal record against the number when the spread is low. They often sleepwalk or are somewhat overrated in games like last week, as considerable favorite, but once the number basically asks them to win the game they prosper because they are very skilled in doing just that, winning the game, especially late in the season.

I agree. I'm not saying we will win -- in fact I don't think we will -- just that these are the kinds of things we're going to have to do if we are going to win. Part of the advantage of having a franchise QB is that they make so many other factors irrelevant. I wonder whether Shula would have gotten fired in the late 80s -- like Chuck Noll and Tom Landry were -- if he hadn't had Marino around to keep the team a "contender."

 

[hoops]

work more pa on first down to try and get vertical...but you better watch out for and focus on chandler jones cause he can beat you by himself...attack the lbs in coverage the base guys that's a no brainer...no one can cover worth a hoot but we always seem to have a hard time getting after them...

cam wake needs to dominate the right tackle cannon too...i suspect vernon or jordan is gonna struggle with solder

 

[olivadotti]

If there was ever a game we need Wallace to get involved...this is it...I know he sucks a lot of coverage away from our other receivers but if we could just get 3-4 deep passing plays out of him it would really open other doors on our offense...hope he has a HOF game...

The perfect game would be for us to be losing 24-3 at half time then run off about 40 unanswered points.....

 

[Shula01]

kill the power during halftime, that would be our best bet.

 

[TheWalrus]

If there was ever a game we need Wallace to get involved...this is it...I know he sucks a lot of coverage away from our other receivers but if we could just get 3-4 deep passing plays out of him it would really open other doors on our offense...hope he has a HOF game...

The perfect game would be for us to be losing 24-3 at half time then run off about 40 unanswered points.....

I agree with this, but for a slightly different reason.

Belichick's MO as a defensive mind has always been to do anything he has to do to take away what you do best. And by anything I mean... almost literally anything. At points against the Falcons he had two guys up on the line of scrimmage against Tony Gonzalez, playing more like offensive linemen than defenders. That left the defense with, essentially, 10 men. But Belichick didn't care. He wanted to stop Gonzalez.

The worst kept secret in Dolphinland is that our offense runs through Hartline and Clay. Not the $60 million receiver. And I think that's where Belichick's focus will be. He'll be trying to take away those two guys, even if it means leaving Wallace out there in one on one coverage at times.

Dangerous strategy? Sure. There's nothing worse than a 75 yard touchdown play, and Aqib Talib's weakness has always been long speed. But look at our play designs. Look at Wallace's route running and his effort on 50/50 balls. Would you be scared if you were a defensive coordinator? Honestly, I wouldn't be. Where's the evidence that Tannehill and Wallace can hook up for these plays with any consistency, even if you give them the coverage? If Wallace shakes loose, say, twice, then maybe you change your plan. But the short passing game has become our bread and butter, and for two reasons. First of all, our offensive line is a sieve, as has been well publicized. But Wallace has forced coverages to stay back despite our OL woes, which has helped us move the ball with controlled passing.

If I'm Bill Belichick, I'm coming out with a plan to make us be the first team to beat him with long balls from Tannehill to Wallace. Make us prove it.

As a result, I honestly do think this could be the game where Wallace really breaks out. Or perhaps the game where he's finally the indisputable goat.

 

[Drfletcherdc]

Official Patriot Strategy for beating the Dolphins

1. Run the ball
2. Pass the ball
3. Hope the NFL has given the officiating crew comprehensive instructions to call at least 4 totally bogus penalties to include at least 2 pass interference calls.

 

[maralieus]

I hope Tanny doesn't throw anymore pick 6's........ those really hurt us.

Why would this get a downvote? Come on people! Dont abuse it. This is just a valid thought, he's not bashing anyone, just saying that yes indeed, the pick 6's hurt us.

 

[maralieus]

If there was ever a game we need Wallace to get involved...this is it...I know he sucks a lot of coverage away from our other receivers but if we could just get 3-4 deep passing plays out of him it would really open other doors on our offense...hope he has a HOF game...

The perfect game would be for us to be losing 24-3 at half time then run off about 40 unanswered points.....

Just imagine if we had a seam threat TE like Graham (or maybe a little lesser version of Graham) streaking down the middle
, what does a safety do then?

