SANTA CLARA- The Patriots are back in the Super Bowl
For the first time in seven years. They face a formidable opponent in the Seattle Seahawks. A team the poses some serious schematical challenges.
Offensively, the Patriots will have to deal with one of the best defensive lines in the NFL. It will be a stiff challenge for the entire unit but especially rookies Will Campbell and Jared Wilson. Protecting Drake Maye is priority number one but consistently running the football is also key.
Defensively, the focus will be on pressing Sam Darnold and handling Jackson Smith-Njogba in coverage. What the Patriots do against him will be key and determine the game in many ways.
Here is the offensive and defensive game plan for Super Bowl LX.
Offense
Throw on first down: The Patriots are going to need to break tendencies and keep the Seahawks defense off balance. They cannot run, run and pass or it will be a long afternoon. Emphasis on the three step passing game, quick five step passing game and play-action will be key.
Misdirection in the run game: Seattle will be tough to run against regardless of what personnel grouping the Patriots are in. One of the things Josh McDaniels needs to do is keep their defense off balance. Run counter, jet sweeps, reverses and get their front seven playing sideline to sideline. The Patriots cannot consistently running at this defense. It will not work.
Diagrams 1-4: Misdirection type runs. Jab Counter, Jet Sweep and reverse off zone seal.
Quarterback run game: I know Drake Maye’s right shoulder has been a source of conversation the past two weeks, but the Patriots will need to run him a little in this game. I would not run him more than 5 to 8 times but the Patriots will need to have a couple of zone read runs, quarterback draws and RPO draw runs in the plan. Maye’s ability to improvise and extend plays will also be a factor in this game. Seattle’s defense was 14th in the NFL this season against quarterback runs. Maye racked up 423 scrambling yards this season.
Use more motion: The Patriots’ offense used motion at the snap on 30.5% of their plays this season, a mark below the league average rate of 35.5% but up over 10 percentage points from last season’s 20.6% rate under former offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, which ranked fourth-lowest. Motion and shifting should be a big part of the offensive game plan this week, especially when the Patriots run the football. They are going to need to create advantages in the run game. Formations and movement will allow them to do that.
Stay with 11 personnel: The Patriots’ offense averaged a league-high 7.1 yards per play when using 11 personnel this season, the second-most by an offense in a season during the Next Gen Stats era, trailing only the 2019 Cowboys (7.2). Seattle plays a lot of dime coverage so they will have no problem matching up but it is abundantly obvious that the Patriots are at their best in 11 personnel. Run what got here, especially in plus territory.
Defense
Vary coverage plan on Jaxon Smith-Njigba: The Patriots will match up Christian Gonzalez on JSN when they are playing man coverage but when they play zone, they may opt not to flip their corners and play him straight up. I would also bracket and banjo him depending on where the ball is and what personnel grouping is on the field for Seattle. The Patriots need a creative plan against him. Diversifying the looks you give JSN and Sam Darnold is key.
Heavy emphasis on 5 and 6 man pressures: The Patriots will need to consistently bring pressure against Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold and the best way to do it is to bring five and six man pressures. I would get after him and throw him off his spot. Make him have to move and throw on the run. Seattle runs a fair amount of bootlegs so checking pressure calls to the boot leg side will be key.
Diagram 5: 5 Man pressure with Cover 1 behind.
More 30 fronts on early downs: I would deploy more 30 fronts on early downs with the emphasis being on stopping the run but also to pressure Darnold off the edge when he bootlegs. It is why I would place a heavy emphasis this week on pressure. The goal is to bring pressure off the edge and either get to Darnold or force an errant pass.
Diagram 6: Slant out of a 30 Front
Slot pressure: As I mentioned, Seattle runs a fair amount of bootlegs. Darnold used designed rollouts on 12.6% of his dropbacks this season, the fourth-highest rate in the NFL. The Patriots have brought a fair amount of edge and slot pressure on perceived rollout situations. The defense has allowed four completions for 22 yards and a touchdown across 12 passes faced on designed rollouts through three postseason games, while also coming away two interceptions, both of which were thrown by CJ Stroud in the Divisional Round. It is a solid play this week to bring both the edge rusher and Marcus Jones on some slot pressure.
Darnold has completed 20 of 25 play-action passes for 154 yards and nine touchdowns inside the red zone this season, including the playoffs (80.0% completion percentage).
He has been significantly less efficient on non-play-action passes inside the red area, completing just 28 of 54 such attempts for 205 yards, 10 touchdowns, and two interceptions (51.9% completion percentage). During the regular season, opponents used play action on just 21.3% of their dropbacks inside the red zone against the Patriots’ defense, the seventh-lowest rate in the NFL. On those dropbacks, the Patriots surrendered eight completions for 45 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception across 12 passes faced.
Diagrams 7-9: Slot pressure examples.
Cross Dogs and T-E Stunts: Make Darnold see ghosts again. The best way to do it is cross dogs and T-E stunts. Do what got you here. Be active and disruptive up front and put some pressure on the interior of their offensive line which is their weakness. Some zone blitzes and sim pressure would also create the necessary confusion and disruption necessary to throw their passing game.
