2018 Belichick Breakdowns

SMU_Sox

queer eye for the next pats guy
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Jul 20, 2009
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Love that he calls out Bentley. Bentley has been a nice addition so far and a pleasant surprise to me.
 

InstaFace

The Ultimate One
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Sep 27, 2016
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My favorite was the first one. "Oh, here's our tight-end, double covered against a CB with FS help. So as soon as he makes a move, you know Tom can throw it into this particular thimble right here".

Like, what? He threw it into double coverage, where only by virtue of the outside release, Gronk had barely half a step (plus, I suppose, 6 inches of height). The window was tiny. That was his best move? Really? We're going to highlight that as great play design and execution?

Well, actually, yeah we are. Because it's Gronk and Brady, and I have them playing for me, and the other guys don't. Stay tuned next week when we run Gronk as the spearhead on a flying wedge.
 

InstaFace

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Sep 27, 2016
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If we don't get to see that Van Noy fumble recovery where he basically faked it out of Tannehill's hands, it will be a shame. I want his running commentary on how exactly linebackers are coached to try and recover a loose ball like that.

He'll have a lot of plays to choose from on Wednesday, though.
 

Preacher

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If we don't get to see that Van Noy fumble recovery where he basically faked it out of Tannehill's hands, it will be a shame. I want his running commentary on how exactly linebackers are coached to try and recover a loose ball like that.

He'll have a lot of plays to choose from on Wednesday, though.
I want to see the White touchdown run with the nice downfield block from Gordon to make it a no doubter.
 

DJnVa

Dorito Dawg
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Dec 16, 2010
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I love when BB references players just a bit different than we do--Phil Dorsett is my new favorite.He sounds like the new guy working in Acquisitions.

Glad he talked about the crossing routes. They killed us the last 2 weeks.

The Miami DB who sees Trent Brown coming at him on Michel's TD run just bails.

On Hightower moving to DE: "Yeah, I think we'll leave him at LB."
 

chilidawg

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Jan 22, 2015
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Love seeing the breakdowns of the blocking. Allen just decleats a guy on Michel's TD run, and watching the DB bail (smart move down big) in front of Brown was hilarious. Mason driving a guy back 10 yards was beautiful. And the switching going on on the crossing routes was impressive too, seems like that'd be tough to do consistently without losing a guy.
 

Super Nomario

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Nov 5, 2000
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Hightower completely destroying a blocker on the blocked punt was wonderful to watch.
Yeah, I can't ever remember seeing a punt block like that where the rusher just bowls over the blocker. Usually it's a blown assignment or a clever game; every once in a while you see a speed rush around the edge. That was just vicious power. Braunecker's a Harvard guy FWIW.

Thanks for link!
https://www.patriots.com/video/belichick-breakdown-top-plays-against-the-bears
 

ragnarok725

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Nov 28, 2003
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Yeah, I can't ever remember seeing a punt block like that where the rusher just bowls over the blocker. Usually it's a blown assignment or a clever game; every once in a while you see a speed rush around the edge. That was just vicious power. Braunecker's a Harvard guy FWIW.
That was my reaction as well. I guess it shouldn't be that surprising after seeing Hightower's wrecking ball routine when he A-gap blitzes, but man he just destroyed that guy. That play was all him.

It's the second week a row that Hightower has been almost single-handedly responsible for massive reversal plays, with the lurking interception of Mahomes and now this.
 

brandonchristensen

Loves Aaron Judge
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Feb 4, 2012
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I like Zolak asking him about CP dancing to the end zone and BB is just like "We haven't had one of those in awhile...so we didn't know what to do."

that's pretty funny.
 

dcdrew10

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Dec 8, 2005
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Yeah, I can't ever remember seeing a punt block like that where the rusher just bowls over the blocker. Usually it's a blown assignment or a clever game; every once in a while you see a speed rush around the edge. That was just vicious power. Braunecker's a Harvard guy FWIW.


https://www.patriots.com/video/belichick-breakdown-top-plays-against-the-bears
Iyiegbuniwe, the lineman to the left of Braunecker gets an assist. He extends his leg back behind Braunecker when he is looking to decide who to double team. He turns towards Hightower, hesitates and then turns to to block Sheldon and his leg is planted right behind Braunecker's calf. It makes a perfect pivot point for bowling him over. A perfect confluence of events for that block.
 

DennyDoyle'sBoil

Found no thrill on Blueberry Hill
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Sep 9, 2008
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One of the plays Belichick talks about is a great kickoff coverage play that saves about ten yards in field position. It’s a fantastic play, and the kind of thing Belichick loves, but I am starting to think that with the amazing QB performances, yards per completion and attempt way up, and new offense friendly rules, field position is just not important any more.

Maybe when the weather turns or something, but to me it’s starting to seem like an antiquated idea. In the end game scenarios, even Joe Flacco and Eli Manning are picking up huge chunk plays against good defenses. I can’t think of a single game this year, other than some of the Browns OT games, where any of these old concepts like flipping the field or hitting a great punt even mattered. Yeah, a ball downed at the 2 is still good.

And yeah, an 85 yard drive is harder than a 75 yard drive. But not over the newer game risk reward metrics that coaches are starting to figure out, like going on fourth down and end half clock management.

I have obviously not done a deep dive or ITP like analysis, but it just doesn’t seem like having your opponent start at the 25 or 50 matters nearly as much as it used to. There seems to be a critical mass developing with coaches not afraid to lose their jobs over failing on good but unconventional risk reward decisions.
 

