FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Mac Jones did a pretty good job breaking down how the Patriots’ unusual offensive coaching structure actually works Wednesday.
It was like he gave the media a film session, explaining the X’s and O’s of the approach Bill Belichick has chosen to best prepare him and the offense.
While the three-headed monster of Belichick, Matt Patricia and Joe Judge might be head-scratching to many, it’s come to make total sense to the up-and-coming second-year Patriots quarterback.
So yes, he’s drinking the Kool-Aid.
And, for now, until the point of playing in a game, that’s what’s important.
If Jones is comfortable, if he’s on board, that’s a good start.
How best to describe the three-way coaching cluster?
A little of Joe Judge, the quarterbacks coach. A lot of offensive line coach Matt Patricia, who looks more and more like he’s going to prepare the game plan and be the play-caller. And, even more from head coach Bill Belichick, who offers his usual wisdom to the quarterbacks about how to best attack opposing defenses.
It’s seeing and creating offense through the defensive lens of Belichick, an expert on that side of the ball, and Patricia, who learned from the master.
It sounds like Belichick is expanding the Tuesday private session he typically holds with his quarterbacks. It was in those sessions that Tom Brady learned what defenses were trying to do against him, what to look out for, and how to attack. It certainly served No. 12 well.
Now it’s Jones’ turn to get that and more, from Belichick, Patricia, and Judge.
“Obviously, Coach Belichick’s done a great job kind of explaining exactly what we’re going to do as an offense, and Matty P’s seen so many different defenses, along with coach Belichick, so it’s like they combine their knowledge on how to attack a defense. That’s something that’s really stood out to me,” Jones continued during his media session following Day 1 of training camp.
“They’re all trying to get us to work together. And, the most important part is that we’re all on the same page regardless of who’s talking, who’s making the decisions on a play or what not. It’s always an open conversation, which I love.”
So yes, Jones has been empowered to speak up and provide input if he sees something he likes, doesn’t think will work, or if he feels something can work better with a little tweaking. By the sound of it, Belichick, Patricia and Judge run and are all involved in the offensive meetings.
“They all bring a different perspective, but I feel like they’re listening to the players: ‘Hey, we kind of like this concept, let’s try it,’’’ said Jones, “Or if they want to put in something else, they explain the ‘why’ and that’s the important part for me, understanding why we’re doing something, and from there, as a player, my job is to go execute the plays.”
During Day 1 of training camp, Patricia held a walkie-talkie and called the plays on 11-and-11 and 7-on-7 drills. After Jones’ reps were complete, Belichick would reel him in and offer his two cents, while Judge appeared to be making mental notes and taking it all in.
But there’s more.
Not only are Belichick, Patricia and Judge trying to give Jones and the rest of the offense a different perspective, but the coaching trio is also working to try and get the unit to operate quicker.
It was a talking point with Jones, as well as several other members of the offense who were made available following 80-minute practice.
“We’re doing a lot of things schematically to get up there and snap the ball a lot quicker. We have really good skill players that will get lined up and make those plays and obviously a great offensive line,” said Jones. “So, it all comes down to distributing the ball, whether that’s handing it off to the running back, throwing it, swinging to the right, throwing the deep ball.
“It doesn’t really matter what I’m doing, if we can do it quickly and put stress on the defense, that makes everything harder.”
Wide receiver Kendrick Bourne, who was all smiles during and after practice, agreed.
“A lot of adjustments we’ve made are to come off the ball faster,” said Bourne, “and, I think it’s working, just to get a head start off the ball is huge, not taking so long.
“It just feels faster. More speed. More urgency. That’s what I would say. It’s a better feeling keeping a defense on their toes, not allowing them to be ready and just kind of coming off the ball.”
Belichick and Patricia would certainly know what wrecks a defense.
In any case, the players seem to have adjusted, and seem to be buying in for the time being, with whatever the troika is tossing out.
Patricia, the offensive line coach, didn’t spend as much time with that unit Wednesday, as he was more concerned about navigating the offense. Billy Yates, who also works with the offensive line, led the group while Patricia attended to other business.
Will that be a problem for the O-line? Asked if it complicated things, Trent Brown answered: “Not at all.”
“It’s AIO,” said Brown. “Adapt, Improvise and Overcome. Whoever’s down there, we got to listen and pay attention to.”
Brown also seemed open to having a defensive-minded coach work not only with the line, but the offense as a whole.
“I think it’s a cool thing we get to see it from another perspective, him working on the defensive side of the ball for so long,” the mammoth tackle said of Patricia. “We get to know the ‘who, what, where, when, why’ and not just X’s and O’s. I think that’s the coolest thing about it.”
It’s cool, until it isn’t. The school’s still out on if this arrangement is going to work, and help get Jones to the next level, not to mention, the offense.
Jones was asked how different it was, utilizing the vision of three coaches, instead of one philosophy from former offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.
“I think at the end of the day, the Patriot offense is the Patriot offense. We’re trying to hold onto the ball in a way where we’re not turning it over, that’s the number one thing,” he said. “But we want to be able to move the ball downfield any way we want to – short, medium or long passes – play within ourselves and use our strengths.”
He continued: “There’s elements to every offense, and I think there’s a very clear layout this year.”
A very clear layout.
Even with three cooks in the kitchen.
