With the return of rookie offensive tackle Sebastian Vollmer, the Patriots opted to go with a strict rotation at left tackle and right tackle against the Panthers on Sunday. Veterans Matt Light and Nick Kaczur started at left tackle and right tackle, respectively, and played each of the Patriots' first two series.
Starting with the Patriots' third series, however, Vollmer played both left tackle in place of Light and right tackle in place of Kaczur. The rotation gave each player a chance to take a breather -- but it also seemed to give the Patriots a chance to evaluate who fit best at left tackle and right tackle.
"It looked like all of them had a chance to play," Patriots coach Bill Belichick. "I’m not sure exactly how the number of plays worked out, but they all played a significant part. I think that was probably good for them to get a little break. It’s not often those guys do and are able to come back in and be fresh and go on those long drives. But we tried to work Sebastian back in this week, and he did with a decent number of plays."
An examination of the yardage statistics reveals something interesting: The Patriots were far more productive with Light at left tackle and Vollmer at right tackle than any other combination. It's a small sample size, but it's interesting nonetheless to see how productive the Patriots were with each of their three offensive tackles on the field:
* Light: 40 plays, 333 yards (8.325 yards per play)
* Vollmer: 34 plays, 283 yards (8.324 yards per play)
* Kaczur: 32 plays, 184 yards (5.75 yards per play)
Here's the left tackle-right tackle breakdown from the Patriots' longest drives of the day:
* 96 yards: Light/Vollmer
* 63 yards: Light/Vollmer
* 57 yards: Light/Vollmer
* 54 yards: Light/Kaczur
* 47 yards: Vollmer/Kaczur
The versatility of Vollmer made the rotation possible. Belichick has raved about the versatility of his rookie ever since he drafted him, and the rotation would have been virtually impossible without a tackle who can play both sides.
“You practice it and try to be ready when the situation comes," Vollmer said. "When Coach tells you to get in, you better be ready, so I take every chance, every opportunity I get in practice and in the game to get better.”
Nick Kaczur did play left tackle in college. Mark LeVoir can play either left tackle or right tackle -- albeit in a backup role. Matt Light began his NFL career at right tackle and was a disaster. That, though, is more the norm around the NFL. Vollmer is pretty unique in his ability to play at both ends of the line as well as he does.
"It's a little bit unusual for tackles to be able to play both sides at a high level," Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. "Most tackles, usually, when you look at a normal draft board, you look at tackles and say, 'This tackle is more of a left tackle, and this tackle is more of a right tackle.' You have a few guys, maybe a quarter of them, as a guesstimate, where, 'This guy looks like he could be a swing tackle. ... When you look at Vollmer, he legimately can play both tackles."
Will Vollmer play both tackles the rest of the way? Belichick declined to specify on Monday whether he'd like to keep up the rotation in the future or if he'd like to settle on two guys to play the entire game. Kaczur went down with a shoulder injury in the third quarter, so the point could be moot.
But the Patriots did seem to be most produtive on Sunday with Light at left tackle and Vollmer on the right -- and it wouldn't be surprising to see them go with that tandem the rest of the way.
"I'd like to win," Belichick said. "I'd like to win. Whatever gives us the best chance to win, whatever we feel is best to win, then that’s what we’ll do."
Showing posts with label vollmer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vollmer. Show all posts
Monday, December 14, 2009
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Halftime report: Panthers 7, Patriots 7
A handful of observations from a lackluster first half:
* Boos rain down. It's hard to believe this is virtually the same offense that broke record after record just two seasons ago. Tom Brady and his cohorts were booed after a third-and-12 pass went for just two yards, and they were booed even louder when a third-and-4 pass behind Sammy Morris slightly was dropped.
A couple of ticky-tack penalty calls saved the Patriots from more boos on their next drive. Ben Watson drew a questionable pass-interference call down the right sideline, and third wide receiver Isaiah Stanback drew a defensive holding call in the end zone after Brady had missed on a pass toward Randy Moss. Kevin Faulk ran through a big hole in the middle of the line for a touchdown -- the Patriots' first in almost four full quarters of action.
* Ugly day for Moss. A summary of the first half for the Patriots' big-play wide receiver:
-- Lets a pass slip through his hands deep over the middle;
-- Sees Chris Gamble intercept a pass -- albeit an off-target pass -- thrown in his direction;
-- Catches a pass down the middle of the field only to allow linebacker Dan Connor to punch it free.
First-half numbers: One catch for 16 yards and a fumble.
The ineffectiveness of Brady -- 8-for-15 for 59 yards and an interception -- isn't helping. Moss had no shot at the pass that Brady air-mailed through the back of the end zone.
But the Patriots' most dangerous weapon, once again, hasn't been all that dangerous.
* Rotation at offensive line. With Sebastian Vollmer returning to action, the Patriots have gone with a straight rotation at offensive tackle. Nick Kaczur and Matt Light started the game, but Vollmer substituted first for Light and second for Kaczur, moving from left to right tackle and back again. Kaczur has had all kinds of trouble with Pro Bowl defensive end Julius Peppers, and it'll be interesting to see if the Patriots stick with the rotation or go exclusively with Light at left tackle and Vollmer at right tackle.
* Tight end blocking. Tight end Chris Baker has only had one pass thrown in his direction, and it bounced off his helmet. But catching passes isn't all Baker does. The tight end was the lead blocker on a pair of 17-yard runs in the first quarter, escorting Laurence Maroney around the left side and then pulling through the middle of the line in front of Sammy Morris.
Patriots running backs have 86 rushing yards on 16 carries thus far, an average of 5.4 yards per carry.
* Boos rain down. It's hard to believe this is virtually the same offense that broke record after record just two seasons ago. Tom Brady and his cohorts were booed after a third-and-12 pass went for just two yards, and they were booed even louder when a third-and-4 pass behind Sammy Morris slightly was dropped.
A couple of ticky-tack penalty calls saved the Patriots from more boos on their next drive. Ben Watson drew a questionable pass-interference call down the right sideline, and third wide receiver Isaiah Stanback drew a defensive holding call in the end zone after Brady had missed on a pass toward Randy Moss. Kevin Faulk ran through a big hole in the middle of the line for a touchdown -- the Patriots' first in almost four full quarters of action.
* Ugly day for Moss. A summary of the first half for the Patriots' big-play wide receiver:
-- Lets a pass slip through his hands deep over the middle;
-- Sees Chris Gamble intercept a pass -- albeit an off-target pass -- thrown in his direction;
-- Catches a pass down the middle of the field only to allow linebacker Dan Connor to punch it free.
First-half numbers: One catch for 16 yards and a fumble.
The ineffectiveness of Brady -- 8-for-15 for 59 yards and an interception -- isn't helping. Moss had no shot at the pass that Brady air-mailed through the back of the end zone.
But the Patriots' most dangerous weapon, once again, hasn't been all that dangerous.
* Rotation at offensive line. With Sebastian Vollmer returning to action, the Patriots have gone with a straight rotation at offensive tackle. Nick Kaczur and Matt Light started the game, but Vollmer substituted first for Light and second for Kaczur, moving from left to right tackle and back again. Kaczur has had all kinds of trouble with Pro Bowl defensive end Julius Peppers, and it'll be interesting to see if the Patriots stick with the rotation or go exclusively with Light at left tackle and Vollmer at right tackle.
* Tight end blocking. Tight end Chris Baker has only had one pass thrown in his direction, and it bounced off his helmet. But catching passes isn't all Baker does. The tight end was the lead blocker on a pair of 17-yard runs in the first quarter, escorting Laurence Maroney around the left side and then pulling through the middle of the line in front of Sammy Morris.
Patriots running backs have 86 rushing yards on 16 carries thus far, an average of 5.4 yards per carry.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Light has edge on Kaczur along line
Who wants to talk about something other than LateGate?
(Raises hand.)
Rookie left tackle Sebastian Vollmer was listed as "probable" on the Patriots' injury report on Friday, an indication that he's healthy again and ready to go.
The return of Vollmer presents Bill Belichick with the conundrum he's been avoiding since Vollmer first replaced Matt Light at left tackle in mid-October: Who's the odd man out?
Light and Nick Kaczur have anchored the two ends of the Patriots' offensive line for the last three seasons. But Vollmer, it appears, has been the Patriots' best pass-blocking and run-blocking tackle. Either Kaczur or Light is going to have to step aside to allow the rookie to play.
Belichick isn't going to base his decision simply on the way Kaczur and Light played on Sunday against Miami. A close examination of that game, though, might give us a better sense of the ability of each player -- a sense based on something other than reputation, anyway.
Let's do this the way they do it at ProFootballFocus.com. Let's go to the film and review each snap and grade both of the Patriots' offensive tackles:
* One point for a clean block, for the lineman doing his job;
* No points for a wishy-washy block or for a play in which the lineman wasn't involved -- though those plays are few and far between;
* Minus-one for getting beat on a pass-rush or pushed back on a run.
It's entirely subjective. But it's all we've got.
First half, first drive (6 plays)
Kaczur: 4
Light: 2
On a play-action pass that took a long time to develop, Light couldn't hold off Joey Porter long enough to keep him from drilling Brady in the ribs. Kaczur, on the other hand, boxed Keith Langford away from Brady until the ball was gone.
