Patriots Midterm Grades: Passing Offense
by Greg Knopping on Nov 8, 2011 12:00 PM EST
in Opinion/Analysis
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We're officially at the mid-point of the Patriots' 2011 season! That being said, over the course of the next few days, we'll take a quick look at several aspects of the team and leave it to the Pats Pulpit community to grade the Patriots in each category. At the end of the week, we'll put together a post tallying the results.
Today, we'll start by taking a look at the Patriots passing offense. While the year started tremendously for the Patriots passing attack, things have slowly gone down hill in recent weeks.
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is still second in the league in passing yards at 2,703 and is currently third in passing touchdowns (20), yards per attempt (8.4), quarterback rating (100.0), and completion percentage (66.0). On the flip side, he's tied for the third most interceptions in the NFL at 10, and it has also been clear in recent weeks that Brady's accuracy and decision making aren't at his usual level.
Of course, a team's passing offense goes beyond it's quarterback, and wide receiver Wes Welker is having a terrific year, leading the league in both receptions and yards. Tight end Rob Gronkowski has also established himself as a top five NFL tight end. In addition, tight end Aaron Hernandez and receiver Deion Branch have also had respectable seasons. The issue with the Patriots' receiving corps is that they haven't been able to create enough separation down the field, and teams have been bunching the line of scrimmage in recent weeks because of that.
The Patriots pass protection has also been up and down this year. Left tackle Matt Light had a terrific start to the year but hasn't looked as sharp in recent weeks. Logan Mankins has had a very sub-par year according to his standards. Right tackle Sebastian Vollmer has been injured most of the year (replaced by rookie Nate Solder), and has struggled when he's actually played. Brian Waters has been the best Patriots lineman this year, but the unit as a whole has allowed a lot of hits and a lot of sacks on Tom Brady - 16 sacks total with 12 of them coming in the last four games.
Overall, when grading the offensive passing attack, I have to balance the Patriots' blazing start with the rough patch the attack has hit the past few weeks.
Greg's Grade: B+
Feel free to discuss your grades in the comments section!
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As of right now, it's hard to give them better than a C.
The Pros: The no-huddle is incredibly effective, because they have the personnel to create mismatches in their favor and keep those matchups on the field. They execute well in the clutch.
The Cons: The receivers can’t beat man coverage. There is no outside or deep threat. The protection has been spotty. Brady’s decision making has been questionable, at times, and he doesn’t seem to be taking what the defense gives him.
In the NFL, you’re only as good as your last game. Once teams realized that bump-and-run man coverage seriously disrupts this offense, it wiped out everything the offense accomplished beforehand. Until they find a way to adjust, they’re not going to be better than a mediocre passing team with some significant limitations.
Like anything that gets a C, the foundation is there, but it’s not well-supported. Unlike others, I think it’s silly to call this team “deeply flawed.” The Broncos or the Seahawks are deeply flawed. This passing offense has the pieces in place, but they’re not using them very well. If they were a midterm essay, they’d have a great premise, but the writing would be poor and the supporting arguments not well articulated. Unless you’re a sociology major, that sort of paper gets a C, so that’s what this passing offense gets.
I agree. I also give it a "C" because we are (again) going to it TOO MUCH.
We are turning the ball over too much because we are passing the ball to much.
If a defense correctly anticipates what you are going to do, they are more likely to make a defensive play. And if you continue to exhibit particular strong trends, you are just making it easier for them to anticipate.
We need more balance and both aspects of the offense (passing AND rushing) will get better.
NBA Officiating - Corrupt? Incompetent? Which is worse? Does it matter? It sucks.
I gave them a "C"
Harsh perhaps, but I am weighting my grade toward more recent performance. At this point in the season I really don’t care that they racked up half a billion aerial yards on the Phins in week one. As of late it’s taken them too long to find a groove, and there have been too many drive killing interceptions once they do. I’d call it a C+ or B- at best at the moment.
