OT: Patriots use 4 Offensive Lineman formation

The NE Patriots used a 4 Offensive Lineman formation in the playoff game Saturday versus the Baltimore Ravens to help with their comeback victory:

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'Clearly Deception'

The strategy in question involved Bill Belichicks offense employing four offensive linemen instead of the standard five on a number of plays midway through the third quarter. Running back Shane Vereen lined up off the right side of the formation, and he declared himself an ineligible receiver. In essence, Vereen had become the fifth lineman, though with considerably different duties.

Raven's coach John Harbaugh was not happy:

Harbaugh continued: We wanted an opportunity to be able to ID who the eligible players were, because what they were doing was they would announce the ineligible player and then Tom would take them to the line right away and snap the ball before we had a chance to even figure out who was lined up where. And that was the deception part of it, and it was clearly deception.

There is some Hokie irony in that it occurred against Jim Harbaugh's brother, John; who is complaining about the formation.

I've heard of unbalanced lines and 2 and 3 tight end sets, but not this.

The 'Mad Hoodie' strikes again.