Patriots' Offensive linemen who had multiple issues Sunday against the Raiders. Devey, Vollmer and Solder.
With the whole work thing getting in the way of my game watching and blogging, I finally have the time to give you some of my thoughts about Sunday's Patriots game against the Raiders. I will start off by saying my prediction was way off. Of course, maybe if Josh McDaniels took some of my advice parts would be much more accurate. Instead of just saying that the offensive line was bad or blaming the receivers for everything. I'm going to break down each offensive possession of the game and give my thoughts.
FIRST POSSESSION - 11:44 OF FIRST QUARTER
3 passes for a 3 and out. This was idiotic play calling from the start. Going into the game the Raiders had the second best pass defense in the league and 32nd worst run defense. Why in the world would we start the game throwing the ball? All last week everyone and their brother said that the Patriots need to establish the run to help out Brady. Did McDaniels think he was being sneaky by passing 3 consecutive times?
1st and 10 - Incomplete to LaFell - He wasn't open and Brady forced him the ball
2nd and 10- Incomplete to Vereen - It looked like miscommunication or maybe just bad timing
3nd and 10 - Complete to LaFell for 4 yards
4th and 6 - Punt
In my opinion the offensive line looked fine.
SECOND POSSESSION - 4:37 OF FIRST QUARTER
1st and 10 - Ridley run for 7
2nd and 3 - Ridley run for 2
3rd and 1 - Ridley run for 1 (3 runs - first down)
1st and 10 - Vereen run for 11 (another first down)
1st and 10 - Holding on Fleming negates 8 yard run by Vereen
2nd and 20 - Complete to Vereen for -5 yards (Cannon intentionally stopped blocking his man to move upfield and block for Vereen. Oakland didn't fall for the 2 fake handoffs which were not executed very well)
2nd and 25- Vereen run for 2
3rd and 23- Brady to Vereen for 1 yard. (Holding on Vollmer declined- he was beat badly).
4th and 22 - punt
Rushing the ball was working. A few dumb penalties and trying to get too cute with calls.
3 passes for a 3 and out. This was idiotic play calling from the start. Going into the game the Raiders had the second best pass defense in the league and 32nd worst run defense. Why in the world would we start the game throwing the ball? All last week everyone and their brother said that the Patriots need to establish the run to help out Brady. Did McDaniels think he was being sneaky by passing 3 consecutive times?
1st and 10 - Incomplete to LaFell - He wasn't open and Brady forced him the ball
2nd and 10- Incomplete to Vereen - It looked like miscommunication or maybe just bad timing
3nd and 10 - Complete to LaFell for 4 yards
4th and 6 - Punt
In my opinion the offensive line looked fine.
SECOND POSSESSION - 4:37 OF FIRST QUARTER
1st and 10 - Ridley run for 7
2nd and 3 - Ridley run for 2
3rd and 1 - Ridley run for 1 (3 runs - first down)
1st and 10 - Vereen run for 11 (another first down)
1st and 10 - Holding on Fleming negates 8 yard run by Vereen
2nd and 20 - Complete to Vereen for -5 yards (Cannon intentionally stopped blocking his man to move upfield and block for Vereen. Oakland didn't fall for the 2 fake handoffs which were not executed very well)
2nd and 25- Vereen run for 2
3rd and 23- Brady to Vereen for 1 yard. (Holding on Vollmer declined- he was beat badly).
4th and 22 - punt
Rushing the ball was working. A few dumb penalties and trying to get too cute with calls.
THIRD POSSESSION - 10:57 OF SECOND QUARTER
1st and 10 - Complete to Edelman for 12 (Brady got hit)
1st and 10 - Incomplete to Gronkowski (Brady missed him, no excuse)
2nd and 10 - Ridley run for 6
3rd and 4 - Complete to Edelman for 8 (no problem with o-line)
1st and 10 - Brady to Edelman for 4
2nd and 6 - Ridley for 5
3rd and 1 - Ridley for 2
1st and 10 - Vereen for 2
2nd and 8 - Incomplete to LaFell (O-line got beat but Raiders had an easy time reading the play. Set up in I formation with Ridley in backfield and they didn't even fake a handoff)
3rd and 8 - Brady to Vereen for 9
1st and 10 - Ridley for 5
2nd and 5 - Bolden for 3
3rd and 2 - Pass interference
1st and 10 - Ridley -1(First time Patriots were stuffed running the ball this game. Heading into the game they were best in the league with 3.5 stuffed percentage)
2nd and 11 - Brady to Edelman for 9
3rd and 2 - TD pass to Gronkowski
4TH POSSESSION - 2:45 OF SECOND QUARTER
1st and 10 - Ridley for 2
2nd and 8 - Brady to Edelman for 10 (all air yards)
1st and 10 - Ridley for 9
2nd and 1 - Brady to Gronk for 16 (10 yards after catch)
1st and 10 - Complete to Edelman for 4
2nd and 6 - Ridley for 6
1st and goal - Ridley for 1 (Vollmer stepped back and tripped him)
2nd and goal - Vereen for 0
3rd and goal - Incomplete (Bad snap that Brady had to get his hands on and throw because we were out of timeouts)
4th and goal - FG
This possession could have been a game changer for the Patriots. Instead it kept Oakland in it and gave them a good feeling heading into halftime. Once we got to the goal line the play-calling was pretty curious. This would have been a nice time to see the athleticism of Thompkins or LaFell. Instead we came dangerously close to getting no points.