"If you know how to cheat, start now." - Earl Weaver
http://news.bostonherald.com/blogs/sports/rap_sheet/?p=15118&srvc=home&position=recent
I’m facepalming…HEY GUYZ THERES NOTHING WRONG
What did you expect him to say?
You want him to disrespect the personnel he has by saying, “Hey, we really don’t have any players capable of stretching the field”? He said the right thing, even if it’s not entirely true.
"If you know how to cheat, start now." - Earl Weaver
The thing is, in a way he's right - you don't absolutely 100% _need_ a 'deep threat'
to make this offense work.
But you need something to take attention away from the middle of the field (where Welker, Gronk & ’Dez all work).
Either you stretch the DBs out with a deep threat or you bring the LBs up tight with a running game.
We HAVE very good RBs and a very good run-blocking line. Why F’ isn’t O’Brien USING them?
Right now, the LBs can sit back in spy land and either pickup our RB if they don’t stay in to pass block and if nothing else, occupy passing lanes, narrowing TB’s look zones.
We used to be the best team at running screen passes and also at using play-action. We don’t seem to do either of those things anymore.
NBA Officiating - Corrupt? Incompetent? Which is worse? Does it matter? It sucks.
I gave them a C
Although Tom brought them back near the end I couldn’t help but notice the three turnovers why did it take so long to identify the defensive scheme? It almost seems as if he is not starting to play until the chips are down. Maybe he is trying to bolster his comeback record as in the recent past we almost always had the lead all game!!! I am not sure why Ocho Cinco did not depart as well as Haynesworth but I am not entirely sure it was all his fault this time. Defenses seem to be figuring us out and we need to adjust maybe a little more of the run game. Woodhead seemed like he was more involved and had a pretty good game not stats wise but in important situations he seemed to come up big. Surprised by the Gronk drops but 3rd times a charm I suppose. The D played pretty good all game but then gave it up at the end ugghhh with the PIs. Anyways on to next week.
ESPN
Had a breakdown ocho’s game… They point the problem was mostly Brady doing a poor job of getting it to Ocho when he was open. Only one play was partially his misplay.
by lololol on Nov 8, 2011 7:05 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Definitely. I saw vids of every target to Ocho
and on almost all of them it was a very poor throw by TB that was the main problem. On a couple, Ocho didn’t get separation, but the throws were bad on almost all of them.
NBA Officiating - Corrupt? Incompetent? Which is worse? Does it matter? It sucks.
ESPN
Had a breakdown ocho’s game… They point the problem was mostly Brady doing a poor job of getting it to Ocho when he was open. Only one play was partially his misplay.
by lololol on Nov 8, 2011 7:05 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Other than that Mrs.Lincoln,how was the play?
Other “Ds” have’nt figured us out.It’s just they’re very well rested.Our “D” sucks,which keeps the opposing teams offense on the field.And when Tom gets on the field he’s cold.Does’nt help that Bill wants to establish a BALANCED ATTACK this year.Taking Brady further out of his rhytym when we do get the ball.
by Pat's apologist on Nov 8, 2011 7:59 PM EST up reply actions
Lack of Weapons
Hard to say this when you have two of the better TE’s in the league… But that’s all we have, two TE’s, a slot receiver and a old possession receiver… Granted, this was the same offense that went 14-2 last year, but consider this… The Packers are a 2011 version of the 2007 Patriots… Dominant offense, but suspect defense… In 2007 we had an actual receiving corps… now we don’t… This team is good enough to go 12 -4 or 11-5 and make the playoffs, but this team won’t be able to win it all until our offense becomes dominant again…
And their lies the problem
PATS need a dominant offense to win. Cause the defense ain’t winning no games anytime soon
Wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit.
Edward Abbey
by TONYBOI08 on Nov 9, 2011 12:01 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
thats kinda hard
with the offenses that we have in the league now, its real hard finding a complete team… either you have a dominant offense with a defense that is always playing with a lead, or you have a dominant defense with an inconsistent offense (ravens, bears, jets)… when the two come together at the right time, you get to the super bowl…
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