Cleveland head coach Eric Mangini thought it would be an advantage to keep secret his decision on a starting quarterback for as long as possible.
Ha! If you really want to keep your opponent guessing, try firing a coordinator less than 10 days before the game.
That’s what New England must deal with as they prepared for the Buffalo Bills. Offensive coordinator Turk Schonert was fired September fifth. This puts Buffalo in a tough position as the players must quickly adjust to quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt’s way of play calling and style.
As difficult it is for the Bills players, it puts the Patriots defense into a guessing game as they must learn Van Pelt’s tendencies. There’s a good chance the New England coaching staff has a book on Van Pelt from previous coaching jobs as well as from his nine seasons as a quarterback. But whatever information the Pats coaches have on Van Pelt, Monday night they will try to add a new chapter on Van Pelt as they figure out his patterns.
This could be especially difficult for a defense that’s in transition. The veteran defense with decades of combined experience was almost completely dismantled this off-season, whether through trades (LB Mike Vrabel and DL Richard Seymour) or retirement (S Rodney Harrison and LB Tedy Bruschi). The only long-tenured players are linemen Jarvis Green, Ty Warren, Vince Wilfork, and Mike Wright and safety James Sanders.
Other veterans on the defense were signed as free agents, many signed just this year. While adjusting to a new defense might be easier for them, don’t expect the unit to play as a whole immediately. There will be blown assignments because of mental lapses and lack of trust.
That will especially be the case with the young players on the unit. Many will get significant playing time. Even if they meet the high readiness standards set by the coaching staff, they will make mistakes.
It’s not a good recipe for a defense trying to congeal to have growing pains against a Buffalo offense with a lot of potential. QB Trent Edwards has two explosive receivers to throw to in Terrell Owens and Lee Evans. Not to be forgotten is slot target Josh Reed, who has a knack for working over the middle. And while RB Marshawn Lynch is suspended for the game, don’t take his replacement, Fred Jackson, lightly. He can step in and the Bills ground game won’t lose a step.
The biggest challenge for New England’s defense will be handling Buffalo’s no-huddle.
Or not.
That was the idea heading into the season for the Bills. They wanted to be a full time no-huddle offense. That’s how they played through the preseason, with mixed results. That’s why Schonert was fired. With Van Pelt running the show, the Pats don’t know if he will keep operating the no-huddle or will he run a traditional offense. Or will Van Pelt run both? Springing a no-huddle out of the blue would really catch the defense off guard, so the Patriots must be on their toes.
A few things I’m looking for:
Terrell Owens vs…: CB Shawn Springs was signed, in part, for his ability to cover Owens one-on-one. Springs barely played in the preseason. Will he be ready Monday and can he be counted on every week?
Show of Hands: RB Laurence Maroney as a receiver looked very promising in the preseason. Let’s see what Maroney and RB Fred Taylor do catching passes out of the backfield.
Overrated, but Wanted: Sacks. The players and coaches say they are more interested in creating pressure. Please! The Patriots didn’t have much of either last year with just 31 sacks. Can they create the pressure that leads to sacks against a questionable Buffalo offensive line?
New England’s defense might have a disappointing night, but the offense keeps the Bills at bay as the Patriots run away with this one.
Questions? Comments? Send to talktome@randolphc.com.
