Watch (sound on) here as Gesicki has his man ROASTED on a corner route but our 5 OL can't slow down 4 DL.

[Digital]

If we don't shore up this OL next year, it may not matter who our QB or skill position guys are.

Always love your stuff @AnthonySabaNFL , thanks for this.

Couple of things to add since you've already shown and analyzed the key parts of the film.

1. Our OL is very bad, but the only block that is executed well is Deiter 1v1 winning against his guy. The fact we're asking him to do 1v1 is good, the fact that he can do it is encouraging. If there is anything to be happy about on this play, it would be Michael Deiter's execution.

2. Ballage is played like a fiddle here. The concert of movement the DL orchestrated begins slowly and deliberately, which fools Ballage into thinking he doesn't have to block--which is obviously very wrong--but the defense knows he _really wants_ to go out for a pass and is looking for any plausable excuse not to block, and when he makes his decision, the pass rush move is simmering rather than a raging fire. As soon as Ballage sticks his foot in the ground to go out for a pass rush, the pass rush amps up and things happen. Thes things include Deiter's man dropping off the bull rush a bit to rub Kilgore and prevent him from sticking to the NT who loops behind Deiter. While Deiter sticks with his man and runs him out of the play, that block also opens up a hole where Deiter used to be, and where Ballage vacated, providing pressure in the exact spot we had the most protection. Deiter did the right thing following his man and finishing the block, but the scheme opened us up like a can-opener, and Kilgore never saw it coming. Our RG (Isadora?) is completely clueless, lets his double team shed the block without any difficulty, and just stands around blocking air looking to protect space. Not sure whether that was his assignment or not … but he is effectively cut out of the protection. Leaving Jesse Davis on an island at LT is usually not a good idea, and he gets beat … predictably by a speed move around the edge. If Ballage is there to pick up the rush, he should be on the lookout for Davis losing to a speed rush outside, but for whatever reason, he isn't. Not sure whether that is by play design as Ballage is positioned more to pick up a blitzing LB than an edge rusher, but still, that's always a threat. If so, Ballage should take out anyone in that gap and it should prepare a spot for Fitzpatrick to step up into … but it doesn't because the DT rubs Kilgore out of the double team and drags Deiter out of the hole, while the NT twists around him into the spot vacated by Ballage. Well executed slow twist. Had we thrown a bubble screen, Fitzpatrick had time. But as the OP points out, he did not have enough time to throw the medium range pass to a wide open Mike Gesicki … who made it downfield faster than DeVante Parker.

3. Gesicki (for those of you still unsure how to pronounce his name, its easy, it is pronounced like these three words we all know: Guess-Sick-Key) ran a great route, created massive separation, broke strong and flattened out immediately, and once we get our protection issues worked out, will be open medium and deep very often. This bodes well for the kid.

4. The Patriots defensive line executed this play very well, and that's the type of thing our defense will learn to do. But, as detailed in point 2, it is an orchestrated symphony that requires perfect timing, and that takes time. Our young DL is just learning the words of the song, and trying to feel the music … they're not executing together anything like a symphony yet … but give it time, eventually they'll get the feel for it. This shows how the subtle timing and rub make this entire play from the DL work. We got outsmarted as much as we got out-executed. Deiter is unable to prevent the rub, but Kilgore should have seen it coming and positioned himself out of harms way, leaning on the RG (Isadora?) to handle the NT if Kilgore got rubbed.

 

[ANUFan]

Always love your stuff @AnthonySabaNFL , thanks for this.

Couple of things to add since you've already shown and analyzed the key parts of the film the film.

1. Our OL is very bad, but the only block that is executed well is Deiter 1v1 winning against his guy. The fact we're asking him to do 1v1 is good, the fact that he can do it is encouraging. If there is anything to be happy about on this play, it would be Michael Deiter's execution.

2. Ballage is played like a fiddle here. The concert of movement the DL orchestrated begins slowly and deliberately, which fools Ballage into thinking he doesn't have to block--which is obviously very wrong--but the defense knows he _really wants_ to go out for a pass and is looking for any plausable excuse not to block, and when he makes his decision, the pass rush move is simmering rather than a raging fire. As soon as Ballage sticks his foot in the ground to go out for a pass rush, the pass rush amps up and things happen. Thes things include Deiter's man dropping off the bull rush a bit to rub Kilgore and prevent him from sticking to the NT who loops behind Deiter. While Deiter sticks with his man and runs him out of the play, that block also opens up a hole where Deiter used to be, and where Ballage vacated, providing pressure in the exact spot we had the most protection. Deiter did the right thing following his man and finishing the block, but the scheme opened us up like a can-opener, and Kilgore never saw it coming. Our RG (Isadora?) is completely clueless, lets his double team shed the block without any difficulty, and just stands around blocking air looking to protect space. Not sure whether that was his assignment or not … but he is effectively cut out of the protection. Leaving Jesse Davis on an island at LT is usually not a good idea, and he gets beat … predictably by a speed move around the edge. If Ballage is there to pick up the rush, he should be on the lookout for Davis losing to a speed rush outside, but for whatever reason, he isn't. Not sure whether that is by play design as Ballage is positioned more to pick up a blitzing LB than an edge rusher, but still, that's always a threat. If so, Ballage should take out anyone in that gap and it should prepare a spot for Fitzpatrick to step up into … but it doesn't because the DT rubs Kilgore out of the double team and drags Deiter out of the hole, while the NT twists around him into the spot vacated by Ballage. Well executed slow twist. Had we thrown a bubble screen, Fitzpatrick had time. But as the OP points out, he did not have enough time to throw the medium range pass to a wide open Mike Gesicki … who made it downfield faster than DeVante Parker.

3. Gesicki (for those of you still unsure how to pronounce his name, its easy, it is pronounced like these three words we all know: Guess-Sick-Key) ran a great route, created massive separation, broke strong and flattened out immediately, and once we get our protection issues worked out, will be open medium and deep very often. This bodes well for the kid.

4. The Patriots defensive line executed this play very well, and that's the type of thing our defense will learn to do. But, as detailed in point 2, it is an orchestrated symphony that requires perfect timing, and that takes time. Our young DL is just learning the words of the song, and trying to feel the music … they're not executing together anything like a symphony yet … but give it time, eventually they'll get the feel for it. This shows how the subtle timing and rub make this entire play from the DL work. We got outsmarted as much as we got out-executed. Deiter is unable to prevent the rub, but Kilgore should have seen it coming and positioned himself out of harms way, leaning on the RG (Isadora?) to handle the NT if Kilgore got rubbed.

Great observation on the DL stunt. They ran that stunt a few times in the game and it seemed like the OL never really adjusted to it. Poor awareness and Poor game prep! For crying out loud we're emulating a lot of what NE does and if there's one DL they should be ready for(scheme wise) it's NE.