Patriots + Aggressiveness=their success

[bap1331]

I really think this is the key to beating the Patriots. Nobody overlooks this. The Patriots defense always likes to act aggressive and it makes the the offense desperate for something to happen. Im talking about shoving the wide receivers and things like that. Honestly, I don’t know how the Patriots get away with it. But if you look at the Pats vs the Broncs. They were aggressive against Sanders, Thomas and the main receivers so you saw Peyton giving Jacob Tamme more reps(which has not been the case all season). Why was that? Because the Pats d was aggressive and Peyton knew that Bellicheck was after his key targets.

 

That was a key strategy because then it was tough for Peyton to make a comeback because the Pats were scoring on every drive. Aside from the fact that Brady’s offense was doing no huddle.

 

So the Colts d needs to be prepared for Brady’s no huddle. But I think that the key solution is to get the running game going to get Brady less time on the field for that.

 

What do you think? Have you noticed the aggressiveness? But other than that, bringing the noise will also be key and it will help to get Brady pressured and not make the right communication with the offense.

[bap1331]

So yea the point I am trying to make is aggressiveness brings intimidation which makes the players nervous and the game plan goes out of sync, breaks up their chemistry and nothing gets done.

[Synthetic]

This forum does a better job than ESPN at making the Pats sound unbeatable.

[backshoulderfade]

We still lead the league in time of possession don't we?

[RockThatBlue]

Guess we should just forefit the game now.

[OLD FAN MAN]

bellicheck is a master at looking at how the refs are calling the game, tight or soft and using it to his avantage

[bap1331]

Guess we should just forefit the game now.

 

! thats not what i was trying to imply. I was just saying that aggressiveness is the reason why they have been winning game. Like what they did against the broncos...

[Jules]

Uh we have shown some aggressiveness too this year at times, especially at home.

 

Please ignore the Steelers game though......wipe that garbage everyone from your memories. Now.

[ColtsHoosiersBB]

Turnovers are key anytime you play the Pats, they make a living off of other teams

mistakes. See last years playoff game against them.

 

Luck needs to take care of the ball really really well this game.

[Superman]

I'm not worried about their no huddle. It's a good tool, but I think we match up well with their offense, and that's the most important factor. The only matchup issue we have is Gronkowski, and going no huddle doesn't help them exploit that. 

[bap1331]

Turnovers are key anytime you play the Pats, they make a living off of other teams

mistakes. See last years playoff game against them.

 

Luck needs to take care of the ball really really well this game.

 

well, there was no running game last year so the Pats took advantage in knowing Luck was gonna pass every down.

[sweetsurrender]

I am not sure if I get the jist of your post. The key to beating a team like Denver is being aggressive with their receivers and Manning. NE executed that plan to a tee. That is the main reason why they got Revis and Browner was to contend with offenses like Denver and ours. I don't think the Colts will be intimidated. I am not sure the Broncos were either. They were just outplayed and out muscled.

[tailgater]

I'm not worried about their no huddle. It's a good tool, but I think we match up well with their offense, and that's the most important factor. The only matchup issue we have is Gronkowski, and going no huddle doesn't help them exploit that. 

The Pats may use their hurry-up offense, but that's more difficult on the road, especially in a dome. At home? No team seems to be able to offset it.

 

If they can run it, it absolutely does help Gronk & others get a free release. Defenses just can't get set and they're stuck with the personnel they have on the field. When the pundits show Gronk getting a free release most of the time, they don't mention much of it is by design. Defenses have a hard time adjusting to the multiple plays the Pats can ru n from the same formation.

[NagelHausForge]

You know the best way to beat a bully?  Punch them in the nose again and again and again again.  The Pats are the bully of the AFC.  So far only 2 teams have had the balls to punch them in the nose.  The Colts need to be the third.

 

The Pats D does play overly aggressive.  The best way to beat that is to get the running game going and wear their D-line out.  Also, use the dump off pass to the RB or TE on obvious blitzing downs.  This will help demoralize their pass rush as the ball will be gone before they get there.  Brady is great at this.  Luck should learn from him on that.  Don't get greedy in the pass game and just throw the ball up for our shortest WR (TY) to try and wrestle it away.  We got lucky with that last week.  Let's not make a habbit of that.

 

On Defense the Colts need to play physical.  Bump their receivers off their routes and disrupt their timing.  We can't play 7 yards off their receivers, especially Gronk.  They will dink and dunk us to death if we do that.  Cover Gronk with a LBr and Safety over the top.  Every play he is in there he needs to be bracketed.  When he catches the ball hit him hard and often.  Make him feel every catch he makes.  Gronk has health issues and can be rattled if hit enough.  Our front 7 need to make sure we shut their running game down.  Brady is hard enough to contain in the pass game and is dang near impossible to stop if he has a run game as well.  Oh and obviously hit Brady hard and often as well.  Just for good measure.

 

Special teams is going to be crucial here.  Patty Mac hopefully can pin them deep when we punt.

 

That's how you beat a bully in my opinion.  Just my 2 cents.

[ViriLudant]

Good post, CPT. I certainly agree.

[GoPats]

Part of the Denver game plan was to disrupt receivers coming off the line, since that offense is predicated so much on precision and timing. Throw off the timing and you throw off Manning. I would agree that was an aggressive game plan. 

