What is it going to take?

[The King]

We have the unfortunate task of playing the best prepared team in football twice a year. What can we do to beat them? Is it execution is it lacking talent the wrong gameplan a combination of things?

*If your an amigo please refrain from stating the obvious. I would like this thread to be legit not a bashing fest*

I obviously think its a combination of a lot of things. You have to play mistake free ball, not just turnovers but dropped passes sacks missed INT's, all that kind of stuff you really need to take advantage when you get the chance. You know they will on the otherside. I also think you need to gamble a bit which is something we didnt see at all in the playoffs. Even the high flying Colts offense didnt challenge the Patriots deep, everything they did they did underneath. Some one said this in another thread it seems like teams try to outsmart the Patriots opposed to just playing their style of football.

I think you have to play them physically guys like Dillon and Brady play with a lot of emotion but at the same point if you continue to level them they start to come apart at the seems. Same thing when on offense you got to be real physical when try to block guys like Bruschi and Harrison hit them hard take a penalty if necessary I say, you want to frustrate them, forcing them to make mistakes.

Another thing I have noticed is the trash talking the Patriots do now. Like Branch's waving as he walks into the endzone, Harrison pretty much at the end of any play and even Brushi now seems to be running his mouth a lot. Make this more than a football game make it a war tie drama to every play so execution will hurt more than just the scoreboard, it will begin to hurt their pride.

[TheGhostofJimKelly]

a plane crash?

[DaBillzAhDaShiznit]

Let's just pray that Bellichek is exposed as a fraud after Crennel and Weis are gone.....

And I guess Tom Brady deciding to pursue his lifelong dream of a career in homosexual pornograpy might help too.

And if neither of the above helps....maybe the third championship will be enough to let it go to their heads....and their "unselfish" team will be next years Miami Dolphins.

[G. Host]

The Bills took one in 2003 and can do it again if they play solid football and not give the Patriots opprotunities.

[FTG]

Get lucky

[jmb1099]

I am hoping the Eagles crush them 46 -0...but enough about my Super bowl fantasy.
I hate the Pats, but I have to also admit they are, as a group, among the best to ever play. However I did notice a few things yesterday that could have made for a different conclusion to the game
1) Brady locked onto his receivers almost all game. In fact the touchdown that he threw down the line of scrimmage was something he called for at the line complete with hand motions and animation.
2) Tackle Cory Dillon. I know this is a stupid statement, but it seems like everyone wants to try to arm tackle him. He needs to wrapped up or hit solidly to be brought down.
3) Believe the hype. They have a good system with great coaching. There is no use in saying its not brilliant or its ripe for the picking. Call it for what it is and deal with its reality.
4) Don't believe your own hype. The media has a field day by saying things like "they can run against anyone, or their passing game cannot be stopped" Maybe that's true, but its only true in execution and execution is all fundamentals, not labels.
5) Fundamentals...speaking of...The Pats are good because of execution. The pocket rarely breaks down, blocks are made by everyone for the ball carrier, tackles are made, people are in the appropriate positions, kickers make kicks, in short disciplined football in a system that works.
If we are to ever run with the pats these are some of the things that need to happen imho.

[Captain gameboy]

I think the only way to beat them, offensively, is to try to beat/slow down their linebackers.

I expected the Steelers to run a lot of play action short passes on first down.
If the Bills have a credible running game that the Pats are set up to stop, the very situation that existed last night, the best bet is to play action pass for short yardage until the linebackers slow down.

We simply must keep the down/yardage situation favorable. No stupid penalties. In fact none at all.

I am not as frightened of their offense as some.

Of course another option is to conspire to force a ton of NE free agent losses.

I don't think losing their two corrdinators is going to uspet tham in the least.

[TheBrownBear]

1. Bench Bledsoe

2. Play an error free game

[ScottLawrence]

1. Bench Bledsoe

2. Play an error free game

Yea that.



