New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills week, day 5: Weapons to stop the Pats?
by MaPatsFan on Sep 11, 2009 11:51 AM EDT
in New England Patriots News
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PrintAdmittedly, I gave Brian Galliford a VERY generic question to answer, something difficult to grab onto. He essentially game planned out what the Buffalo Bills need to do in order to go home with a W. Also admittedly, this is getting exhausting. I haven't come up with, no answered, so many questions with an opponent in a long time. I have a feeling Brian feels the same way, too. ;-)
Q: The Patriots will, undoubtedly, be looking to herald the second coming of Tom Brady with an aerial assault. I also think they'll be looking to test out their running game, to make sure there's balance between the two. What weapons can Buffalo bring to bear to halt these offensive strategies? What strengths and weaknesses do you think will help and hurt Buffalo respectively?
If I'm understanding correctly, you're asking me how to stop Tom Brady and the Patriots' passing attack, and how to stop the Patriots' severely underrated rushing attack. I feel quite certain that if I had a straight answer to give you, I'd be employed by a professional football franchise in either Buffalo, Miami or New Jersey.
The Pats are going to put up points on every team they face this season. I'll tell you this much: the only chance the Bills have of forcing the Patriots into anything is if they score points themselves. This Bills team is built to play with leads; their defense is light, fast, and built to make things happen as opposed to grind down opponents over the course of a game. Teams can wear this defense down. In that vein, the only way Buffalo can possibly fathom slowing down the Pats' offense - with obvious factors such as pressuring Brady clearly not forgotten - is if they grab an early lead and use their speed across the board to force Brady into a mistake or two. That scenario is precisely what Bill Belichick and his staff should try to avoid.
That's a fairly accurate and fair representation of the Bills' defensive capabilities. A long, grind out session would probably drive them nuts, but if Trent Edwards can connect with the likes of Terrell Owens, early and often, we could be in for a long day.
Many thanks to Brian Galliford for providing his insight to our current matchup. You can find my answers to his question about our defense by heading over to Buffalo Rumblings.
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Haha – I didn’t find the question generic at all. It’s just that 31 NFL teams have been asking themselves that same question for the past few seasons, and very few of them have come up with satisfactory answers. :)
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"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Sep 11, 2009 12:24 PM EDT reply actions
Haha
Well, Galliford, overall, I think you posted a fine analysis. The Patriots are a great team offensively, and barring you know what (hint: again?), they will be scoring like they did in their 16-0 regular season year. Well, close to it anyways.
I’m sure Belichick has something up his sleeve to make TO’s night very long on national TV. Whether that translates for TO going for his OC’s throat I have no idea, but he will need to play well if the Bills want this game.
Also, go Pats! : D
no doubt about it
That is and always has been the classic BB approach to defense: take away whatever it is the other team does best, and make them beat you with their #2 option(s). For the Bills—especially in a game without their top RB—there is absolutely no doubt T.O. is by far their best weapon.
Look for the Pats D to do everything possible to take T.O. completely out of the game and dare the Bills to beat them some other way.
Bad analysis. The threat isn’t TO; it’s Edwards. You can double TO and watch Evans blow past single coverage for TD after TD. On the other hand, you can flatten Edwards and not have to worry about TO or Evans. Look for the Pats to send the house at Edwards early and often. Oh, and if Wilfork “breaks his fall” with his elbow again I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see Bills linemen and linebackers looking to break their falls with their elbows as well—even if they have to do it while Brady is a spectator on the sidelines.
Of course we could make things more challenging, Lisa, but then the stupider students would be in here complaining, furrowing their brows in a vain attempt to understand the situation--Seymour Skinner
So their #2 threat is Evans
And both of the Bills’ top two threats can be negated with going after Edwards. Got ya.
I feel like I’ve stated the obvious, but I trust that Edwards is no Big Ben; he won’t weed himself out of constant pressure if he faces it. : )
yeah he isn't
he’s slightly above average at moving in the pocket, but he won’t keep plays alive the same way Roethlisberger will.
Edwards is fascinating to me. It wasn’t like he played well the first part of last year and badly the last part. It was like two completely different quarterbacks. His strength when he’s good is that he’s smart, decisive, and gets the ball out of his hands and into the hands of people who are more talented than he is. But when he stunk, like at the end of last year, he holds onto the ball for unfathomable lengths of time.
A large part of that is probably that the last 10 weeks or so of last season he rarely saw more than a three man rush, and it’s tough to throw into 8 man secondaries, but the difference was unbelievable.
Stupar 2012!
Do you think it had anything to do with his concussion?
Maybe I’m not remembering correctly, but it seemed like he was playing well up until the injury.
He played very well until the injury but his stats were never that great. After the concussion he had his best game of the season following the bye week against the Chargers. He carved them up. The next week we met the Browns on MNF and they started dropping 8 guys into coverage. That rattled Edwards. He was never the same because teams were dropping more guys into coverage instead of blitzing. He had one very good game after that against the Broncos but that was it.
Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Ignoring the grumblings on Rumblings.
by MattRichWarren on Sep 13, 2009 11:12 AM EDT up reply actions
Edwards is also brittle whereas Big Ben thinks nothing of slamming headfirst into moving automobiles.