 

But, there have been other games where New England has sat back a bit more and allowed free releases. I'm not sure I would call them an "aggressive" defense overall. One week they will be, the next week everything changes. 

 

They don't like to give up big plays, which is going to be a particular point of emphasis with the Colts leading the league in 40+ yard plays. DBs in Belichick's system are taught to keep everything in front of them. Containment is a big concept. Instead of allowing the other team to go 80 yards in three plays, make them do it in 10. That forces the other guys to execute and increases the chance of an error being made (as long as you're not the one making the error). 

 

Personally I think the Patriots are going to be a little zone-heavy in their defense Sunday night, based on what I've seen this season. It's not going to be Denver all over again. Manning is more dangerous than Luck pre-snap, but once the play is underway, Luck is a more dangerous QB, with his ability to run and extend plays. If they press and play bump and run, half the defense has their back to Luck. They like to take away your best option and make you play left-handed (so to speak), so I think they'll make the Colts settle for a lot of dump-offs and crossing routes. If a guy like Hilton is catching short passes, hit him hard, and see if he keeps his eyes on the ball next time. 

[backshoulderfade]

Part of the Denver game plan was to disrupt receivers coming off the line, since that offense is predicated so much on precision and timing. Throw off the timing and you throw off Manning. I would agree that was an aggressive game plan.

But, there have been other games where New England has sat back a bit more and allowed free releases. I'm not sure I would call them an "aggressive" defense overall. One week they will be, the next week everything changes.

They don't like to give up big plays, which is going to be a particular point of emphasis with the Colts leading the league in 40+ yard plays. DBs in Belichick's system are taught to keep everything in front of them. Containment is a big concept. Instead of allowing the other team to go 80 yards in three plays, make them do it in 10. That forces the other guys to execute and increases the chance of an error being made (as long as you're not the one making the error).

Personally I think the Patriots are going to be a little zone-heavy in their defense Sunday night, based on what I've seen this season. It's not going to be Denver all over again. Manning is more dangerous than Luck pre-snap, but once the play is underway, Luck is a more dangerous QB, with his ability to run and extend plays. If they press and play bump and run, half the defense has their back to Luck. They like to take away your best option and make you play left-handed (so to speak), so I think they'll make the Colts settle for a lot of dump-offs and crossing routes. If a guy like Hilton is catching short passes, hit him hard, and see if he keeps his eyes on the ball next time.

I agree with your post mostly, but it's actually plays of 20+ yards that the Colts lead the league in. I think they are top 5 in 40+ plays too.

TY is going to see the ball alot on underneath routes but I feel he is slippery enough to avoid big hits from linebackers.

A trait of TY is that he sooner goes to ground or duck out of bounds rather than take a hit. I don't recall ever seeing hin completely creased.

Edit: How much of this is Luck not throwing him straight into trouble, I do not no.

[GoPats]

I agree with your post mostly, but it's actually plays of 20+ yards that the Colts lead the league in. I think they are top 5 in 40+ plays too.

TY is going to see the ball alot on underneath routes but I feel he is slippery enough to avoid big hits from linebackers.

A trait of TY is that he sooner goes to ground or duck out of bounds rather than take a hit. I don't recall ever seeing hin completely creased.

Edit: How much of this is Luck not throwing him straight into trouble, I do not no.

 

Yeah in reading up on things this week I've seen "Hilton doesn't like to get hit" more than once. So naturally they'll be looking to clean his clock, lol...

[backshoulderfade]

Yeah in reading up on things this week I've seen "Hilton doesn't like to get hit" more than once. So naturally they'll be looking to clean his clock, lol...

Well as a Colts fan, i'd call it smarts. There was an article about TY the other week and he summed it up nicely. His father told him something along the lines of "trouble is easy to get into, but hard to get out of"

Many a time you will see him running dowm the sideline with a corner and saftey in front of him and you'd think a step inside might ge there but he runs it out instead. I feel this speaks to his team forst attitude. What if I fumbles? What if I get injured, that could ruin our gameplan without me stretching the field? Andrew can probably drive us into the endzone from here. That's how I would guess he sees it.

[Coltsman1788]

Uh we have shown some aggressiveness too this year at times, especially at home.

 

Please ignore the Steelers game though......wipe that garbage everyone from your memories. Now.

If only it were that easy.  It happened...unfortunately.  Hopefully the good Colts will show up Sunday night.

[basketballsteve]

If the Pats are aggressive I say "paint the fence", "wax on, wax off", and the Colts should do that stand on one leg thingy too....

[bap1331]

Well as a Colts fan, i'd call it smarts. There was an article about TY the other week and he summed it up nicely. His father told him something along the lines of "trouble is easy to get into, but hard to get out of"

Many a time you will see him running dowm the sideline with a corner and saftey in front of him and you'd think a step inside might ge there but he runs it out instead. I feel this speaks to his team forst attitude. What if I fumbles? What if I get injured, that could ruin our gameplan without me stretching the field? Andrew can probably drive us into the endzone from here. That's how I would guess he sees it.

 

Im guessing TY will get shut down the first half, then he will explode in the second. He hates being shut down and trash talked to like the Seahawks game. You can always expect something from him. But now you have Reggie Wayne, Moncrief, Allen, Coby, Nicks...its just endless. If something doesnt work, others will. Not like the injury plagued Colts last year...