The Patriots Offense Will Evolve Without Faulk
by MikeDussault on Sep 22, 2010 1:08 PM EDT
in New England Patriots News
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PrintUpon scanning the internets this morning I found a general state of panic and doom amongst many Patriots fans over the loss of Kevin Faulk. Of course, that's to be expected with New England fans.
Make no mistake, we all know that Faulk was the unsung hero of the Patriots dynasty, but I believe his loss will force the Patriots offense to evolve in a way that will greatly benefit them down the road.
Find out why after the jump...
ESPN's Ross Tucker called Faulk the best pure 3rd down back of all time. When the Patriots went for 4th and 2 in Indy last year it was Faulk who Brady threw the ball to. I would never try to diminish what he contributed to the Patriots both on and off the field. We all witnessed the countless times Faulk picked up a crucial first down. The number of big plays he has made in his time in New England are too numerous to count.
But let's be honest for a second, the Patriots offense has been unimaginative and predictable for much of the last two seasons. Part of it is an over reliance on things that worked in 2007, things that the rest of the NFL has caught on to. Big third down? Chances are Welker or Faulk were getting the ball.
So now with Faulk done for the year, it is the time for the 2010 Patriots offense to evolve again, like it did it 2007 when they fell in love with the spread. The Patriots just became a little more unpredictable, and that has to be the silver lining to losing a player of Faulk's magnitude.
Had this been game fifteen or sixteen in 2007 and Faulk went down then, the Patriots would be in trouble as they went into the playoffs. But the advantage now is that only two games have been played. There is time, not to replace Faulk, because he's not a player you replace, but to change your offense to match the strengths of the players you do have.
Who will take over the 3rd down back role?
Sammy Morris has been somewhat of an unsung hero himself the past few years. Yes, he missed some games to injury, but he's also caught nearly 20 balls in both of the last two seasons, and has averaged about 4.5 yards per carry. So look for him to be one player that will be asked to pick up the slack.
Danny Woodhead is another player who is intriguing. His contributions will depend on how fast he can pick up the offensive system, but he has talent both running and catching the ball.
Julian Edelman also saw some time in the backfield in training camp. He could be a surprise option though I question if he has the size and blocking ability to pick up blitzers.
Clearly replacing Faulk will be done by committee, but we don't know what to expect and neither does the rest of the NFL.
Some are saying that the Patriots would take back Laurence Maroney now if they could. Personally I disagree. Yes, Maroney would provide depth, but at this point he was backing up Fred Taylor and Benjarvus Green-Ellis. Maroney was never going to be the third down blocking and receiving master that Faulk was.
Faulk is 34 years old. There was a good chance this was going to be his last season, so now the time frame for replacing him has been accelerated, much like the young defense's development was accelerated by the loss of Richard Seymour.
Clearly adjusting to life without number 33 won't be easy, but it was inevitable at some point. The NFL season is a sixteen battle war, and you're bound to lose men along the way. All you can do is continue on and evolve to continue playing to your strengths. That isn't always a bad thing.
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I would agree, except that...
Bill O’Brien is still the de facto OC, and he’s still running essentially the same offense that he ran with Matt Cassel in 2008. The man doesn’t seem to grasp the concept of “adjustment based on personnel.”
I agree, but I’m hoping that this will force him to adapt.
by MikeDussault on Sep 22, 2010 1:22 PM EDT up reply actions
wasnt it josh mcdaniels in 2008 ?
i think it was.
Well TBH I'd prefer if he WAS running the 2008 offense
I believe we set a franchise rushing record that year, or came a close second, and with largely the same personnel…
True, but a lot of those yards were Matt Cassel's
Firstly, the Pats rushed more often in 2008 in order to protect Cassel, so that bumped up the rushing stats.
Secondly, he held on to the ball too long and got sacked 50 times – he lost around 220 yards on sacks. But he also gained around 250 yards on scrambles, usually when passing plays broke down and he’d take off out of the pocket. On the balance, then, he breaks even – except his scrambling plays go towards rushing stats, and his sack yards are taken away from the passing totals. So Cassel bumps up the rushing totals by 250 yards, but the ‘actual’ offence is reasonably even.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
by Comedic.Sans on Sep 22, 2010 10:54 PM EDT up reply actions
kinda want to see woodhead and Julian on 3rd downs.
i kinda remember him running the ball ( in 2007 as a qb against osu).