First half, second drive (13 plays)
Kaczur: 4
Light: 11
Kaczur picked up a couple of minuses on this drive -- including one on a third-and-7 pass in which he almost let his assigned guy get to Brady. But both Kaczur and Light executed textbook blocks on Kevin Faulk's rushing touchdown, rotating on an axis to keep Langford and Jason Taylor out of the play, respectively. Dan Koppen got downfield for the key block on Channing Crowder, but both Kaczur and Light did their jobs.
First half, third drive (4 plays)
Kaczur: 0
Light: 0
Light released clean on a third-and-2 screen pass but failed to block Vontae Davis, allowing the cornerback to drill Kevin Faulk inches short of the first-down marker. Randy Moss didn't make much of an effort to go after Gibril Wilson, either.
First half, fourth drive (7 plays)
Kaczur: 4
Light: 3
On the very next play, Light overran linebacker Akin Ayodele on a wide-receiver screen to the left. On the fourth-and-1 run the Dolphins stuffed, Kaczur finished the play flat on his back two yards deep in the Patriots' backfield.
First half, 30 total plays
Kaczur: 12
Light: 16
Second half, first drive (2 plays)
Kaczur: 1
Light: 1
Brady took a shot when he threw his 81-yard touchdown pass to Sam Aiken, but that was because defensive end Randy Starks torched Koppen one-on-one.
Second half, second drive (3 plays)
Kaczur: 3
Light: 2
On a third-and-6 pass down the right side for Moss, Light and Kaczur handled Porter and Cameron Wake, respectively. The pressure again came from the inside when Starks again got past Koppen.
Second half, third drive (6 plays)
Kaczur: 5
Light: 4
Jason Taylor came after Light on a deep pass to Welker in the middle, but by the time Brady released the ball, Light had pushed him a good 12 yards behind the line of scrimmage. Two plays later, on a play designed to be a wide-receiver screen, all Kaczur and Light did was dive at the feet of their assigned defenders -- but on a quick pass, their only job was to make sure their guys couldn't get their hands up. If they were looking down at the offensive linemen rolling into their ankles, they weren't going to bat away any passes.
Second half, fourth drive (7 plays)
Kaczur: 5
Light: 6
On the first-and-goal run before Brady threw his interception, Kaczur found himself pushed back at the line of scrimmage by Tony McDaniel, and the Dolphins plugged all the gaps to drop Sammy Morris for a loss of a yard.
Second half, fifth drive (3 plays)
Kaczur: 1
Light: 3
On the third-and-6 run by Faulk, Kaczur couldn't get Starks off the line of scrimmage, and Crowder quickly plugged the gap.
Second half, sixth drive (3 plays)
Kaczur: 1
Light: 2
The Patriots ran a stretch play to the edge on first-and-10 -- but they did so away from right side where both Light and Kaczur were. Instead, they ran to the left behind Mark LeVoir and the two tight ends -- and the play went nowhere.
Second half, seventh drive (3 plays)
Kaczur: 1
Light: 3
On the final meaningful play of the game, Kaczur got himself steamrolled by Wake, allowing the hit on Brady that caused him to throw it straight to Crowder.
Second half, 27 total plays
Kaczur: 17
Light: 21
Game, 57 total plays
Kaczur: 29
Light: 37
Edge to Light. Look for the two-time Pro Bowler to start at left tackle with Vollmer at right tackle on Sunday against Carolina.
(ProFootballFocus.com, for what it's worth, disagrees.)
(Raises hand.)
Rookie left tackle Sebastian Vollmer was listed as "probable" on the Patriots' injury report on Friday, an indication that he's healthy again and ready to go.
The return of Vollmer presents Bill Belichick with the conundrum he's been avoiding since Vollmer first replaced Matt Light at left tackle in mid-October: Who's the odd man out?
Light and Nick Kaczur have anchored the two ends of the Patriots' offensive line for the last three seasons. But Vollmer, it appears, has been the Patriots' best pass-blocking and run-blocking tackle. Either Kaczur or Light is going to have to step aside to allow the rookie to play.
Belichick isn't going to base his decision simply on the way Kaczur and Light played on Sunday against Miami. A close examination of that game, though, might give us a better sense of the ability of each player -- a sense based on something other than reputation, anyway.
Let's do this the way they do it at ProFootballFocus.com. Let's go to the film and review each snap and grade both of the Patriots' offensive tackles:
* One point for a clean block, for the lineman doing his job;
* No points for a wishy-washy block or for a play in which the lineman wasn't involved -- though those plays are few and far between;
* Minus-one for getting beat on a pass-rush or pushed back on a run.
It's entirely subjective. But it's all we've got.
First half, first drive (6 plays)
Kaczur: 4
Light: 2
On a play-action pass that took a long time to develop, Light couldn't hold off Joey Porter long enough to keep him from drilling Brady in the ribs. Kaczur, on the other hand, boxed Keith Langford away from Brady until the ball was gone.
First half, second drive (13 plays)
Kaczur: 4
Light: 11
Kaczur picked up a couple of minuses on this drive -- including one on a third-and-7 pass in which he almost let his assigned guy get to Brady. But both Kaczur and Light executed textbook blocks on Kevin Faulk's rushing touchdown, rotating on an axis to keep Langford and Jason Taylor out of the play, respectively. Dan Koppen got downfield for the key block on Channing Crowder, but both Kaczur and Light did their jobs.
First half, third drive (4 plays)
Kaczur: 0
Light: 0
Light released clean on a third-and-2 screen pass but failed to block Vontae Davis, allowing the cornerback to drill Kevin Faulk inches short of the first-down marker. Randy Moss didn't make much of an effort to go after Gibril Wilson, either.
First half, fourth drive (7 plays)
Kaczur: 4
Light: 3
On the very next play, Light overran linebacker Akin Ayodele on a wide-receiver screen to the left. On the fourth-and-1 run the Dolphins stuffed, Kaczur finished the play flat on his back two yards deep in the Patriots' backfield.
First half, 30 total plays
Kaczur: 12
Light: 16
Second half, first drive (2 plays)
Kaczur: 1
Light: 1
Brady took a shot when he threw his 81-yard touchdown pass to Sam Aiken, but that was because defensive end Randy Starks torched Koppen one-on-one.
Second half, second drive (3 plays)
Kaczur: 3
Light: 2
On a third-and-6 pass down the right side for Moss, Light and Kaczur handled Porter and Cameron Wake, respectively. The pressure again came from the inside when Starks again got past Koppen.
Second half, third drive (6 plays)
Kaczur: 5
Light: 4
Jason Taylor came after Light on a deep pass to Welker in the middle, but by the time Brady released the ball, Light had pushed him a good 12 yards behind the line of scrimmage. Two plays later, on a play designed to be a wide-receiver screen, all Kaczur and Light did was dive at the feet of their assigned defenders -- but on a quick pass, their only job was to make sure their guys couldn't get their hands up. If they were looking down at the offensive linemen rolling into their ankles, they weren't going to bat away any passes.
Second half, fourth drive (7 plays)
Kaczur: 5
Light: 6
On the first-and-goal run before Brady threw his interception, Kaczur found himself pushed back at the line of scrimmage by Tony McDaniel, and the Dolphins plugged all the gaps to drop Sammy Morris for a loss of a yard.
Second half, fifth drive (3 plays)
Kaczur: 1
Light: 3
On the third-and-6 run by Faulk, Kaczur couldn't get Starks off the line of scrimmage, and Crowder quickly plugged the gap.
Second half, sixth drive (3 plays)
Kaczur: 1
Light: 2
The Patriots ran a stretch play to the edge on first-and-10 -- but they did so away from right side where both Light and Kaczur were. Instead, they ran to the left behind Mark LeVoir and the two tight ends -- and the play went nowhere.
Second half, seventh drive (3 plays)
Kaczur: 1
Light: 3
On the final meaningful play of the game, Kaczur got himself steamrolled by Wake, allowing the hit on Brady that caused him to throw it straight to Crowder.
Second half, 27 total plays
Kaczur: 17
Light: 21
Game, 57 total plays
Kaczur: 29
Light: 37
Edge to Light. Look for the two-time Pro Bowler to start at left tackle with Vollmer at right tackle on Sunday against Carolina.
(ProFootballFocus.com, for what it's worth, disagrees.)
Monday, December 7, 2009
The Patriots really aren't that good
It's the popular idea today: The Patriots didn't necessarily do anything egregiously wrong in their loss at Miami on Sunday. The Patriots don't necessarily have some sort of mental block when it comes to winning on the road. The Patriots aren't necessarily gag artists who can't live up to expectations.
The Patriots might just not be all that good.
Given the numerous factors that go into winning and losing football games, it's a tough theory to try to prove. With help from our friends at ProFootballFocus.com, though, we'll give it a shot. Here's a position-by-position look -- with stats up to date entering play entering play in Week 13 and thus not including Week 13 -- at how the Patriots rank when compared to their counterparts around the NFL:
(Note: The PFF.com rankings include every aspect of the game -- meaning wide receivers are evaluated on their run-blocking as well as their pass-catching, and linebackers are evaluated on their pass coverage as well as their tackling.)
