Amid reports of an ailing throwing elbow, the GOAT had one of his best performances of the season against a legit Bills defense.<\/p>\n
Based on my in-game charting, Brady had only two off-target throws after a season-high eight inaccurate passes a week ago in Cincinnati, which led to a season-best 78.8 completion rate.<\/p>\n
Brady\u2019s 8.2 yards per pass attempt were his best since Week 5, and you have to go back to Week 2 to find a game where he posted a better passer rating than Saturday\u2019s 111.0.<\/p>\n
To find his rhythm, Brady turned to the short and intermediate passing game; all of his throws traveled less than 15 air yards, and he was five-for-five on passes in the ten to 15-yard range.<\/p>\n
If you think there\u2019s any dropoff in arm strength for the 42-year-old, here\u2019s proof on tape that you\u2019re full of bologna.<\/p>\n
[arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/h6lvg\/mjlobz” \/]<\/p>\n
On this second and 16 play, the Patriots have a crossing combination out of a \u201cnub\u201d formation to give Brady a hi-low read over the middle and try to flood the zone with the back releasing into the pattern (nub = tight ends at the end of the formation). On the opposite side, Brady has an out from the slot (Meyers), and a clear-out fade on the boundary (Sanu). Brady sees the defense in quarters coverage and knows that if Sanu takes the outside corner, Meyers will be open. However, Tre\u2019Davious White reads the quarterback, comes off Sanu, and nearly steps in front of Meyers, but Brady has enough juice on the ball to complete the pass.<\/p>\n
Along with arm strength, Brady continues to make magical moves in the pocket to buy time for his receivers to get open downfield.<\/p>\n
[arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/e4u24\/bjxrnf” \/]<\/p>\n
Here, the Pats have a similar hi-low crossing combination with Sanu and Watson. Left tackle Isaiah Wynn gets caught peeking inside, opening his edge to Bills pass rusher Jerry Hughes. Brady steps up and to his right to find a soft spot in the pocket, and somehow fits the pass into tight coverage for a positive play on first down.<\/p>\n
Although Brady didn\u2019t complete a pass of over 14 yards in the air, his ball placement and decision making were tremendous, leading to a bounce-back day for him and the offense.<\/p>\n
2. Patriots\u2019 Rushing Attack Finding Its Groove<\/strong><\/h5>\nIn a similar sequence of events as a year ago, the Patriots seem to be finding their stride on the ground late in the season.<\/p>\n
If you read my game plan this week, you would\u2019ve expected an emphasis on running the football against a Buffalo run defense that was 19th in DVOA entering Week 16, and that\u2019s what we got.<\/p>\n
The Patriots ran the ball 35 times, averaging 4.1 yards per rush, and the balance was something the quarterback immediately pointed out in his postgame press conference.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it was more balanced than we\u2019ve been, and we ran the ball well and effectively against a really good defense. So, that\u2019s always good,\u201d Brady said.<\/p>\n
Leading the way for the Pats running backs, who all ran well in this one, was a tremendous performance by the Pats offensive line both in the running game and in pass protection.<\/p>\n
Brady wasn\u2019t sacked for just the fourth time this season, and the Bills only managed four quarterback hits on the GOAT.<\/p>\n
But the offensive line, and two-way fullback Elandon Roberts, did it\u2019s best work in the running game, which was the centerpiece of the Pats’ game plan.<\/p>\n
[arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/4449t\/ejsrim” \/]<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s start with a 12-yard run by Michel in the first quarter. The Pats run a lead draw play with Roberts and Julian Edelman making blocks to the tight end side of the formation. However, right guard Shaq Mason makes this play happen. Mason takes the nose tackle shaded over his inside shoulder and bulldozes him out of the middle of the defense. Mason\u2019s block lets center Ted Karras climb to the linebacker, and Michel follows right behind his stud right guard. Then, bounces off two Bills defenders and picks up a few more yards.<\/p>\n
Along with the draw play, the Patriots relied heavily on their lead isolation play, where the line creates a clear shot for Roberts on the linebacker in the hole.<\/p>\n
[arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/1ncmt\/bxygbx” \/]<\/p>\n
The Bills are in their 4-3 over G front. In the over G, the B-gap depending on how the defensive line positions itself is open on the line of scrimmage, making it a juicy point of attack for the offense. This time, the B-Gap on the strong side of the formation is open. As the play rolls, you\u2019ll see the left side \u201cfan\u201d out the defenders on the line of scrimmage, creating a massive hole, and all Roberts has to do is kick out the linebacker. Roberts does his job, and Michel bounces off Matt Milano to pick up some yards after contact.<\/p>\n
For the Patriots\u2019 running backs, yards after contact were a theme of the night. Michel\u2019s contact balance was on display on the first two runs, and Rex Burkhead put the Pats in the lead with some hard running as well.<\/p>\n
[arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/o2b34\/tjgchh” \/]<\/p>\n
The Pats ran their wide zone scheme where Roberts takes the force defender and kicks him out of the edge so Burkhad can go to the inside. The blocking breaks down, but Burkhead runs through two Buffalo defenders to find the end zone, one of his best runs as a Patriot.<\/p>\n
If the Patriots can run the ball like they did against Buffalo moving forward, the narrative about the offense should change significantly.<\/p>\n
3. Julian Edelman\u2019s Injuries Don\u2019t Stop Him From Dusting Bills Secondary<\/strong><\/h5>\nWe all know that Edelman is dealing with a pretty severe right knee injury, and then left the game briefly with a possible concussion, but those ailments didn\u2019t slow him down on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Edelman caught five of his six targets for 72 yards and ran some great routes, showing significantly better short-area quickness and explosiveness than last week.<\/p>\n
On his third reception, it comes as no surprise to anyone that Brady went to the reigning Super Bowl MVP on third down.<\/p>\n
[arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/k7sj3\/nqcey” \/]<\/p>\n
The technique and attention to detail on this route are tremendous and vintage Edelman. First, he\u2019s going to run his route stem angled at the inside shoulder of Taron Johnson, to attack inside leverage by the Bills cornerback. He then goes into a hop-step at the top of his route, which gets Johnson to slide over to block an inside break. Edelman uses a swim move to get back on to Johnson\u2019s outside hip, gets over the top of the Bills corner, and explodes out of his break to create plenty of separation for Brady to get him the ball. Teach tape and absolutely filthy.<\/p>\n
