The New England Patriots continue to struggle against vertical defenses, and quarterback Jacoby Brissett believes he knows why.
During the 23-20 loss to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 2, the opposition was ready for any deep attempts.
According to Evan Lazar of Patriots.com, Brissett believes the offense is giving the defense a heads-up when they are about to attempt a shot downfield.
The experienced quarterback told Lazar that "Seattle had two-high safeties whenever the Pats dialled up a shot play.
Being predictable before the snap is a cardinal sin in any offense. Giving defenders a clue regarding purpose makes play design and execution moot.
The Patriots' slip into this trap is bad news for first-year head coach Jerod Mayo. According to Chad Graff of The Athletic,
, brady emphasized, "We've got to start pushing the ball down the field" after losing to the Seahawks.
Mayo will not achieve his desire unless Brissett starts using wide outs more frequently. For this to happen, offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt must do more to protect his starter
As Taylor Kyles of Patriots on CLNS explained, wideouts Ja'Lynn Polk and Tyquan Thornton were able to "find space vs Tampa 2,
but protection failed, thus Brissett's timing was off when he attempted to connect with tight end Hunter Henry
The Seahawks did push two safety deep in preparation for a long ball, but that was hardly a novel defensive strategy on 3rd-and-8, a clear passing scenario. Pressure from the front did much to interrupt this play.