The_Philster
07-05-2003, 05:28 AM
Pro football can be simple. Offenses create. Defenses react. It's a 17-week cycle that grows even more dramatic when the playoffs begin.
A year ago, the New England Patriots, coming off a Super Bowl victory, had an offensive style that didn't draw the total attention of defensive coordinators. Brilliant Patriots offensive coordinator Charlie Weis used three-, four- and five-receiver sets in 2001 and didn't ask quarterback Tom Brady to throw more than 15 yards downfield.
Some defensive coordinators looked back at the 2001 stats and noted that Brady had some low-rated games late in the season. They were wrong. The offense run by Brady and coordinated by Weis started a trend. More teams worked the short passing offense to perfection and exposed secondaries that lacked speed....
more (http://espn.go.com/nfl/columns/clayton_john/1575845.html)
A year ago, the New England Patriots, coming off a Super Bowl victory, had an offensive style that didn't draw the total attention of defensive coordinators. Brilliant Patriots offensive coordinator Charlie Weis used three-, four- and five-receiver sets in 2001 and didn't ask quarterback Tom Brady to throw more than 15 yards downfield.
Some defensive coordinators looked back at the 2001 stats and noted that Brady had some low-rated games late in the season. They were wrong. The offense run by Brady and coordinated by Weis started a trend. More teams worked the short passing offense to perfection and exposed secondaries that lacked speed....
more (http://espn.go.com/nfl/columns/clayton_john/1575845.html)