Edelman\u2019s 30-yard reception was one of three Brady throws that traveled 14 yards in the air and was also the second-longest play from scrimmage for the New England offense.<\/p>\n
[arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/fllfk\/hdkkbz” \/]<\/p>\n
On the play, the Patriots dialed up one of their most consistent routes in the playbook: an over route to Edelman off of play-action. The Pats bring Edelman in motion before the snap, and nobody follows, indicating zone coverage. Then, both Bills linebackers, Tremaine Edmunds and Matt Milano, bite hard on the play fake, crashing into their gaps to defend the run. Edelman crosses the field right behind those backers, hauls in a wide-open grab, and then eludes the safety to tack on some extra yardage.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat comes off the run,\u201d Edelman said after the game of the play. \u201cWe ran the ball well and when you run the ball well those types of plays work very well. You\u2019ve got to tip your hat to the line. The running backs were over here running their tails off.\u201d<\/p>\n
The way Edelman moved around against the Bengals was scary, but he looked like his usual self out there against the Bills.<\/p>\n
4. Patriots Defense Gets Last Laugh Against Josh Allen, Bills Offense<\/strong><\/h5>\nOn the defensive side of the ball for the Patriots, Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen surprised me with how well he played on Saturday night, making several \u201cwow\u201d throws in defeat.<\/p>\n
[arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/bvfj0\/ikpbwa” \/]<\/p>\n
Allen made two great throws to set up Buffalo touchdowns, and his 53-yard bomb was to John Brown for six was a tremendous display of arm strength and operating under pressure.<\/p>\n
[arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/gdx5d\/ecsfko” \/]<\/p>\n
However, it was an even better route by Brown. Brown beats Stephon Gilmore in man coverage with a terrific post-corner route, getting into Gilmore\u2019s blindspot before breaking off on the post. Gilmore was expecting Devin McCourty to help on the post, but took the blame for the touchdown as he was in man coverage on Brown, and said Brown got him on a great route.<\/p>\n
Although Allen made some impressive downfield passes, the Patriots defense got the last laugh, and disguising pressure and coverage against the young QB was a big reason why.<\/p>\n
[arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/ot12w\/wivvvk” \/]<\/p>\n
On John Simon\u2019s fourth-quarter sack, the Patriots ran a zone coverage that they refer to as their \u201ctomahawk\u201d zone. The Pats will put seven defenders near the line of scrimmage and take the safety out of the middle of the field, signaling to the quarterback a zero blitz. Then, they\u2019ll drop out of it, with McCourty retreating to centerfield and the rest of the defense dropping into a cover-3 zone. The post-snap movement causes Allen to hold the ball, and Simon and Lawrence Guy eventually bring Allen down for a sack.<\/p>\n
As they did in Super Bowl 53, the Patriots cycled through their \u201ctomahawk\u201d zone bluff and cover-zero pressure to give Allen different looks throughout the game.<\/p>\n
Along with \u201ctomahawk\u201d and zero pressures, the Patriots also dialed up stunts up front with different forms of man coverage in the secondary.<\/p>\n
[arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/dqu2n\/yqilmr” \/]<\/p>\n
On JC Jackson\u2019s second-quarter pass breakup, the Patriots ran a TEX stunt up front with Kyle Van Noy wrapping around the defensive tackle and \u201cone cross\u201d in the backend, cutting the crossing routes with the robber safety between the numbers. The throw from Allen is late and too far inside, giving Jackson a chance to drive the hands from out of phase to break up the pass. JC also had great technique and closing speed on the play.<\/p>\n
[arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/9b890\/tabcyx” \/]<\/p>\n
Dont\u2019a Hightower\u2019s sack also came on a stunt scheme. The Pats are in man free with the free safety playing centerfield, and Hightower comes around penetrators to get a free run at Allen.<\/p>\n
The Patriots sacked Allen four times and registered seven quarterback hits, and although he made some plays, the boom-or-bust nature of Allen\u2019s game led to a New England victory.<\/p>\n
5. N\u2019Keal Harry Is a Weapon, Growing More Comfortable Each Week<\/strong><\/h5>\nAlthough his stat line was once again modest (four touches, 39 yards), first-round pick N\u2019Keal Harry continues to string together performances where the flashes of his talent are apparent.<\/p>\n
Harry\u2019s contact balance and comfortability as a ball carrier are superb, and McDaniels continues to find ways to get the ball in the six-foot-three wideout’s hands in space.<\/p>\n
[arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/218a3\/scjbmv” \/]<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s a play that\u2019s becoming a staple of N\u2019Keal\u2019s rookie season. The rookie motions into the backfield behind Brady with the back offset to the quarterback\u2019s left. Then, Brady fakes the handoff to White, and Harry runs a little swing route in the opposite direction. This time, Bills defensive end Shaq Lawson gets in the passing lane initially, but Brady looks away and comes back to Harry to convert on third down.<\/p>\n
Harry absolutely loves the play design and said it\u2019s something that he has never done before but feels great when the play is called in the huddle.<\/p>\n
Although the schemed plays are nice, Harry is also improving as a route runner and his timing with Brady.<\/p>\n
[arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/tw0gi\/zugcsy” \/]<\/p>\n
On second and long, Harry comes hard off the line and stops down on a hitch. Brady hits him quickly, and the rookie breaks a tackle to create a manageable situation on third down.<\/p>\n
We\u2019ll get to the final piece of the Harry puzzle later, but he continues to make positive strides and is emerging as a matchup and scheme-based weapon for the Patriots down the stretch.<\/p>\n
6. Pats OC Josh McDaniels Has Near-Perfect Game Plan<\/strong><\/h5>\nFor the second straight week, Pats offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels deserves credit.<\/p>\n
McDaniels saw a vaunted Buffalo pass defense that doesn\u2019t surrender big plays, so they took what the defense gave them in the passing game, and designed a tremendous rushing attack.<\/p>\n
