Patriots' defense last night

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Why? RB1 struggled as well.

The issue last night had nothing to do with the backup runningback.



You don't need to be 'smashmouth' against 4 man lines and/or 5 man boxes. You have a numerical advantage there - there's no reason that a zone scheme couldn't have popped open running lanes if the plays were executed.

I'm betting when the analysis is done on this you'll see a bunch of basic fundamental failures on the OL. Things where combo blocks and/or reach blocks just flat didn't get made. There were likely miscommunications where two guys focus on a single player and in the process someone else goes untouched. What we often see in plays where run blocking fails is a guy who's responsible for cleaning up the second level fails to disengage and go get their man.

I'm betting that play after play after play in those running situations we were just being out-executed. And this OL isn't gonna be a bunch of maulers going out there and throwing multiple guys out of the way, but there's NO reason they can't execute when they have the numerical advantage they had so often last night.

I expect they'll get a real thorough film-review session and we'll see some of that stuff tighten up.

They weren't executing last night, it was fairly easy to see. And not just the line. CEH missed a few holes because of bad reads, Mahomes overthrew some passes. The whole offense just executed poorly for most of the game.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

They weren't executing last night, it was fairly easy to see. And not just the line. CEH missed a few holes because of bad reads, Mahomes overthrew some passes. The whole offense just executed poorly for most of the game.

Eh.

That 'congestion concept' BB wanted to use tonight showed up in a BIG way inside the red zone and it took some time for Reid to adjust to it. Especially when the running game couldn't punish the Pats in goal to go situations.

I mean the Chiefs had like 150 yards of offense in the 1st quarter. They weren't exactly tripping over themselves, they just couldn't finish drives because BB had a great plan in close early on. Score even 1 TD, let alone 2, and that whole narrative is a lot different.

I just think the idea that there was this overarching failure by the offense is overstating things. It was fine. They moved the ball well. BB just coached his ass off and REALLY did an excellent job in spots where we've seen the most development from the Chiefs over the last 18 months - situational defense.

3rd down and red zone stops. We've said for years that those are the two most critical areas in modern defensive football and it should come as a surprise to no one that the best defensive mind football has probably ever seen had his team playing extremely well in those 2 situations.

It happens.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Eh.

That 'congestion concept' BB wanted to use tonight showed up in a BIG way inside the red zone and it took some time for Reid to adjust to it. Especially when the running game couldn't punish the Pats in goal to go situations.

I mean the Chiefs had like 150 yards of offense in the 1st quarter. They weren't exactly tripping over themselves, they just couldn't finish drives because BB had a great plan in close early on. Score even 1 TD, let alone 2, and that whole narrative is a lot different.

They couldn't finish drives because they were making stupid penalties and getting the ball punched out and stuff. The first drive in particular had nothing to do with the Patriot defense and everything to do with Pat missing a couple of short throws.

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

I just think the idea that there was this overarching failure by the offense is overstating things. It was fine. They moved the ball well. BB just coached his ass off and REALLY did an excellent job in spots where we've seen the most development from the Chiefs over the last 18 months - situational defense.

3rd down and red zone stops. We've said for years that those are the two most critical areas in modern defensive football and it should come as a surprise to no one that the best defensive mind football has probably ever seen had his team playing extremely well in those 2 situations.

It happens.

Yeah, I'm not suggesting the offense "failed". They did leave some points on the field, regardless of the strength of the opposing defense.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

They couldn't finish drives because they were making stupid penalties and getting the ball punched out and stuff. The first drive in particular had nothing to do with the Patriot defense and everything to do with Pat missing a couple of short throws.



Yeah, I'm not suggesting the offense "failed". They did leave some points on the field, regardless of the strength of the opposing defense.

Admittedly, I was feeding children and getting them hustled about to get to bed early so my focus was divided. I had my ear-bud in and was listening to the broadcast but wasn't always able to see the play.

But I think ultimately we're all extremely spoiled at this point. An 'average' offense is gonna leave 10 points on the field every damn week....if they're lucky.

I think there's a margin of acceptable error that, if we were outside of, it wasn't by as much as is being lamented.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Admittedly, I was feeding children and getting them hustled about to get to bed early so my focus was divided. I had my ear-bud in and was listening to the broadcast but wasn't always able to see the play.

But I think ultimately we're all extremely spoiled at this point. An 'average' offense is gonna leave 10 points on the field every damn week....if they're lucky.

I think there's a margin of acceptable error that, if we were outside of, it wasn't by as much as is being lamented.

Oh for sure.

I'm not bitching. In fact, I was one of the people telling everybody last night to calm the F down.

It was a fairly convincing win and if the offense plays up to its usual standard, the game is a blowout.

I'm sure a combination of factors - the 1 day delay, the absence of Cam, and more - led to both teams not playing their A game and it made it ugly.

But a win is a win.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

I'm sure a combination of factors - the 1 day delay, the absence of Cam, and more - led to both teams not playing their A game and it made it ugly.

On that note...why would a one-day delay cause issues, especially for this offense?

Is it just humans who have their whole lives structured for peak performance being thrown out of their rhythm?

I think the Chiefs just relaxed way too much when they learned Hoyer was going to start.

There was almost no intensity or focus on offense in the first half. Pat literally looked like he was there to **** around.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Hammock Parties

On that note...why would a one-day delay cause issues, especially for this offense?

Is it just humans who have their whole lives structured for peak performance being thrown out of their rhythm?

I think the Chiefs just relaxed way too much when they learned Hoyer was going to start.

There was almost no intensity or focus on offense in the first half. Pat literally looked like he was there to **** around.

Yeah, for performance athletes, any disruption can cause issues.