For the Patriots, as with everyone else, the draft is a critical time to address your needs. Not only their success but also Bill Belichick’s emphasis on versatility makes his drafting strategy one of interest. So, Dave Archibald wonders, what the heck is with the fifth round? On Thursday, the New England Patriots traded a fifth-round pick…
There are a variety of different strategies for punt coverage in the NFL. Some teams target a specific location on every kick. Some teams boom the ball deep with little regard for directional placement. The New England Patriots use an advanced directional game from their punter in tandem with outstanding punt gunner work to win the field…
Saturday playoff games are a treat, mostly because we at Inside The Pylon are not publishing the next day, and can just watch the games. When we do watch, we chat. And here, for your reading pleasure, our Kansas City Chiefs at Houston Texans Wild Card chat. Craig Craker: Marshawn Lynch was just ruled as OUT…
The New England Patriots like to talk about doing your job in all three phases, but multiple special teams breakdowns led to their loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. We made Chuck Zodda flip a coin, so here’s the breakdown on how the Eagles punt block exploited Patriots protection scheme. With only seconds remaining in the first half,…
Kickers are a streaky bunch, with even the best being prone to stretches of uncertain accuracy. These rough patches can last for a single game, multiple weeks, or even an entire year. However, Stephen Gostkowski of the New England Patriots has been as predictable and reliable as any kicker in the game, enjoying accuracy above…