Playbook - Defense, week 4

On Defense, its hard to show everything that goes on. I try not to overload the details, and focus on personnel. I think pictures speak louder than words.

2nd and 10 from own 3 yard line, McCourty INT.

This is a perfect display of team Defense because there is good coverage, there is disguise, and there is pressure. Chandler Jones and Rob Ninkovich do a good job of tightening the edge of the pocket around Fitzpatrick. #97 Ron Brace eats up two blockers to give Wilfork a chance to loop around and blow up the play-action/block of #22 Fred Jackson. Fitzpatrick heaves the ball high and deep into single coverage on the outside.

The coverage is perfect, not just Devin McCourty who makes the INT, but Pat Chung and Sterling Moore on the other side. #25 Pat Chung disguises a blitz off the edge, but also manages to stay in the passing lane underneath #11 TJ Graham. I think #15 should be a #16, Brad Smith, but either way Arrington gets a great jam and stays with him the whole way. #27 Tavon Wilson takes a good angle to the outside, and he's there to tackle #13 Stevie Johnson if McCourty misses his play on the ball. Nevertheless, McCourty caught the pass nicely and turned the ball over. Really, well done by everyone on the field wearing white.

This next play is Fred Jackson's fumble forced by Brandon Spikes in the 4th quarter:

This is actually not very well defensed by The Patriots, but Brandon Spikes lays a big hit on Jackson on a nice angle tackle. Jerod Mayo misses the hole, and gets sucked in to the A gap, just as Jackson hits the B gap. Likewise, Rob Ninkovich gets blocked by #84 TE Scott Chandler, who opens up a nice hole for Jackson. Kyle Love does a decent job of clamping the gap down to slow Jackson down. Likewise, Patrick Chung does well to force Jackson back toward the inside, where Spikes can meet him with a crunch. #27 Tavon Wilson continues his streak of being in the right place at the right time as he pounces on the loose ball.

Bill Belichick values CBs who like to tackle, and this play is good evidence of good block-shedding by Arrington and McCourty. McCourty does well to set an edge, forcing his blocker into Jackson's running lane. McCourty's effort here gives Chung a good angle to come down and force the runner back inside. Arrington slips away from the block, and is in the mix on the tackle with Spikes. Sterling Moore takes a few quick steps back and takes himself out of the play, but overall, good run Defense by the secondary (a very underrated aspect of their jobs). Its good to have tough guys like McCourty and Arrington who are willing to get their hands dirty in run D.

Next, is a good play in pass Defense by LBs Brandon Spikes and Rob Ninkovich:

This play results in a tipped pass defended by Brandon Spikes, playing underneath TE Scott Chandler. As you can see from the photo, The Patriots rush only 3 men, Jones, Wilfork, and Love. Ninkovich bluffs a pass rush, but the retreats into the underneath zone. Brandon Spikes gives Chandler and outside release, but then undercuts his skinny post. Spikes lets Chandler go to be picked up by Chung, but Pat Chung is a step late. If Spikes is unable to tip this pass, Chandler may have been able to get a sizable catch and run. Too many times we have seen bad underneath coverage from Spikes, but his technique on this play is encouraging. He is able to keep his eyes on the QB while running with the TE. Moreover, he reacts well to a lazer from Fitzpatrick, and gets his long arms on the ball.

Elsewhere, coverage is decent. The Patriots are running a zone scheme on the trips to the right, but have a simple man scheme with Gregory over the top of Jackson and Brad Smith to the left. McCourty picks up Stevie Johnson on the deep-in, and Arrington takes Jones on the short cross. Mayo and Moore stay tight. Pat Chung gets a bit overextended helping on Johnson, and that puts him out of position for Chandler. Really, the only open man is the TE Chandler, but Fitzpatrick is unable to get the ball through the underneath coverage of Spikes. This is a big play from a guy who can sometimes be a liability in pass coverage. If he can continue to improve in coverage, Spikes is surely destined for the Pro Bowl this year.

*All pictures of property of The NFL, I do not claim ownership, but use them educationally.