Since we covered the running game, we\u2019ll focus on some of McDaniel\u2019s other wrinkles here, starting with one of his best schemed plays we\u2019ve seen all season.<\/p>\n
[arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/x3p0m\/aftlnm” \/]<\/p>\n
On the play, Brady expertly pulls off an exaggerated fake on a jet motion to Mohamed Sanu. The fake draws the attention of the defense, and Burkhead lulls his man, Tremaine Edmunds, to sleep with a delayed release, and then breaks upfield on a wheel route. He\u2019s wide open, and Brady hits him for the longest play from scrimmage in the game for the Patriots.<\/p>\n
Along with misdirection, McDaniels also feasted on an aggressive pair of Bills linebackers with screen passes, and as we\u2019ve shown, play action.<\/p>\n
[arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/94kql\/vfuhdc” \/]<\/p>\n
This time, we\u2019ll highlight a screen, where once again, jet motion is a factor. Harry comes in motion, and all eyes are on him as the Buffalo defense bumps over a gap in zone to cover Harry. With the defense flowing in the wrong direction, Brady comes back to Burkhead on the screen, and Rex has a trio of linemen out in front to pave the way for a big gain.<\/p>\n
Over the last two weeks, McDaniels has incorporated Harry in several ways that fit his skillset perfectly, designed schemed or game plan wrinkles to feast on opponents\u2019 weaknesses, and incorporate misdirection in the running game with wide receiver carries.<\/p>\n
The Pats OC deserved blame when things weren\u2019t going well, but he\u2019s scheming his ass off as we head towards the playoffs.<\/p>\n
7. Lawrence Guy Dominates Up Front For Patriots<\/strong><\/h5>\nOne of the unsung heroes of the Patriots defense, defensive tackle Lawrence Guy quietly dominates his opponents with excellent technique and play recognition every week.<\/p>\n
Known as a run-stuffer, Guy\u2019s ability to play with proper pad level and leverage, especially against combos and doubles, is flat out ridiculous.<\/p>\n
[arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/z04y8\/zcghz” \/]<\/p>\n
Here, he takes on the combo block, and you see how he engages with his pads down to get underneath the blocks and tackles the running back for a minimal gain.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s all about the game of leverage, whoever has the leverage is going to win; it doesn\u2019t matter how strong you are,\u201d Guy told me. \u201cThat\u2019s just working technique, and we harp on technique. That\u2019s one thing I know that I\u2019m going to get a double, so I try to play with great leverage and extension.\u201d<\/p>\n
[arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/v1nyb\/vibfjv” \/]<\/p>\n
On top of his run stops, Guy also added a sack with a sweet pin-pull rip move to get to Allen. He told me that the play before he read run, and it was a pass, but the Bills didn\u2019t fool him on the next play.<\/p>\n
The Patriots have a lot of underrated players on their team, but Guy might be the most underrated defender on the New England defense.<\/p>\n
8. Mohamed Sanu Has a Rough Outing Against Bills<\/strong><\/h5>\nThe Patriots traded a second-round pick at the deadline for Sanu, and although he\u2019s a tremendous teammate and worker, the results aren\u2019t showing on the field; he\u2019s hurting the team.<\/p>\n
[arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/oo7xr\/iuywdl” \/]<\/p>\n
First, Sanu still isn\u2019t on the same page as Brady when it comes to route running. Brady expects Sanu to curl his route outside with the corner playing off and with inside leverage. Instead, Sanu curls inside, and Brady\u2019s throw goes to the wrong spot.<\/p>\n
Sanu is also struggling to find the sticks on some of his routes, breaking them off too early.<\/p>\n
[arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/mxcsv\/kyouqm” \/]<\/p>\n
Before the half, Brady goes to him on third down against the blitz. The Bills telegraph the blitz off of the left side, so Brady knows he has Sanu on the speed out to the same side as the blitz. Sanu catches the ball but fails to get past the sticks to pick up the first down.<\/p>\n
[arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/z5x3d\/jgxyqe” \/]<\/p>\n
Finally, Sanu\u2019s missed block on a fourth-down sweep to N\u2019Keal Harry caused a crucial turnover on downs. Sanu doesn\u2019t even engage Bills corner Kevin Johnson, and Johnson goes right around him to blow up the play.<\/p>\n
With only one game remaining in the regular season, Sanu is running out of time to make an impact on the 2019 team.<\/p>\n
9. Personnel Groupings: the Fullback is Back for the Patriots<\/strong><\/h5>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.clnsmedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Screen-Shot-2019-12-21-at-11.08.40-PM.png\")
<\/p>\n
The game plan was to run the football, and the Patriots did so by leaning on Elandon Roberts. In all, Roberts played 21 snaps as a lead blocker, and as a result, we saw a heavy dosage of two-back sets for the Patriots. Some of those two-back packages were \u201cpony\u201d sets as well with two running backs on the field, but the 21-personnel grouping, which carried New England to a Super Bowl a year ago, was almost exclusively with Roberts. The 11-personnel packages with three wideouts on the field were a significant part of the offense still, but we are starting to see more unique formations with multiple backs and tight ends.<\/p>\n
10. Play of the Game: N\u2019Keal Harry\u2019s 18-Yard End Around<\/b><\/h5>\n
[arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/kvbqg\/jewvry” \/]<\/p>\n
We\u2019ll end things with N\u2019Keal Harry carrying the football on a well-designed end around scheme by McDaniels. Brady hands the ball off to Burkhead, who flips to N\u2019Keal, who gets a lead block from Brady on Tre\u2019Davious White to spring Harry.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m pretty poor at just about everything other than throwing the ball,\u201d Brady said. \u201cSo I was trying to just get in his way. But it was a good, hard run by N\u2019Keal and it was a good play in the game.\u201d<\/p>\n
As the GOAT said, Harry\u2019s run is pretty great, as he runs through two tackles at or behind the line to turn the play into a first down.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
FOXBOROUGH — If you thought this year was different, well, the Patriots aren\u2019t done dominating the AFC East just yet. Behind a strong all-around effort, New England clinched its 11th consecutive division crown with a 24-17 victory over the Buffalo Bills at Gillette Stadium on Saturday night. The Patriots offense is starting to turn a<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":131993,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[47],"tags":[616,617],"class_list":["post-46548","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nfl","tag-nfl-news","tag-patriots-news"],"yoast_head":"\n
