Lots of Wildcat talk this week. Tons of it. People want to know how much Wildcat we’ll see from Miami on Sunday, how to stop it, and if the quarterback is fair game when he splits wide in a Wildcat formation. We’ve also got thoughts on whether it’s OK to stand at the goalposts and try to block a field goal, a Brandon Tate-Percy Harvin comparison, and how the Patriots shape up the rest of the way.
As always, feel free to join the fun by sending an e-mail to me at cprice@weei.com. We do this every week, people. Don’t be shy.
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This game with Miami presents an interesting matchup involving the Patriots defense and the Dolphins offense. Chad Henne, a second-year QB out of Michigan, will face a [Bill] Belichick defense for the first time. Given Belichick’s record facing a quarterback for the first time (Mark Sanchez notwithstanding, of course), will Tony Sparano overplay the Wildcat offense, given how well it worked at Foxboro last year? Or will Sparano test the Patriots secondary by using the Wildcat to set up the pass and make Henne the centerpiece of the Dolphins offense?
Go Pats,
Bob George
A: I don’t think we’re going to see an over-reliance on the Wildcat on Sunday, Bob. I really don’t. It’s still a big part of the Miami offense, but my gut says that it’s not going to be much more than 10-12 Wildcat snaps, tops. (According to the Miami PR staff, the Dolphins have run 66 plays out of the Wildcat formation this season, an average of nine a game.) The Dolphins won’t make Henne the centerpiece of the offense, but they will try to do just enough to keep the Patriots defense aware that the threat to use it is always there.
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Hi Chris,
Shortly after this year's draft there was a rumor that the Patriots were going to draft Percy Harvin with their first-round pick. However, as we know, the Vikings drafted him the pick before. Do you have information whether the rumor was true? He sure would have been a great addition to them as he has star written all over him so far. Also, can Brandon Tate be someone resembling Harvin’s skill set?
Thanks
Joe
A: I think it was clear the Patriots were in the market for Harvin — or any rookie receiver, for that matter — but didn’t want to go after a first-rounder. It’s not like them to toss first-round dollars at a rookie wide receiver. (Under Belichick, they’ve taken three receivers in the second round — Chad Jackson, Bethel Johnson and Deion Branch — but never one in the first round.) So they settled for Brandon Tate, a player who projected to be a first-round talent but ended up staying on the board until the third round because of a knee injury and some character issues. A good value for a pick at that level.
I think the comparisons between Harvin and Tate can best be addressed by Patriots director of pro personnel Nick Caserio, who addressed the topic during his weekly conference call on Monday. Caserio said they have the same overall skill set but had different roles as collegians: "The way that Florida had used Harvin, he was almost more of a de facto running back because he was very involved in the running game and they played him in the slot. I think Brandon played a little bit more in the perimeter from a receiving standpoint and he also played in the slot. I would say they were similar from the standpoint that they were both good with the ball in their hands but they were playing in different offenses and their schools employed them a little bit differently."
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How do you see the Patriots countering the Wildcat on defense? In my opinion, an extra safety "big nickel"-type package could work well. If you can get hard-hitters [Brandon] McGowan, [Brandon] Meriweather and [Patrick] Chung on the field together you will neutralize the big play potential on ground and through air.
Your thoughts on scheme(s) to stop the 'Cat?
Dan Mullen
A: Dan, there are many schools of thought as to
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