5TH POSSESSION- 15:00 OF THIRD QUARTER
1st and 10 - Complete to Edelman for 3
2nd and 7 - Ridley for -3 (Gronkowski didn't hold his block resulting in Ridley getting tackled behind the line)
3rd and 10 - False start on Devey
3rd and 15- Brady sacked for -5 (Devey missed block on Justin Tuck)
Punt
If Gronk is going to be out there to block, he needs to get it done. Devey may look good in drills, but his lack of experience playing football shows greatly.
6TH POSSESSION - 9:39 OF THIRD QUARTER
1st and 10 - False start on Gronk (this is the 2nd false start by the Patriots in 3 offensive snaps)
1st and 15 - Complete to LaFell for 15 (great play action)
1st and 10 - Vereen for 0 (Seemed like they were in a hurry up trying to get a play off because LaFell might have been short of the first down. So they basically traded a second and inches for a second and 10)
2nd and 10 - Brady to Edelman for 9
3rd and 1 - Edelman for 5
1st and 10 - Ridley for -1
2nd and 11 - Brady to Ridley for 7
3rd and 4 - Incomplete to Edelman (Nate Solder missed his block completely and Kahlil Mack was coming at Brady)
Punt
7TH POSSESSION - 2:21 OF THIRD QUARTER
1st and 10 - Brady to Wright for 20
1st and 10 - Ridley for -1 (not sure if Brady and Ridley were on the same page as Brady almost ran to the sideline to hand him the ball
2nd and 11 - Complete to Thompkins for 16 (nice execution- play action)
1st and 10 - Penalty on Oakland
1st and 5 - Ridley for 6
1st and 10 - Bolden for 1
2nd and 9 - Brady to Edelman for 10
1st and goal - Vereen for 2 (Solder got pushed backwards by Kahlil Mack and ended up tripping Vereen)
2nd and goal - Incomplete to Gronk (Play was almost broken up but Gronk had it in his hands and just didn't bring it in)
3rd and goal - Incomplete to Amendola
4th and goal - Field Goal
Clearly Amendola isn't really working for this team, why in the world we keep going to him in the endzone I'll never know. As far as I'm concerned he needs to be on ice and only get playing time in Edelman were to get hurt.
8TH POSSESSION - 11:15 OF 4TH QUARTER
1st and 10 - Brady to Edelman for 15
1st and 10 - Ridley for 5
2nd and 5 - Incomplete to Edelman (Initially called a catch but challenged by Oakland. I thought helmet to helmet could easily have been called)
3rd and 5 - 19 yard pass to Amendola negated by Offensive pass interference by LaFell (bad acting job by LaFell)
3rd and 15 - Complete to Gronk for 22 (Brady had all kinds of time)
1st and 10 - Incomplete to LaFell (Luckily this wasn't picked off by Woodson)
2nd and 10 - Vereen for 5 (Brady threw a pretty good block)
3rd and 5 - Brady to Vereen for 12 (8 yards after catch)
1st and 10 - Brady to LaFell for 12 (Nice scramble by Brady. At first it looked like the o-line was beat, but if you slow it down it looks like a designed play which almost resulted in a sack. Fake handoff at the onset didn't fool anyone because it was poorly executed)
1st and 10 - Ridley for 2 (Play wasn't disguised by Brady whatsoever)
2nd and 8 - Incomplete to Gronk (Solder missed block on Justin Sims)
3rd and 8 - Incomplete to LaFell
4th and 8 - Field Goal
9TH POSSESSION - 5:18 OF 4TH QUARTER
1st and 10 - Ridley for 1
2nd and 9 - Brady sacked for -8 (Connolly got overpowered)
3rd and 17 - Brady to LaFell for 15 (Solder let Khalil Mack by him causing Brady to have to step up in pocket)
4th and 2 - Punt
10TH POSSESSION- 0:51 OF 4TH QUARTER
Useless to analyze as Patriots were just running time off the clock. Of course it did give Brady -7 yards on 3 rushes and an incomplete pass.