Ten Things We Learned From the Patriots 24-17 Win Over the Bills<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"If you thought this year was different, well, the Patriots aren\u2019t done dominating the AFC East just yet, clinching their 11th consecutive division crown.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.clnsmedia.com\/?p=46548\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Ten Things We Learned From the Patriots 24-17 Win Over the Bills\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"If you thought this year was different, well, the Patriots aren\u2019t done dominating the AFC East just yet, clinching their 11th consecutive division crown.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.clnsmedia.com\/?p=46548\" \/>\n<meta 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We all know that Edelman is dealing with a pretty severe right knee injury, and then left the game briefly with a possible concussion, but those ailments didn\u2019t slow him down on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Edelman caught five of his six targets for 72 yards and ran some great routes, showing significantly better short-area quickness and explosiveness than last week.<\/p>\n
On his third reception, it comes as no surprise to anyone that Brady went to the reigning Super Bowl MVP on third down.<\/p>\n
[arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/k7sj3\/nqcey” \/]<\/p>\n
The technique and attention to detail on this route are tremendous and vintage Edelman. First, he\u2019s going to run his route stem angled at the inside shoulder of Taron Johnson, to attack inside leverage by the Bills cornerback. He then goes into a hop-step at the top of his route, which gets Johnson to slide over to block an inside break. Edelman uses a swim move to get back on to Johnson\u2019s outside hip, gets over the top of the Bills corner, and explodes out of his break to create plenty of separation for Brady to get him the ball. Teach tape and absolutely filthy.<\/p>\n
Edelman\u2019s 30-yard reception was one of three Brady throws that traveled 14 yards in the air and was also the second-longest play from scrimmage for the New England offense.<\/p>\n
[arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/fllfk\/hdkkbz” \/]<\/p>\n
On the play, the Patriots dialed up one of their most consistent routes in the playbook: an over route to Edelman off of play-action. The Pats bring Edelman in motion before the snap, and nobody follows, indicating zone coverage. Then, both Bills linebackers, Tremaine Edmunds and Matt Milano, bite hard on the play fake, crashing into their gaps to defend the run. Edelman crosses the field right behind those backers, hauls in a wide-open grab, and then eludes the safety to tack on some extra yardage.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat comes off the run,\u201d Edelman said after the game of the play. \u201cWe ran the ball well and when you run the ball well those types of plays work very well. You\u2019ve got to tip your hat to the line. The running backs were over here running their tails off.\u201d<\/p>\n
The way Edelman moved around against the Bengals was scary, but he looked like his usual self out there against the Bills.<\/p>\n
4. Patriots Defense Gets Last Laugh Against Josh Allen, Bills Offense<\/strong><\/h5>\nOn the defensive side of the ball for the Patriots, Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen surprised me with how well he played on Saturday night, making several \u201cwow\u201d throws in defeat.<\/p>\n
[arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/bvfj0\/ikpbwa” \/]<\/p>\n
Allen made two great throws to set up Buffalo touchdowns, and his 53-yard bomb was to John Brown for six was a tremendous display of arm strength and operating under pressure.<\/p>\n
[arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/gdx5d\/ecsfko” \/]<\/p>\n
However, it was an even better route by Brown. Brown beats Stephon Gilmore in man coverage with a terrific post-corner route, getting into Gilmore\u2019s blindspot before breaking off on the post. Gilmore was expecting Devin McCourty to help on the post, but took the blame for the touchdown as he was in man coverage on Brown, and said Brown got him on a great route.<\/p>\n
Although Allen made some impressive downfield passes, the Patriots defense got the last laugh, and disguising pressure and coverage against the young QB was a big reason why.<\/p>\n
[arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/ot12w\/wivvvk” \/]<\/p>\n
On John Simon\u2019s fourth-quarter sack, the Patriots ran a zone coverage that they refer to as their \u201ctomahawk\u201d zone. The Pats will put seven defenders near the line of scrimmage and take the safety out of the middle of the field, signaling to the quarterback a zero blitz. Then, they\u2019ll drop out of it, with McCourty retreating to centerfield and the rest of the defense dropping into a cover-3 zone. The post-snap movement causes Allen to hold the ball, and Simon and Lawrence Guy eventually bring Allen down for a sack.<\/p>\n
As they did in Super Bowl 53, the Patriots cycled through their \u201ctomahawk\u201d zone bluff and cover-zero pressure to give Allen different looks throughout the game.<\/p>\n
Along with \u201ctomahawk\u201d and zero pressures, the Patriots also dialed up stunts up front with different forms of man coverage in the secondary.<\/p>\n
[arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/dqu2n\/yqilmr” \/]<\/p>\n
On JC Jackson\u2019s second-quarter pass breakup, the Patriots ran a TEX stunt up front with Kyle Van Noy wrapping around the defensive tackle and \u201cone cross\u201d in the backend, cutting the crossing routes with the robber safety between the numbers. The throw from Allen is late and too far inside, giving Jackson a chance to drive the hands from out of phase to break up the pass. JC also had great technique and closing speed on the play.<\/p>\n
[arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/9b890\/tabcyx” \/]<\/p>\n
Dont\u2019a Hightower\u2019s sack also came on a stunt scheme. The Pats are in man free with the free safety playing centerfield, and Hightower comes around penetrators to get a free run at Allen.<\/p>\n
The Patriots sacked Allen four times and registered seven quarterback hits, and although he made some plays, the boom-or-bust nature of Allen\u2019s game led to a New England victory.<\/p>\n
5. N\u2019Keal Harry Is a Weapon, Growing More Comfortable Each Week<\/strong><\/h5>\nAlthough his stat line was once again modest (four touches, 39 yards), first-round pick N\u2019Keal Harry continues to string together performances where the flashes of his talent are apparent.<\/p>\n