 

[hoops]

our offense runs thru hartline??? i'd like an explanation into that one...wallace is the focal point and clay the biggest benefactor no doubt but runs thru hartline...struggling with that

 

[TheWalrus]

our offense runs thru hartline??? i'd like an explanation into that one...wallace is the focal point and clay the biggest benefactor no doubt but runs thru hartline...struggling with that

Well, surely you don't think it runs through the running game. This is a passing team. And surely you don't think it runs through Wallace, who is functionally a decoy based not only on his lack of chemistry with Tannehill but on our offensive line's inability to protect long enough to throw the ball deep regularly.

Hartline is who Tannehill looks to when he's in trouble. He's who he looks to on third down. He's the focus of the passing game. And, as I said, the passing game is the focus of the offense.

Now, what perhaps you thought I meant was that Tannehill himself wasn't the focus of the offense. That's not what I meant. What I meant was that that Hartline is the focus of the offense the same way that prior to this year, Wes Welker was the focus of the Patriots' offense. That wouldn't have taken anything away from Brady. He goes without saying.

 

[hoops]

Well, surely you don't think it runs through the running game. This is a passing team. And surely you don't think it runs through Wallace, who is functionally a decoy based not only on his lack of chemistry with Tannehill but on our offensive line's inability to protect long enough to throw the ball deep regularly.

Hartline is who Tannehill looks to when he's in trouble. He's who he looks to on third down. He's the focus of the passing game. And, as I said, the passing game is the focus of the offense.

Now, what perhaps you thought I meant was that Tannehill himself wasn't the focus of the offense. That's not what I meant. What I meant was that that Hartline is the focus of the offense the same way that prior to this year, Wes Welker was the focus of the Patriots' offense. That wouldn't have taken anything away from Brady. He was a given.

i see it more as hartline being tannehills security blanket...he's the to the sticks wr who runs solid routes but also the primary bait one cause there is a heavy tendency for his routes to be run to the sticks...allowing for bait plays when the down and distance dictates it...and he's not a wr that you have to worry about creating much rac or blow by you in space if you do guess wrong...he's the bait guy all the way

and in years past with the pats as in a few years ago i would go along with welker was the focus but gronk took that from him a couple years ago when they decided that the 2 tight end sets with gronk and hernandez were what they were gonna make as their bread and butter and best mismatch options...gronk especially being the focal point...

 

[TheWalrus]

i see it more as hartline being tannehills security blanket...he's the to the sticks wr who runs solid routes but also the primary bait one cause there is a heavy tendency for his routes to be run to the sticks...allowing for bait plays when the down and distance dictates it...and he's not a wr that you have to worry about creating much rac or blow by you in space if you do guess wrong...he's the bait guy all the way

I don't disagree on what Hartline is or what his limitations are. Nevertheless he's the focal point of our passing game and therefore our offense. In fact, I would argue it's why our offense is not very good.

and in years past with the pats as in a few years ago i would go along with welker was the focus but gronk took that from him a couple years ago when they decided that the 2 tight end sets with gronk and hernandez were what they were gonna make as their bread and butter and best mismatch options...gronk especially being the focal point...

I suppose this is true. Before Gronkowski came along you would agree that the offense went through Welker and not through Moss, yes? Or perhaps you wouldn't. In any case the example is only meant to illustrate a point.

 

[hoops]

I don't disagree on what Hartline is or what his limitations are. Nevertheless he's the focal point of our passing game and therefore our offense. In fact, I would argue it's why our offense is not very good.



I suppose this is true. Before Gronkowski came along you would agree that the offense went through Welker and not through Moss, yes? Or perhaps you wouldn't. In any case the example is only meant to illustrate a point.

our offense is doing more than it probably should be because the qb is carrying it...we have limitations that a lot of qbs would fail miserably with...in that regard tannehills saving some of these guys skins...

i think when moss was getting up there in years as in he couldn't separate anymore from single coverage vertical which was a major red flag i saw before the pats traded him they did the right thing and went with welker as the focal point...that's one thing about beli and the pats they id their future returns studs and guys who are about to or are falling off with almost perfect timing and adjust their scheme and who they should hitch their wagon to damn well...and usually can find some sucker still living off what a players past reputation is instead of future return...

imo off what i saw it went moss, welker, gronk and 2 tight end...it was gronk still this year and they were starting to kill people with it before he went out sunday although the 2 tight end mismatch thing was out the window cause they didn't have it...thus more slot emphasis with amendola and edelman...nothing was gonna change any time soon there barring yet another major injury

now it looks to me like shane vereen is gonna be driving the train for the short term...although i don't think he's the level of any of those guys who carried em in the past and easier to limit