Will flaws expose the Patriots?
To this point, the Patriots haven’t created as much pressure as they might like. According to PFF , they’ve pressured the opposing quarterback on just 32.4 percent of all dropbacks. The solid coverage on the back end has helped the pass rush, but if quarterbacks consistently have all day to throw, the Patriots will at some point resume giving up big passing plays. The Patriots defensive front will have a tall task this week against a Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive line that has allowed quarterback Josh Freeman to be pressured on 36.2 percent of his dropbacks. Freeman’s big arm, combined with the big-play ability of wide receiver Vincent Jackson, poses a threat to the Patriots defense this week, and even though Freeman has struggled to this point in the season (45.3 completion percentage, 63 passer rating), Patriots head coach Bill Belichick knows the challenge he presents: He can throw the deep ball, he can throw sideline routes. …He can scramble, he does a good job on bootleg passes on the run, throws well in the pocket, utilizes all his receivers, the outside receivers, tight ends, backs. I think hes got plenty of skill. To this point in the season, Freeman has hit on three of his seven pass attempts that traveled 20 yards or more through the air, according to PFF , and the Buccaneers have seven total pass plays that gained 20 yards or more. Wide receiver Vincent Jackson has accounted for six of them . The Patriots typically lock their corners into a specific spot with Talib on the left, Dennard on the right and Arrington in the slot, but with Jackson moving frequently between the perimeter and slot-receiver positions, the Patriots may break the mold a bit and have Talib trail Jackson all over the field, as he did against Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson and Ravens receiver Anquan Boldin last season.
Richardson has scored eight touchdowns on 25 rushes. He should really help in that department. New England really needs their injured players to come back soon or have someone else start stepping up, because this is shaping up to be a glaring weakness. When a rival like the Colts get better like they did, that should make the Patriots very concerned. Some experts have thought that Indianapolis had a chance to potentially go very deep in the playoffs, and that was before this trade. The Colts now have a potent weapon for their running game and could make them a very serious threat in their conference. New England is 2-0, but it is a very shaky 2-0 as Tom Brady looks to be as frustrated as he has ever been in a New England uniform. The Patriots need to figure things out, or it could be a very long and disappointing season.
Jets, Patriots combine for $88,500 in fines by NFL
Tennessee’s Jackie Battle was fined $21,000, becoming the first running back docked for lowering the crown of his helmet into an opponent. He hit Houston’s Danieal Manning – violating a new rule in effect this season – on a play during the Texans’ 30-24 overtime victory last Sunday, but was not penalized on the field. According to the rule, Article 8, it’s a foul if “a runner or tackler initiates forcible contact by delivering a blow with the top/crown of his helmet against an opponent when both players are clearly outside the tackle box.” “I didn’t expect it,” Battle said, adding that he was appealing. “I thought it was a perfectly legal play. I’ve been running like that my whole career, so I didn’t think they’d get me for it. It came yesterday. I couldn’t even eat lunch. “It made me sick.” The NFL also fined Washington safety Brandon Meriweather $42,000 earlier this week for driving his helmet into the chin of Green Bay running back Eddie Lacy, who suffered a concussion. Meriweather later left the game after giving himself a concussion on a helmet-to-helmet hit on Packers running back James Starks.
New England Patriots Should Be Concerned With Trent Richardson Trade
Anyone can block you. You have to be ready for any different scheme possible.” The way the Patriots are using Jones isn’t entirely unique. In Houston, the Texans employ reigning Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt in a similar manner, placing him on the outside on early downs and then shifting him inside in obvious passing situations. By using Jones the same way, the Patriots are able to get him in the middle while on the outside inserting rookie Michael Buchanan, who has shown a knack for getting after the quarterback by recording one sack and two pressures over 27 snaps. Jones, likewise, has shown a nose for the QB at tackle, where he has been able to routinely generate pressure, including one play wiped out by a flag last week against the Jets in which he used a spin move to get off his blocker and level Geno Smith in the backfield. Overall, playing out of both spots, Jones has two sacks, two quarterback knockdowns and nine hurries. He finished his rookie season with six sacks.
Dissecting the New England Patriots’ 4 Best Individual Matchups in Week 3
Teams that start 2-0 tend to fare well in their quest to make the playoffs. According to ESPN Stats & Information, clubs that begin their season with consecutive wins have made it to the postseason 63 percent of the time since 1990. The New England Patriots look to be a potential beneficiary of this trend with their 2-0 start, yet that beginning actually masks a number of metric and game tape elements New England will need to overcome if it wants to live up to its current record. To read more about why there could be a slide ahead for the Patriots, you must be an ESPN Insider. Already an Insider? Sign in below: Username
New England Patriots defensive lineman Chandler Jones is adjusting to life on the inside
Of all the matchups, this seems like the most treacherous for New England. It’s hard to imagine Edelman having much success on Sunday, and if Brady still isn’t on the same page with his rookie receivers, it could be similarly tough sledding to what we’ve witnessed so far. Dan Connolly/Ryan Wendell vs. Gerald McCoy So how will the Pats move the ball on offense if the passing game is once again stymied? Unfortunately, Stevan Ridley might face Cheap Tom Brady Throwback Jersey equally tough sledding against a Bucs run D that was elite by both traditional and advanced metrics in 2012. One of the primary reasons for that success stems from former third overall pick Gerald McCoy. Last year, McCoy finished as the second-ranked defensive tackle by cumulative rating, behind only Geno Atkins. McCoy continues to wreak havoc in 2013, particularly from the three-technique. On this play, McCoy demonstrates tremendous power in splitting the double-team from Vladimir Ducasse and Nick Mangold to bring down Chris Ivory for a one-yard gain: McCoy also possesses above-average quickness for someone his size, a trait that allows him to thwart misdirection plays. Here, the Saints try to sell a play-action fake by having left guard Ben Grubbs act as a pulling guard: However, this play call is doomed to fail, as it requires center Brian De La Puente to shift over and block McCoy one-on-one. Drew Brees does not even complete the play action before McCoy has penetrated into the backfield, on his way to a seven-yard sack: For the Patriots, the tandem of Ryan Wendell and Dan Connolly will face McCoy at different points in the game, likely often with a double team. Both have had subpar seasons thus farWendell’s minus-1.9 rating places him 25th out of 34 centers, while Connolly’s 0.1 rating is essentially the textbook definition of average. Needless to say, both will need to step up their games. What’s concerning is how often they’ve given up pressure in one-on-one coverage. Interior pressure has often left Tom Brady trying to throw from positions like this: If McCoy has his way with the interior linemen, he and Revis could essentially submarine the Pats offense this Sunday. Aqib Talib vs. Vincent Jackson But even if the Patriots offense does a decent job against Revis and McCoy, it’s hard to imagine them putting up significant production. Thus, the onus lies on the defense to sustain their stellar start.
Design Adaptations 