Center
1. Ryan Kalil, Carolina
2. Nick Mangold, N.Y. Jets
3. Jake Grove, Miami
13. Dan Koppen, New England
Guard
1. Jahri Evans, New Orleans
2. Steve Neal, New England
3. Carl Nicks, New Orleans
12. Logan Mankins, New England
Tackle
1. Joe Thomas, Cleveland
2. Willie Colon, Pittsburgh
3. Jake Long, Miami
5. Sebastian Vollmer, New England
14. Nick Kaczur, New England
45. Matt Light, New England
Tight end
1. Kevin Boss, N.Y. Giants
2. Jason Witten, Dallas
3. Dallas Clark, Indianapolis
18. Chris Baker, New England
33. Ben Watson, New England
Wide receiver
1. Reggie Wayne, Indianapolis
2. Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona
3. Vincent Jackson, San Diego
9. Wes Welker, New England
18. Randy Moss, New England
45. Sam Aiken, New England
Running back
1. Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville
2. Ray Rice, Baltimore
3. Ricky Williams, Miami
9. Kevin Faulk, New England
49. Laurence Maroney, New England
Quarterback
1. Drew Brees, New Orleans
2. Brett Favre, Minnesota
3. Peyton Manning, Indianapolis
10. Tom Brady, New England
Offensive analysis: The Patriots have two players who rank among the top five at their position in the NFL. Both -- Neal and Vollmer -- were injured against Miami. Wes Welker remains a playmaking machine. Brady ranks ahead of names like Carson Palmer, Eli Manning and Joe Flacco but behind David Garrard, Kurt Warner and Matt Schaub.
3-4 defensive end
1. Justin Smith, San Francisco
2. Randy Starks, Miami
3. Corey Williams, Cleveland
11. Ty Warren, New England
(Neither Jarvis Green nor Mike Wright has played enough snaps at 3-4 end to qualify.)
Defensive tackle
1. Kevin Williams, Minnesota
2. Kelly Gregg, Baltimore
3. Vince Wilfork, New England
3-4 outside linebacker
1. DeMarcus Ware, Dallas
2. James Harrison, Pittsburgh
3. Tully Banta-Cain, New England
Inside linebacker
1. Ray Lewis, Baltimore
2. Patrick Willis, San Francisco
3. Nick Barnett, Green Bay
33. Gary Guyton, New England
39. Jerod Mayo, New England
Cornerback
1. Charles Woodson, Green Bay
2. Darrelle Revis, N.Y. Jets
3. Antoine Winfield, Minnesota
14. Leigh Bodden, New England
61. Darius Butler, New England
68. Shawn Springs, New England
81. Jonathan Wilhite, New England
Safety
1. Ed Reed, Baltimore
2. Reed Doughty, Washington
3. Nick Collins, Green Bay
14. Brandon Meriweather, New England
68. Brandon McGowan, New England
Defensive analysis: The dismal rankings of the Patriots' cornerbacks shouldn't be surprising. Whoever it is that watches film for ProFootballFocus.com, though, also is having a tough time finding impact plays made either by Mayo or McGowan. The disappearance of Mayo in particular -- he has 64 tackles in nine games this season, but raise your hand if you remember the last impact play he made -- might be one of the most under-discussed subplots of the Patriots' collapse. That might be worth a separate film breakdown and discussion in this space.
Credit should go to Tully Banta-Cain, however, who really is having a Pro Bowl-caliber year rushing the passer. Entering play Sunday, PFF.com had credited Banta-Cain with five sacks, seven hits on the quarterback and 13 pressures -- and he'd missed just two tackles all season.
The Patriots might just not be all that good.
Given the numerous factors that go into winning and losing football games, it's a tough theory to try to prove. With help from our friends at ProFootballFocus.com, though, we'll give it a shot. Here's a position-by-position look -- with stats up to date entering play entering play in Week 13 and thus not including Week 13 -- at how the Patriots rank when compared to their counterparts around the NFL:
(Note: The PFF.com rankings include every aspect of the game -- meaning wide receivers are evaluated on their run-blocking as well as their pass-catching, and linebackers are evaluated on their pass coverage as well as their tackling.)
Center
1. Ryan Kalil, Carolina
2. Nick Mangold, N.Y. Jets
3. Jake Grove, Miami
13. Dan Koppen, New England
Guard
1. Jahri Evans, New Orleans
2. Steve Neal, New England
3. Carl Nicks, New Orleans
12. Logan Mankins, New England
Tackle
1. Joe Thomas, Cleveland
2. Willie Colon, Pittsburgh
3. Jake Long, Miami
5. Sebastian Vollmer, New England
14. Nick Kaczur, New England
45. Matt Light, New England
Tight end
1. Kevin Boss, N.Y. Giants
2. Jason Witten, Dallas
3. Dallas Clark, Indianapolis
18. Chris Baker, New England
33. Ben Watson, New England
Wide receiver
1. Reggie Wayne, Indianapolis
2. Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona
3. Vincent Jackson, San Diego
9. Wes Welker, New England
18. Randy Moss, New England
45. Sam Aiken, New England
Running back
1. Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville
2. Ray Rice, Baltimore
3. Ricky Williams, Miami
9. Kevin Faulk, New England
49. Laurence Maroney, New England
Quarterback
1. Drew Brees, New Orleans
2. Brett Favre, Minnesota
3. Peyton Manning, Indianapolis
10. Tom Brady, New England
Offensive analysis: The Patriots have two players who rank among the top five at their position in the NFL. Both -- Neal and Vollmer -- were injured against Miami. Wes Welker remains a playmaking machine. Brady ranks ahead of names like Carson Palmer, Eli Manning and Joe Flacco but behind David Garrard, Kurt Warner and Matt Schaub.
3-4 defensive end
1. Justin Smith, San Francisco
2. Randy Starks, Miami
3. Corey Williams, Cleveland
11. Ty Warren, New England
(Neither Jarvis Green nor Mike Wright has played enough snaps at 3-4 end to qualify.)
Defensive tackle
1. Kevin Williams, Minnesota
2. Kelly Gregg, Baltimore
3. Vince Wilfork, New England
3-4 outside linebacker
1. DeMarcus Ware, Dallas
2. James Harrison, Pittsburgh
3. Tully Banta-Cain, New England
Inside linebacker
1. Ray Lewis, Baltimore
2. Patrick Willis, San Francisco
3. Nick Barnett, Green Bay
33. Gary Guyton, New England
39. Jerod Mayo, New England
Cornerback
1. Charles Woodson, Green Bay
2. Darrelle Revis, N.Y. Jets
3. Antoine Winfield, Minnesota
14. Leigh Bodden, New England
61. Darius Butler, New England
68. Shawn Springs, New England
81. Jonathan Wilhite, New England
Safety
1. Ed Reed, Baltimore
2. Reed Doughty, Washington
3. Nick Collins, Green Bay
14. Brandon Meriweather, New England
68. Brandon McGowan, New England
Defensive analysis: The dismal rankings of the Patriots' cornerbacks shouldn't be surprising. Whoever it is that watches film for ProFootballFocus.com, though, also is having a tough time finding impact plays made either by Mayo or McGowan. The disappearance of Mayo in particular -- he has 64 tackles in nine games this season, but raise your hand if you remember the last impact play he made -- might be one of the most under-discussed subplots of the Patriots' collapse. That might be worth a separate film breakdown and discussion in this space.
Credit should go to Tully Banta-Cain, however, who really is having a Pro Bowl-caliber year rushing the passer. Entering play Sunday, PFF.com had credited Banta-Cain with five sacks, seven hits on the quarterback and 13 pressures -- and he'd missed just two tackles all season.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Halftime analysis: Patriots 24, Jets 6
Leigh Bodden's two first-half interceptions -- he has as many catches as the Jets do -- are the big story early, but that's not it:
* Many prognosticators suggested that while New York cornerback Darrelle Revis could handle Randy Moss, the Jets had no one to deal with Wes Welker. They were right.
Welker has eight catches for 139 yards -- in the first half -- and has left cornerback Drew Coleman in his dust on more than a couple of occasions.
Early in the second quarter, Welker lined upon the right side of the Patriots' line next to Moss. When Moss came to a halt in his hitch route, Welker kept going -- and Coleman, Revis and Kerry Rhodes all converged on Moss. Welker waved frantically as he cruised into a wide-open seam, and Tom Brady hit him for a 43-yard gain. Laurence Maroney scored two plays later to give the Patriots a 21-0 lead.
* NFL Network's Rich Eisen tweeted midway through the second quarter, "Revis having brutal game for NYJ. In fact, the Jets may lead the league in talk not backed up."
At best, it's harsh. At worst, it's wrong. Revis actually is doing exactly what he needs to do -- and is a big part of the reason Welker has so many catches. The third-year cornerback broke up two of the first three passes thrown in the direction of Moss.
The first pass Moss caught, a four-yard touchdown pass from Brady, came on an almost instantaneous snap-and-throw that never gave Revis a chance to react. The longest pass Moss caught in the first half went for six yards.
Revis is doing his job on Moss.
