Taking a closer look via video at three key Patriots plays from Thursday's win over the Falcons, which include:
- Back-to-back physical runs by Damien Harris impose will, setup only offensive touchdown;
- Nice disguise and decision by Jalen Mills sets stage for biggest defensive play;
- Carl Davis thwarts final Falcons push, almost by himself.
2-1-NE 33 (1:35) D.Harris right guard to NE 47 for 14 yards (B.Copeland; E.Harris).
1-10-NE 47 (1:00) D.Harris right end to ATL 36 for 17 yards (M.Pennel).
These back-to-back plays were well-executed but, more importantly, were the type of plays that leave a defense feeling hopeless as the opponent imposes their will.
Both were simple, yet different plays. But they were essentially mono a mono and the Patriots, with great finishes by Harris, just took the heart out of the Falcons.
The first was just a simple fullback lead. Falcons had two deep safeties. That shows disrespect to the Patriots' running game, essentially saying that even with a fullback on the field, we don't need an extra person to stop your run. Shaq Mason pins the tackle down, Trent Brown kicks out, leaving Jakob Johnson one on one with LB Deion Jones. Johnson thumps Jones hard, then Harris trucks Duron Harmon and the Falcons need two more players to bring Harris down after 14 yards.
Just a physical ass-kicking.
The second play was an outside zone with a pin/pull concept. Josh McDaniels has done a great job of late mixing inside and outside runs. On this play, everyone executes their blocks. Johnson again is one on one in the hole and makes the key block. Harris does a great job of pressing the block (getting right up on it), and then has great vision to see the cutback lane. Again he breaks a tackle to finish a 17-yard run.
Those runs take a lot out of a defense. It takes away some legs and some heart. Patriots scored their only offensive touchdown four plays later. Patriots had sent a message that they were going to own the Falcons up front, and they largely did.
3-1-NE 14 (7:16) (No Huddle) M.Ryan sacked at NE 27 for -13 yards (K.Van Noy).
This would turn out to be the Falcons' deepest penetration of the game. They hurried to the line to get the Patriots into a quick call, possibly due to Arthur Smith's background with Mike Vrabel. The Falcons thought, by their condensed formation, that the Patriots would come with a heavy blitz, leaving a play open in the end zone. The Patriots often do zero blitz in this spot.
They did not this time.
The formation and lack of motion does nothing to help Matt Ryan decipher if this is man or zone, which is a mistake in my opinion. And it costs the team here.
After the snap, the Falcons thought they would get FB Keith Smith one-on-one with a linebacker in man coverage. Instead, the Patriots played Cover 3 and Jalen Mills carries Smith enough with Devin McCourty that Ryan thinks twice and holds the ball. Adrian Phillips and Ja'Whaun Bentley have the checkdowns covered, causing Ryan to panic — he should have chucked the ball out of the end zone at that point.
Falcons RT Kaleb McGary just completely botched his blocking assignment, turning both Lawrence Guy and Kyle Van Noy loose.
Van Noy finished the play well and the Falcons would go without a point after having the ball at the 14-yard line.
3-1-NE 16 (1:29) K.Smith right guard to NE 16 for no gain (D.Hightower, A.Phillips)
4-1-NE 16 (:57) Q.Ollison left guard to NE 16 for no gain (A.Phillips; Ca. Davis).
The game, amazingly, was still 13-0 in the third quarter as the Falcons needed just 1 more yard to have a first down inside the Patriots' 15-yard line. A conversion here and the Falcons are in business, and perhaps this is a one-score game.
Carl Davis had other ideas.
Davis made both these plays by completely jacking up Falcons C Matt Hennessey. On a short-yardage run, that inside penetration just ruins the timing for the offense and creates lanes for defenders to make plays.
On the first play, Davon Godchaux also makes a key play by not allowing LG Jalen Mayfield to square up his double team. Mayfield gets off-balance can't execute his second-level block on Dont'a Hightower. The Patriots' linebacker goes into the space created by Davis and just drops Smith for no gain.
On the second play, Davis needs no help even though he gets some from Adrian Phillips. Davis knocks back Hennessey and two-gaps before shedding the block and taking down the running back.
Just two outstanding plays by Davis that tells an offensive line, "Yeah, we're getting our ass kicked."