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Pick Six: Observations from Game Nine

The Baltimore Ravens gave New England their first loss of the season, 37-20, at M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday Night Football. The Ravens raced out to a 17-0 lead, but then the Patriots used two 2nd quarter turnovers into points, bringing the score to 17-13 at half time. New England took the second half kickoff and drove the ball to the Baltimore 30 yard line before linebacker Patrick Onwuasor forced a fumble from receiver Julian Edelman. The loose ball was returned by cornerback Marlon Humphrey for an uncontested touchdown and from that point on the game seemed almost out of reach of the Patriots.

Six Comments on Game Nine

1. Trouble containing the run (again)

New England allowed 210 rushing yards on 41 attempts (5.1 average), and gave up 11 rushing first downs. While quarterback Lamar Jackson is a big part of the Ravens run game – and more on him later – the real Patriot killer on Sunday night was running back Mark Ingram. Ingram averaged 7.7 yards on 15 carries against the Patriots, after coming into the game averaging 3.8 yards per run in the first seven games of 2019.

Former NFL offensive line coach Paul Alexander appeared on SiriusXM’s NFL Radio on Monday and opined on the strategy dynamic in play for the Patriots' run defense. Essentially, Alexander saw the Patriots’ plan as the ends containing the outside runs to allow their middle linebackers to flow with the offensive line movement and trap the ball carrier. That defensive plan is catered more for stopping zone blocking offenses, like the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl 53. The Ravens countered the Patriots with gap blocking – instead of zone blocking – and attacked the Patriots more conservative strategy by punching right up the middle.

2. More on Mark Ingram

Ironically, Mark Ingram's big 53-yard gain appeared to come off a zone run to the left, with guard Marshal Yandapushing lineman Danny Shelton out of the way to create a crease through the line. Most of Ingram’s runs came out of the "pistol" formation – with the running back lined up directly behind the quarterback in shotgun – and often with one, or two, tight ends in the backfield at the snap.

There were four types of Ingram-run plays that the Patriots saw multiple times: Quarterback pitch-option (10 yards gained per run), middle run behind straight ahead blocking (6 yards per), counter runs behind pulling guard (3 yards per), and running behind two tight ends sweeping right (1 yard per). So, the Ravens were most successful running right up the middle between the guards. The Patriots contained the outside runs EXCEPT when the quarterback was also a runner and drew the defense in to him. One 1st quarter run of particular note: Ingram picked up 14 yards up the middle behind tight end Nick Boyle’s wham block that took both Adam Butler and Dont’a Hightower out of the play.

3. More on Lamar Jackson

For as bad as the Patriots’ defense looked through most of the game, it’s good to keep quarterback Lamar Jackson’s night in perspective of his previous seven games in the 2019 season. When running the ball, the second year quarterback averaged 3.8 yards on 16 rushes (down 45% from his 2019 average of 6.9 per). If we pull out the three kneel downs and two short touchdown runs, Jackson was still held to 5.5 yards per run, or 20% less than his average over the first seven games. It looks like a major focus of the Patriots' game plan was to minimize the damage from Jackson's legs.

When passing, Jackson averaged 7.1 yards gained on 23 attempts (down 8% from his 2019 average of 7.7 per). The twist against New England was Baltimore targeting tight ends Nick Boyle, Mark Andrews, and Hayden Hurst ten times for 63 yards. The trio had averaged only four pass targets per game through the first seven games. The three combined for one touchdown and three first downs, including a terrific throw and catch on a third-and-five post pattern to Mark Andrews for 18 yards in the 3rd quarter.

4. Going all the way with three-receiver sets

Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels played the entire game with an "11" personnel grouping: Three receivers – Julian Edelman, Mohamed Sanu, and Phillip Dorsett – tight end Ben Watson, and one of three running backs on every play. New England often went to the no huddle offense during the contest, making it difficult for Baltimore to substitute players or make pre-snap adjustments.

That quick pace offense started to click late in the 2nd and early in the 3rd quarter. Right before halftime quarterback Tom Brady threw back-to-back highlight reel passes, a 25-yarder to Edelman and then a 30-yarder to running back James White. White’s catch came over safety Earl Thomas III and set up an eventual field goal. After the Ravens’ fumble return for a touchdown in the 3rd, Tom Brady led the offense on a 75-yard drive that included eight running plays, including a James White touchdown.

5. Checking in on the offensive line

On the aforementioned touchdown drive, the offensive line did a good job protecting Brady on a third-and-three completion to Edelman off a double move in the red zone. While that was a good moment, the game had a fair number of bad plays for the offensive line. Late in the 1st quarter, Tom Brady was sacked on third-and-seven when linebacker Patrick Onwuasor came unblocked on an overload blitz over the right side of the line. Brady possibly could have sidestepped the rush, but linebacker Matthew Judon had also blown past right tackle Marcus Cannon and was there to cut off that escape route. In the 2nd quarter, backup left tackle Marshall Newhouse was called holding call on linebacker Tyus Bowser negated a potential third-and-15 conversion. On a run attempt later on that same drive, right guard Shaq Mason was overpowered by Michael Pierce and called for a hold against the defensive lineman.

6. Have we found a Third Amigo on offense?

Two-thirds of Brady’s pass targets went to the trio of Mohamed Sanu, Julian Edelman, and James White. Sanu had 10 catches, 81 yards, six first downs, and a touchdown in his second game with New England. His touchdown came out of trips bunch formation at the goal line, with Edelman and Dorsett creating traffic inside to get Sanu free on an outside break. Early in the 3rd, facing a third-and-seven, the Patriots again went to the trips formation, and this time had Sanubreaking over the middle for the catch and conversion.

Early in the 4th, down 20-30 in a "got to have it" drive, Brady threw a first down pass behind Sanu that was almost intercepted by linebacker Josh Bynes in the left flat. After a second down incompletion to Ben Watson, Brady heaved up a ball about 15 yards beyond Sanu’s deep route. That throw was a curious decision by the New England quarterback and it would put an end to the last, best chance for the visitors to claw back into the game.

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