* The Patriots suddenly look awfully thin on the offensive line. Second-string left tackle Sebastian Vollmer went to the sidelines with a head injury in the second quarter, and right tackle Nick Kaczur had to gut out the final play from scrimmage after Brady's helmet hit him in the knee. Rich Ohrnberger is the only reserve offensive lineman left, and one would presume Pro Bowl guard Logan Mankins would move to tackle if Kaczur is unable to go in the second half.
On the bright side, third-string left tackle Mark LeVoir promptly decimated Jets cornerback Donald Strickland on a wide-receiver screen. On the dark side -- that is the opposite of bright side, right? -- linebacker Bart Scott cruised past LeVoir to hit Brady late in the second quarter, the hit that ended up injuring Kaczur.
* Linebacker Adalius Thomas had been all but forgotten by Patriots fans. Several talk-radio hosts have insisted that Thomas is a lock to be released after the season given how disappointed Patriots coaches seem to be with his play.
Today, though, might be Thomas' best game of the season.
The linebacker started the game in place of Tully Banta-Cain, who the Patriots seemed to be easing back into things after he missed most of the Indianapolis game as well as two of the taem's three practices this week. When Banta-Cain came back into the game, it was Pierre Woods who sat down and Thomas who stayed on the field.
He dropped Shonn Green for a gain of just a yard on the Jets' first play of the second quarter, and he followed that up by drilling Mark Sanchez just as he was throwing on the very next play.
On the Jets' next series, Thomas got into the backfield to force Thomas Jones back inside and into the waiting arms of Vince Wilfork. And when the Jets gave the Wildcat a try, inserting Brad Smith at quarterback to pitch to Green, Thomas combined with Wilfork for a four-yard loss.
* Many prognosticators suggested that while New York cornerback Darrelle Revis could handle Randy Moss, the Jets had no one to deal with Wes Welker. They were right.
Welker has eight catches for 139 yards -- in the first half -- and has left cornerback Drew Coleman in his dust on more than a couple of occasions.
Early in the second quarter, Welker lined upon the right side of the Patriots' line next to Moss. When Moss came to a halt in his hitch route, Welker kept going -- and Coleman, Revis and Kerry Rhodes all converged on Moss. Welker waved frantically as he cruised into a wide-open seam, and Tom Brady hit him for a 43-yard gain. Laurence Maroney scored two plays later to give the Patriots a 21-0 lead.
* NFL Network's Rich Eisen tweeted midway through the second quarter, "Revis having brutal game for NYJ. In fact, the Jets may lead the league in talk not backed up."
At best, it's harsh. At worst, it's wrong. Revis actually is doing exactly what he needs to do -- and is a big part of the reason Welker has so many catches. The third-year cornerback broke up two of the first three passes thrown in the direction of Moss.
The first pass Moss caught, a four-yard touchdown pass from Brady, came on an almost instantaneous snap-and-throw that never gave Revis a chance to react. The longest pass Moss caught in the first half went for six yards.
Revis is doing his job on Moss.
* The Patriots suddenly look awfully thin on the offensive line. Second-string left tackle Sebastian Vollmer went to the sidelines with a head injury in the second quarter, and right tackle Nick Kaczur had to gut out the final play from scrimmage after Brady's helmet hit him in the knee. Rich Ohrnberger is the only reserve offensive lineman left, and one would presume Pro Bowl guard Logan Mankins would move to tackle if Kaczur is unable to go in the second half.
On the bright side, third-string left tackle Mark LeVoir promptly decimated Jets cornerback Donald Strickland on a wide-receiver screen. On the dark side -- that is the opposite of bright side, right? -- linebacker Bart Scott cruised past LeVoir to hit Brady late in the second quarter, the hit that ended up injuring Kaczur.
* Linebacker Adalius Thomas had been all but forgotten by Patriots fans. Several talk-radio hosts have insisted that Thomas is a lock to be released after the season given how disappointed Patriots coaches seem to be with his play.
Today, though, might be Thomas' best game of the season.
The linebacker started the game in place of Tully Banta-Cain, who the Patriots seemed to be easing back into things after he missed most of the Indianapolis game as well as two of the taem's three practices this week. When Banta-Cain came back into the game, it was Pierre Woods who sat down and Thomas who stayed on the field.
He dropped Shonn Green for a gain of just a yard on the Jets' first play of the second quarter, and he followed that up by drilling Mark Sanchez just as he was throwing on the very next play.
On the Jets' next series, Thomas got into the backfield to force Thomas Jones back inside and into the waiting arms of Vince Wilfork. And when the Jets gave the Wildcat a try, inserting Brad Smith at quarterback to pitch to Green, Thomas combined with Wilfork for a four-yard loss.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
No time, no chance
Check out Tuesday's Union Leader for a look at how the pressure brought by Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis forced the Patriots to speed up their tempo in the second half -- and the part the pressure played in the game-changing fourth-and-2 stop.
According to unofficial stopwatch work done by this reporter, Brady averaged 2.33 seconds between the snap and the release of the ball on his six drop-backs in the first quarter. He averaged 1.76 seconds from snap to release on his 12 drop-backs in the fourth quarter.
Even when the Patriots went to the play-action in the fourth quarter, they did so with short passes in mind -- two screen passes to Wes Welker and a short completion to Welker in the flat.
Brady held the ball for 3.4 seconds -- again, obviously, an unofficial number -- when he hit Randy Moss for a deep pass to set up the Patriots' first touchdown in the first quarter.
That was a luxury he didn't have in the fourth quarter. He held the ball for 1.8 seconds on the third-down incompletion in the direction of Welker, and he held the ball for 1.4 seconds on the fourth-down pass to Faulk that came up short of the yellow line.
If he'd held the ball for any longer, though, he'd have been drilled -- keep an eye on Freeney at the top of the screen during the game's decisive play.
No time. No chance.
According to unofficial stopwatch work done by this reporter, Brady averaged 2.33 seconds between the snap and the release of the ball on his six drop-backs in the first quarter. He averaged 1.76 seconds from snap to release on his 12 drop-backs in the fourth quarter.
Even when the Patriots went to the play-action in the fourth quarter, they did so with short passes in mind -- two screen passes to Wes Welker and a short completion to Welker in the flat.
Brady held the ball for 3.4 seconds -- again, obviously, an unofficial number -- when he hit Randy Moss for a deep pass to set up the Patriots' first touchdown in the first quarter.
That was a luxury he didn't have in the fourth quarter. He held the ball for 1.8 seconds on the third-down incompletion in the direction of Welker, and he held the ball for 1.4 seconds on the fourth-down pass to Faulk that came up short of the yellow line.
If he'd held the ball for any longer, though, he'd have been drilled -- keep an eye on Freeney at the top of the screen during the game's decisive play.
No time. No chance.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Key matchups along the line of scrimmage
Bill Belichick loves to get immobile quarterbacks on the run. Heck, any good defensive coach loves to get immobile quarterbacks on the run. It's the best way to get even the most precise passers to start throwing uncharacteristic interceptions. The Colts, too, will be looking for ways to get to Tom Brady and get him out of the pocket and moving around -- just as Belichick and the Patriots will be trying to do to Peyton Manning.
With that in mind, here's a look -- with the help of ProFootballFocus.com -- at some of the key matchups along the line of scrimmage and the matchups each team hopes to exploit:
Getting to Peyton Manning
* OLB Tully Banta-Cain against LT Charlie Johnson.
Johnson, a fourth-year left tackle, surrendered two sacks and five quarterback pressures in a miserable game against Mario Williams and the Houston Texans a week ago. For the season, Johnson has allowed 17 quarterback pressures in eight games and ranks near the bottom among offensive tackles.
Banta-Cain, meanwhile, has been a revelation as a pass-rushing linebacker. He ranks with the best in the league in hits on the quarterback -- only Anthony Spencer, Aaron Kampman, DeMarcus Ware and Lamarr Woodley have more. Overall, he ranks as the third-best 3-4 outside linebacker in the NFL this season behind only Harrison and Ware.
* DE Mike Wright against LG Ryan Lilja
Lilja has tended to perform better this season as a run-blocker, but he's had his two best games in pass protection in the last two weeks. He allowed zero sacks and zero quarterback pressures against the Texans.
Wright saw his role diminished by the emergence of Myron Pryor and didn't have a spectacular game against the Dolphins when the injury to Jarvis Green bumped him back into the starting lineup. Against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 4, however, Wright was the best pass-rusher the Patriots had, recording two sacks, one hit on the quarterback and two other quarterback pressures.
Getting to Tom Brady
* DE Dwight Freeney against LT Sebastian Vollmer
With Matt Light unlikely to play, duty on the Colts' pass-rushing demon falls to Vollmer, a rookie who has handled himself awfully well so far this season. He actually has the third-best rating among Patriots' offensive linemen and has had three straight impressive games since he took over as the starter.
But he hasn't yet played against Freeney, who has 10 sacks, nine hits on the quarterback and a whopping 26 pressures so far this season. He's been the best 4-3 defensive end in the NFL so far this season -- and he's the toughest test Vollmer has faced yet.
