Interesting that fans would question Stef about the 1st half play calls. Then again, when you just question run pass ratio without further context, it's easy to think you're right.
-Came out on the 2nd drive and opened with a run.
-Baker on 2nd and 7 was incomplete to DPJ.
-Baker throws short and inside for what was damn near a pick 6.
Puts you in a 14-7 hole early.
3rd drive opened up with the team wanting to lean on Baker a bit. Which, if he says he's good to go and wants to be the man, by all means.
- Connected with Landry for 11 yards on 1st Came out and caught NE in base when they shifted to an empty set.
- Hopper for 11 yards on 1st again Tempo, kept NE in base with that empty shift. Bakers footwork starts to go to hell here.
- DJ for 1 yard on 1st and 10 At which point NE has now put 8 + a 9th within 10 yards in the box and JC Jackson man on Landry.
One thing I noticed about this run, it was the first time we tried that pin and pull this game. And it went absolutely nowhere. Johnson was lucky he fought for that 1 yard.
- Browns come back out in 12 personnel and an empty set (Which Baker historically sucks in) NE bluffs pressure and backs out. Baker puts one up to DPJ out of his reach.
So far, everything from the 2nd drive on, the NE DB's are heavy inside leverage and squeezing to the boundary. Zero fear of these receivers or Baker putting the ball in elite places that would beat coverage.
A common theme of lacking for this offense, hitting throws vertical and outside the numbers.
-3rd and 9 call. NE bluffs pressure again and Bakers feet look like any rookie QB that has faced Belichick.
-3rd and 4. All 11 NE defenders within 10 yards of the ball. Deepest man is the single high at 10 yards. NE brings a delayed 5th man at the voided RA gap which the fullback picks up beautifully. Baker retreats, footwork a mess, then
launches up an underthrown pass to Schwartz.
NE went back down the field and made it 21-7. Baker was never right after this because NE bluffed pressure early, backed out and he looked like he was just expecting to get hit. You hear about Belichick causing young QB's to see ghosts? This sure looks like that.
Running game took a back seat from that point on because it had to. NE was balanced and prepared offensively and Stef + the coaches had to watch a rookie Mac Jones do things Baker can't do in his 4th year. Stef was likely realizing he was a bit in over his head (for lack of a better phrase).
When this team has a positive game script - running game is working, play action is working and you can limit Bakers throwing attempts to right around 27 a game, then it's all good. If you can't and you face a team like NE?
Well, you saw the result.
This isn't Baker bashing, it is what it is. His passer rating when he's not using play action drops significantly more than elite QB's you build teams around.
As for Myles questioning adjustments, I'd be curious as to what he's talking about? Because when Woods finally dialed up man coverage, Mcdaniels went right at the weakest link in our defense - Harrison and the linebackers.