What’s wrong with Nick Caley?
Why wasn’t Caley, New England’s tight ends coach for the last five-plus years, given a shot at the Patriots’ vacant offensive play-caller/coordinator duties when Josh McDaniels left town to lead the Las Vegas Raiders this offseason?
Why was the guy with the offensive background and resume very much in line for Bill Belichick’s usual line of in-house promotions deemed up for the task that he seemed so obviously qualified for and desirous of?
While there have been theories floated regarding Caley’s contract status or likelihood of remaining in Foxborough long term, no one seems to offer up a truly good reason why he wasn’t a good candidate for the play-caller job this offseason.
And given how disastrous the year has gone with former defensive coordinator Matt Patricia overseeing the Mac Jones-led offense, the question remains as to why Caley isn’t an option for New England to turn to in order to inject life into its lifeless attack with a month of games still to be played?
Unlike Patricia, Caley has the experience. He spent the better part of a decade under McDaniels’ tutelage, playing an intimate role in everything New England has done both in terms of the ground game and the passing attack. He was there for Tom Brady and Cam Newton as well as the foundation of the Jones’ era.
He also clearly has the support of his players. Asked during his weekly appearance on the “Gresh & Keefe” show on WEEI for his thoughts on his position coach, Hunter Henry couldn’t possibly have had a more glowing recommendation for Caley.
“Coach Caley, man I can’t say enough good things about Coach Caley,” Henry said. “He is an amazing coach. Honestly, he’s an amazing man, too. He’s awesome to be around. He works his butt off every single day. And he’s just so fun to be around, the kind of work he puts in and the things he does to make sure that we’re always prepared, always ready to go. He’s just always going to go out there and compete and be ready to go no matter what happens, no matter what goes. He’s tremendous. He’s one of my favorite coaches I have ever been able to be around. I’ve enjoyed every second of being with him.”
That guy is right where he’s been all along, right under Belichick’s nose as a member of his coaching staff, toiling in anonymity while the offense is soiling itself most weeks under Patricia’s watch on the game field.
The list of critics of the Patriots’ offense, its scheme, play-calling and results is endless. Notable among them are ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky, Hall of Fame QB Kurt Warner and, most recently, Hall of Fame QB and Fox ESPN analyst Troy Aikman, who spent the bulk of last Monday night’s broadcast pointing out the problems with the New England attack.
It’s an obvious problem outside of the Gillette, which means it’s an obvious problem inside Gillette. Yet, nothing changes.
Patricia is still calling plays. Jones is still running for his life behind an inept line which is beaten as often mentally as it is physically. Third down is a losing proposition. The red zone is still where New England drives go to die.
Asked last week about the possibility of changing play-callers at this point, Belichick said, “the system that we have in place, I feel good about.”
He then went on to defend the play-calling.
“Every week we’re trying to win. So, whatever that is, that’s what it is. Whatever plays we call this week are to try to win. Whatever plays we called last week they were to try to win. Whatever plays we called the week before, that’s what that was, or last year, or two years ago, or five years ago, or 20 years ago. You can like them or not like them or whatever,” Belichick said.
It’s not about liking or not liking the play-calls or the play-caller. It’s about executing, efficiency and results. It’s about the fact that it’s not working. And when things don’t work you fix them. When a player isn’t doing his job, he’s replaced.
The same could and should be true with coaches. There is a backup option waiting in the wings. Caley could call plays. Patricia could focus on the offensive line. Problems solved?
Last week Belichick on WEEI declared making a “dramatic change” wasn’t appropriate for his offense. He misleadingly compared changing play-callers to going to the “wishbone” offense or the “veer” or to running “some other team’s defense.”
Nonsense, really. Nothing comparable to simply having Caley take an increased role in the game planning process, promoting the guy who was the obvious in-house choice all along to be the play-caller. Every year NFL teams change play-callers during the season. Sometimes it leads to a spark, an improvement. The kind of jumpstart the Patriots offense could use with four games to play and a playoff spot hanging in the balance.
Giving Caley a shot to call plays might just be the jolt Jones and the Patriots offense could use right now. Certainly wouldn’t hurt to try.
Maybe it would be too little too late.
Or maybe it would better late than never.
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