1)Bledsoe can't play.
2)Don't turn the ball over on offense.
3)Get pressure on Brady without having to blitz so much.(Can we do this? NO)



So, I don't really know if we can beat the Patriots in 2005 unless our pass rush gets better with a 4 man front.

Brady and the Patriots line killed our blitz's in week 4.

[generalmills]

1. Establish a running game and force their defense to adjust to our offense. It seems like teams play scared against the schemes of the Pats. When they move up their LB's and show blitz, stay with the called play. To many times when the pats show all out blitz, QBs seem to get scared off or confused and call a draw or screen while the LB's check off blitz and are waiting for just that play. (this is exactly what the LB movement is meant to do)

2. Throw the ball down field!! In the Pittsburg game, the bills did not throw the ball more than 25 yards the whole game until the late pass. DONT PLAY SCARED. Evans is a strength and he should be able to beat the corner and saftey in a foot race every time. This comes back to protection, it all comes down to if our QB is given the time needed for Evans to run such a route. But if the fly pattern is there RUN IT!!! No matter who is covering him. HE WILL BEAT HIS MAN!!!

3. We need to find a much stronger weak-side corner. Mcgee is a great prospect and did play much better in the later stages of this year and will learn alot from Vincent in the offseason and training camp, BUT the guy seemed to get torched in the big moments of games. He seemed to play to far off the reciever in almost a "prevent style". I believe he was the weak link and offensive coordinators would lean on his weakness when a big play was needed.

4. We have to stop the run!! The two big men on the inside were worn down in the Pittsburg game but I do not think that is the big hole. I think it comes with running towards schobel and Kelsay (who seems to struggle against the sweeps and counters.) It should not always come to Fletcher making the tackle because that means the play broke through the first line of defense and is now 3-5 yards down field.

5. We need to score points every chance we can. This means we need to have a reliable kicker who can consistantly make the tough kicks. Lindell is not it! Also, we need a kicker who can put the ball into the endzone every time he goes out on a kick off. The starting at the 30-35 yard line thing has to stop. (anyone seen that kid from Ohio State kick?? possible draft pick?)

6. Because the will get pressure, our TE and backs must play a big roll as dump off men. Take a little bit of the "dink and dunk" style the pats play. Willis can run after catching the ball in the flat. But Fullback scares me on this team. With Gash you always knew that you would get a solid gain when the ball was dumped off to him and he was great wearing down the LB's whom he would punish when they tried to tackle him.

7. Hope to God that the game is not on National television ESPN Sunday night football where we will throw another egg (Whats with that???)

[WCoastFin]

We have the unfortunate task of playing the best prepared team in football twice a year. What can we do to beat them? Is it execution is it lacking talent the wrong gameplan a combination of things?

*If your an amigo please refrain from stating the obvious. I would like this thread to be legit not a bashing fest*

I obviously think its a combination of a lot of things. You have to play mistake free ball, not just turnovers but dropped passes sacks missed INT's, all that kind of stuff you really need to take advantage when you get the chance. You know they will on the otherside. I also think you need to gamble a bit which is something we didnt see at all in the playoffs. Even the high flying Colts offense didnt challenge the Patriots deep, everything they did they did underneath. Some one said this in another thread it seems like teams try to outsmart the Patriots opposed to just playing their style of football.

I think you have to play them physically guys like Dillon and Brady play with a lot of emotion but at the same point if you continue to level them they start to come apart at the seems. Same thing when on offense you got to be real physical when try to block guys like Bruschi and Harrison hit them hard take a penalty if necessary I say, you want to frustrate them, forcing them to make mistakes.

Another thing I have noticed is the trash talking the Patriots do now. Like Branch's waving as he walks into the endzone, Harrison pretty much at the end of any play and even Brushi now seems to be running his mouth a lot. Make this more than a football game make it a war tie drama to every play so execution will hurt more than just the scoreboard, it will begin to hurt their pride.

This one is simple, just ask the Miami DOlphins.