Harry\u2019s contact balance and comfortability as a ball carrier are superb, and McDaniels continues to find ways to get the ball in the six-foot-three wideout’s hands in space.<\/p>\n
[arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/218a3\/scjbmv” \/]<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s a play that\u2019s becoming a staple of N\u2019Keal\u2019s rookie season. The rookie motions into the backfield behind Brady with the back offset to the quarterback\u2019s left. Then, Brady fakes the handoff to White, and Harry runs a little swing route in the opposite direction. This time, Bills defensive end Shaq Lawson gets in the passing lane initially, but Brady looks away and comes back to Harry to convert on third down.<\/p>\n
Harry absolutely loves the play design and said it\u2019s something that he has never done before but feels great when the play is called in the huddle.<\/p>\n
Although the schemed plays are nice, Harry is also improving as a route runner and his timing with Brady.<\/p>\n
[arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/tw0gi\/zugcsy” \/]<\/p>\n
On second and long, Harry comes hard off the line and stops down on a hitch. Brady hits him quickly, and the rookie breaks a tackle to create a manageable situation on third down.<\/p>\n
We\u2019ll get to the final piece of the Harry puzzle later, but he continues to make positive strides and is emerging as a matchup and scheme-based weapon for the Patriots down the stretch.<\/p>\n
6. Pats OC Josh McDaniels Has Near-Perfect Game Plan<\/strong><\/h5>\nFor the second straight week, Pats offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels deserves credit.<\/p>\n
McDaniels saw a vaunted Buffalo pass defense that doesn\u2019t surrender big plays, so they took what the defense gave them in the passing game, and designed a tremendous rushing attack.<\/p>\n
Since we covered the running game, we\u2019ll focus on some of McDaniel\u2019s other wrinkles here, starting with one of his best schemed plays we\u2019ve seen all season.<\/p>\n
[arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/x3p0m\/aftlnm” \/]<\/p>\n
On the play, Brady expertly pulls off an exaggerated fake on a jet motion to Mohamed Sanu. The fake draws the attention of the defense, and Burkhead lulls his man, Tremaine Edmunds, to sleep with a delayed release, and then breaks upfield on a wheel route. He\u2019s wide open, and Brady hits him for the longest play from scrimmage in the game for the Patriots.<\/p>\n
Along with misdirection, McDaniels also feasted on an aggressive pair of Bills linebackers with screen passes, and as we\u2019ve shown, play action.<\/p>\n
[arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/94kql\/vfuhdc” \/]<\/p>\n
This time, we\u2019ll highlight a screen, where once again, jet motion is a factor. Harry comes in motion, and all eyes are on him as the Buffalo defense bumps over a gap in zone to cover Harry. With the defense flowing in the wrong direction, Brady comes back to Burkhead on the screen, and Rex has a trio of linemen out in front to pave the way for a big gain.<\/p>\n
Over the last two weeks, McDaniels has incorporated Harry in several ways that fit his skillset perfectly, designed schemed or game plan wrinkles to feast on opponents\u2019 weaknesses, and incorporate misdirection in the running game with wide receiver carries.<\/p>\n
The Pats OC deserved blame when things weren\u2019t going well, but he\u2019s scheming his ass off as we head towards the playoffs.<\/p>\n
7. Lawrence Guy Dominates Up Front For Patriots<\/strong><\/h5>\nOne of the unsung heroes of the Patriots defense, defensive tackle Lawrence Guy quietly dominates his opponents with excellent technique and play recognition every week.<\/p>\n
Known as a run-stuffer, Guy\u2019s ability to play with proper pad level and leverage, especially against combos and doubles, is flat out ridiculous.<\/p>\n
[arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/z04y8\/zcghz” \/]<\/p>\n
Here, he takes on the combo block, and you see how he engages with his pads down to get underneath the blocks and tackles the running back for a minimal gain.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s all about the game of leverage, whoever has the leverage is going to win; it doesn\u2019t matter how strong you are,\u201d Guy told me. \u201cThat\u2019s just working technique, and we harp on technique. That\u2019s one thing I know that I\u2019m going to get a double, so I try to play with great leverage and extension.\u201d<\/p>\n
[arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/v1nyb\/vibfjv” \/]<\/p>\n
On top of his run stops, Guy also added a sack with a sweet pin-pull rip move to get to Allen. He told me that the play before he read run, and it was a pass, but the Bills didn\u2019t fool him on the next play.<\/p>\n
The Patriots have a lot of underrated players on their team, but Guy might be the most underrated defender on the New England defense.<\/p>\n
8. Mohamed Sanu Has a Rough Outing Against Bills<\/strong><\/h5>\nThe Patriots traded a second-round pick at the deadline for Sanu, and although he\u2019s a tremendous teammate and worker, the results aren\u2019t showing on the field; he\u2019s hurting the team.<\/p>\n
[arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/oo7xr\/iuywdl” \/]<\/p>\n
First, Sanu still isn\u2019t on the same page as Brady when it comes to route running. Brady expects Sanu to curl his route outside with the corner playing off and with inside leverage. Instead, Sanu curls inside, and Brady\u2019s throw goes to the wrong spot.<\/p>\n
Sanu is also struggling to find the sticks on some of his routes, breaking them off too early.<\/p>\n
[arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/mxcsv\/kyouqm” \/]<\/p>\n
Before the half, Brady goes to him on third down against the blitz. The Bills telegraph the blitz off of the left side, so Brady knows he has Sanu on the speed out to the same side as the blitz. Sanu catches the ball but fails to get past the sticks to pick up the first down.<\/p>\n
[arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/z5x3d\/jgxyqe” \/]<\/p>\n
Finally, Sanu\u2019s missed block on a fourth-down sweep to N\u2019Keal Harry caused a crucial turnover on downs. Sanu doesn\u2019t even engage Bills corner Kevin Johnson, and Johnson goes right around him to blow up the play.<\/p>\n
With only one game remaining in the regular season, Sanu is running out of time to make an impact on the 2019 team.<\/p>\n
9. Personnel Groupings: the Fullback is Back for the Patriots<\/strong><\/h5>\n<\/p>\n
