Patriots at Chargers Pregame Discussion (wk 8)

[equivocation]

We've run Cover 3 on 33% of snaps and Cover 1 on 19% of snaps this year. Those are the two most common coverage schemes.

[equivocation]

Also Kyzir White was lining up at safety and in the slot in weeks 1 and 2 as a kind of big nickle formation. I have not seen him lined up there since Murray went out. I think if we had healthy LBs we'd have seen more 3 LB formations vs all the heavy personnel we faced the last 2 weeks, but that wasn't an option with all the injuries and we wouldn't want to run that vs KC or LV.

[Critty]

So you don't put much stock in the HC?

I put much more stock into the talent on field.
Coaching certainly is a factor in success but not close to the impact of QB play.
You see it with the Cardinals and Rams who are getting great QB play and then don't see it with 49ers and Seahawks who are having issues at QB right now.
I don't think Kingsbury is better than Shanahan or Carroll just because his team is playing better this year. I think the biggest factor is QB play. And Belichick is not different, he will need great QB play if his team is going to be really successful. They are 3-4 with 2 wins against Jets and 1 vs Texans. Teams who have terrible QB play. Their schedule gets much tougher. Patriots are likely going to be 7-10 or 8-9 and no post season. But, if they still had Brady, they would be a Superbowl contender and likely 6-1 right now.

[sonorajim]

Cam Newton could not throw the ball and Mac Jones can. Newton is a mistake prone QB. Jones has completed over 70% of his passes (and only has a 7.2 YPA). If we let them dink, dunk, and run, I think they will do exactly that all day long. Also, Agholor is the only WR they have with even sub-4.5 speed, so I question the ability of the Patriots to stretch the field. Bourne and Meyers run in the 4.6s for Pete's sake (molasses for a WR).

The question I have is whether or not Staley will significantly alter his deep cover shell to account for NE's preference to throw short and run and lack of speed of most of the receivers.

Staley's D is current team specific, limited by LAC personnel available. Allegedly.
I'd like to think that Staley is a little brighter than rolling out the same old - same old D vs NE.
I believe we will also play better O and STs.
This should be a clean, well played W if Staley is the HC I suspect that he is.

[Guest]

Staley's D is current team specific, limited by LAC personnel available. Allegedly.
I'd like to think that Staley is a little brighter than rolling out the same old - same old D vs NE.
I believe we will also play better O and STs.
This should be a clean, well played W if Staley is the HC I suspect that he is.

If we do not flat out give them short passes, I think they will have a hard time moving the ball and scoring. Even against our run defense, they will not sustain their ground game because it is too inconsistent.

To me, the defense needs to be almost the polar opposite of the defense we ran against Kansas City.

[Fouts2herbert]

I keep reading that mac jones has struggled to throw down the field and that’s what staley tries to take away from teams, this one will require a different approach. And offensively the chargers will need to run for 90 plus on the ground to help herbert.

[Heatmiser]

If we can see this stuff, for sure Staley can. I think we all agree he is super smart and does not seem so ego blinded that he won't adjust week-week. In fact that is what he said he would do, I thought. The only thing holding him back is how much and how fast can the players absorb it and put it into practice I think

[Bolt4Knob]

If we can see this stuff, for sure Staley can. I think we all agree he is super smart and does not seem so ego blinded that he won't adjust week-week. In fact that is what he said he would do, I thought. The only thing holding him back is how much and how fast can the players absorb it and put it into practice I think

On defense, this is exactly correct. I think Staley knows how to fix it - players and better play - but will the players be able to do that this week

Though, the offense scoring more than 6 points - I get the Ravens was just a clunker all around - but if the offense can get a lead and put pressure on the other teams defense (and offense by virtue of scoring) - that will help too

Keenan needs the ball more this Sunday - the talk was better yards on 1st and 2nd down -- I think he will get the ball on little short passes. The Patriots DBs are banged up - exploit

[BT3241]

The Pats running back has had 3 100 yd games they will be testing the Chargers run defense which is ranked at the bottom of the league.
He is considered a big fantasy player this week for points.

[chargeroo]

I put much more stock into the talent on field.
Coaching certainly is a factor in success but not close to the impact of QB play.
You see it with the Cardinals and Rams who are getting great QB play and then don't see it with 49ers and Seahawks who are having issues at QB right now.
I don't think Kingsbury is better than Shanahan or Carroll just because his team is playing better this year. I think the biggest factor is QB play. And Belichick is not different, he will need great QB play if his team is going to be really successful. They are 3-4 with 2 wins against Jets and 1 vs Texans. Teams who have terrible QB play. Their schedule gets much tougher. Patriots are likely going to be 7-10 or 8-9 and no post season. But, if they still had Brady, they would be a Superbowl contender and likely 6-1 right now.

I think we pretty much agree, the QB is the most important piece for winning. I also think that the best coaches can get more out of their players than most coaches can. I recall a certain coach in the AFCW that wanted to sit his best QB last year. A better coach would have recognized that he had a star on the team. In NE they had a similar situation this year and Belichick gave the ball to his rookie QB. A team needs a good QB AND a good HC to rise to the top.

[Fouts2herbert]

I think we pretty much agree, the QB is the most important piece for winning. I also think that the best coaches can get more out of their players than most coaches can. I recall a certain coach in the AFCW that wanted to sit his best QB last year. A better coach would have recognized that he had a star on the team. In NE they had a similar situation this year and Belichick gave the ball to his rookie QB. A team needs a good QB AND a good HC to rise to the top.

any coach that sees phillip rivers as the problem is probably not really a head coach to begin with.

[Boltjolt]

I put much more stock into the talent on field.
Coaching certainly is a factor in success but not close to the impact of QB play.
You see it with the Cardinals and Rams who are getting great QB play and then don't see it with 49ers and Seahawks who are having issues at QB right now.
I don't think Kingsbury is better than Shanahan or Carroll just because his team is playing better this year. I think the biggest factor is QB play. And Belichick is not different, he will need great QB play if his team is going to be really successful. They are 3-4 with 2 wins against Jets and 1 vs Texans. Teams who have terrible QB play. Their schedule gets much tougher. Patriots are likely going to be 7-10 or 8-9 and no post season. But, if they still had Brady, they would be a Superbowl contender and likely 6-1 right now.

There is truth in that but id bet if we still had Lynn as our HC we wouldnt be 4-2. He has NO sack to go for it on 4th down and zero killer instinct. Coaching does matter but yes you need to have talent.