NFL Playoff Predictions: Why Bill Belichick, New England Must Blitz Joe Flacco

No matter how great, good or bad a quarterback is at any level of football, if the defense can apply constant pressure and duress throughout the course of a game, the offense's production will be significantly decreased.

To that end, expect New England head coach Bill Belichick to blitz Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco relentlessly. And let's break down as to why the Patriots need this to happen.

Assist the Pass Defense

No matter how many points the offense can put up, it doesn't help a team at all if the defense doesn't stop anyone. This season, New England ranked No. 31 against the pass and allowed 294 pass yards per game.

In addition, they ranked No. 17 against the rush and allowed almost 120 rush yards per game. That being said, expect Baltimore to come out running the ball to control the game tempo against the Pats' weak rush defense.

That will then help setup the passing game, which makes Belichick's secondary even more vulnerable to the play-action pass. Here, blitzing early when the Ravens try to run will slow their ground game and better prepare the secondary to defend the pass.

Also, Joe Flacco must not have time in the pocket on any pass because he can shred a defense when given the opportunity. So, to first give a sense of relief to the secondary, blitzing is needed, as that will take a lot of pressure off those in coverage.

Attack Baltimore's Offensive Weakness

If there's anything new we learned about the Baltimore Ravens from the divisional round against Houston, it's that their offensive line's weakness is pass-blocking.

The reason why it was hidden during the regular season is thanks to running back Ray Rice. Rice is a threat on the ground, in the passing game on screens and the flats and is an excellent pass-blocker. He's one of the few complete backs in the NFL.

Therefore, New England must blitz to exploit Joe Flacco's offensive line and have a linebacker or safety spy on Rice. It's the best way to cover all bases and will also make playing press coverage on the corners easier.

With more blitzers and Rice isolated, Flacco will be looking to get rid of the ball quickly. However, press coverage forces the receivers to take a bit more time in getting off the line of scrimmage. Provided that the secondary can hold up, the pass rush will get to Flacco, thus causing fumbles and forcing bad throws against a dangerously opportunistic defense like the Pats.

Get Joe Flacco Thinking Too Much

Anytime a quarterback gets flustered—regardless of when it is during the game—the momentum can quickly shift to the defense.

And the fastest way into a quarterback's mind is by applying constant pressure until he begins losing trust in the protection. Now, obviously the same blitz can't be called over and over, but confusion must set in.

Stemming linebackers, stunting defensive linemen and rolled-down safeties all play a major role in keeping the quarterback thinking pre-snap. The more Flacco thinks pre-snap, the more happy his feet will become in the pocket.

Running a 1-5-5 and 3-4 scheme is to Bill Belichick's and New England's advantage, but the key is actually getting to Flacco. So, the Patriots defense must be able to show blitz when not actually blitzing while also not showing blitz when actually blitzing.

The same goes for those in coverage. Sometimes they must show press coverage early and then back off and vice versa. Displaying the same tendencies will get picked up by a professional quarterback, so expect New England to be efficiently complex.

It's to the Pats' advantage, since they're so susceptible in actually defending the run and pass.

John Rozum on Twitter