1st and 10 - Complete to Edelman for 12 (Brady got hit)
1st and 10 - Incomplete to Gronkowski (Brady missed him, no excuse)
2nd and 10 - Ridley run for 6
3rd and 4 - Complete to Edelman for 8 (no problem with o-line)
1st and 10 - Brady to Edelman for 4
2nd and 6 - Ridley for 5
3rd and 1 - Ridley for 2
1st and 10 - Vereen for 2
2nd and 8 - Incomplete to LaFell (O-line got beat but Raiders had an easy time reading the play. Set up in I formation with Ridley in backfield and they didn't even fake a handoff)
3rd and 8 - Brady to Vereen for 9
1st and 10 - Ridley for 5
2nd and 5 - Bolden for 3
3rd and 2 - Pass interference
1st and 10 - Ridley -1(First time Patriots were stuffed running the ball this game. Heading into the game they were best in the league with 3.5 stuffed percentage)
2nd and 11 - Brady to Edelman for 9
3rd and 2 - TD pass to Gronkowski
4TH POSSESSION - 2:45 OF SECOND QUARTER
1st and 10 - Ridley for 2
2nd and 8 - Brady to Edelman for 10 (all air yards)
1st and 10 - Ridley for 9
2nd and 1 - Brady to Gronk for 16 (10 yards after catch)
1st and 10 - Complete to Edelman for 4
2nd and 6 - Ridley for 6
1st and goal - Ridley for 1 (Vollmer stepped back and tripped him)
2nd and goal - Vereen for 0
3rd and goal - Incomplete (Bad snap that Brady had to get his hands on and throw because we were out of timeouts)
4th and goal - FG
This possession could have been a game changer for the Patriots. Instead it kept Oakland in it and gave them a good feeling heading into halftime. Once we got to the goal line the play-calling was pretty curious. This would have been a nice time to see the athleticism of Thompkins or LaFell. Instead we came dangerously close to getting no points.
5TH POSSESSION- 15:00 OF THIRD QUARTER
1st and 10 - Complete to Edelman for 3
2nd and 7 - Ridley for -3 (Gronkowski didn't hold his block resulting in Ridley getting tackled behind the line)
3rd and 10 - False start on Devey
3rd and 15- Brady sacked for -5 (Devey missed block on Justin Tuck)
Punt
If Gronk is going to be out there to block, he needs to get it done. Devey may look good in drills, but his lack of experience playing football shows greatly.
6TH POSSESSION - 9:39 OF THIRD QUARTER
1st and 10 - False start on Gronk (this is the 2nd false start by the Patriots in 3 offensive snaps)
1st and 15 - Complete to LaFell for 15 (great play action)
1st and 10 - Vereen for 0 (Seemed like they were in a hurry up trying to get a play off because LaFell might have been short of the first down. So they basically traded a second and inches for a second and 10)
2nd and 10 - Brady to Edelman for 9
3rd and 1 - Edelman for 5
1st and 10 - Ridley for -1
2nd and 11 - Brady to Ridley for 7
3rd and 4 - Incomplete to Edelman (Nate Solder missed his block completely and Kahlil Mack was coming at Brady)
Punt
7TH POSSESSION - 2:21 OF THIRD QUARTER
1st and 10 - Brady to Wright for 20
1st and 10 - Ridley for -1 (not sure if Brady and Ridley were on the same page as Brady almost ran to the sideline to hand him the ball
2nd and 11 - Complete to Thompkins for 16 (nice execution- play action)
1st and 10 - Penalty on Oakland
1st and 5 - Ridley for 6
1st and 10 - Bolden for 1
2nd and 9 - Brady to Edelman for 10
1st and goal - Vereen for 2 (Solder got pushed backwards by Kahlil Mack and ended up tripping Vereen)
2nd and goal - Incomplete to Gronk (Play was almost broken up but Gronk had it in his hands and just didn't bring it in)
3rd and goal - Incomplete to Amendola
4th and goal - Field Goal
Clearly Amendola isn't really working for this team, why in the world we keep going to him in the endzone I'll never know. As far as I'm concerned he needs to be on ice and only get playing time in Edelman were to get hurt.
8TH POSSESSION - 11:15 OF 4TH QUARTER
1st and 10 - Brady to Edelman for 15
1st and 10 - Ridley for 5
2nd and 5 - Incomplete to Edelman (Initially called a catch but challenged by Oakland. I thought helmet to helmet could easily have been called)
3rd and 5 - 19 yard pass to Amendola negated by Offensive pass interference by LaFell (bad acting job by LaFell)
3rd and 15 - Complete to Gronk for 22 (Brady had all kinds of time)
1st and 10 - Incomplete to LaFell (Luckily this wasn't picked off by Woodson)
2nd and 10 - Vereen for 5 (Brady threw a pretty good block)
3rd and 5 - Brady to Vereen for 12 (8 yards after catch)
1st and 10 - Brady to LaFell for 12 (Nice scramble by Brady. At first it looked like the o-line was beat, but if you slow it down it looks like a designed play which almost resulted in a sack. Fake handoff at the onset didn't fool anyone because it was poorly executed)
1st and 10 - Ridley for 2 (Play wasn't disguised by Brady whatsoever)
2nd and 8 - Incomplete to Gronk (Solder missed block on Justin Sims)
3rd and 8 - Incomplete to LaFell
4th and 8 - Field Goal
9TH POSSESSION - 5:18 OF 4TH QUARTER
1st and 10 - Ridley for 1
2nd and 9 - Brady sacked for -8 (Connolly got overpowered)
3rd and 17 - Brady to LaFell for 15 (Solder let Khalil Mack by him causing Brady to have to step up in pocket)
4th and 2 - Punt
10TH POSSESSION- 0:51 OF 4TH QUARTER
Useless to analyze as Patriots were just running time off the clock. Of course it did give Brady -7 yards on 3 rushes and an incomplete pass.
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