Super Nomario

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One of the plays Belichick talks about is a great kickoff coverage play that saves about ten yards in field position. It’s a fantastic play, and the kind of thing Belichick loves, but I am starting to think that with the amazing QB performances, yards per completion and attempt way up, and new offense friendly rules, field position is just not important any more.

Maybe when the weather turns or something, but to me it’s starting to seem like an antiquated idea. In the end game scenarios, even Joe Flacco and Eli Manning are picking up huge chunk plays against good defenses. I can’t think of a single game this year, other than some of the Browns OT games, where any of these old concepts like flipping the field or hitting a great punt even mattered. Yeah, a ball downed at the 2 is still good.

And yeah, an 85 yard drive is harder than a 75 yard drive. But not over the newer game risk reward metrics that coaches are starting to figure out, like going on fourth down and end half clock management.

I have obviously not done a deep dive or ITP like analysis, but it just doesn’t seem like having your opponent start at the 25 or 50 matters nearly as much as it used to. There seems to be a critical mass developing with coaches not afraid to lose their jobs over failing on good but unconventional risk reward decisions.
It matters. Last year the Patriots defense had the #1 best average field position against (24.8) and were able to finish 6th in points per drive (1.60) despite finishing 31st in yards per drive (34.0). This year, they have the fourth-worst starting field position (31.8) and are allowing 2.11 points per drive (22nd) despite allowing fewer yards per drive than last year (32.0, 19th). Disparities in starting field position are about 1/2 the disparities in yards allowed per drive.

A lot goes into field position of course, and the Patriots' unusually turnover-heavy offense is probably a bigger factor than their special teams woes. It is debatable whether the new kickoff rules stymie the ability to consistently pin KR back inside their 20.

I think this is the sort of thing that's easy to dismiss because by the time a drive is over and has resolved as a FG / TD / whatever, it's easy to forget that it started at the 35 or whatever because of a good return or a defensive stand. The Patriots have allowed 20 touchdowns this year; half of those 20 TD drives covered 60 yards or fewer. They've allowed nine drives that covered 60 yards or more but didn't produce touchdowns; four results in no points at all. What does that final Bears drive look like if they didn't start at their own 20?
 

lars10

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Jul 31, 2007
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It matters. Last year the Patriots defense had the #1 best average field position against (24.8) and were able to finish 6th in points per drive (1.60) despite finishing 31st in yards per drive (34.0). This year, they have the fourth-worst starting field position (31.8) and are allowing 2.11 points per drive (22nd) despite allowing fewer yards per drive than last year (32.0, 19th). Disparities in starting field position are about 1/2 the disparities in yards allowed per drive.

A lot goes into field position of course, and the Patriots' unusually turnover-heavy offense is probably a bigger factor than their special teams woes. It is debatable whether the new kickoff rules stymie the ability to consistently pin KR back inside their 20.

I think this is the sort of thing that's easy to dismiss because by the time a drive is over and has resolved as a FG / TD / whatever, it's easy to forget that it started at the 35 or whatever because of a good return or a defensive stand. The Patriots have allowed 20 touchdowns this year; half of those 20 TD drives covered 60 yards or fewer. They've allowed nine drives that covered 60 yards or more but didn't produce touchdowns; four results in no points at all. What does that final Bears drive look like if they didn't start at their own 20?
It also seems only logical that the longer the drive equals the more required plays and therefore the more opportunities for possible turnovers.

Also, even with the given that more teams are going for it on fourth down, they still aren’t doing it with more frequency on their side of the 50 i’d imagine.

And if you’re starting in your own end zone the number of plays you can run there are still diminished.
 

mwonow

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Sep 4, 2005
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Check out the last angle on the last clip, the second Van Noy sack. You see #45 release as Van Noy runs by him, and then turn around, and run back to see if the QB is dead...
 

DJnVa

Dorito Dawg
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Dec 16, 2010
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You need a link to find the Belichick Breakdowns?
Need? Of course not.

I don't need a link to find most of the articles posted here. It's just helpful, especially when people are on a mobile device.
 

InstaFace

The Ultimate One
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Sep 27, 2016
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Those rants at the officials around 2:00 of the Mic'd clip are spectacular.

"No, you're not on it. You're not on it at all!"
 

hitatater

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Jul 18, 2005
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Even better than the rants, BB is absolutely silent on all the scoring plays: it's like he has nothing to say because scoring is the expected result! He's a coach and has no rah-rah in him...
 

mwonow

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Sep 4, 2005
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Even better than the rants, BB is absolutely silent on all the scoring plays: it's like he has nothing to say because scoring is the expected result! He's a coach and has no rah-rah in him...
Yep, that was great - no more emotion than when he was reading out down and distance
 

mwonow

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Sep 4, 2005
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I loved the play where Mason pulls and jolts one guy, while Brown releases and shoves another linebacker about 15 yards downfield
 

steveluck7

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May 10, 2007
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I loved that Belichick included the 4th down play. "We didn't get the call there". I was surprised to see Flowers on the center in short yardage, but he, and even more so Guy, played that really well.
FWIW, that's the play that Theilen and BB were jawing. Theilen though Chung was faking the injury but on the video here, you can see him almost instantly (certainly before a 1st down was given) acting like he was hurt. (looks like wrist / arm from the end zone view)