Bedard: Facing Ravens twice will likely help Chargers against Patriots' pressure package

One of the keys to the Patriots' resurgence defensively since the bye week — when they've gone from 15th in scoring to seventh, and 25th in passing yards to 12th — has been their third-down pressure package.

Call it what you want — we've gone with amoeba around here as the Patriots walk people around and then attack protections with various pressures. But at the end of the day, there's no doubt it's been a highly effective tool for Brian Flores. Part of the success is due to the fact it's somewhat unique and tough to prepare for on a short game week.

And normally, that would be to the Patriots' advantage heading into the AFC divisional game against the Chargers, as New England is coming off a bye and Los Angeles had to win to advance.

But that won't be the case this week.

The Chargers' offense, especially the line, couldn't have had a better tuneup than playing the Ravens twice in the previous three weeks. Baltimore runs a very similar pressure package — with better personnel (they're a top 3 defense for a reason) — compared to what the Patriots have done in recent weeks.

Even worse for New England: the Ravens exposed the flaws in the Chargers' protection in the first game between the two teams. And Los Angeles adjusted in the second meeting, a big reason why the Chargers will be facing the Patriots on Sunday and not Baltimore.

In the Ravens' 22-10 win in Week 16, Baltimore pressured Philip Rivers on 28 of his 44 dropbacks (63.7 percent), including four sacks.

In the rematch, the Ravens got to Rivers on 44.4 percent of snaps (16 of 33) and only sacked him once.

What was the big flaw? The Ravens targeted the Chargers' backs in protection (they had a hand in three of the four sacks). Los Angeles had been using its backs to pick up a linebacker coming up the middle.

The Ravens brilliantly decided to use the linebacker to pick a lineman, forcing the back to take the defensive lineman. Bad things ensued.



In the rematch, the Ravens did allow one sack, but that was a poor play design and a poor choice by the back not to break off his play fake and pick up the rushing linebacker.



Largely, the Ravens did a much better job the second time around, thanks to their adjustments. How did they adjust? Basically, the Chargers spun the dial more with their protections in shotgun formations.

For one thing, they went empty (no backs) a lot more. They also ran more out of the shotgun to slow up the linebackers. When it came time for the backs to pass protect, they took struggling rookie Justin Jackson out (he may have to be back if Melvin Gordon is still banged up) and they had the backs pick up edge rushers instead of the inside rushers.

More importantly, however, the Chargers sent the backs into the flat as receivers, forcing the Ravens to convert their rush into coverage. If the pass rusher continued toward Rivers unblocked, Rivers simply took the checkdown, the huge hit that followed, and lived to fight another down.



Rivers also won't be shy taking shots against pressure either, as he did on this tremendous throw before Keenan Allen was even out of his break.



“The last time, they came at us with some pick-stunts, and we weren’t prepared for it. They created two sacks and put pressure on the quarterback,” coach Anthony Lynn said after Sunday's game. “We were prepared for that this time. Our offensive linemen won their one-on-ones. They strained, they showed effort and they protected well up front.”

After having the Ravens expose the flaws in the Chargers' protection, and Los Angeles then closing them up in the rematch, Flores, Bill Belichick and the Patriots now will have to reach deep into the playbook to throw new wrinkles at the Chargers.

I would expect them to have answers and designed blitzes targeting both Rivers dumping the ball off and his deep shots. The Patriots will throw a few pressures similar to what the Ravens showed, with the hope Rivers dumps the ball off to the back — only New England will have that covered better. They'll also try to goad Rivers into taking a deep shot into coverage instead of a one-on-one matchup. The Patriots will hope to get a turnover or two out of them.

It could work, certainly in theory. But the problem is Rivers is extremely smart, and facing the Ravens twice in three weeks was the best prep for facing the Patriots.

Should be a fun chess match.