The game plan was to run the football, and the Patriots did so by leaning on Elandon Roberts. In all, Roberts played 21 snaps as a lead blocker, and as a result, we saw a heavy dosage of two-back sets for the Patriots. Some of those two-back packages were \u201cpony\u201d sets as well with two running backs on the field, but the 21-personnel grouping, which carried New England to a Super Bowl a year ago, was almost exclusively with Roberts. The 11-personnel packages with three wideouts on the field were a significant part of the offense still, but we are starting to see more unique formations with multiple backs and tight ends.<\/p>\n
10. Play of the Game: N\u2019Keal Harry\u2019s 18-Yard End Around<\/b><\/h5>\n
[arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/kvbqg\/jewvry” \/]<\/p>\n
We\u2019ll end things with N\u2019Keal Harry carrying the football on a well-designed end around scheme by McDaniels. Brady hands the ball off to Burkhead, who flips to N\u2019Keal, who gets a lead block from Brady on Tre\u2019Davious White to spring Harry.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m pretty poor at just about everything other than throwing the ball,\u201d Brady said. \u201cSo I was trying to just get in his way. But it was a good, hard run by N\u2019Keal and it was a good play in the game.\u201d<\/p>\n
As the GOAT said, Harry\u2019s run is pretty great, as he runs through two tackles at or behind the line to turn the play into a first down.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
FOXBOROUGH — If you thought this year was different, well, the Patriots aren\u2019t done dominating the AFC East just yet. Behind a strong all-around effort, New England clinched its 11th consecutive division crown with a 24-17 victory over the Buffalo Bills at Gillette Stadium on Saturday night. The Patriots offense is starting to turn a<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":131993,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[47],"tags":[616,617],"class_list":["post-46548","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nfl","tag-nfl-news","tag-patriots-news"],"yoast_head":"\n
Ten Things We Learned From the Patriots 24-17 Win Over the Bills<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"If you thought this year was different, well, the Patriots aren\u2019t done dominating the AFC East just yet, clinching their 11th consecutive division crown.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.clnsmedia.com\/?p=46548\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Ten Things We Learned From the Patriots 24-17 Win Over the Bills\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"If you thought this year was different, well, the Patriots aren\u2019t done dominating the AFC East just yet, clinching their 11th consecutive division crown.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.clnsmedia.com\/?p=46548\" \/>\n<meta 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Although his stat line was once again modest (four touches, 39 yards), first-round pick N\u2019Keal Harry continues to string together performances where the flashes of his talent are apparent.<\/p>\n
Harry\u2019s contact balance and comfortability as a ball carrier are superb, and McDaniels continues to find ways to get the ball in the six-foot-three wideout’s hands in space.<\/p>\n
[arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/218a3\/scjbmv” \/]<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s a play that\u2019s becoming a staple of N\u2019Keal\u2019s rookie season. The rookie motions into the backfield behind Brady with the back offset to the quarterback\u2019s left. Then, Brady fakes the handoff to White, and Harry runs a little swing route in the opposite direction. This time, Bills defensive end Shaq Lawson gets in the passing lane initially, but Brady looks away and comes back to Harry to convert on third down.<\/p>\n
Harry absolutely loves the play design and said it\u2019s something that he has never done before but feels great when the play is called in the huddle.<\/p>\n
Although the schemed plays are nice, Harry is also improving as a route runner and his timing with Brady.<\/p>\n
[arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/tw0gi\/zugcsy” \/]<\/p>\n
On second and long, Harry comes hard off the line and stops down on a hitch. Brady hits him quickly, and the rookie breaks a tackle to create a manageable situation on third down.<\/p>\n
We\u2019ll get to the final piece of the Harry puzzle later, but he continues to make positive strides and is emerging as a matchup and scheme-based weapon for the Patriots down the stretch.<\/p>\n
6. Pats OC Josh McDaniels Has Near-Perfect Game Plan<\/strong><\/h5>\nFor the second straight week, Pats offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels deserves credit.<\/p>\n
McDaniels saw a vaunted Buffalo pass defense that doesn\u2019t surrender big plays, so they took what the defense gave them in the passing game, and designed a tremendous rushing attack.<\/p>\n
Since we covered the running game, we\u2019ll focus on some of McDaniel\u2019s other wrinkles here, starting with one of his best schemed plays we\u2019ve seen all season.<\/p>\n
[arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/x3p0m\/aftlnm” \/]<\/p>\n
On the play, Brady expertly pulls off an exaggerated fake on a jet motion to Mohamed Sanu. The fake draws the attention of the defense, and Burkhead lulls his man, Tremaine Edmunds, to sleep with a delayed release, and then breaks upfield on a wheel route. He\u2019s wide open, and Brady hits him for the longest play from scrimmage in the game for the Patriots.<\/p>\n
Along with misdirection, McDaniels also feasted on an aggressive pair of Bills linebackers with screen passes, and as we\u2019ve shown, play action.<\/p>\n
[arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/94kql\/vfuhdc” \/]<\/p>\n
This time, we\u2019ll highlight a screen, where once again, jet motion is a factor. Harry comes in motion, and all eyes are on him as the Buffalo defense bumps over a gap in zone to cover Harry. With the defense flowing in the wrong direction, Brady comes back to Burkhead on the screen, and Rex has a trio of linemen out in front to pave the way for a big gain.<\/p>\n
Over the last two weeks, McDaniels has incorporated Harry in several ways that fit his skillset perfectly, designed schemed or game plan wrinkles to feast on opponents\u2019 weaknesses, and incorporate misdirection in the running game with wide receiver carries.<\/p>\n
The Pats OC deserved blame when things weren\u2019t going well, but he\u2019s scheming his ass off as we head towards the playoffs.<\/p>\n
7. Lawrence Guy Dominates Up Front For Patriots<\/strong><\/h5>\nOne of the unsung heroes of the Patriots defense, defensive tackle Lawrence Guy quietly dominates his opponents with excellent technique and play recognition every week.<\/p>\n
Known as a run-stuffer, Guy\u2019s ability to play with proper pad level and leverage, especially against combos and doubles, is flat out ridiculous.<\/p>\n
[arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/z04y8\/zcghz” \/]<\/p>\n
