Defensive plan takes shape

INDIANAPOLIS

The Patriots had devised a radical defensive scheme for the Super Bowl that was designed to primarily contain McNabb. The players were having a hard time adapting to it in practice the week of the game, so Friday night Crennel told the defense he was going to scale the scheme back considerably. I'd say they did a good job containing McNabb. I don't think it's a problem making last minute changes. The problem may come down to how the changes are communicated from the coaches to the players or IMO, how they're communicated on the field between the players. I think a lot of the Packers problems on defense last year were the result of a lack of communication on the field. There's constant movement and check-offs before the snap of the ball. Players need to know what their responsibility is in any given situation. I'm not sure if it was Barnetts or Sharpers job to call the defensive signals, but there were definitely a lot of breakdowns last year. Both Al Harris and Grady Jackson said it wasn't Slowiks fault the defense played so poorly last year. The players just weren't doing what they were supposed to do, ie: Navies not blitzing on the infamous "Moon" touchdown.

If I remember correctly, Barnett calls the line and backers and Sharper dictates(d) the defensive backfield. Even so, at some point the players have to be held responsible other then them saying 'yeah, we just didn't get it done' week in and week out.

I've played a lot of sports, some not too long ago (I'm 24), and I can tell you from a persnonal level that if we trained all week on one gameplan and then changed it the day before a game, things would not have gone off well. Perhaps the same thing happened here - I know of at least one player mentioning it.

Thanks NC, I tried to make that point countless times all season long; the players have to be smart enough to make adjustments at the line of scrimmage. From what I've herd, Carroll and Thomas have a hard time talking in sentences let alone thinking through and making adjustments on the field. On thing N.E. is infamous for is the # of college graduates it has on it's team...reportedly the most in the NFL. They do that for a reason; they realize you have to have smart people on your team to do they things they do. Likewise, they're not afraid to pick up a good FA, Harrison, Dillon, when needed. Again, they realize players become football savey with experience and it never hurts to have good experienced guys playing for you.