* DE Robert Mathis against right tackle Nick Kaczur and right tackle Steve Neal
Statistically, Kaczur and Neal have been the Patriots' two best pass-blocking offensive linemen, though Kaczur seems to have stumbled of late in that department. Neal has spent the season as the Patriots' most consistent offensive player -- but that means he often finds himself standing around with not much to do as opposing teams opt not to go after him on passing downs.
Mathis almost certainly will go after Kaczur -- and if he can wreak half the havoc on Kaczur that he did on Arizona right tackle Levi Brown in Week 3 (one sack, three quarterback hits, eight quarterback pressures), Brady might be in trouble.
* Colts linebackers against Laurence Maroney
As frustrating as it's been for Patriots fans to watch Maroney run the ball, he's actually been worse this season when he's been trying to block for Brady. If the Colts send a blitzer that's assigned to Maroney, that blitzer might not have much issue getting to Brady.
With that in mind, here's a look -- with the help of ProFootballFocus.com -- at some of the key matchups along the line of scrimmage and the matchups each team hopes to exploit:
Getting to Peyton Manning
* OLB Tully Banta-Cain against LT Charlie Johnson.
Johnson, a fourth-year left tackle, surrendered two sacks and five quarterback pressures in a miserable game against Mario Williams and the Houston Texans a week ago. For the season, Johnson has allowed 17 quarterback pressures in eight games and ranks near the bottom among offensive tackles.
Banta-Cain, meanwhile, has been a revelation as a pass-rushing linebacker. He ranks with the best in the league in hits on the quarterback -- only Anthony Spencer, Aaron Kampman, DeMarcus Ware and Lamarr Woodley have more. Overall, he ranks as the third-best 3-4 outside linebacker in the NFL this season behind only Harrison and Ware.
* DE Mike Wright against LG Ryan Lilja
Lilja has tended to perform better this season as a run-blocker, but he's had his two best games in pass protection in the last two weeks. He allowed zero sacks and zero quarterback pressures against the Texans.
Wright saw his role diminished by the emergence of Myron Pryor and didn't have a spectacular game against the Dolphins when the injury to Jarvis Green bumped him back into the starting lineup. Against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 4, however, Wright was the best pass-rusher the Patriots had, recording two sacks, one hit on the quarterback and two other quarterback pressures.
Getting to Tom Brady
* DE Dwight Freeney against LT Sebastian Vollmer
With Matt Light unlikely to play, duty on the Colts' pass-rushing demon falls to Vollmer, a rookie who has handled himself awfully well so far this season. He actually has the third-best rating among Patriots' offensive linemen and has had three straight impressive games since he took over as the starter.
But he hasn't yet played against Freeney, who has 10 sacks, nine hits on the quarterback and a whopping 26 pressures so far this season. He's been the best 4-3 defensive end in the NFL so far this season -- and he's the toughest test Vollmer has faced yet.
* DE Robert Mathis against right tackle Nick Kaczur and right tackle Steve Neal
Statistically, Kaczur and Neal have been the Patriots' two best pass-blocking offensive linemen, though Kaczur seems to have stumbled of late in that department. Neal has spent the season as the Patriots' most consistent offensive player -- but that means he often finds himself standing around with not much to do as opposing teams opt not to go after him on passing downs.
Mathis almost certainly will go after Kaczur -- and if he can wreak half the havoc on Kaczur that he did on Arizona right tackle Levi Brown in Week 3 (one sack, three quarterback hits, eight quarterback pressures), Brady might be in trouble.
* Colts linebackers against Laurence Maroney
As frustrating as it's been for Patriots fans to watch Maroney run the ball, he's actually been worse this season when he's been trying to block for Brady. If the Colts send a blitzer that's assigned to Maroney, that blitzer might not have much issue getting to Brady.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Vollmer pulls off impressive debut
It wasn't just the blocking.
Rookie Sebastian Vollmer more than held his own in place of Pro Bowl left tackle Matt Light, looking nothing like he was making his first career start in the NFL. Vollmer lined up most of the time against two-time Pro Bowl defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch -- and while the Patriots' scheme meant he had some help from running backs and tight ends, he did the job awfully well even when left alone against Vanden Bosch.
Tom Brady dropped back to pass 30 times in the first half; he attempted 28 passes, and he was sacked twice. (We're ignoring the second half because the game was totally out of hand by then.) Here's how Vollmer fared against Vanden Bosch and third-down pass-rusher Jacob Ford on those 30 first-half snaps:
* 10 times, the Patriots offered help in the form of a tight end or a running back -- especially on plays that required Brady to have a little extra time. Tight end Chris Baker did most of the blocking on Vanden Bosch on the 48-yard pass to Wes Welker and the 30-yard touchdown pass to Wes Welker, and tight end Ben Watson did most of the blocking on Vanden Bosch on the flea flicker to Randy Moss.
* One time, on the Titans' first drive, he whiffed on his block but got away with it because Brady unloaded quickly.
* One time, on that same drive, he got beat clean by Ford -- and Brady, seeing it, stepped up into the pocket and right into the waiting arms of Jason Jones, who sacked him for a loss of six yards.
* Eighteen times, Vollmer took on Vanden Bosch or Ford one-on-one and kept them away from his quarterback. On one occasion, in fact, Vollmer seamlessly passed Vanden Bosch off to guard Logan Mankins in a zone blocking scheme and got in the way of blitzing cornerback Ryan Mouton, the smoothness of his technique befitting a veteran of the position.
(One thing to remember before we leapfrog Vollmer over Light on the depth chart based on this game: The lousy footing, in this one-on-one matchup, usually benefits the left tackle rather than the defensive end.)
"He’s really worked hard," Brady said. "He’s very well coached. He’s a smart kid. He’s tough. You see how big he is out there, so he’s got a lot of physical tools. His intelligence gets him in the right position, the right calls. He did a great job today."
The most impressive play from Vollmer was on the tone-setting Laurence Maroney run in the first quarter that set the stage for an onslaught of touchdown passes in the second quarter. This wasn't about going one-on-one with a defensive end and keeping him away from Brady. That, while physically demanding, doesn't take as much sophistication as the maneuver pulled off in front of Maroney on the first quarter.
But that's the type of player Vollmer is -- even though he grew up in Germany and didn't start playing the game until he was 14.
"He's a smart kid," center Dan Koppen said. "He's a tough kid. He really came in from Day One and tried to pick up the offense and has done a great job of it. He really works hard every week whether he's in there or not. There's no lack of confidence in there with him. Roll him in, and let's go."
Let's take a look at the play. It was a second-and-3 snap at midfield, and the Patriots had two wide receivers and two tight ends on the field. The Titans had a pretty basic 4-3 formation on the field with designs on stopping the run. Here's how both teams lined up at the snap -- with Maroney in yellow and Vollmer, the left tackle, in gray:
When Brady took the snap, he made a basic drop to give the ball to Maroney. Plenty, though, was happening in front of him.
1. Tight end Chris Baker going after a linebacker.
2. Right tackle Nick Kaczur was blocking a defensive end.
3. Koppen and right guard Stephen Neal were double-teaming defensive tackle Jovan Haye, clearing a gap on one side.
4. Left guard Logan Mankins was mauling defensive tackle Tony Brown, clearing the gap from the other side.
5. Vollmer was pulling around Mankins to get into the gap that had just been created between Haye and Brown and to get to the second level of the defense.
When Maroney got the handoff, he hesitated. Maroney has driven Patriots fans crazy for four seasons with his hesitations in the backfield. This time, though, his hesitation gave Vollmer a chance to get to his spot -- and it created a hint of uncertainty in the defense.
Maroney, after all, is a running back who often runs sweeps to the left or the right. That's been part of his issue this season -- he hasn't gotten to the line of scrimmage on quite a few of his runs because defenders are getting to him before he can turn the corner. On the previous play, even, Maroney had rushed around the right edge for a gain of seven yards.
That tendency -- and his hesitation -- gave the Titans' safety and middle linebacker reason to believe he was about to run once again behind Kaczur and Baker around the right side of the Patriots' offensive line. Here's how everything looked as Maroney paused in the backfield:
That's when Vollmer plowed through the line to meet linebacker Keith Bulluck. He didn't blow him up. He didn't really even hit him that hard. He simply got in his way, and that was enough to prevent Bulluck from getting a hand on Maroney. It was a perfectly executed pull block.
Vollmer got from his spot on the outside of the line and led Maroney right through the gap, blocking one of only two players who would have been in position to make a tackle Koppen shed Haye to get to a waiting linebacker on the other side of the gap, and the hole was wide open.
From there, with defensive backs closing all around him, it was up for Maroney to hit the hole -- and he hit the hole.
Forty-five yards later, the Patriots had their first touchdown of the game -- and their rookie left tackle from Germany deserved quite a bit of the credit.
Rookie Sebastian Vollmer more than held his own in place of Pro Bowl left tackle Matt Light, looking nothing like he was making his first career start in the NFL. Vollmer lined up most of the time against two-time Pro Bowl defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch -- and while the Patriots' scheme meant he had some help from running backs and tight ends, he did the job awfully well even when left alone against Vanden Bosch.
