Once more unto the breach dear friends once more
You will find few writers who come to you every week from the dark and scary places that I do. Most of my football columns are fueled by a gamma induced rage for the Patriots opposition – their town or their fans. Mostly their fans. This week that inspiration is not there to be drawn upon, I love Nawlins, everything about it. The people the places the drinks. Mostly the people. After Memphis it is my favorite city in America. And now that Drew Brees is gone any shred or hope of calling out the large green guy is out the window. That being said, the Patriots still have a game to win…. Here are my monster Keys to doing just that.
Son Hit the Red Button
It’s time to unleash the NOZ. Up-tempo is the way to go here. Now hear me out, you can still be a ball-control, time of possession team in running no huddle. No one says when you get to the line of scrimmage that you have to snap the ball at twenty eight seconds. But it makes it easier to mix tempo and keep a very good Saints defense off balance and in its base form. Go back to the preseason. Go no huddle, let McCorkle do more work at the line and pick apart the soft underbelly he sees.
Alvin And the Chipmunks
The key to stopping the Saints is stopping Alvin Kamara. I want to see a Bear Front from the Patriots with an extra Safety on the field. Get them playing second and nine / third and seven. Turn them into a one dimensional team. Then go get after Crab Legs (Jameis Winston) and force him to make plays and wait for the turnovers to happen.
GAP INTEGRITY !! yes that’s an entire Key in two words
Keep McCorkle Clean
Pretty self explanatory wouldn’t you say? Listen, you all want more shots taken downfield, hell I do too. But Mac needs to feel comfortable in the pocket. Yes, he’s getting the ball out quickly and we all love seeing that but the YAC has not been there. At this point I’m more inclined to trust Mac’s arm getting the ball further downfield than I am at the pass catchers ripping off an extra fifteen yards after the catch.
The Weeklies
Limit the Laundry – Jesus Christ people play smarter so you don’t have to play harder.
Win the turnover Battle – worked well last week, didn’t it?
Own Third Down – On Both Sides of the Ball. Long sustained drives pay dividends in the fourth quarter. Make sure to get the Saints off the field and exhaust their defense.
Don’t Settle – if for no other reason than to shut up the talk radio idions (for those who don’t know, an Idion is a person who is part idiot, part moron). But also for the sanity of this writer, get into the endzone. This team needs sixes.
That’s it my rabid readers, a short list of keep it simple stupid requests. I could have tossed in some more exotic terms and flashed the big brain but I’m saving all that for week FOUR. Hey Tommy . . When you get down to it.. Football is a simple game: You Catch the Ball – You throw the Ball you Hit the … wait that’s baseball – Never mind.
As always you con follow/give e grief on Twitter @Tmurph207