RTBS - Patriots No Huddle Relies on the Power of One.

[denverYooper]

Fascinating stuff on the evolution of New England's no huddle, from everyone's favorite ex-Packer beat writer Bedard.

http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2012/10/08/patriots-huddle-relies-power-one/nHTapuVnBOwfFlffwTrN6J/story.html

The idea draws on a "suggested future" given in Bill Walsh's "Finding the Winning Edge" (http://www.amazon.com/Finding-Winning-Edge-Brian-Billick/dp/1571671722/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1349802393&sr=8-1&keywords=%22Finding+the+Winning+Edge%22):


First bullet point: “Teams will huddle only when the clock is stopped.”

Second: “Teams will use single-word offensive audibles.”

They picked the brain of Chip Kelley of Oregon to get details on the Ducks speed O. It seems that he has taken those concepts and come up with a viable method of installing such an offense that the Patriots have been working with since last year. They come into the game with 6 plays worked out for their no huddle and use a one word description for each. And they practice fast, often against defenses with extra guys. They occasionally change the terminology in order to keep the other teams in their division from catching up.

They didn't go into exactly how they got the players to memorize the terminology but the brief example given -- "'crunch' signifies a crossing route, with another 'under' route run beneath it" -- makes me think the goal is to make the terms easy to visualize or memorize. It sounded as though they do something sort of like using the mental map technique or mnemonics to create imagery to recall information quickly.

[denverYooper]

Another part of the philosophy is that it really helps to have multi-use players: especially smart TEs and FBs who can block and catch (Ahem DJ Williams ahem Andrew Quarless, cough, ahem). Cobb would also seem to be well suited to this style of play -- get him the ball in a favorable situation and let him create.

[MadScientist]

They didn't go into exactly how they got the players to memorize the terminology but the brief example given -- "'crunch' signifies a crossing route, with another 'under' route run beneath it" -- makes me think the goal is to make the terms easy to visualize or memorize.

Wouldn't that also be easy for the defense to pick up, either during the game or on film?

[denverYooper]

And then this, from Lombardi:

Packers Need to Adapt Like the New England Patriots Did (http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000078839/article/green-bay-packers-need-to-adapt-like-new-england-patriots-did)

I do have some beef with the Lombardi article b/c I read the Bedard one first and was much better at exploring the ins and outs of the change in offensive philosophy for the Patriots. So I found it to be somewhat superficial, although the idea that the Packers and Patriots were very similar yet the Pack are a bit stale while the Pats are not does resonate with me. Bedard indicated that the change for New England actually started last season and it is now maturing, while Lombardi indicates this is new this year. I also think the biggest difference in physicality comes from the way that they are running their offense, and not necessarily the personnel, as Lombardi seems to think. But maybe not. Maybe because they began to implement their next revision on offense last year, they were able to spend the offseason focusing on it.

[denverYooper]

Wouldn't that also be easy for the defense to pick up, either during the game or on film?

A few things:
1.) They told Bedard that they've changed their terminology 3 times since they started. It could be more than that in reality.
2.) I don't think they use the same 6 plays for every game. They probably learn a lot more than that but then pick 6 that could be effective in no huddle situations against a given opponent.
3.) They only use the fast break offense situationally, so if the other team caught on they'd switch into their traditional stuff.

[mmmdk]

Ok, sounds truely awesome - so now we only need a smart head coach!

[mraynrand]

Ok, sounds truely awesome - so now we only need a smart head coach!

Stubby is plenty smart. He just built an offense that operates on some razor thin margins and takes advantages of mismatches that Stubby creates with personnel. Well, the personnel is not there right now (Jennings, Quarless, Driver), or is not running to capacity (Rodgers, Finley), so it doesn't look bright and shiny. Packers were on an absolute roll for a year until Jennings got hurt. Now it's turning into a snowball going the other way. Defenses adjust, just as they will to NEs new shiny toy. Hopefully the Packers can arrest the slide in time to save this season.

[Smidgeon]

Stubby is plenty smart. He just built an offense that operates on some razor thin margins and takes advantages of mismatches that Stubby creates with personnel. Well, the personnel is not there right now (Jennings, Quarless, Driver), or is not running to capacity (Rodgers, Finley), so it doesn't look bright and shiny. Packers were on an absolute roll for a year until Jennings got hurt. Now it's turning into a snowball going the other way. Defenses adjust, just as they will to NEs new shiny toy. Hopefully the Packers can arrest the slide in time to save this season.

Good assessment.

[denverYooper]

Stubby is plenty smart. He just built an offense that operates on some razor thin margins and takes advantages of mismatches that Stubby creates with personnel. Well, the personnel is not there right now (Jennings, Quarless, Driver), or is not running to capacity (Rodgers, Finley), so it doesn't look bright and shiny. Packers were on an absolute roll for a year until Jennings got hurt. Now it's turning into a snowball going the other way. Defenses adjust, just as they will to NEs new shiny toy. Hopefully the Packers can arrest the slide in time to save this season.

His wife is probably just having another kid or something. We won't find out until the child is born and everything will make sense once the child is about a year old and he starts coming up with his mad plots again. Those little suckers will really take it out of you for a while.

[Bretsky]

His wife is probably just having another kid or something. We won't find out until the child is born and everything will make sense once the child is about a year old and he starts coming up with his mad plots again. Those little suckers will really take it out of you for a while.


Hoody Genius Elite Coach hires Hoodie Genius elite Playcaller; it's just not fair

[pbmax]

Hoody Genius Elite Coach hires Hoodie Genius elite Playcaller; it's just not fair

Take a breath B. Sam Wyche did this in Cincinnati in the 80s with a no-huddle and then Buffalo and the probably less than elite Marv Levy took it one next step and called all the plays at the line with numbers only. They took 20 into each game for the K-Gun.

Everything goes in cycles. Soon M3 will be cycling Guards into the game with the play call.

[Patler]

Everything goes in cycles. Soon M3 will be cycling Guards into the game with the play call.

... and Saturday will play both center and linebacker???

[mraynrand]

... and Saturday will play both center and linebacker???

You made me think of Chuck Bednarik and I hate you for that.

[denverYooper]

Lang did play some DL in 2010

[pbmax]

... and Saturday will play both center and linebacker???

That might solve the DJ Smith height problem.

[Cheesehead Craig]

That might solve the DJ Smith height problem.

These could too.
http://www.magicinsoles.com/images/AIR400.jpg

[mmmdk]

Stubby is plenty smart. He just built an offense that operates on some razor thin margins and takes advantages of mismatches that Stubby creates with personnel. Well, the personnel is not there right now (Jennings, Quarless, Driver), or is not running to capacity (Rodgers, Finley), so it doesn't look bright and shiny. Packers were on an absolute roll for a year until Jennings got hurt. Now it's turning into a snowball going the other way. Defenses adjust, just as they will to NEs new shiny toy. Hopefully the Packers can arrest the slide in time to save this season.

Ok, I hear ya & you make good points too.