Pats' no-huddle designed to disrupt defense
One of the most important things for a defense to find in a game is rhythm. If the Patriots want to keep Giants defenders off Tom Brady, it will be up to them to keep the beat of their plays as unpredictable as possible.
That's why many -- including the Giants themselves -- expect the Patriots to play at least part of Sunday night's Super Bowl with a no-huddle offense.
It probably won't be the type of hurry-up the Patriots would play in a two-minute drill. But they've had two weeks to prepare and translate the playbook into a series of audible and physical signals, and calling plays at the line of scrimmage could give them an advantage.
"I think it forces the defenses to play at a different tempo where they can't fall into a natural rhythm," Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. "They have to be ready for things to speed up, be ready for things to slow down and have different personnel groups. It just puts a little more stress on our defensive opponents to prepare for more things."
What it will do for the Giants is force them to limit substitutions. And given the versatile nature of the Patriots' offense -- a system in which running back Danny Woodhead can be split out wide and tight end Aaron Hernandez can take handoffs in the backfield -- it can create mismatches.
If the Giants have a nickel or dime package to face a two-tight end, three-receiver set, the Patriots still can run even though they don't have a running back on the field.
"There isn't any question you have to spend an awful lot of time on the speed part of it, the no-huddle and no substitutions," Giants coach Tom Coughlin said. "But also, I think to a greater extent, your [thinking] is about your personnel, their personnel, how you're going to match 'em, how you're going to play 'em, what you can and can't do."