Tom Brady dropped back to pass 30 times in the first half; he attempted 28 passes, and he was sacked twice. (We're ignoring the second half because the game was totally out of hand by then.) Here's how Vollmer fared against Vanden Bosch and third-down pass-rusher Jacob Ford on those 30 first-half snaps:
* 10 times, the Patriots offered help in the form of a tight end or a running back -- especially on plays that required Brady to have a little extra time. Tight end Chris Baker did most of the blocking on Vanden Bosch on the 48-yard pass to Wes Welker and the 30-yard touchdown pass to Wes Welker, and tight end Ben Watson did most of the blocking on Vanden Bosch on the flea flicker to Randy Moss.
* One time, on the Titans' first drive, he whiffed on his block but got away with it because Brady unloaded quickly.
* One time, on that same drive, he got beat clean by Ford -- and Brady, seeing it, stepped up into the pocket and right into the waiting arms of Jason Jones, who sacked him for a loss of six yards.
* Eighteen times, Vollmer took on Vanden Bosch or Ford one-on-one and kept them away from his quarterback. On one occasion, in fact, Vollmer seamlessly passed Vanden Bosch off to guard Logan Mankins in a zone blocking scheme and got in the way of blitzing cornerback Ryan Mouton, the smoothness of his technique befitting a veteran of the position.
(One thing to remember before we leapfrog Vollmer over Light on the depth chart based on this game: The lousy footing, in this one-on-one matchup, usually benefits the left tackle rather than the defensive end.)
"He’s really worked hard," Brady said. "He’s very well coached. He’s a smart kid. He’s tough. You see how big he is out there, so he’s got a lot of physical tools. His intelligence gets him in the right position, the right calls. He did a great job today."
The most impressive play from Vollmer was on the tone-setting Laurence Maroney run in the first quarter that set the stage for an onslaught of touchdown passes in the second quarter. This wasn't about going one-on-one with a defensive end and keeping him away from Brady. That, while physically demanding, doesn't take as much sophistication as the maneuver pulled off in front of Maroney on the first quarter.
But that's the type of player Vollmer is -- even though he grew up in Germany and didn't start playing the game until he was 14.
"He's a smart kid," center Dan Koppen said. "He's a tough kid. He really came in from Day One and tried to pick up the offense and has done a great job of it. He really works hard every week whether he's in there or not. There's no lack of confidence in there with him. Roll him in, and let's go."
Let's take a look at the play. It was a second-and-3 snap at midfield, and the Patriots had two wide receivers and two tight ends on the field. The Titans had a pretty basic 4-3 formation on the field with designs on stopping the run. Here's how both teams lined up at the snap -- with Maroney in yellow and Vollmer, the left tackle, in gray:
When Brady took the snap, he made a basic drop to give the ball to Maroney. Plenty, though, was happening in front of him.
1. Tight end Chris Baker going after a linebacker.
2. Right tackle Nick Kaczur was blocking a defensive end.
3. Koppen and right guard Stephen Neal were double-teaming defensive tackle Jovan Haye, clearing a gap on one side.
4. Left guard Logan Mankins was mauling defensive tackle Tony Brown, clearing the gap from the other side.
5. Vollmer was pulling around Mankins to get into the gap that had just been created between Haye and Brown and to get to the second level of the defense.
When Maroney got the handoff, he hesitated. Maroney has driven Patriots fans crazy for four seasons with his hesitations in the backfield. This time, though, his hesitation gave Vollmer a chance to get to his spot -- and it created a hint of uncertainty in the defense.
Maroney, after all, is a running back who often runs sweeps to the left or the right. That's been part of his issue this season -- he hasn't gotten to the line of scrimmage on quite a few of his runs because defenders are getting to him before he can turn the corner. On the previous play, even, Maroney had rushed around the right edge for a gain of seven yards.
That tendency -- and his hesitation -- gave the Titans' safety and middle linebacker reason to believe he was about to run once again behind Kaczur and Baker around the right side of the Patriots' offensive line. Here's how everything looked as Maroney paused in the backfield:
That's when Vollmer plowed through the line to meet linebacker Keith Bulluck. He didn't blow him up. He didn't really even hit him that hard. He simply got in his way, and that was enough to prevent Bulluck from getting a hand on Maroney. It was a perfectly executed pull block.
Vollmer got from his spot on the outside of the line and led Maroney right through the gap, blocking one of only two players who would have been in position to make a tackle Koppen shed Haye to get to a waiting linebacker on the other side of the gap, and the hole was wide open.
From there, with defensive backs closing all around him, it was up for Maroney to hit the hole -- and he hit the hole.
Forty-five yards later, the Patriots had their first touchdown of the game -- and their rookie left tackle from Germany deserved quite a bit of the credit.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Patriots-Titans halftime: It got ugly fast
Much like the last time the Patriots played at Gillette Stadium in the snow, this one got out of hand early. The key difference: The Arizona Cardinals had wrapped up a playoff berth and were playing out the string, but the Tennessee Titans came into this game 0-5 and had to be playing with a sense of desperation.
(Every loss by the Titans, by the way, benefits the Patriots, who own the Titans' second-round pick. At the rate they're going, the Titans are going to be handing the Patriots the No. 33 overall pick in next year's draft in exchange for the third-rounder they received last April.)
It's 45-0 at the half and getting more absurd by the minute.
Assorted halftime notes:
* The Patriots didn't have a play of 40 yards or longer entering today's game. They had three in the first half: Laurence Maroney rushed for a 45-yard touchdown, a huge play in the immediate aftermath of a knee injury suffered by Sammy Morris, and Tom Brady hit Wes Welker for a 48-pass down the left side to set up a field goal. Brady then hit Randy Moss on a playground-style flea flicker for a 40-yard touchdown pass midway through the second quarter.
Brady finished the first half with what has to be the best first-half statistics of his career: 24 completions on 28 attempts for 345 yards and five touchdowns. Brady had six touchdown passes all season coming into today's game -- and he threw for five touchdowns in the second quarter alone. Of his first 20 pass attempts, his only incomplete pass was a deep ball for Moss that seemed to get knocked down by the wind.
It wouldn't be surprising to see Brian Hoyer take all of the second-half snaps. No sense playing Brady in consitions like this with the score looking like it does.
* Morris, by the way, needed quite a bit of help to get to the locker room in the first quarter and has not returned to the game. The injury was to his left knee.
* Rookie Sebastian Vollmer started in place of the injured Matt Light and didn't look much like he was making his first career start. It was Vollmer, in fact, who keyed Maroney's touchdown run in the first quarter, pulling from the left side into a gap on the right side and leading Maroney right through the first and second levels of the Titans' defense.
The Patriots have done their part to make life easier for Vollmer, though, frequently lining tight end Chris Baker up alongside Vollmer to help take care of Pro Bowl defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch. When Brady hit Welker for that 48-yard pass, it was Baker who had primary duty on Vanden Bosch and Vollmer who chipped away at him.
But on a sideline pass to Sam Aiken late in the second quarter, Vollmer deftly shed Vanden Bosch to fend off blitzing cornerback Ryan Mouton and give Brady a chance to get rid of the ball. And on the next play, the screen pass that Kevin Faulk took 38 yards for a touchdown, Vollmer was matched up one-on-one with Vanden Bosch and held the defensive end off long enough for the screen to take shape.
Then again, on the touchdown pass to Welker that closed out the half, Baker took on Vanden Bosch by himself and left Vollmer to block no one at all.
* The absence of Adalius Thomas didn't prevent the Patriots from going back to their traditional 3-4 defense. Jarvis Green, Ty Warren and Vince Wilfork started along the defensive line, and Derrick Burgess took the spot at outside linebacker that one would have expected Thomas to fill. The alignment left out Mike Wright, but when the versatile defensive lineman rotated into the game to give Wilfork a blow, he recovered a Kerry Collins fumble to set up the Patriots' third touchdown.
Tully Banta-Cain, Rob Ninkovich and Pierre Woods all have seen time at outside linebacker in the 3-4 defense.
(Every loss by the Titans, by the way, benefits the Patriots, who own the Titans' second-round pick. At the rate they're going, the Titans are going to be handing the Patriots the No. 33 overall pick in next year's draft in exchange for the third-rounder they received last April.)
It's 45-0 at the half and getting more absurd by the minute.
Assorted halftime notes:
* The Patriots didn't have a play of 40 yards or longer entering today's game. They had three in the first half: Laurence Maroney rushed for a 45-yard touchdown, a huge play in the immediate aftermath of a knee injury suffered by Sammy Morris, and Tom Brady hit Wes Welker for a 48-pass down the left side to set up a field goal. Brady then hit Randy Moss on a playground-style flea flicker for a 40-yard touchdown pass midway through the second quarter.
Brady finished the first half with what has to be the best first-half statistics of his career: 24 completions on 28 attempts for 345 yards and five touchdowns. Brady had six touchdown passes all season coming into today's game -- and he threw for five touchdowns in the second quarter alone. Of his first 20 pass attempts, his only incomplete pass was a deep ball for Moss that seemed to get knocked down by the wind.
It wouldn't be surprising to see Brian Hoyer take all of the second-half snaps. No sense playing Brady in consitions like this with the score looking like it does.
