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The New England Patriots offense likely features more pick plays than any other offense in the league. The key to pick plays, beyond just setting a good pick to free a receiver for the catch, is getting good downfield blocking after the ball's been caught.

It's not just important on pick plays, either. It obviously helps to get good downfield blocking on all runs after the catch. It should come as no surprise, then, that Patriots coach Bill Belichick has incredibly detailed opinions on the science of blocking as well as how his receivers and tight ends have fared at it this year.

Per WEEI:

“Technique is important, willingness is important. Again, there are a lot of things that go into blocking. No. 1 is doing the right thing, knowing who you have to block, a lot of times blocking secondary players, you have to make secondary players, you have to make decisions as to which player to block. We always want to block the most dangerous guy, the guy that can get there first, I would say most of the time, not all the time, but most of the time.

“Like on Gronkowski’s touchdown pass, block from the receiver helped spring him, vice versa. Rob’s blocked well for them. I think that’s really an under-appreciated part of their job, tight ends and the receivers. It’s all about the stat sheet and fantasy catches or however that stuff works. Those guys go out there and compete every play and that helps a lot of other guys. That means a lot to our football team.”

Bill Belichick not caring about fantasy stats? Not at all surprising. Bill Belichick caring far more about blocking? Also not surprising.

The hooded one singled out the block thrown by Brandon LaFell on Rob Gronkowski's touchdown catch against the Dolphins two weeks ago as being particularly good, and, well, it was:

Gronk might have scored there anyway, but LaFell took out the last guy with any chance of catching him before the end zone and guaranteed that he wouldn't get tackled. That's the kind of play not every receiver necessarily makes, and Belichick obviously noticed.

Belichick continued on about the technique required for receivers to block down the field.

“That decision of as I’m going to get this guy, is the guy on that’s on me going to get there before I get to that guy or do I turn back on him or go get that guy? Who’s lined up closer? Those kind of decisions, taking the right angle, blocking from in front, not from behind because there’s a lot of moving targets that they’re blocking. Those guys aren’t always just standing there. Playing with good pad level and good leverage. Not going in there and getting blown up obviously by sometimes bigger guys that are blocking. A lot of it’s desire. A lot of it’s leverage. A lot of it’s technique, playing with a good base, getting your pad level down on contact and having your head in the proper location and things like that.

“Those guys have done a great job, Danny, Julian and now LaFell back out there. Those guys have blocked really well for us all year, runs, passes, slip screens, scramble plays, things like that. They’ve really competed well. They’ve helped us get a lot of extra yards, and they block for each other.”

That's the kind of detail you get when asking Belichick questions about the actual tactics of football, and it's always great to see him give an answer that really shows off his knowledge of the game.

Bill Belichick can get nerdy about blocking. (USATSI)