Text size – +

Handling the blitz

By Mike Reiss, Globe Staff December 10, 07 01:28 PM

Bill Belichick made the point in his Monday press conference at Gillette Stadium that the Patriots faced a steady diet of blitzes from the Steelers.

"It was almost all blitz; it was a blitz-a-thon the whole day," he said.

Here is our breakdown of the Steelers pressure and what the Patriots did against it:

3-man rush

  • 2 of 2 for 18 yards
  • 3-yard TD pass to Wes Welker came against three-man pressure

    4-man rush

  • 6 of 10 for 59 yards
  • 4-yard TD pass to Randy Moss came against four-man pressure

    5-man rush

  • 18 of 28 for 179 yards
  • Add one play in which RB Kevin Faulk was called for holding
  • Tom Brady scrambled for 4 yards against a five-man rush
  • Randy Moss drew a defensive holding call against a five-man rush

    EXTRA POINTS: The Patriots ran four quick receiver screens that made it difficult to determine how many players were rushing because the ball was out so quickly ... The team had a quick play-action pass in which the ball was out quickly and had the Steelers playing run, making it difficult to determine how many players were rushing. ... The lateral touchdown play is not included because the ball was out so quickly and defensive pursuit went to Randy Moss instead of Tom Brady.

    • add your comment
    Required
    Required (will not be published)

    If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.

    Mike Reiss and other Globe reporters provide regular updates -- and a behind the scenes look -- on the daily happenings of the Patriots.
    see all globe blogs

    ask reiss

    Questions will be considered for Mike's mailbag
    Name:
    E-mail:
    Your question/comment:
    archives Select a month

    browse this blog

    by category
    by tag