* Morris, by the way, needed quite a bit of help to get to the locker room in the first quarter and has not returned to the game. The injury was to his left knee.
* Rookie Sebastian Vollmer started in place of the injured Matt Light and didn't look much like he was making his first career start. It was Vollmer, in fact, who keyed Maroney's touchdown run in the first quarter, pulling from the left side into a gap on the right side and leading Maroney right through the first and second levels of the Titans' defense.
The Patriots have done their part to make life easier for Vollmer, though, frequently lining tight end Chris Baker up alongside Vollmer to help take care of Pro Bowl defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch. When Brady hit Welker for that 48-yard pass, it was Baker who had primary duty on Vanden Bosch and Vollmer who chipped away at him.
But on a sideline pass to Sam Aiken late in the second quarter, Vollmer deftly shed Vanden Bosch to fend off blitzing cornerback Ryan Mouton and give Brady a chance to get rid of the ball. And on the next play, the screen pass that Kevin Faulk took 38 yards for a touchdown, Vollmer was matched up one-on-one with Vanden Bosch and held the defensive end off long enough for the screen to take shape.
Then again, on the touchdown pass to Welker that closed out the half, Baker took on Vanden Bosch by himself and left Vollmer to block no one at all.
* The absence of Adalius Thomas didn't prevent the Patriots from going back to their traditional 3-4 defense. Jarvis Green, Ty Warren and Vince Wilfork started along the defensive line, and Derrick Burgess took the spot at outside linebacker that one would have expected Thomas to fill. The alignment left out Mike Wright, but when the versatile defensive lineman rotated into the game to give Wilfork a blow, he recovered a Kerry Collins fumble to set up the Patriots' third touchdown.
Tully Banta-Cain, Rob Ninkovich and Pierre Woods all have seen time at outside linebacker in the 3-4 defense.
Patriots still looking for big plays
(This story appeared only in the print edition of the Union Leader.)
Bill Belichick hasn’t missed a chance this week to tweak his quarterback – and to drive home a point: The Patriots haven’t opened up the field the way they once did.
Two years ago at this time, the explosive Patriots offense already had three completions of 40 or more yards. One year ago at this time, even with Matt Cassel under center, the Patriots had two completions of 40 or more yards.
So far this season? Zero.
Brady’s 36-yard completion to Randy Moss against Denver last Sunday – the only reception Moss had all afternoon – was the longest pass the quarterback has completed this season. Wes Welker, a slot receiver who has more than 1,000 receiving yards in each of the last two seasons, hasn’t yet caught a pass for a gain of more than 20 yards – let alone 40.
“There’s only one way to do it, and that’s to go out there and work on it,” Brady said. “You’ve got to hit them. That’s why you play quarterback. You’ve got to go out and the complete the balls that are there when we have opportunities down the field. You don’t get them often, and when you get them, you have to really take advantage of them.”
The most egregious miss came on a third-and-12 in Sunday’s first quarter, a deep pass on which Moss was all alone in the back of the end zone. Brady overthrew him. It wasn’t all that close, either.
Those are the types of plays that have some wondering if doctors removed Brady’s ability to throw the deep ball while they were operating on his knee.
“We hit them in practice,” the quarterback said. “In practice, everyone looks pretty good all the time. … It’s really a matter of how it comes down on game day and the level of execution. I’ve got to do a better job of hitting those deep ones.”
But it’s not just about Brady.
“It’s all of us,” said Sam Aiken, pressed into duty as the third wide receiver early this season. “It’s all 11 that’s on the field. It’s not just one person. It’s all of us.”
WHEN THE TITANS RUN: Don’t question Chris Johnson on his speed. The former first-round pick out of East Carolina ran a 4.24-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Draft combine 18 months ago, the fastest time at that workout and more than 0.05 seconds faster than any player ran at last April’s workout.
“I guess I’m the fastest guy in the NFL right now,” Johnson said.
It’s not as if other players are challenging him to footraces, either.
“They do, but they be playing around,” Johnson said. “They’re really not serious about the situation. I don’t think anybody is serious or ever really put anything up that they could beat me or anything like that.”
Johnson rushed for more than 1,200 yards a year ago, and he had the full attention of opposing defenses even before his 197-yard outburst against the Houston Texans in Week 2.
“Even going into that game, defenses concentrate on me by putting eight or nine men in the box, hoping we don’t pass, double teaming me and all that,” he said. “A lot of guys are focused and keying in on me right now, but I can’t use that as an excuse. I just have to still make plays I can make.”
WHEN THE TITANS PASS: The Patriots always prepare for every player on a team’s active roster so as not to be unprepared should that player be put in a key position in a game.
“There’s always the possibility that a practice-squad player could come up as well,” said Belichick, ever the worrier.
This week, though, there’ll be special focus on Tennessee backup quarterback Vince Young. Titans coach Jeff Fisher announced after last Sunday’s game that veteran Kerry Collins would be his starting quarterback again this week, and “I’ve not wavered off that,” Fisher said in a conference call with reporters this week.
But with a team as desperate as the winless Titans, the Patriots will have to prepare for all possibilities. The added challenge? Collins is a traditional drop-back quarterback while Young is a college-style scrambler built more like a fullback than a quarterback, and he’s not easy to bring down once he gets going in the open field.
“It’s two different people when you talk about Collins and Young,” Patriots nose tackle Vince Wilfork said. “When he’s in the game, of course, it’s a different approach. But our plays don’t change. It’s just a different mindset from a defensive standpoint.”
WHEN THE PATRIOTS RUN: As Patriots running backs have fallen by the wayside – Fred Taylor remains out with an ankle injury and Laurence Maroney remains plagued by ineffectiveness – more and more has fallen on the shoulders of Sammy Morris.
The veteran was used exclusively as a fullback in the season opener and had just two carries in the Patriots’ Week 2 loss to the New York Jets. Against the Broncos last Sunday, though, Morris had 17 carries for 68 yards. He also had as a pair of receptions – including one for 35 yards.
It was a year ago just at this time, in fact, that Morris had his most productive game of the season: He carried the ball 16 times for 138 yards, including a four-yard touchdown run, in a romp over the Broncos in mid-October of last year.
WHEN THE PATRIOTS PASS: After left tackle Matt Light left last Sunday’s game with a knee injury, Belichick opted to insert rookie Sebastian Vollmer into that spot – and his offense proceeded to run the ball on six straight snaps. The sequence seemed to be designed to give Vollmer a chance to get his feet under him, a chance to get up to speed in his first significant action in an NFL game.
Should Light be unable to go again on Sunday – he was listed as doubtful on Friday’s injury report – the Patriots will have to decide whether to play it safe again with their rookie left tackle. For Brady to connect on his deep passes, he’ll need a little extra time in the pocket, and he doesn’t yet have the comfort level with Vollmer he has with Light.
Then again, right tackle Nick Kaczur could move across the line and give Vollmer a chance to ease into the starting lineup at left tackle – as much as going up against Pro Bowl defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch qualifies as easing in.
Bill Belichick hasn’t missed a chance this week to tweak his quarterback – and to drive home a point: The Patriots haven’t opened up the field the way they once did.
Two years ago at this time, the explosive Patriots offense already had three completions of 40 or more yards. One year ago at this time, even with Matt Cassel under center, the Patriots had two completions of 40 or more yards.
So far this season? Zero.
Brady’s 36-yard completion to Randy Moss against Denver last Sunday – the only reception Moss had all afternoon – was the longest pass the quarterback has completed this season. Wes Welker, a slot receiver who has more than 1,000 receiving yards in each of the last two seasons, hasn’t yet caught a pass for a gain of more than 20 yards – let alone 40.
“There’s only one way to do it, and that’s to go out there and work on it,” Brady said. “You’ve got to hit them. That’s why you play quarterback. You’ve got to go out and the complete the balls that are there when we have opportunities down the field. You don’t get them often, and when you get them, you have to really take advantage of them.”
The most egregious miss came on a third-and-12 in Sunday’s first quarter, a deep pass on which Moss was all alone in the back of the end zone. Brady overthrew him. It wasn’t all that close, either.
Those are the types of plays that have some wondering if doctors removed Brady’s ability to throw the deep ball while they were operating on his knee.
“We hit them in practice,” the quarterback said. “In practice, everyone looks pretty good all the time. … It’s really a matter of how it comes down on game day and the level of execution. I’ve got to do a better job of hitting those deep ones.”
But it’s not just about Brady.
“It’s all of us,” said Sam Aiken, pressed into duty as the third wide receiver early this season. “It’s all 11 that’s on the field. It’s not just one person. It’s all of us.”
WHEN THE TITANS RUN: Don’t question Chris Johnson on his speed. The former first-round pick out of East Carolina ran a 4.24-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Draft combine 18 months ago, the fastest time at that workout and more than 0.05 seconds faster than any player ran at last April’s workout.
“I guess I’m the fastest guy in the NFL right now,” Johnson said.
It’s not as if other players are challenging him to footraces, either.
“They do, but they be playing around,” Johnson said. “They’re really not serious about the situation. I don’t think anybody is serious or ever really put anything up that they could beat me or anything like that.”
