Nate Tice
@natetice.bsky.social
I host a podcast called Football 301 that’s been described as “…entertaining with a slightly degenerate charm…”
Who watches the film watchers?
It's always a good day for an elbow drop.
Is Butterbean OK?
Who watches the film watchers?
It's always a good day for an elbow drop.
Is Butterbean OK?
tons of similarities between DBs-OL and coverages-protections!
February 11, 2026 at 8:46 PM
tons of similarities between DBs-OL and coverages-protections!
oh no worries! Just wanted to clarify. I’ve been trying to think of the year we’re in right now in the cycle. Like 2008?
February 11, 2026 at 8:44 PM
oh no worries! Just wanted to clarify. I’ve been trying to think of the year we’re in right now in the cycle. Like 2008?
exactly! the defender aligned over him is his initial worry as a man assignment. If they executed this cleanly, then he joins the center and right side to slide and “fall into” the blitz and DL action.
February 11, 2026 at 8:35 PM
exactly! the defender aligned over him is his initial worry as a man assignment. If they executed this cleanly, then he joins the center and right side to slide and “fall into” the blitz and DL action.
if the LG adds to the slide and the slide keeps working right, yes.
February 11, 2026 at 8:32 PM
if the LG adds to the slide and the slide keeps working right, yes.
it absolutely does. Bears are similar in this regard, too.
February 11, 2026 at 8:31 PM
it absolutely does. Bears are similar in this regard, too.
only talking about protection rules here. l feel like offenses overall are in a fine state against defenses right now, was just talking about this one aspect.
February 11, 2026 at 8:30 PM
only talking about protection rules here. l feel like offenses overall are in a fine state against defenses right now, was just talking about this one aspect.
there’s not one perfect answer. Best ways to counter it are variety in calls, adding late motion, and the OL slides being more aware of post-snap action. Running the same staple protections is suicide against the better defenses.
February 11, 2026 at 8:24 PM
there’s not one perfect answer. Best ways to counter it are variety in calls, adding late motion, and the OL slides being more aware of post-snap action. Running the same staple protections is suicide against the better defenses.
Using this as an excuse to share the clip when I touched on protections in our SB recap.
NFL offenses are lagging behind defenses right now because defenses are much more intelligent in understanding protection rules and how to break them.
Some teams have found new wrinkles, but more are needed.
NFL offenses are lagging behind defenses right now because defenses are much more intelligent in understanding protection rules and how to break them.
Some teams have found new wrinkles, but more are needed.
February 11, 2026 at 8:22 PM
Using this as an excuse to share the clip when I touched on protections in our SB recap.
NFL offenses are lagging behind defenses right now because defenses are much more intelligent in understanding protection rules and how to break them.
Some teams have found new wrinkles, but more are needed.
NFL offenses are lagging behind defenses right now because defenses are much more intelligent in understanding protection rules and how to break them.
Some teams have found new wrinkles, but more are needed.
I can't wait to find out which owner or GM will be responsible for the NFL's version of the Stepien rule
[Schefter] There will be a push this off-season to extend the NFL trade limits from three years of draft picks to five. twitter.com/AdamSchefter...
February 9, 2026 at 9:56 PM
I can't wait to find out which owner or GM will be responsible for the NFL's version of the Stepien rule
getting beat mentally and schematically is a different issue to me.
February 9, 2026 at 5:55 PM
getting beat mentally and schematically is a different issue to me.
I absolutely hated watching that offense. Guys going the wrong way, completely overmatched even against the simplest blitzes.
February 9, 2026 at 5:37 PM
I absolutely hated watching that offense. Guys going the wrong way, completely overmatched even against the simplest blitzes.
it is, quite literally, the same exact offense. But with 3 tiers difference in OL coaching.
His strength this year has been feeling pressure, scrambling and improvising during play. His pre-snap reads have been a mess the whole season and McDaniels' complex offense from the Brady days was very simplified for him.
February 9, 2026 at 5:18 PM
it is, quite literally, the same exact offense. But with 3 tiers difference in OL coaching.
long time doubter over here. That Alabama OL was putrid and the Saints OL got immediately better after he left. I'll give him some pass for when he was a HC but those Jags OLs weren't the strength of the team or anything, either.
his gameplans come across as lazy imo
his gameplans come across as lazy imo
Bills fan chiming in to say that the league has been gaslit into thinking Marrone is a good coach.
February 9, 2026 at 5:00 PM
long time doubter over here. That Alabama OL was putrid and the Saints OL got immediately better after he left. I'll give him some pass for when he was a HC but those Jags OLs weren't the strength of the team or anything, either.
his gameplans come across as lazy imo
his gameplans come across as lazy imo
and even when Maye had a possible throw (in theory) and the OL falls into the pressure, Campbell gets juked by Witherspoon and Maye gets spooked by the Safety flying to the outside of the slot outbreaker.