Non Sibi Sed Patriae.
I love my ZX-6r Kawasaki.
I bleed Scarlet and Grey...A Buckeye for Life
Hang on sloopy, sloopy hang on.. O H I O
From one Mike to another...
AMEN! I was really hoping that we wouldn’t have lost Faulk for the season, but we all know that was going to be the case. We just have to evolve from it and be better from it (no matter how tough it could be). Like you said Mike we have to look at is as a new oppurtunity.
I would think they put Gronk on the line
I’d say it’s more likely the alternate formations on 3rd downs for protection purposes.
On 1st or 2nd it could be Taylor or Morris since it’s more run focused then pass/blocking.
But realistically the 3rd down back who fits best I think it Taylor. He is the only back that can run/block or catch well enough that the D has to respect all 3.
Couldn't agree more - great article
That was my first reaction when I heard it!
Hernandez is the obvious wildcard player here. So we hear his blocking isn’t great….for a TE!
A RB usually has to lay one big hit on a LB and buy another half to one second. If you already have the size that has to be half the battle, and only Brandon Jacobs is bigger at RB than Hernandez!
This would also mean that they would play Tate more who has shown good hands, gets free, is fast, and for some reason isn’t getting enough ball.
You could also play Crumpler and Gronkowski more.
I know Faulk knows his role backwards, and there was a comfort level there, but this O is dying because comfort is predictable and there is plenty of tape on comfort!!!
IMHO, Morris is the logical near-term choice.
He has the best hands of the Taylor-Morris-BJGE trio and is a better back-field blocker.
However, down the road, I would not be surprised to see Woodard, though. He is much closer to Faulk’s archetype and has a lot of raw talent that seems perfect for this role. It all depends on how fast he can pick up the offense and how comfortable Brady & the rest are with him.
Interesting Post from Mike Reiss...
Just went up…
"I don’t think you’re going to find any one player to be a duplicate of Kevin Faulk. When we lost Tom [Brady] in the beginning of the ’08 season, Matt [Cassel] came in and we won 11 games. We weren’t the same team but we found a different way than the way we had won the year before. I don’t think we’re going to find one player to be a carbon copy of Kevin Faulk. I don’t think that exists. I don’t think that’s really realistic. As a team, we just have to find ways to be efficient, be productive, move the ball, and score points, even if he’s not in there. It will be a challenge, but that’s what we need to do."
It was interesting to hear Belichick use the 2008 season as an example of the team reinventing itself during the season because of a key injury.
Exactly what you said Mike...
But not to the extent of Brady’s injury. Let’s just hope we’ll move on and like you said look at this as a new opurtunity and then if Faulk comes back next year be even better with him returning.
I dunno, in some ways this is more of a game changer
In 2008, while they started conservatively, ultimately, Cassel’s style of play was basically a (not as good) clone of Brady.
Thus the playbook really didn’t change all that much. We did run the ball more (well over 2000 yds team rushing that year) but we still ran the same basic offense. None of the other offensive personnel needed to shift across new responsibilities. They still did the same jobs as before, though we asked different folks to do more or less of their job (i.e. we ran it more and passed slightly less).
With Faulk, unless Woodhead pans out to be a close copy, none of the other running backs is even remotely a clone of Faulk’s particular skillset. This potentially will mean that multiple players will need to shift into new areas of responsibility to handle the various things Faulk used to do and even players who will be doing their same job will be working with different people doing the various things next to them that Faulk used to do.
For example, if you have a 3rd down back who is as good a blocker but can’t run a particular route off the block and catch the ball the way Faulk could, then you may need to change that play significantly.
Similarly, if you have a back in who maybe can catch the ball just like Faulk … but is not as good a blocker, so you have to adjust the rest of the personnel to avoid having the blocking scheme collapse.
You end up shifting TEs around, or he slot routes or changing the checkdown order or whatever to compensate for the difference in skill profile for the one player.
So it is possible this is actually going to be more disruptive than the Brady injury. Note – I am in no way comparing Faulk’s value to Brady’s. I’m just saying this could be a bigger coaching challenge.
If Danny Woodhead can step in and truly mimic Faulk’s skill profile, per his reputation, then that would go a long way towards mitigating that.
