Monday, October 28, 2013

Pats strategically forced Tannehill to perimeter

BY NICK ST. DENIS

New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick took note of where the Miami Dolphins have been having success in the passing game this season, and he took it away Sunday.

Monday, Belichick got into a bit of the Patriots defense's strategy of attacking the middle of the field to force Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill to throw to the outside.

"It just seemed more evident as the game went on that when we pressured and gave that look that Tannehill was going to try to get the ball there as opposed to on the inside part of the field," Belichick said, via Patriots.com, "and it was just tougher to throw and our guys were doing a good job defending it."

New England gave up a pair of early touchdown passes but went on to pick off Tannehill twice and sack him six times, forcing a fumble on one of the quarterback takedowns.

Marquice Cole and Duron Harmon grabbed the interceptions, and fellow defensive backs Alfonzo Dennard, Kyle Arrington, Steve Gregory, Logan Ryan and Devin McCourty were all stout in coverage.

"Alfonzo and Logan and Devin and Kyle all made real good plays or were right there on the coverage on the sideline," Belichick said.

". . . Logan broke up the route to [Charles] Clay there before the half going down the sideline and Kyle had one right in front of our bench and Logan had one to [Mike] Wallace there right in front of their bench and Alfonzo was right there on a couple back-shoulder throws."

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