HERE is the Game Plan to Beat Brady/Pats This Sunday
When analyzing this game EVERYONE says the same thing. You have to have pressure up the middle, collapse pocket on Brady,,blah, blah, blah.
Absolutely every person on Planet Earth knows you have to disrupt Tom Brady in the pocket, EVERYONE. No one beats the Pats without sacking him, hurrying him and generally disrupting his timing. We all know this. If we can all agree that this is true, we know it and it needs to be done, we can move onto what else must be done.
For instance:
- Have more possessions than the Pats - I heard Merril Hodge talk about this in an interview yesterday. I'm paraphrasing but he said the Patriots play a big boy version of keep away. If you are an explosive, offensive team like the Rams you need to have more opportunities with the ball. It's a simple plan on paper, difficult to pull off.
- Cover Julian Edelman - I worry less about "Gronk" and more about Edelman with every passing game. First off, Brady rarely over throws/under throws a player but when he does, it seems to be "Gronk." I don't always throw incomplete passes but when I do, I throw them to Gronk. Second, Gronk is not open in the way that Edelman is. Ya see, Edelman is open always and everywhere. The Rams NEED to put a stop to it. At the very least they could have the presence of mind to cover him on 3rd down. When the question is 3rd down, the answer is always Edelman. COVER EDELMAN!
- Play makers need to make plays - It's one of the biggest cliche's in sports. It's also very true. Brady, Gronk, Edelman, Michel & White are all going to make a play at some point that's at a key moment in the game. If my math is correct this means, Goff, Gurley, Anderson, Cook, Suh and Donald need to ALL make a big play in this game.
- If Todd Gurley is hurt you have to get creative - Everyone knows Todd Gurley is hurt and no one is admitting it. He still has to be used like he is NOT hurt. Even if you have to waste a down or two during the game, to present him as a threat then do it. Or you can do things that keep him in space like screen passes, timing, flat routes and maybe even have him throw a pass. The truth is CJ Anderson can't do it alone, Gurley has to do something or at least be considered a threat to do something.
- Don't get distracted by Brady/Belichick - This one scares me. Sean McVay and Jared Goff seem to be in awe of Brady and Belichick. They need to shake that nonsense now. Although many will argue that the Saints should be in the Super Bowl, it does not mean the Rams don't belong. They dismantled bad teams and went toe to toe with good ones this year. McVay can scheme, Goff can throw it all over the field. Don't look across the field and feel all dreamy inside. This is not fantasy camp, you are there to compete with these guys. What do ya wanna make out with them? No frenching, it's time to play ball.
- Calculated risks (early) - Take them. There will come a time or two in the first quarter where you can take a chip shot field goal or go for it on fourth and two. We all know that the Pats can exchange TD's with you at the end of the game, you need to be up going into the 4th.
This is my plan. It's perfect. I know plans, I have the best plans.
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