Edelman's Return Once Again Renders Pass Rushers Useless Against Brady, Patriots
By Matt Dolloff, CBS Boston
It was discouraging to see the Patriots offense drop off as much as it did without a single player, but Julian Edelman has proven to be that important to Tom Brady in the past two years. The possession slot receiver position has always been Brady's most trusted option, and without that to rely upon he can struggle to move the chains. Brady also holds on to the ball longer than he would like to when he lacks the safety valve of a screen, quick out, back-shoulder, or slant pass to No. 11.
However, Chiefs fans witnessed Edelman's immense impact on the offense early on Saturday, when the Patriots scored a quick touchdown on their first possession on the way to beating the Kansas City Chiefs 27-20 in the AFC Divisional playoff. With No. 11 on the field, not only is it easier for Brady to get the ball to everyone else on the offense, but he can get rid of the ball in absurdly fast time. According to Pro Football Focus, Brady's average time in the pocket from snap to release was 2.19 seconds.
Even if your pass rushers eat the offensive line alive, your defense simply won't have enough time to make a dent against a release time like that. And the Chiefs could not generate any kind of legitimate pressure, finishing with zero sacks and two total pressures in 69 snaps. Losing Justin Houston (just eight snaps) to injury certainly did not help, but even with him on the field, it would have been hard for the Chiefs to muster anything meaningful with Brady getting rid of the ball so quickly and the offensive line having one of their best games of the season.
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According to the Boston Herald's Jeff Howe, Brady's release time when targeting Rob Gronkowski was even faster - 1.88 seconds on average. It helped that Brady moved his weapons all over the line of scrimmage and dictated one-on-one matchups; Edelman faced cornerback Marcus Peters and caught four passes against him, but also caught balls facing corners Sean Smith and Tyvon Branch, linebackers Derrick Johnson and Dee Ford, and safety Ron Parker.
When a different guy is getting Edelman on almost every play, it can be hard to keep him covered, especially when the ball's getting to him in two seconds.
This is how the Patriots offense looked before Edelman went down. Going up against several talented defensive fronts, Brady made good reads and found ideal matchups at the line, then got the ball out before the pass rushers could get close to him. It helps that the offensive line did have their best game in weeks, including a surprisingly strong effort from supposed weak link Marcus Cannon. There were no untouched rushers barreling in on Brady and giving No. 12 no chance, which was the only way Kansas City could have pressured him in the first place.
Even when the Chiefs' pass rushers were able to get home, Brady slid around in the pocket to avoid the pressure and deliver the ball. Brady would have been nearly perfect passing the ball if not for drops by Edelman and a few others.
SEE ALSO: Patriots Team Grades: Workmanlike Effort Ends Chiefs Streak
PFF may have given No. 11 a negative grade for his drops, but there's no question that his return opened up the entire offense and his sorely missed reliability on third down and chain-moving plays returned in a major way. The Chiefs barely had any answers for Brady, and it was due in no small part to Edelman's presence on the field.
Gronk remains Brady's most dynamic and un-coverable weapon, as evidenced by his two touchdowns - one of which made All-Pro safety Eric Berry look silly - but Edelman is the engine that makes the offense hum. Without him, the Patriots dealt with defenses keying on Gronk and limiting the space for every other receiver. It's no coincidence that Brady looked like the butcher who carved up defenses and turned talented pass rushers invisible early in the season. Brady's ability to make perfect reads and get rid of the ball in minuscule time makes him easily the most dangerous player remaining in the playoffs.
And his dominance begins and ends with No. 11.
Matt Dolloff is a writer for CBSBostonSports.com. His opinions do not necessarily reflect that of CBS or 98.5 The Sports Hub. Follow him on Twitter @mattdolloff and email him at mdolloff@985thesportshub.com.
