Maybe this week vs Patriots and their varied receiving options?

The obvious answer would be: WHY?? Our defense as is has been incredible so why be cute?

I get that. And do not disagree. But with Jeron J and Guy (who hasn't always suited up) I figured we might might might see something exotic that Belichek Brady haven't faced before.

I'd love the gamesmanship, myself.

I would question the bandit package, but I can sure see us in "big nickle" or "big dime" on lots of D plays.

I'd assume, yes, we will see it. Rex Ryan has stymied Brady once or twice by just throwing anyone resembling a DB out on defense. GOTTA get pressure from 4 to do it though.

This defense is at the point where it's dictating to offenses how they will attack us.
See Packers game second half for the best any offense has looked against Seattle.

Take the short dip and dunkers or wager your QB's health on deep balls.

Red Zone defense is the most underrated part of our defense.

Our defense reminds me of a good 3-4 team in coverage.
Take away the hot routes and make the QB hold the ball.

Its real hard to do quick hitters vs Browner and Sherman because of their size.
They did a ton of baiting vs Rodgers and he never fell for it.
Rodgers did a fantastic job not screwing up vs this defense.
Might have been why he was so mad about losing the game. He worked REAL hard during that game.

Make Brady hold the ball and break him.
Bring the hammer when he goes to hot routes.

I believe they have used the bandit sparingly this season. I believe Bradley referred to it in one of the mid-week press conferences he had. They have just not made it a main staple like they had to a couple years ago.

The Bandit defense has been on display a couple of times already this season.

Oh, good. I must have missed it and not surprised. I have been insane on Gamedays this week. More than EVER. Each game has a playoff feel to me because I believe our Super Bowl window is officially OPEN.

Ya, there was an article by, I think it was Hawkblogger, where he put up screen shots of the Packers game, and he definitely pointed out the Bandit. I've seen it a few other times too. But we have such better D-line and LBer play this year that we don't need it as much as in the past.

Jazzhawk wrote:But we such better line and LBer play this year that we don't need it as much as in the past.

Yeah, exactly. When they first used the Bandit, it was designed to get our top playmakers like Thomas on the field. But now that they've designed our base defense so that our best talent is on the field, it doesn't make as much sense. Maybe when Thurmond is healthy again, it'll be used more often.

They've run a few plays with the Bandit package on the field but given the size of our DBs, it's pretty easy to confuse them with linebackers. Doesn't seem to matter what personnel we have on the field, they're all badasses. Even Jeron Johnson has been making plays in his limited action.

With the Patriots showing their running game is legit, it would be a tough choice to go Bandit. Having Gronk and Hernandez playing the Patriots can still throw it effectively as well as run it.

Then again it is such a chess match maybe you concede the run and try running the Bandit? Cannot wait to see how all this shakes out.

Run it on 3rd and long with 54 in the middle.

bestfightstory wrote:Maybe this week vs Patriots and their varied receiving options?

The obvious answer would be: WHY?? Our defense as is has been incredible so why be cute?

I get that. And do not disagree. But with Jeron J and Guy (who hasn't always suited up) I figured we might might might see something exotic that Belichek Brady haven't faced before.

I'd love the gamesmanship, myself.

I can't say whether or not we've come out in the Bandit this year, but I would love to see it. Also, it [i]could[i] match up well with the Pats but one thing that I haven't read a lot about on this site this week is that the Pats have been RUNNING the ball more this season, not quite leaning on Brady as much.

Well, one of the down sides of the Bandit package is that you don't put your LB's out there. With Wagner and KJ you have LBs with near DB speed, so you don't need to necessarily pull them on passing downs. They can hold their own. Now against NE's tight ends, we could possibly use extra cover safeties, since Wagner is still a rookie and KJ is young going up against those guys. In any event, you have to weigh the pluses and minuses of taking two athletes like that off of the field.

One big question might be: How well does NE run out of spread formations and 3 WR sets? If the threat of the run is diminished, I could see some use of our extra DB sets to counter. If NE has been running well on passing downs it would temper my enthusiasm for multiple DB formations.

But I do love the gamesmanship, too. Maybe one reason we've not used the Bandit so much so far this season is that we've been saving it for the Brady Bunch.