Johnson rushed for more than 1,200 yards a year ago, and he had the full attention of opposing defenses even before his 197-yard outburst against the Houston Texans in Week 2.
“Even going into that game, defenses concentrate on me by putting eight or nine men in the box, hoping we don’t pass, double teaming me and all that,” he said. “A lot of guys are focused and keying in on me right now, but I can’t use that as an excuse. I just have to still make plays I can make.”
WHEN THE TITANS PASS: The Patriots always prepare for every player on a team’s active roster so as not to be unprepared should that player be put in a key position in a game.
“There’s always the possibility that a practice-squad player could come up as well,” said Belichick, ever the worrier.
This week, though, there’ll be special focus on Tennessee backup quarterback Vince Young. Titans coach Jeff Fisher announced after last Sunday’s game that veteran Kerry Collins would be his starting quarterback again this week, and “I’ve not wavered off that,” Fisher said in a conference call with reporters this week.
But with a team as desperate as the winless Titans, the Patriots will have to prepare for all possibilities. The added challenge? Collins is a traditional drop-back quarterback while Young is a college-style scrambler built more like a fullback than a quarterback, and he’s not easy to bring down once he gets going in the open field.
“It’s two different people when you talk about Collins and Young,” Patriots nose tackle Vince Wilfork said. “When he’s in the game, of course, it’s a different approach. But our plays don’t change. It’s just a different mindset from a defensive standpoint.”
WHEN THE PATRIOTS RUN: As Patriots running backs have fallen by the wayside – Fred Taylor remains out with an ankle injury and Laurence Maroney remains plagued by ineffectiveness – more and more has fallen on the shoulders of Sammy Morris.
The veteran was used exclusively as a fullback in the season opener and had just two carries in the Patriots’ Week 2 loss to the New York Jets. Against the Broncos last Sunday, though, Morris had 17 carries for 68 yards. He also had as a pair of receptions – including one for 35 yards.
It was a year ago just at this time, in fact, that Morris had his most productive game of the season: He carried the ball 16 times for 138 yards, including a four-yard touchdown run, in a romp over the Broncos in mid-October of last year.
WHEN THE PATRIOTS PASS: After left tackle Matt Light left last Sunday’s game with a knee injury, Belichick opted to insert rookie Sebastian Vollmer into that spot – and his offense proceeded to run the ball on six straight snaps. The sequence seemed to be designed to give Vollmer a chance to get his feet under him, a chance to get up to speed in his first significant action in an NFL game.
Should Light be unable to go again on Sunday – he was listed as doubtful on Friday’s injury report – the Patriots will have to decide whether to play it safe again with their rookie left tackle. For Brady to connect on his deep passes, he’ll need a little extra time in the pocket, and he doesn’t yet have the comfort level with Vollmer he has with Light.
Then again, right tackle Nick Kaczur could move across the line and give Vollmer a chance to ease into the starting lineup at left tackle – as much as going up against Pro Bowl defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch qualifies as easing in.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Light injury could hamper Patriots' pass game
It's not hard to find a pattern in the offensive scheme the pass-happy Patriots employed immediately upon the knee injury suffered by left tackle Matt Light:
1st and 10: Kevin Faulk run, gain 4
2nd and 6: Sammy Morris run, gain 3
Third and 3: Kevin Faulk run, gain 1
(First down by penalty)
First and 10: Sammy Morris run, gain 6
Second and 4: Sammy Morris run, gain 5
First and 10: Sammy Morris run, gain 3
This from a team that has so heavily emphasized the pass through five games that analysts are wondering if they're trying too hard to capture the magic of the backyard football-esque 2007 season. ("Hey, Randy, fake like you're running a slant toward the flower beds and then just go deep -- waaaaay deep. Ain't no way Uncle Frankie can cover you.")
Light again missed practice on Thursday but was spotted in the locker room walking without a limp. Tight end Chris Baker refused to answer any questions regarding the way blocking schemes would change if, hypothetically, Light couldn't go, let alone any questions specifically about Light. There's no way to know this early if Light will be ready to go on Sunday.
And for an offense still trying to rediscover its big-play capability -- "Coach hammered into us today that we haven’t had a pass over 40 yards yet this year," quarterback Tom Brady said on Wednesday -- the absence of Light could be a big factor.
When Light went out on the first play of the fourth quarter, Bill Belichick opted to send rookie Sebastian Vollmer into the game at left tackle rather than shift Nick Kaczur over to right tackle. It was classic Belichick; the coach seems to be opposed to the idea of shifting tackles from side-to-side during the game, but it's hard to believe that philosophy still applies with a week to prepare.
(The Baltimore Ravens lost their left tackle against the Patriots a couple of weeks ago and moved their right tackle, rookie Michael Oher, across to the left side. Said Belichick a day later, "I was a little surprised what they did with that. They moved Oher over to left tackle and put (Marshal) Yanda in there at right tackle. I was surprised they moved Oher, but I’m sure they know what they were doing. I’m not questioning them. I’m just saying I didn’t really see that move coming.")
Vollmer might again play left tackle on Sunday. Kaczur might shift to left tackle with Vollmer taking over at right tackle. Either way, though, if the Patriots are without Light, they're going to be playing their two offensive tackles out of their comfort zones -- and it's going to hamper their ability to complete some of the deep passes for which they're still searching.
Deep passes naturally require more out of the offensive line -- the quarterback needs extra time in the pocket as he's waiting for his wide receivers to get off the line of scrimmage and away from jamming cornerbacks. Brady has an understanding with and a faith in Light from their years of playing alongside each other, and he isn't going to have that with Vollmer based on three brief fourth-quarter drives last Sunday.
When Vollmer made his debut, the Patriots ran the ball on six straight plays. That, of course, might be their way of getting their rookie left tackle acclimated to the speed of the NFL game -- but if he wasn't already up to speed after months of minicamps and training camp, Sunday's fourth quarter probably wasn't going to flip the switch.
If Vollmer is playing left tackle in place of Light on Sunday, you not see some of those long pass plays you're longing to see. The Patriots might have no choice but to play it conservative.
1st and 10: Kevin Faulk run, gain 4
2nd and 6: Sammy Morris run, gain 3
Third and 3: Kevin Faulk run, gain 1
(First down by penalty)
First and 10: Sammy Morris run, gain 6
Second and 4: Sammy Morris run, gain 5
First and 10: Sammy Morris run, gain 3
This from a team that has so heavily emphasized the pass through five games that analysts are wondering if they're trying too hard to capture the magic of the backyard football-esque 2007 season. ("Hey, Randy, fake like you're running a slant toward the flower beds and then just go deep -- waaaaay deep. Ain't no way Uncle Frankie can cover you.")
Light again missed practice on Thursday but was spotted in the locker room walking without a limp. Tight end Chris Baker refused to answer any questions regarding the way blocking schemes would change if, hypothetically, Light couldn't go, let alone any questions specifically about Light. There's no way to know this early if Light will be ready to go on Sunday.
And for an offense still trying to rediscover its big-play capability -- "Coach hammered into us today that we haven’t had a pass over 40 yards yet this year," quarterback Tom Brady said on Wednesday -- the absence of Light could be a big factor.
When Light went out on the first play of the fourth quarter, Bill Belichick opted to send rookie Sebastian Vollmer into the game at left tackle rather than shift Nick Kaczur over to right tackle. It was classic Belichick; the coach seems to be opposed to the idea of shifting tackles from side-to-side during the game, but it's hard to believe that philosophy still applies with a week to prepare.
(The Baltimore Ravens lost their left tackle against the Patriots a couple of weeks ago and moved their right tackle, rookie Michael Oher, across to the left side. Said Belichick a day later, "I was a little surprised what they did with that. They moved Oher over to left tackle and put (Marshal) Yanda in there at right tackle. I was surprised they moved Oher, but I’m sure they know what they were doing. I’m not questioning them. I’m just saying I didn’t really see that move coming.")
Vollmer might again play left tackle on Sunday. Kaczur might shift to left tackle with Vollmer taking over at right tackle. Either way, though, if the Patriots are without Light, they're going to be playing their two offensive tackles out of their comfort zones -- and it's going to hamper their ability to complete some of the deep passes for which they're still searching.
Deep passes naturally require more out of the offensive line -- the quarterback needs extra time in the pocket as he's waiting for his wide receivers to get off the line of scrimmage and away from jamming cornerbacks. Brady has an understanding with and a faith in Light from their years of playing alongside each other, and he isn't going to have that with Vollmer based on three brief fourth-quarter drives last Sunday.
When Vollmer made his debut, the Patriots ran the ball on six straight plays. That, of course, might be their way of getting their rookie left tackle acclimated to the speed of the NFL game -- but if he wasn't already up to speed after months of minicamps and training camp, Sunday's fourth quarter probably wasn't going to flip the switch.
If Vollmer is playing left tackle in place of Light on Sunday, you not see some of those long pass plays you're longing to see. The Patriots might have no choice but to play it conservative.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Welcome aboard, Sebastian Vollmer
With the No. 58 pick, the Patriots have selected offensive lineman Sebastian Vollmer, an offensive lineman out of Houston.
The Patriots are done for the day -- probably.
The Patriots are done for the day -- probably.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