[Ickybaluky]

We have the unfortunate task of playing the best prepared team in football twice a year. What can we do to beat them? Is it execution is it lacking talent the wrong gameplan a combination of things?

*If your an amigo please refrain from stating the obvious. I would like this thread to be legit not a bashing fest*

I obviously think its a combination of a lot of things. You have to play mistake free ball, not just turnovers but dropped passes sacks missed INT's, all that kind of stuff you really need to take advantage when you get the chance. You know they will on the otherside. I also think you need to gamble a bit which is something we didnt see at all in the playoffs. Even the high flying Colts offense didnt challenge the Patriots deep, everything they did they did underneath. Some one said this in another thread it seems like teams try to outsmart the Patriots opposed to just playing their style of football.

I think you have to play them physically guys like Dillon and Brady play with a lot of emotion but at the same point if you continue to level them they start to come apart at the seems. Same thing when on offense you got to be real physical when try to block guys like Bruschi and Harrison hit them hard take a penalty if necessary I say, you want to frustrate them, forcing them to make mistakes.

Another thing I have noticed is the trash talking the Patriots do now. Like Branch's waving as he walks into the endzone, Harrison pretty much at the end of any play and even Brushi now seems to be running his mouth a lot. Make this more than a football game make it a war tie drama to every play so execution will hurt more than just the scoreboard, it will begin to hurt their pride.

I think the most important factors are:

1) Patience - Teams needs to stay patient and not get out of their game plan. The Patriots are very good at taking away a team's preference and forcing them to do something they are uncomfortable doing. It always amazes me that teams face a little adversity and get away from what they do best.

For instance, in the first game Buffalo played against the Patriots they were close late, driving down to the Pats 16 with about 3 minutes left, down 7 and needing a TD. They call a naked bootleg on 4th-and-2, which is completely botched, Bledsoe is sacked, fumbles-- and Seymour returns the ball for a TD. Game over. A naked bootleg, in that situation? I think that is a case of panicking, trying to get cute instead of sticking with your best weapons.

2) Get a lead - The Patriots get early leads in almost every game they play. That allows them to dictate tempo in the game, and defensively gets them into more favorable match-ups. The Patriots play very aggressively early in the game, as shown by going for a 60-yard bomb the play after stopping Pittsburgh on 4th-and-1 in the 4th quarter last night. So many NFL teams play conservative early in the game, especially against the Patriots because so much focus is put on playing error-free football. Be aggressive early, and get the lead.

[Dozerdog]

Do what we did in last year's opener.

Create turnovers, run the ball down their throats, and control the clock.

[jamze132]

I think the key on defense is to play basic football. I have never been a huge fan of a zone coverage unless it's in garbage time. I think you have to play a base 4-3 or dime depending on the personell the Patsys put on the field each play. You need to crowd the line of scrimage and show blitz to try and make Brady audible. with 7 guys in the box, it's going to be hard for them to play smash mouth football. Eventually they will start running the ball with 3-4 WR sets and that could pose problems unless we install some sort of nickel package or a modified 46. Gray is good at adjusting to what the opposing offense is doing. I think playing a lot of man-to-man coverage is key and havinf the safeties play back to prevent anything over the top. I am positive that Clements would have no problems with any of there receivers but McGee would be picked on. But I think basic football would give us a chance. Someone always has to account for whoever is at RB since there screens are very effective. Playing man coverage will limit there production on those plays.
For us to productive on offense against there defense we just need to again play basic football and not let Drew play. I don't want to get into that though.

[TigerJ]

The NE secret to success is execution, execution, execution. It's not about superior athleticism, but if a team had superior athleticism and executed they could certainly beat NE. NE forced Rothlesberger into early mistakes When they got the early lead they forced Rothlisberger and the Steeler offence out of their comfort zone. NE39 has a good point. To beat NE, you have to have a strong start to your game. Don't make the early turnover. If you score first your chances of winning go way up.