NFL Matchup’s Executive Producer shares notes from his study of Week 16 coaching tape: the Patriots offense vs. the Dolphins defense
- Allen was again the Dolphins nickel slot corner, He played almost every snap in this game
- Patriots very multiple with use of personnel and formations, Welker 16 yds on 3rd + 5 on 1st possession he was offset in the backfield
- Patriots struggled on 1st possession with Dolphins blitz, both a function of poor blocking execution and scheme confusion – S Bell sack to end 1st possession a good example of scheme confusion: 3 to block 3, No one accounted for Bell
- Dansby very active early, Looked quick and covered a lot of ground, Fluid with excellent range
Tom Brady tries to elude the Dolphins (AP)
- Dolphins game planned high percentage blitz and it was effective, They got free rushers at Brady on the first couple of possessions
- Dolphins played nickel on almost every snap, LB Dansby and Burnett did not come off the field
- Mankins got hurt in the 1st quarter, Solder moved to LT and Cannon played RT
- Brady was not comfortable in the 1st half, Dolphins generated consistent pass rush pressure against a Patriots OL that was revamped with different people in different positions
- Dolphins a lot of man coverage concepts in the 1st half and they were effective, Athletic ability of Burnett and Dansby a big factor
- Cannon looked a little bottom heavy in pass protection v. the outside rush, Must move his feet quicker laterally at the RT position – Probably best suited to play OG
- Patriots started 2nd half in no huddle empty out of 2 TE / 3 WR personnel with Ochocinco the 3rd WR – They changed the pace and tempo of the game
- Brady was not consistently sharp throwing the ball, His accuracy and ball location was erratic
- Just as we saw v. Denver last week Hernandez ran the ball out of the backfield, Another element you must defend v. the Patriots
- Taylor the moveable chess piece in the Dolphins nickel sub-package, Aligned all over the formation in both 2 and 3 point stances
- Hernandez increasingly utilized all over the formation in the Patriots offense, even in the backfield
- Branch 1 yd TD was a great improvisational route adjustment by Branch when he saw Brady move left out of the pocket, Smart football by a veteran receiver
Aaron Hernandez runs against Karlos Dansby (AP)
- Ridley took snaps away from Green-Ellis in this game; Ridley more skilled as an overall runner, Matter of trust and ball security
- Dolphins played more zone coverage in the 2nd half, Could have been reaction to Patriots no huddle / empty
- Welker 42 yds in the 4th quarter came out of empty with “11” personnel, Dolphins “man free” with LB Burnett on Welker in the slot
- Welker overall was targeted 19 times, He caught 12-138 with 10-118 coming in the 2nd half
- Patriots great success in the 2nd half out of empty, That may well have been the difference in the game for the Patriots offense – Brady ate up the Dolphins blitz schemes from shotgun empty
Later this morning: Greg’s notes on Raiders vs. Chiefs.
