Scouting the Patriots' tendencies
October, 8, 2011
10/08/11
10:00
AM ET
By
Rich Cimini | ESPNNewYork.com
No matter how you crunch the numbers, the result is always the same: The Patriots are a damn impressive team -- on one side of the ball, anyway. Let's take a closer look, with help from ESPN Stats and Information:
TOM BRADY VERSUS 5+ PASS RUSHERS
27-for-38 ... 71.1% ... 461 yards ... 6 TDs ... 1 INT ... 1 sack ... 140.5 passer rating
Analysis: Obviously, Brady isn't bothered by extra pressure. These days, the Jets aren't an extra-pressure defense. They're using conventional rushes more than ever under Rex Ryan.
PATRIOTS OFFENSE: 2+ TIGHT ENDS
139 plays ... 953 total yards ... 52-for-78, 733 passing yards ... 59 rushes for 233 yards.
Analysis: The Patriots use multiple tight ends on 50 percent of their offensive plays. Rob Gronkowski is developing into one of the best two-way tight ends in the league and Aaron Hernandez, more like a WR than a TE, is a receiving weapon. (Hernandez is recovering from a knee injury, but appears likely to play.) The Jets usually have trouble with TEs. Wouldn't be shocked if CB Antonio Cromartie is used on Hernandez.
BRADY: SCREEN PASSING
8-for-12 ... 66.7% ... 91 yards ... 0 TDs ... 1 INT ... 54.5 passer rating
Analysis: Ah, ha! We found something Brady isn't good at. Well, actually, he's pretty good with screen passes, but for some reason the Patriots' screen game isn't clicking as well as it has in the past.
PATRIOTS PASS DEFENSE: INSIDE THE NUMBERS
Comp. Pct ... 79.2 (32nd)
Yds/Att ... 9.6 (28th)
1st Dwns ... 37 (31)
TDs ... 4 (t-20th)
Analysis: Much like the Jets, the Patriots don't defend the middle of the field particularly well. It could get worse for them because they'll be without MLB Jerod Mayo (ankle). There should be plenty of opportunities for TE Dustin Keller.
PATRIOTS PASS DEFENSE: 5+ RUSHERS
20-for-32 ... 62.5 percent ... 321 yards ... 1 TD ... 1 INT ... 2 sacks ... 93.4 passer rating
Analysis: The Patriots don't play good defense, not even when they send extra pressure. They don't blitz often and, when they do, they're vulnerable. The Jets are going from one extreme (the Ravens) to the other in back-to-back weeks.
TOM BRADY VERSUS 5+ PASS RUSHERS
27-for-38 ... 71.1% ... 461 yards ... 6 TDs ... 1 INT ... 1 sack ... 140.5 passer rating
Analysis: Obviously, Brady isn't bothered by extra pressure. These days, the Jets aren't an extra-pressure defense. They're using conventional rushes more than ever under Rex Ryan.
PATRIOTS OFFENSE: 2+ TIGHT ENDS
139 plays ... 953 total yards ... 52-for-78, 733 passing yards ... 59 rushes for 233 yards.
Analysis: The Patriots use multiple tight ends on 50 percent of their offensive plays. Rob Gronkowski is developing into one of the best two-way tight ends in the league and Aaron Hernandez, more like a WR than a TE, is a receiving weapon. (Hernandez is recovering from a knee injury, but appears likely to play.) The Jets usually have trouble with TEs. Wouldn't be shocked if CB Antonio Cromartie is used on Hernandez.
BRADY: SCREEN PASSING
8-for-12 ... 66.7% ... 91 yards ... 0 TDs ... 1 INT ... 54.5 passer rating
Analysis: Ah, ha! We found something Brady isn't good at. Well, actually, he's pretty good with screen passes, but for some reason the Patriots' screen game isn't clicking as well as it has in the past.
PATRIOTS PASS DEFENSE: INSIDE THE NUMBERS
Comp. Pct ... 79.2 (32nd)
Yds/Att ... 9.6 (28th)
1st Dwns ... 37 (31)
TDs ... 4 (t-20th)
Analysis: Much like the Jets, the Patriots don't defend the middle of the field particularly well. It could get worse for them because they'll be without MLB Jerod Mayo (ankle). There should be plenty of opportunities for TE Dustin Keller.
PATRIOTS PASS DEFENSE: 5+ RUSHERS
20-for-32 ... 62.5 percent ... 321 yards ... 1 TD ... 1 INT ... 2 sacks ... 93.4 passer rating
Analysis: The Patriots don't play good defense, not even when they send extra pressure. They don't blitz often and, when they do, they're vulnerable. The Jets are going from one extreme (the Ravens) to the other in back-to-back weeks.
Rich Cimini
ESPNNewYork.comRich Cimini, longtime Jets beat writer for the New York Daily News and a Syracuse graduate, covers Gang Green for ESPNNewYork.com.
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ABOUT THIS BLOG
Rich Cimini
Rich Cimini, longtime Jets beat writer for the New York Daily News and a Syracuse University graduate, now covers Gang Green for ESPNNewYork.com.
Jane McManus
Jane McManus has covered sports in the New York area since 1998, and began covering football just before Brett Favre's stint with the Jets. Her work has also appeared in Newsday, USA Today, The Journal News, The Cincinnati Enquirer and The New York Times.
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TEAM LEADERS
| PASSING | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Mark Sanchez
|
|||||||||||
| RUSHING | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | ||||||||
| S. Greene | 253 | 1054 | 4.2 | 6 | ||||||||
| L. Tomlinson | 75 | 280 | 3.7 | 1 | ||||||||
| RECEIVING | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | ||||||||
| D. Keller | 65 | 815 | 12.5 | 5 | ||||||||
| S. Holmes | 51 | 654 | 12.8 | 8 | ||||||||
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