By John Sarianides

I often hear people say that veterans quarterbacks have seen everything, that you can’t confuse them. I disagree. I think you can confuse any quarterback if you show them enough fronts, coverages and pressure packages. Even smart quarterbacks like Matt Ryan could get confused. That is why I think the Patriots should take a similar defensive approach in this game to the one they took against the Texans two weeks ago.

Treat Ryan like he’s Brock Osweiler. Give him a bunch of different fronts, coverages and pressure looks early and see how he does. That’s what the Patriots did to Osweiler two weeks ago in Houston’s first two possessions and it worked.

Here’s how the Patriots confused Osweiler and how they can do the same to Ryan.

Diagrams 1 &2: The Patriots used predominately a 30 front against the Texans. They got into a 3-1 and 3-2 box and played some Cover 2 behind it. In this look, Houston is in empty. The Patriots stay in their cover two shell and bring five on the snap. New England did a great job of stemming and confusing Osweiler at the line of scrimmage.

Diagrams 3 &4: The Patriots show a 4-2 box on this play. Houston is in 11 personnel (1 RB, 1 TE, 3 WR’s) The Patriots counter by getting into their base nickel sub-package. They line up in a split 40 front and walking up the two inside linebacker. They show double A gap blitz but bail on the snap. Osweiler has to account for this by adjusting the protection and the receiver have to sight adjust their routes.

Diagrams 5 &6: Atlanta will use a fair amount of two-back formations in this game. When they do, look for the Patriots to go their “base” or “heavy” personnel and match-up. The Falcons use 21 personnel (2 RB’s, 2 WR’s and 1 TE) to throw and run out of it. The Patriots will have to determine their personnel on the down and distance and the situation when Atlanta is in 21 personnel.

Diagrams 7 & 8: Houston was in 11 personnel a lot in this game. The Patriots did a good job of mixing and matching their personnel and fronts against this personnel grouping. They gave Osweiler a lot to think about and confused him with their alignment and movement. The Patriots played both a 40 and 30 front against 11 personnel in this game.

 

Diagrams 9 & 10: Houston lines up in trips on this play. The Patriots are in a 30 front and giving the illusion that they are playing Cover 2 man. They are not. It is a straight man to man. The Patriots move the coverage on the snap and rotate to Cover 1. Osweiler ends up holding the ball, being forced from the pocket and he throws it away.

Diagrams 11 & 12: The Texans are once again in 11 personnel. The Patriots line up in a 30 Okie front. Pre-snap, they show Osweiler a five man box with Cover 2 behind it. On the snap however, Rob Ninkovich and Dont’a Hightower drop out. The Patriots rush three and drop eight. Osweiler has nowhere to go with the ball and subsequently he is forced from the pocket and throws it away.

The Patriots will have a variety of fronts, coverages and pressures in this week’s game plan designed to confuse Ryan. If they can get consistent pressure in the pocket and force him to move, they can rattle Ryan and throw the Falcons offense out of sync.