Note from DK: Below is a superb game breakdown by Greg Bedard, the NFL columnist and founder of Boston Sports Journal, the independent media site launched in that market that was built off our platform earlier this year. I thought Greg's piece regarding Patriots-Steelers might be of interest to our readers and asked, for the first time, if I could share. He kindly agreed:
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BOSTON -- If you tuned out of the Patriots' 33-8 rout of the Raiders once Tom Brady hit Brandin Cooks in stride for a 64-yard touchdown on the third play of the second half to make it 24-0, we don't really blame you. The game was largely over at that point, and all that was left to see was whether or not Rob Gronkowski would have an actual fiesta on the Estadio Azteca turf.
But if you weren't paying attention, then you missed some fairly interesting developments on the defensive side of the ball.
But that's OK. That's what we're here for.
For the first 33 minutes, 44 seconds of the contest — up until the Raiders' third down to end their first drive of the second half — the Patriots' defense was very predictable and boring. They didn't blitz once on 17 snaps, and the only creative concept the Patriots used to bring pressure at Derek Carr was one measly zone exchange — which is not a "blitz" because the defense is still using four players to bring pressure. (The basic concept is a linebacker rushes the passer, while a lineman drops into zone coverage).
But starting with that third-down incompletion at the 11:16 mark of the third quarter through the final gun, everything changed. The Patriots brought a ton of pressure — more than I can recall them using in such a short time-frame — and in a variety of different ways.
How did they do it and, more importantly, why might they have decided to do that? Let's break it all down.
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