Here, he takes on the combo block, and you see how he engages with his pads down to get underneath the blocks and tackles the running back for a minimal gain.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s all about the game of leverage, whoever has the leverage is going to win; it doesn\u2019t matter how strong you are,\u201d Guy told me. \u201cThat\u2019s just working technique, and we harp on technique. That\u2019s one thing I know that I\u2019m going to get a double, so I try to play with great leverage and extension.\u201d<\/p>\n
[arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/v1nyb\/vibfjv” \/]<\/p>\n
On top of his run stops, Guy also added a sack with a sweet pin-pull rip move to get to Allen. He told me that the play before he read run, and it was a pass, but the Bills didn\u2019t fool him on the next play.<\/p>\n
The Patriots have a lot of underrated players on their team, but Guy might be the most underrated defender on the New England defense.<\/p>\n
8. Mohamed Sanu Has a Rough Outing Against Bills<\/strong><\/h5>\nThe Patriots traded a second-round pick at the deadline for Sanu, and although he\u2019s a tremendous teammate and worker, the results aren\u2019t showing on the field; he\u2019s hurting the team.<\/p>\n
[arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/oo7xr\/iuywdl” \/]<\/p>\n
First, Sanu still isn\u2019t on the same page as Brady when it comes to route running. Brady expects Sanu to curl his route outside with the corner playing off and with inside leverage. Instead, Sanu curls inside, and Brady\u2019s throw goes to the wrong spot.<\/p>\n
Sanu is also struggling to find the sticks on some of his routes, breaking them off too early.<\/p>\n
[arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/mxcsv\/kyouqm” \/]<\/p>\n
Before the half, Brady goes to him on third down against the blitz. The Bills telegraph the blitz off of the left side, so Brady knows he has Sanu on the speed out to the same side as the blitz. Sanu catches the ball but fails to get past the sticks to pick up the first down.<\/p>\n
[arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/z5x3d\/jgxyqe” \/]<\/p>\n
Finally, Sanu\u2019s missed block on a fourth-down sweep to N\u2019Keal Harry caused a crucial turnover on downs. Sanu doesn\u2019t even engage Bills corner Kevin Johnson, and Johnson goes right around him to blow up the play.<\/p>\n
With only one game remaining in the regular season, Sanu is running out of time to make an impact on the 2019 team.<\/p>\n
9. Personnel Groupings: the Fullback is Back for the Patriots<\/strong><\/h5>\n<\/p>\n
The game plan was to run the football, and the Patriots did so by leaning on Elandon Roberts. In all, Roberts played 21 snaps as a lead blocker, and as a result, we saw a heavy dosage of two-back sets for the Patriots. Some of those two-back packages were \u201cpony\u201d sets as well with two running backs on the field, but the 21-personnel grouping, which carried New England to a Super Bowl a year ago, was almost exclusively with Roberts. The 11-personnel packages with three wideouts on the field were a significant part of the offense still, but we are starting to see more unique formations with multiple backs and tight ends.<\/p>\n
10. Play of the Game: N\u2019Keal Harry\u2019s 18-Yard End Around<\/b><\/h5>\n
[arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/kvbqg\/jewvry” \/]<\/p>\n
We\u2019ll end things with N\u2019Keal Harry carrying the football on a well-designed end around scheme by McDaniels. Brady hands the ball off to Burkhead, who flips to N\u2019Keal, who gets a lead block from Brady on Tre\u2019Davious White to spring Harry.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m pretty poor at just about everything other than throwing the ball,\u201d Brady said. \u201cSo I was trying to just get in his way. But it was a good, hard run by N\u2019Keal and it was a good play in the game.\u201d<\/p>\n
As the GOAT said, Harry\u2019s run is pretty great, as he runs through two tackles at or behind the line to turn the play into a first down.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
FOXBOROUGH — If you thought this year was different, well, the Patriots aren\u2019t done dominating the AFC East just yet. Behind a strong all-around effort, New England clinched its 11th consecutive division crown with a 24-17 victory over the Buffalo Bills at Gillette Stadium on Saturday night. The Patriots offense is starting to turn a<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":131993,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[47],"tags":[616,617],"class_list":["post-46548","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nfl","tag-nfl-news","tag-patriots-news"],"yoast_head":"\n
Ten Things We Learned From the Patriots 24-17 Win Over the Bills<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"If you thought this year was different, well, the Patriots aren\u2019t done dominating the AFC East just yet, clinching their 11th consecutive division crown.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.clnsmedia.com\/?p=46548\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Ten Things We Learned From the Patriots 24-17 Win Over the Bills\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"If you thought this year was different, well, the Patriots aren\u2019t done dominating the AFC East just yet, clinching their 11th consecutive division crown.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.clnsmedia.com\/?p=46548\" \/>\n<meta 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One of the unsung heroes of the Patriots defense, defensive tackle Lawrence Guy quietly dominates his opponents with excellent technique and play recognition every week.<\/p>\n
Known as a run-stuffer, Guy\u2019s ability to play with proper pad level and leverage, especially against combos and doubles, is flat out ridiculous.<\/p>\n
[arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/z04y8\/zcghz” \/]<\/p>\n
Here, he takes on the combo block, and you see how he engages with his pads down to get underneath the blocks and tackles the running back for a minimal gain.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s all about the game of leverage, whoever has the leverage is going to win; it doesn\u2019t matter how strong you are,\u201d Guy told me. \u201cThat\u2019s just working technique, and we harp on technique. That\u2019s one thing I know that I\u2019m going to get a double, so I try to play with great leverage and extension.\u201d<\/p>\n
[arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/v1nyb\/vibfjv” \/]<\/p>\n
On top of his run stops, Guy also added a sack with a sweet pin-pull rip move to get to Allen. He told me that the play before he read run, and it was a pass, but the Bills didn\u2019t fool him on the next play.<\/p>\n
