Defense must think fast and communicate well

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You know what a fast tempo offense can do to a defense. It prevents substitution packages, has them constantly running and gased and creates coverage and communication issues.

The Ravens defense has 1 huge challenge.

 

You have to pressure Brady,” Johnson said. “If you let him stand there, he is going to kill you.”

 

....They do a great job with the tempo,” Pagano said. “They make it really hard for you to call a game because of the tempo, the fast pace, but at the same time you can’t sit there and say ‘okay, we’re just going to let him dictate to us.’”

The Ravens have to disrupt Brady’s timing, and sending blitzes can be a big part of that.

"You have to mix it up on him,” Pagano said. “It’s a combination, whether you’re sending four or five, zone pressure, man pressure, all out blitz.”

 

However, communication on blitz packages is even more important against the Patriots because defensive players don’t have much time to go over the play call, assess the formation or make adjustments.

 

“You have to communicate, everybody has got to be on the same page,” Pagano said. “You see people pressure him, and because of the pace and the tempo they work at, there’s a lot of confusion.

 

“You see guys blitzing that are supposed to be covering and you see guys running wide open down the field and he finds them. So if you are going to pressure him, everybody better be on the same page and you better know the call.”

http://blogs.baltimoreravens.com/2012/01/18/ravens-must-pressure-brady-or-he-will-%e2%80%98kill-you%e2%80%99/