Patriots 2018 Super Bowl Defense vs the Rams: Greatest Defensive Performance in History
The New England Patriots have won some Super Bowls in the past decade. Bill Belichick has won 6. They do it with a sound defensive scheme. This article will look at their 2018 Super Bowl defense and dominating performance against the Rams.
A great job by Coach Belichick, Flores, Josh Boyer and the Patriots Defensive Staff!
Coming into the game, the high octane Rams offense averaged 32 points per game. They managed 3 points against the Patriots defense in the Super Bowl.
Key Components from the game:
1. They didn't let the Rams in the Red Zone one time in the game
2. They held the Rams to 18 rushing attempts and 62 yards. That's 3.4 yards per carry.
3. They sacked Goff 4 times and totaled 16 hurries as their pass rush games got home on numerous occasions.
4. They held the Rams to 260 total yards and under 200 yards passing. That's from a qb that averaged 293 yards per game.
5. The Patriots dominated 3rd down, holding the Rams to 3/13 on the day. 23% efficiency.
From a Strategy standpoint:
1. Played primarily all zone on early downs which took away many of the jet sweep, bootleg series which causes issues defensively. The Rams often created voids in the run game and mismatches in the pass game with their boot and jet motion packages on early downs.
2. Sub package was man free and man free with bracket principles on 3rd down. They ran a ton of man free in passing situations and the bracket concept caused issues in the Rams passing game
3. They lived in a 6-1 front on early downs. This gave them balance and they didn't allow the Rams motion concepts to cause them many issues. They were sound in their 6-1 and really played tough defense all game.
Let's take a closer look:
On run downs, they play very sound gap responsible football. Players play their responsibilities and they are tough to run in on the inside. They played a lot more zone in these situations both cover2, 3 mixed with some quarters principles. The 6-1 helped them on the perimeter with all the condensed, jet motion, boot type play actions the Rams like to run. Also, didn't have a ton of guys running across formations taking them out of position
On passing downs and 3rd down they often got pressure through their pass rush games. They schemed really well and played more man in those situations. Remember, they didn't have an elite rusher, their best rusher going into the Super Bowl only had 7.5 sacks. Look at all the Super Bowls they have won and how many sacks did they muster in that time. Willie Mc Ginnest is their all time leader and he had 10 more than 1x in his career. It was a great job of preparation by Belichick, Flores and Josh Boyer.
How the Patriots devise their pass rush games is very important to understand. Here are some things to consider and what I've been told the Patriots analyze it. This was evident in the super bowl.
#1 How do they handle games and what is their protection.
#2 I think you need to look at personnel and see how they handle twists and stunts. Do they have a weak link and that's the guy or guys you want to attack. They do a great job with their personnel reports analyzing various weak links in the opponents offensive line and protection.
#3 The most important aspect in my opinion is to look at how their guards and centers set. Look at the center and guards. Do they have a tendency to turn and move their body on an angle. If that is the case they are very vulnerable to pass rush games and that's the guy you want to exploit. This is what they DO BEST!
Let's start with the Super Bowl and move on from there!
Some of the fronts the Patriots played:
Here in the Super Bowl they had a very solid plan vs the Rams. Take away all their boot on early down and really make it difficult to run the football in their condensed sets.
How do they take away the boot/jet game.
1st the front:
They play a ton of 6-1 pro in the super bowl out of their 4 lineman 2 LB look. This was highly effective vs the Rams 11 personnel.
They also rarely traveled with motion as it was primarily zone concepts on early downs. They were solid on the perimeter with the 6-1 and playing zone took away much of the play action, boot game on early downs. It didn't create running lanes on the interior which was huge because your db's were chasing the jet motion.
This was very effective with the 6-1 look.
Everyone plays their gap.
Here's an example below:
On 2nd and 9, the Rams try to run boot with Goff.
They have their OLB collision the HBack/WR when he flashes across before attacking the QB. They also get the underneath safety on the crosser. They got the Rams out of their boot game early and made Goff a drop back passer. Didn't see too much boot as the game went on and forced Goff to be a drop back passer.
The OLB isnt fooled and stays home.
Nice job taking away what they do best.
Crossers are covered as is the down field action.
Great execution on defense.
Both clips below:
3RD DOWN
The Rams were 3-13 on 3rd down vs the Patriots with a heavy amount of man to man concepts.
They played man to man on 10 occasions. 3 times they played zone coverage.
Down and distance Defense
3rd and 8 3-2 man free safety on the rbith w a 5 man game
3rd and 3 man free bracket woods 4 man rush
3rd and 8. 5 man rush man free coverage
3rd and 10 man free bracket woods 4 man rush
3rd and 2 cover 2 vs jet motion
3rd and 2 3-2 man free 5 man rush
3rd and 5 man free bracket 4 man rush
3rd and 6 cover 3 4 man rush
3rd and 7 3-2 5 man free 5 man rush
3rd and 7 3-2 man free bracket 5 man rush
3rd and 3 cover 2 3 man rush
3rd and 11 man bracket woods 5 man rush
3rd and 9 3-2 bracket woods 4 man rush
The Rams played a ton of man on 3rd down. Man concepts included man free with a 5 man rush and some bracket concepts vs 3x1.
One of the things they did effectively was double team Robert Woods and play Brandin Cooks straight up. They played bracket coverage on at least 8 occasions in this game and played man on everybody else. This was most evident vs 3x1 trips formations. Clip is below!
bracket concept
double team on their best wr.
Nice job of defense
MCVAY ADJUSTMENT TO BRACKET(3rd clip on film below)
What the Rams try to do later in the game, Mcvay gets wise and runs woods shallow vs the bracket coverage and runs #3 on the deep out. Good concept and excellent adjustment but nice play by the Patriots breaking it up.
The play call was good against the double coverage
Again a good call but the balls thrown late
Again the whip route by woods draws the cb and it should have been completed.
CB makes a great play getting underneath it.
2 clips from above!
Later in the game you see more bracket coverage.
2nd and 9
3-3 in the 4th quarter
They play man free and bracket Robert Woods 2 plays in a row.
The first they get an incompletion.
Again they bracket woods.
bracket with inside outside leverage.
On 3rd and 9 they try to force it to Woods who is getting doubled vertically by the Free safety and the CB. Nice design as everyone is covered down field. The nice game inside gets home and forces a bad throw.
This time they incorporate a 5 man rush.
Nice double on Woods and everyone else is covered.
Lastly, the Patriots got a very solid pass rush. 4 sacks and 12 hits on the qb was a key factor in the game.That was evident when they brought their 5 man pressures. Film at bottom
Here they run a 5 man pressure with 2 games and get a hit on the QB. Coverage is man free with FS on the RB.
As they do best they scheme their games.
DT frees up the looper
Get the clean run at the Qb as the guard turns out
Here's another 5 man game with great pressure and man free coverage. This was on 1st down and 1 minute to go in the half with the Rams trying to get into scoring position.
No games just hard penetration
Nice job getting the guards shoulders turned and great pressure.
Here's some 5 man pass rush games with the FS on the RB man for man. Another nice job with their inside pass rush game. Belichick doing what he does best, scheming up pressure and finding ways to get to the qb.
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Additional bracket and 5 man game. RB was basically ignored as they played bracket on Woods.
As you can see, The Patriots had a solid game plan on early downs and did a great job with their sub packages on 3rd down. A great performance by Coach Belichick and his staff!
As you can see, The Patriots had a solid game plan on early downs and did a great job with their sub packages on 3rd down. A great performance and one of the best ever by Coach Belichick and his staff!