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Jacksonville's size may be concern for Patriots
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By Howard Ulman, AP Sports Writer
Saturday, January 07, 2006 | No comments posted.
Jacksonville quarterback Byron Leftwich will return from an injury for today’s playoff game at New England. AP File Photo.
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FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - Byron Leftwich saw how a big player can dominate a game when 6-foot-6 quarterback Vince Young led Texas over Southern California for the national championship.
“That man was in a league of his own out there,” Jacksonville's quarterback said Thursday, a day after Young ran for 200 yards and three touchdowns and passed for 267 yards in Texas' 41-38 win in the Rose Bowl.
Tonight, the 6-5 Leftwich will direct a team known for its size and physical play against New England in a wild-card playoff game.
The Patriots are heavy favorites but must find a way to get through two defensive tackles with a total weight of 640 pounds and stop starting running backs weighing a combined 484 pounds who have a 278-pound tight end blocking for them.
The Jaguars' starting defensive backs all are 6 feet or taller. Only one of the Patriots' top four receivers is taller than 5-10.
“They play tight coverage. Their corners come up and hit you,” New England tight end Christian Fauria said.
The Jaguars' four top wide receivers all are 6-1 or taller, while the Patriots' tallest starting defensive back is 5-10.
“When defensive backs are competing against bigger receivers,” New England linebacker Mike Vrabel said, “you understand that they're going to make plays, they're going to catch the ball, they're going to make plays down the field. That's when linebackers and defensive linemen can run to the football and maybe make a hit and help save a play.”
When the Patriots have the ball, they must block 6-7, 328-pound John Henderson and 6-6, 312-pound Marcus Stroud, a pair of defensive tackles who are mobile and massive. Paul Meier, at 6-5 and 298 pounds, also sees time at that spot.
“They consistently knock the line of scrimmage back,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. “They're hard to block and if you stay on them and block them, then it's hard to get to the next level. It's hard to get up to the linebackers. And if you get off of them too quick, then they penetrate.”
The Patriots do have Tom Brady, who gets rid of the ball quickly and adjusts very well when he gets to the line of scrimmage.
“He just seems to have a knack to know what to do in certain situations,” Jaguars defensive end Reggie Heyward said. “He knows how to handle certain defenses.”
Brady led the NFL with a career-high 4,110 yards passing and remains the best offensive weapon on a team that was ranked 24th in rushing with Corey Dillon hobbled by injuries. Dillon, averaging a career-low 3.5 yards per carry, missed last Sunday's loss to Miami in the final regular-season game but is listed as probable for today with a calf problem.
“I feel good,” Dillon said. “I'm healthy. I'm ready to go.”
Trying to penetrate the Jaguars' big four-man defensive line requires a quick dash into whatever holes the offensive linemen open, but Dillon thinks the Patriots' running game has been productive.
“It's working,” he said. “We're in the playoffs, so if it was something else we probably wouldn't be here.”
Jacksonville is averaging 28 more yards on the ground per game than the Patriots with Fred Taylor gaining 787 yards and Greg Jones picking up 575. But four of New England's last five opponents ran for 41 yards or less.
“We are trying to get ourselves ready for our game plan and stop the run,” Patriots linebacker Willie McGinest said. “If we can't do that, nothing else really matters.”
With Kyle Brady, the Jaguars have a big tight end to block on the run and help protect the 240-pound Leftwich, who is returning after missing six games with a broken ankle.
“He's strong. He's a big guy,” McGinest said. “He can throw the ball downfield. He can scramble.”
The Patriots might not be big on defense, but 5-foot-10 safeties Eugene Wilson and Artrell Hawkins are hard hitters, and 247-pound inside linebacker Tedy Bruschi is aggressive against the run and pass. Bruschi is expected to play despite being listed as questionable with a left calf injury.
“Sometimes you go against guys who are bigger than you or over-mass your size, but it really doesn't matter. It is just how you play the game,” McGinest said. “We are not preparing for size. We are preparing for what they do.”
“That man was in a league of his own out there,” Jacksonville's quarterback said Thursday, a day after Young ran for 200 yards and three touchdowns and passed for 267 yards in Texas' 41-38 win in the Rose Bowl.
Tonight, the 6-5 Leftwich will direct a team known for its size and physical play against New England in a wild-card playoff game.
The Patriots are heavy favorites but must find a way to get through two defensive tackles with a total weight of 640 pounds and stop starting running backs weighing a combined 484 pounds who have a 278-pound tight end blocking for them.
The Jaguars' starting defensive backs all are 6 feet or taller. Only one of the Patriots' top four receivers is taller than 5-10.
“They play tight coverage. Their corners come up and hit you,” New England tight end Christian Fauria said.
The Jaguars' four top wide receivers all are 6-1 or taller, while the Patriots' tallest starting defensive back is 5-10.
“When defensive backs are competing against bigger receivers,” New England linebacker Mike Vrabel said, “you understand that they're going to make plays, they're going to catch the ball, they're going to make plays down the field. That's when linebackers and defensive linemen can run to the football and maybe make a hit and help save a play.”
When the Patriots have the ball, they must block 6-7, 328-pound John Henderson and 6-6, 312-pound Marcus Stroud, a pair of defensive tackles who are mobile and massive. Paul Meier, at 6-5 and 298 pounds, also sees time at that spot.
“They consistently knock the line of scrimmage back,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. “They're hard to block and if you stay on them and block them, then it's hard to get to the next level. It's hard to get up to the linebackers. And if you get off of them too quick, then they penetrate.”
The Patriots do have Tom Brady, who gets rid of the ball quickly and adjusts very well when he gets to the line of scrimmage.
“He just seems to have a knack to know what to do in certain situations,” Jaguars defensive end Reggie Heyward said. “He knows how to handle certain defenses.”
Brady led the NFL with a career-high 4,110 yards passing and remains the best offensive weapon on a team that was ranked 24th in rushing with Corey Dillon hobbled by injuries. Dillon, averaging a career-low 3.5 yards per carry, missed last Sunday's loss to Miami in the final regular-season game but is listed as probable for today with a calf problem.
“I feel good,” Dillon said. “I'm healthy. I'm ready to go.”
Trying to penetrate the Jaguars' big four-man defensive line requires a quick dash into whatever holes the offensive linemen open, but Dillon thinks the Patriots' running game has been productive.
“It's working,” he said. “We're in the playoffs, so if it was something else we probably wouldn't be here.”
Jacksonville is averaging 28 more yards on the ground per game than the Patriots with Fred Taylor gaining 787 yards and Greg Jones picking up 575. But four of New England's last five opponents ran for 41 yards or less.
“We are trying to get ourselves ready for our game plan and stop the run,” Patriots linebacker Willie McGinest said. “If we can't do that, nothing else really matters.”
With Kyle Brady, the Jaguars have a big tight end to block on the run and help protect the 240-pound Leftwich, who is returning after missing six games with a broken ankle.
“He's strong. He's a big guy,” McGinest said. “He can throw the ball downfield. He can scramble.”
The Patriots might not be big on defense, but 5-foot-10 safeties Eugene Wilson and Artrell Hawkins are hard hitters, and 247-pound inside linebacker Tedy Bruschi is aggressive against the run and pass. Bruschi is expected to play despite being listed as questionable with a left calf injury.
“Sometimes you go against guys who are bigger than you or over-mass your size, but it really doesn't matter. It is just how you play the game,” McGinest said. “We are not preparing for size. We are preparing for what they do.”
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