For years, one of the signature hallmarks of Bill Belichick’s coaching excellence has been his ability to have his Patriots eliminate the top option from the opposing team. In Sunday’s 29-0 win over the Lions, Belichick erased Pro Bowl tight end T.J. Hockenson from the Detroit game plan.
Hockenson set a Lions team record for tight ends with 179 receiving yards and two TDs in Week 4. It was one of the 10 greatest games by a tight end in NFL history.
Belichick would have none of that in Week 5. Hockenson hauled in just one catch for six yards, getting four total targets. He was chipped or chucked on nearly every in-line route release, and then often double-covered thereafter. The Patriots’ plan worked.
“For me even to get out on a route was tough, because their ends were just not too worried about the rush and they were hammering me and it was just one of those things,” Hockenson said after the game. “We were ready, but it was definitely different for sure.”
Hockenson is not known for his blocking prowess, but that’s precisely what the Patriots turned him into–a blocking TE. Mixing up primary defenders worked very well too. One play it might be impressive young safety Kyle Dugger, the next it was swift LB Mack Wilson. Cornerback Jack Jones even got some reps playing underneath bracket coverage on Hockenson, daring Jared Goff to try and beat the defense elsewhere. That failed to materialize for Detroit, playing with injury-limited Amon-Ra St. Brown and Josh Reynolds at wide receiver.
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