I voted for Edelman
I was thinking that if defenses see him in the backfield especially on 3rd down (which is what i think we are discussing) they may think its a passing play and not a run play. More bafflement. With Morris there, it is automatically assumed its a running play. And with Edelman in the backfield, maybe Price can be activated and be in that slot that Edelman would occupy. Just a suggestion.
I like the idea of this jogging us out of complacency. Think of it as a mild version of meteorites falling from the earth and forcing the Bradysaurus Tomossicus to consider evolving a little :>
by quadruple option on Sep 22, 2010 3:23 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
I think it will be a mix
of Hernandez, edelman, woodhead, and morris.
Morris is good with running after the catch.
I’ll take 11 players with heart on the field over 11 guys with just talent. Talent is fleeting, it goes away over time. Heart is what drives you to be better. To push yourself beyond what you think your capabilities are. To show us that when you strive, all things are possible.- SMP
I'm also a Raider Fan dammit!!! RAIDER NATION!!!!
Thinking about it more, I’d be a fan of putting A.Hernandez as Brady’s protector in the gun. As a tight end, he’s used to pass blocking admittedly from the line rather than on the move. He’s got an eye for routeswhich means responsibilities (no rusher, get out on the circle route etc) will come naturally to him. I doubt he’s got the quicks to turn a broken play into 15 yards on a dump off, but he could get it back to the LOS at least
by quadruple option on Sep 22, 2010 3:29 PM EDT reply actions
imagine this setup:
Brady and Herndo in the backfield with
Moss, Welker, Edelman, and Gronk as a blocking or receiving TE.
I’ll take 11 players with heart on the field over 11 guys with just talent. Talent is fleeting, it goes away over time. Heart is what drives you to be better. To push yourself beyond what you think your capabilities are. To show us that when you strive, all things are possible.- SMP
I'm also a Raider Fan dammit!!! RAIDER NATION!!!!
or moss, tate, welker.
I’ll take 11 players with heart on the field over 11 guys with just talent. Talent is fleeting, it goes away over time. Heart is what drives you to be better. To push yourself beyond what you think your capabilities are. To show us that when you strive, all things are possible.- SMP
I'm also a Raider Fan dammit!!! RAIDER NATION!!!!
This sounds great to me.
I don’t see how a defense could defend against it, to be honest. But for whatever reason, you KNOW you can count on Bill O’Brien NOT using this formation in a game. Why? Because it would be effective. And we hate effectiveness on offense. Especially in the second half.
you’d defend by ignoring the run and rushing 3. hernandez aint gonna bust a 75 yard run is he. he’s a TE, not an RB, just cos he looks the same doesn’t make him
by quadruple option on Sep 22, 2010 7:38 PM EDT up reply actions
You would defend against it by dropping 8 into coverage.
All but assuring that a draw would get 8-10 yards. That’s not a particularly effective defense.
Once you drop fewer than 8 into coverage, you’re going to have mismatches, or you’re just going to be playing some sub-par talent. Either way, it works for the offense.
Considering that’s exactly what the Jets did vs us, and we weren’t getting 8-10 yards a play… not sure of the logic of that.
Hernandez can work as a FB as a blocker and outlet pass option, but I don’t think he has the quicks to be a real threat running a draw.
by quadruple option on Sep 22, 2010 8:21 PM EDT up reply actions
He's not as quick or shifty as Faulk
But he’s a good 50lbs bigger than Faulk. He’s pretty shifty for a big man (look at him jerk Cromartie out of his shoes), so presumably he’s shifty enough to wrong-foot a 300lb D-lineman… and if you wrong-foot a guy and then hit him with Faulk+50 mass, you’re likely to break a tackle or two and break into the secondary for a 10 yarder.
It’d be a different style of running from Faulk, but it could be effective in different ways.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
by Comedic.Sans on Sep 22, 2010 8:33 PM EDT up reply actions
i know how to defend against that
the other teams cb tells moss that he is slow and can’t catch…moss tells brady what the cb said to him…so moss and brady decides to teach the cb a lesson…so brady keeps on throwing to a double/triple covered moss even though the other wr’s and te’s are wide open
Non Sibi Sed Patriae.
I love my ZX-6r Kawasaki.