Of course we could make things more challenging, Lisa, but then the stupider students would be in here complaining, furrowing their brows in a vain attempt to understand the situation--Seymour Skinner
by Ron From NM on Sep 11, 2009 11:34 PM EDT up reply actions
Not so bad analysis
Sending the house is obvious for any quarterback. Pressure them and even Brady will have issues. It pains me to say this, but guys with a quick release, like Manning, can overcome blitzes.
You can’t send the house every play. Edwards is smart enough to find a checkdown. It’s all about understanding his tendencies and messing with his head. Show him blitz and then takeaway his checkdown. Give him thoughts of a long ball and then smack him with a good pass rusher. Belichick is about confusing quarterbacks with different looks and lot of movement. It doesn’t necessarily work all of the time, but that’s a tactic I’ve seen time and time again. It’s never what it seems to be.
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If the Pats blitz early and often Edwards won’t be around in the 2nd quarter to find those checkdown throws. Even if it means giving up a cheap TD or two it’s still a win for the Pats in that Buffalo’s offense would go no farther for the rest of the game.
On the flip side, Buffalo won’t be able to generate consistent pressure even by blitzing Brady. It doesn’t much matter if the TD passes are being caught by Moss, Welker, Maroney or some guy who was just signed to the Patriots—failure to get to Brady = defeat.
Of course we could make things more challenging, Lisa, but then the stupider students would be in here complaining, furrowing their brows in a vain attempt to understand the situation--Seymour Skinner
by Ron From NM on Sep 11, 2009 11:36 PM EDT up reply actions
Fred Jackson had a good game against you last year. Don’t rest on the “without their top RB” argument. :-)
Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Ignoring the grumblings on Rumblings.
by MattRichWarren on Sep 11, 2009 9:32 PM EDT up reply actions
Buffalo
Buffalo will be starting two rookie offensive lineman,,, The holding flags will be flying on 3rd downs, Edward’s will be in for a long night.
Three, actually. Demetrius Bell has never taken a live rep at the NFL in a regular season game; as you’re probably aware, he’s our new starting left tackle.
Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Sep 12, 2009 9:05 AM EDT up reply actions
Don't forget about Special Teams
This is one thing Buffalo fans can rightfully brag about, not to mention the fact that Special Teams coach Bobby April may be our next Head Coach sooner than later.
By forcing mistakes on Patriot returns, not giving Brady a short field, pining them back near your own goal line, Buffalo special teams can at least give the defense a fighting chance. If that doesn’t matter, then all bets are off anyway. But if Buffalo’s special teams can live up to their billing, that could be the difference in this game assuming its not an absolute blowout (I know. Big assumption).
Comment on comments
1. BB is also about variety. Show alot of looks and do many things with each of them.
he keeps offenses guessing and confused.
2. Forget his name, but Pats just got a CB that has shut down TO completely in the past. Even keeps a notebook on all players he has defended.
3. I do not expect a blow-out. BB saw an opportune season to clear some aging vets, while his less experienced players can still win while learning. I expect this game to be an extension of the pre-season for the Pats. Alot of learning, experimenting with the running game, defensive schemes and players, tackling technique, while still pulling off a win. But with BB, ah, who knows!
by WolfmanPatriot on Sep 12, 2009 11:11 AM EDT reply actions
#2 is Completely inaccurate...
T.O. has owned Springs. TDs, catches, yards… The sharpie incident came after scoring a TD on Springs.
Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Ignoring the grumblings on Rumblings.
by MattRichWarren on Sep 13, 2009 11:13 AM EDT up reply actions
Special teams
Have you ever heard the saying ‘special teams wins games?’ Me neither.
Giving Brady a long field has never been an obstacle for him and his offense.
In a way it is to the Pats advantage as this will give their Defense all the longer to rest. This was their downfall in the afc game against Indy.
The defense and special teams kept scoring in the first half, which put the Pats D right back on the field. They wore themselves out, and Dungy saw and capitalized on that fact.
by WolfmanPatriot on Sep 12, 2009 11:20 AM EDT reply actions
If special teams won games, Buffalo would be a perennial playoff contender. I was simply sticking to the question: “What weapons can Buffalo bring to bear to halt these offensive strategies? What strengths…will help…Buffalo?” One answer – special teams play. But you’re right; if Brady is unstoppable, all bets are off anyway and your point is taken.
Special teams
Just to throw a thought out there – Chicago’s combination of special teams and defence a few years ago actually did make them win games, enough to get to the Superbowl. And if I remember correctly, their top two scorers, maybe two of their top three, were special teamers – Devin Hester and whoever was kicking for them at the time.
by Comedic.Sans on Sep 12, 2009 7:04 PM EDT up reply actions
Dick Jauron led that Bears team to a 13-3 record and a coach of the year award.
Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Ignoring the grumblings on Rumblings.
by MattRichWarren on Sep 13, 2009 11:13 AM EDT up reply actions
I disagree on that
Maybe our D got tired, but I don’t think it was because we got pick sixes. _’
Maybe I just have fail memory, but Asante Samuels’ pick 6 was in the 1st half, and I’m not sure how that accounts for what did the Pats did in the 2nd half. Just saying.
Buffalo
I did not know Bell never took a NFL snap and Buffalo will have 3 rookies on the offensive line. T.O. has burnt Springs in the past but the Pats D line will eat up Buffalo, could be a big INT and Sack attack. Look for improved Pats special teams also..
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