better just play for the spread cover
well the players themselves (to best of my knowledge) don't play for the spread cover -- and you're prolly right that the cover is a more achievable goal, but thats not the question we're mulling over - nor is it really what the players should be thinking.
if they're worth their salt as players, they want to keep moving on in these playoffs (as should be appreciated for how hard it is to get into playoffs alone, nevermind advance) - i mean, thats every player
to me, mariota has to be the difference maker, lynch pin for everything to go right. based off track record, has been abysmal on the road. not onlt does he have to play better, but he has to play on a level that approaches what deshaun watson did against the pats in WK 3. he has alot going against him to be able to easily replicate that however
1) a lesser supporting cast around him
2) mariota is more a known commodity in sense been around league longer that pats have more tape on, to undertsand what tendencies are, vs limited (by comparison) of what had on deshaun
3) offensive ability. granted, maybe tenn knows exactly what they have and are actually playing (very well) to their strengths, though in this game you feel they'll have to do more than play to strengths, and will have to push limits of what is thought can do.
now is that a product of the sometimes not as stout, pass rush from the pats (re: deshaun watson)? mind you, they added pass rush specialist in Harrison, who went ahead and notched, what was it, 3 sacks(?)... but yeah their pash russ -to me- is more reliant on qb needing to hold ball longer because OFF feels need big play in playing catchup to, that results in negative yd (no gain) plays. --and thats every off/def matchup, but prolly more so than most for NE, because of their lack of base pressure.
imo, these aren't the patriots of old with an offense you can't stop. maybe im soured by a handful of games i watched, though i guess as a complete team, they're close to as well situated across the board, as one could hope; hence where they got themselves to, proves out how good (yet, i hesitate to buy into completely).
---even still here now (with them just 2 games away), i do not see this team making it to the SB - thats just a gut feeling i have. ---so realistically i guess i'd hafta hang my hat on steelers (or jaguars?) to be most formidable opponent (and for good reason, as tenn has really not done whole lot to instill confidence in throughout year - in being verrrry up and down)
im not gonna get into the strength of schedules/vs whom they played, though in limited time have been able to watch pats (which is alot less than any other avg New Englander) i really haven't been altogether overly impressed by whole body of work by offense. The defense looked insanely pourous early on, and DC matt patricia took what he had and molded into a stingier crew towards the tail end of yr, to the tune of something like 5th best in NFL as far as scoring against from 2nd half on (don;t quote me on that though).
in order of ability to be gamebreaker (aside fro brady throwing) it goes like this, again, imo
Gronk (seeing how vital Kelce was in regards to KC vs tenn) - has been, and will continue to be matchup nightmare. best chance at corraling is when brady is off-target to
Dion Lewis - you never know who'll get the hot hand in pats backfield, but far as dion, has proven the better complete back (slightly) over likes of rex burkhead, james white -- certainly most complete/explosive back.
Brandin Cooks - CAN BE game changer if gets behind defense - though if struggles get separation tends to disappear (that said, watch him go off)
Danny Amendola - with Julian Edelman gone, amendola has been the catch-all for the much needed tough catch/clutch play to move chains kinda guy (more than he was with Edelman). Not by any means the flashiest, as is Tom's ol' standby when needs a play (so it seems)
throw in getting Chris Hogan back helps familiarity some for Tom's comfort.
Only grank is really able to take a game over - and im surprised he doesn't garner more attention from the def side than he does. - but again, at what cost do you help with him? so i get it
then after that dion lewis, who can turn a 3yd catch/run into a 60yd score better than rest (obv Cooks TDs are long, but that mostly just field stretching - even though something should be said for being able get behind defense / speed)
so as a TENN defense (which admittedly i really don't know much about), do you try pressure up middle (which from what i've read is best way get tom off his spot) -- maybe double team Gronk with a LB and safety. shadow cooks with best corner? that right there is dedicating 3 people to 2 and you're already behind the numbers in trying keep tabs on all weapons at disposal.
on defense i guess you'd somehow hafta take a page out of NE's def playbook and be (at worst) a bend but don't break unit. give up yards, but not TDs, Tom, since getting cooks on board, seems to be airing it out a whole helluva lot more than did (going back to Randy Moss days) though this year has looked like forcing more than ever. sure i buy into the give your guy a chance to make a play kinda mentality, and if cooks has step, why not? even too, if doesn't catch it, always have the chance get pass interference which is easily next best thing to completion at that point --- so there are plenty 'good things' that can happen in just chucking it down field (and i guess to get to point im making is, brady hasn't been as impressive --in eye test-- this year, than have seen -albeit in more limited attempts, that in prev years) - and maybe this is a moot point that doesn't come into play at all.
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http://boston.cbslocal.com/2018/01/07/many-reasons-patriots-will-wipe-floor-with-titans/
http://boston.cbslocal.com/2018/01/07/one-reason-titans-can-beat-patriots/