The Patriots have a lot of underrated players on their team, but Guy might be the most underrated defender on the New England defense.<\/p>\n
8. Mohamed Sanu Has a Rough Outing Against Bills<\/strong><\/h5>\nThe Patriots traded a second-round pick at the deadline for Sanu, and although he\u2019s a tremendous teammate and worker, the results aren\u2019t showing on the field; he\u2019s hurting the team.<\/p>\n
[arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/oo7xr\/iuywdl” \/]<\/p>\n
First, Sanu still isn\u2019t on the same page as Brady when it comes to route running. Brady expects Sanu to curl his route outside with the corner playing off and with inside leverage. Instead, Sanu curls inside, and Brady\u2019s throw goes to the wrong spot.<\/p>\n
Sanu is also struggling to find the sticks on some of his routes, breaking them off too early.<\/p>\n
[arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/mxcsv\/kyouqm” \/]<\/p>\n
Before the half, Brady goes to him on third down against the blitz. The Bills telegraph the blitz off of the left side, so Brady knows he has Sanu on the speed out to the same side as the blitz. Sanu catches the ball but fails to get past the sticks to pick up the first down.<\/p>\n
[arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/z5x3d\/jgxyqe” \/]<\/p>\n
Finally, Sanu\u2019s missed block on a fourth-down sweep to N\u2019Keal Harry caused a crucial turnover on downs. Sanu doesn\u2019t even engage Bills corner Kevin Johnson, and Johnson goes right around him to blow up the play.<\/p>\n
With only one game remaining in the regular season, Sanu is running out of time to make an impact on the 2019 team.<\/p>\n
9. Personnel Groupings: the Fullback is Back for the Patriots<\/strong><\/h5>\n<\/p>\n
The game plan was to run the football, and the Patriots did so by leaning on Elandon Roberts. In all, Roberts played 21 snaps as a lead blocker, and as a result, we saw a heavy dosage of two-back sets for the Patriots. Some of those two-back packages were \u201cpony\u201d sets as well with two running backs on the field, but the 21-personnel grouping, which carried New England to a Super Bowl a year ago, was almost exclusively with Roberts. The 11-personnel packages with three wideouts on the field were a significant part of the offense still, but we are starting to see more unique formations with multiple backs and tight ends.<\/p>\n
10. Play of the Game: N\u2019Keal Harry\u2019s 18-Yard End Around<\/b><\/h5>\n
[arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/kvbqg\/jewvry” \/]<\/p>\n
We\u2019ll end things with N\u2019Keal Harry carrying the football on a well-designed end around scheme by McDaniels. Brady hands the ball off to Burkhead, who flips to N\u2019Keal, who gets a lead block from Brady on Tre\u2019Davious White to spring Harry.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m pretty poor at just about everything other than throwing the ball,\u201d Brady said. \u201cSo I was trying to just get in his way. But it was a good, hard run by N\u2019Keal and it was a good play in the game.\u201d<\/p>\n
As the GOAT said, Harry\u2019s run is pretty great, as he runs through two tackles at or behind the line to turn the play into a first down.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
FOXBOROUGH — If you thought this year was different, well, the Patriots aren\u2019t done dominating the AFC East just yet. Behind a strong all-around effort, New England clinched its 11th consecutive division crown with a 24-17 victory over the Buffalo Bills at Gillette Stadium on Saturday night. The Patriots offense is starting to turn a<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":131993,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[47],"tags":[616,617],"class_list":["post-46548","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nfl","tag-nfl-news","tag-patriots-news"],"yoast_head":"\n
Ten Things We Learned From the Patriots 24-17 Win Over the Bills<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"If you thought this year was different, well, the Patriots aren\u2019t done dominating the AFC East just yet, clinching their 11th consecutive division crown.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.clnsmedia.com\/?p=46548\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Ten Things We Learned From the Patriots 24-17 Win Over the Bills\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"If you thought this year was different, well, the Patriots aren\u2019t done dominating the AFC East just yet, clinching their 11th consecutive division crown.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.clnsmedia.com\/?p=46548\" \/>\n<meta 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<\/p>\n
The game plan was to run the football, and the Patriots did so by leaning on Elandon Roberts. In all, Roberts played 21 snaps as a lead blocker, and as a result, we saw a heavy dosage of two-back sets for the Patriots. Some of those two-back packages were \u201cpony\u201d sets as well with two running backs on the field, but the 21-personnel grouping, which carried New England to a Super Bowl a year ago, was almost exclusively with Roberts. The 11-personnel packages with three wideouts on the field were a significant part of the offense still, but we are starting to see more unique formations with multiple backs and tight ends.<\/p>\n
10. Play of the Game: N\u2019Keal Harry\u2019s 18-Yard End Around<\/b><\/h5>\n
[arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/kvbqg\/jewvry” \/]<\/p>\n
We\u2019ll end things with N\u2019Keal Harry carrying the football on a well-designed end around scheme by McDaniels. Brady hands the ball off to Burkhead, who flips to N\u2019Keal, who gets a lead block from Brady on Tre\u2019Davious White to spring Harry.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m pretty poor at just about everything other than throwing the ball,\u201d Brady said. \u201cSo I was trying to just get in his way. But it was a good, hard run by N\u2019Keal and it was a good play in the game.\u201d<\/p>\n
As the GOAT said, Harry\u2019s run is pretty great, as he runs through two tackles at or behind the line to turn the play into a first down.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
FOXBOROUGH — If you thought this year was different, well, the Patriots aren\u2019t done dominating the AFC East just yet. Behind a strong all-around effort, New England clinched its 11th consecutive division crown with a 24-17 victory over the Buffalo Bills at Gillette Stadium on Saturday night. The Patriots offense is starting to turn a<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":131993,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[47],"tags":[616,617],"class_list":["post-46548","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nfl","tag-nfl-news","tag-patriots-news"],"yoast_head":"\n