Jaguars Take Away Moss, But Picked Apart by Brady and Other Patriots Receivers
FOXBOROUGH, Mass.--For the first time this season, a New England Patriots opponent put two or three defenders around wide receiver Randy Moss on practically every play. The Jacksonville Jaguars dared Patriots quarterback Tom Brady to find another way to beat them.
He did.
Moss had only one catch but Brady completed 26 of 28 passes for 262 yards and three touchdowns as the Patriots beat the Jaguars, 31-20, in an AFC semifinal here tonight. The Patriots will host the AFC championship game next Sunday at Gillette Stadium.
Jaguars Coach Jack Del Rio called his team's approach to the game sound. He praised Brady for being patient enough to take what the Jacksonville defense was giving him.
It says here, though, that the Jaguars took the wrong approach. Against most NFL teams, it's sound strategy to sit back in conservative mode and give up one 10-yard completion after another to the second- and third-best receivers that the offense has. Most quarterbacks will get impatient and most offenses eventually will make mistakes. But Brady doesn't get impatient and the Patriots don't make unforced errors. The Jaguars didn't force Brady into any mistakes and, predictably, he picked them apart.
By Mark Maske |
January 13, 2008; 12:30 AM ET
| Category:
Jaguars
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Posted by: N.Va PackFan | January 13, 2008 9:31 AM
hey mark, did you know the packers played yesterday? lol @ your colleague in the ppr picking seattle - they didnt even belong on the same snow-riddled field as the green and gold.
go giants!
Posted by: pack4life | January 13, 2008 12:10 PM
Struck me as a "don't get embarrassed" strategy. Jags kept it close, but there was no way they were going to win that game. Pats had long drives every time they touched the ball. And it's clear they have plenty of weapons. So keying on Moss seems to be a strategy that only ensures they don't look really bad.
Posted by: ah | January 13, 2008 1:30 PM
You limit the Patriot scoring by limiting Brady's time to find a receiver. Teams that have been able to sustain a pass rush, either through their front four or by creative and unpredictable blitzing, AND are able to play the corners up close on the wide outs - Cleveland, Baltimore, Philly, Giants - have come the closest to upsetting them.
This is how the old Dolphin defenses used to give Brady fits until the Dolphin's corners got slow.
NE's defense is not what it was once was. Their linebackers are old and very slow. They can stop one thing [Jax rushing or Colts passing] but they will get burned on the other stuff. A balanced passing/rushing offense that quickly identifies what NE is trying to stop [maybe on a series to series basis] and can effectively go to the other stuff will score lots of points against them.
Posted by: TJM | January 14, 2008 4:12 PM
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I'm psyched about how great the Pack played last night. But to then watch Brady pick apart the Jags D one play after the next.... it made me not crave facing them all that much. :) But, you need a date with The Champ to knock him out, right?