Maye's feet get askew and he misses the throw. 4th down.
Maye's feet get askew and he misses the throw. 4th down.
February 9, 2026 at 4:53 PM
and even when Maye had a possible throw (in theory) and the OL falls into the pressure, Campbell gets juked by Witherspoon and Maye gets spooked by the Safety flying to the outside of the slot outbreaker.
Maye's feet get askew and he misses the throw. 4th down.
Maye's feet get askew and he misses the throw. 4th down.
no need for a hot route because, in theory, it should be protected so the routes should be able to run without adjusting at all. bsky.app/profile/spee...
And which WR was the hot route on that blitz? Was the slot suppose to break early when his defender blitzed? Or was max protect suppose to buy time? But that was a zone blitz, so defender dropped…argh…bad game plan.
February 9, 2026 at 4:46 PM
no need for a hot route because, in theory, it should be protected so the routes should be able to run without adjusting at all. bsky.app/profile/spee...
the capper was the fumble/pick 6 that put the game away.
understand that the Pats are going tempo, so not a lot of time to make the protection call. But the OL is sliding the wrong direction and the protection gets overloaded. There are indicators (like the 2i to field) but alas
understand that the Pats are going tempo, so not a lot of time to make the protection call. But the OL is sliding the wrong direction and the protection gets overloaded. There are indicators (like the 2i to field) but alas
February 9, 2026 at 4:43 PM
the capper was the fumble/pick 6 that put the game away.
understand that the Pats are going tempo, so not a lot of time to make the protection call. But the OL is sliding the wrong direction and the protection gets overloaded. There are indicators (like the 2i to field) but alas
understand that the Pats are going tempo, so not a lot of time to make the protection call. But the OL is sliding the wrong direction and the protection gets overloaded. There are indicators (like the 2i to field) but alas
had some of the protections in this thread here. Completely depantsed. bsky.app/profile/nate...
hoping to do a video on it, but for example: essentially these defenders are both the RB’s protection assignment. So when they both blitz, one is guaranteed to run free unless the Pats had adjusted their protection call (which they didn’t).
February 9, 2026 at 4:37 PM
had some of the protections in this thread here. Completely depantsed. bsky.app/profile/nate...
good god that's @fourverts.bsky.social's music!
(McDaniels has always been overrated and carried by great defenses and Tom Brady, that's why he failed with Denver, Vegas, and Offensive Coordinator with the Rams)
February 9, 2026 at 4:36 PM
good god that's @fourverts.bsky.social's music!
I think the Patriots offensive coaches, particularly McDaniels and Marrone, should be embarrassed by that gameplan.
Do you put that more on the coaches for having them ill prepared or the players for not executing the necessary adjustments?
February 9, 2026 at 4:28 PM
I think the Patriots offensive coaches, particularly McDaniels and Marrone, should be embarrassed by that gameplan.
this was Drake Maye's best throw of the night and you can see what the passing window looks like to even complete this. 4 Seahawks defenders all hyperaware of what the Patriots are running and all around the receiver.
February 9, 2026 at 4:26 PM
this was Drake Maye's best throw of the night and you can see what the passing window looks like to even complete this. 4 Seahawks defenders all hyperaware of what the Patriots are running and all around the receiver.
different front and similar blitz action (different path), but results are still bad. OL has to fall into it with the (rookie) LG joining the slide to the right for it to get picked up.
the Patriots protection plan was several pages behind last night. Got completely depantsed.
the Patriots protection plan was several pages behind last night. Got completely depantsed.
February 9, 2026 at 4:18 PM
different front and similar blitz action (different path), but results are still bad. OL has to fall into it with the (rookie) LG joining the slide to the right for it to get picked up.
the Patriots protection plan was several pages behind last night. Got completely depantsed.
the Patriots protection plan was several pages behind last night. Got completely depantsed.
shoutout Do the Right Thing and Inside Man
February 9, 2026 at 4:11 PM
shoutout Do the Right Thing and Inside Man
social media has turned people from wanting to be the guy dunking and scoring buckets to wanting to be Spike Lee yelling at everyone from the sideline.
February 9, 2026 at 4:11 PM
social media has turned people from wanting to be the guy dunking and scoring buckets to wanting to be Spike Lee yelling at everyone from the sideline.
Maye? there’s nothing he can do here. This is a rule breaker.
February 9, 2026 at 3:54 PM
Maye? there’s nothing he can do here. This is a rule breaker.
hoping to do a video on it, but for example: essentially these defenders are both the RB’s protection assignment. So when they both blitz, one is guaranteed to run free unless the Pats had adjusted their protection call (which they didn’t).
February 9, 2026 at 3:32 PM
hoping to do a video on it, but for example: essentially these defenders are both the RB’s protection assignment. So when they both blitz, one is guaranteed to run free unless the Pats had adjusted their protection call (which they didn’t).