I bleed Scarlet and Grey...A Buckeye for Life
Hang on sloopy, sloopy hang on.. O H I O
by NinjaZX6R on Sep 22, 2010 9:21 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Run Hernandez on a seam under Randy, and get Randy to talk smack.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
by Comedic.Sans on Sep 22, 2010 10:56 PM EDT up reply actions
I like this setup as well.
Another twist would be to replace Edelman with Crumpler on 3rd and 6 or less.
That would give you 5 receiving threats with great hands – three of them being plus blockers and any of whom could release down field OR you can run a power draw or dump screen to just bulldoze for the first down, depending on what the secondary does.
For longer 3rd downs I’d prefer Edelman in there per your setup.
tell you what
I can see this formation as being our “wildcat.”
Either of these things can happen.
If welker motions around toward the HB position:
A) Brady fakes handoff to welker, and passes it or hands it off to hernandez. Or have Hernandez run a route behind welker, and throw it to Hernandez as a screen pass with welker, gronk, and maybe moss or tate blocking in front.
B) Hand it to welker, and have hernandez block for him.
C) Fake handoff to welker, and hand it off to hernandez.
You can also have Woodhead in there instead of hernandez.
OR, motion Hernandez up to the line, and out toward the TE spot. When he reaches the TE spot, snap the ball, and hernandez can:
A) run a route designed for him
B) block.
C) Have him continue the motion, until he gets to his WR SPOT, then snap the ball.
You can come up with SOOOO many things from this formation. I also wish I was an OC in a way. I’d like to see this formation used. :)
I’ll take 11 players with heart on the field over 11 guys with just talent. Talent is fleeting, it goes away over time. Heart is what drives you to be better. To push yourself beyond what you think your capabilities are. To show us that when you strive, all things are possible.- SMP
I'm also a Raider Fan dammit!!! RAIDER NATION!!!!
You can always have two guys in the backfield
Or start off with a Sammy Morris/Edelman one-back, and flex Hernandez into the backfield too if necessary.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
by Comedic.Sans on Sep 22, 2010 7:33 PM EDT up reply actions
Suddenly I am looking forward to the Bills game
There was nothing really interesting about that game other than the Pats playing but now I want to see how they adapt to the loss of Faulk. I just hope they don’t react to it like they react to the second half of road games.
Read the other, optimistic thread, and VISUALISE Woodhead kicking that field goal. you’ll start smiling.
by quadruple option on Sep 22, 2010 7:39 PM EDT up reply actions
i like woodhead
kid runs a 4.33 and has some shifty moves. he’s low to the ground which gives him better balance. has very good ahnds. think he’s the best fit to replace faulk.
id really like to see 2 other things on offense:
A) id like to see some 2 TE sets
B) id like to see tate get some reps, ive liked what ive seen from him so far
"Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die."
im gonna be all up on you like a spider monkey!
i can just see delonte west winning a game of poker against lebron, throwing down the cards he yells, "who's your daddy!"...."oh, sorry man"
by remembering9ergods on Sep 22, 2010 10:17 PM EDT reply actions
I like the more I learn about Woodhead.
He was dominant in college. Wicked fast and shifty.
Seem’s like a smart player too.
Hopefully it will all translate onto the field here.
I disagree that the offense will evolve without Faulk
I think we all want it to evolve, but I don’t think it’s going to change much as long as Brady, Welker, and Moss are all on the field together. I think it would have had a better chance to evolve if Welker had not returned as quickly as he did. We also need a better coordinator.
by DrJgopatsgators on Sep 23, 2010 12:39 PM EDT reply actions
Sadly, agreed.
Since 2007, this has been as “Stop us if you can” offense. They don’t seem to feel the need to strategize or make adjustments; they just naturally create matchups and dare the other team to disrupt their execution. The unfortunate reality is that other teams have figured out how to stop them, but the Pats just keep on playing the same game…..
Yes and no
Asserting that the Patriots “don’t seem to feel the need to strategize or make adjustments” is false. How can you say that? Of course they strategized and adjusted, even if it seemed too easy to the fans watching that 2007 team.
I agree that teams and coaches have caught up with Belichick and the Patriots by now. There are ten years’ worth of film to study. They have to work just as hard now but in different ways than they did before.
Keep the faith!
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