The Dolphins employed co-offensive coordinators last season, just like the Patriots are doing now.
The incredible success they’ve enjoyed since ditching their collaborative setup shows how much of a failure it was. A rival NFL coach can’t believe the Patriots are following suit.
In a recent column for The Athletic, NFL writer Mike Sando reviews what’s wrong with the league’s underachievers at roughly the halfway mark. When discussing the 5-4 Patriots and their offensive struggles, Sando brings up how the Dolphins featured two inexperienced OC’s in 2021: George Godsey and Eric Studesville. Brian Flores was Miami’s head coach at the time.
Flores, of course, served as an assistant under Bill Belichick for years. Godsey, who now coaches tight ends for the Ravens, was on the Patriots’ staff as an offensive assistant from 2011-13.
“Imagine watching how the Dolphins handled their offense in 2021 and deciding to implement a similar approach for your own young passer. That is effectively what the Patriots have done as Flores’ former boss, Bill Belichick, has delegated offensive coordinating duties to coach/offensive assistant Joe Judge and offensive line/senior advisor Matt Patricia,” writes Sando.
After struggling in his sophomore season, Tua Tagovailoa is a legitimate MVP candidate this year. While Miami’s acquisitions of Tyreek Hill and other skill players are big factors in Tagovailoa’s turnaround, it’s hard to discount the impact of new head coach Mike MacDaniel, who’s brought an innovative offensive scheme to South Florida.
The Dolphins are third in yards and points scored.
The anonymous coach ripped Belichick for not providing Mac Jones with the same support.
“Flores had two offensive coordinators, three different play callers and a collaborative, build-the-offensive-style game plan,” said the coach. “What does Mac Jones have this year? He has two guys who have never coached the position and a collaborative mindset.”
Jones has regressed this season, faring worse in every major statistical category, and turning the ball over at a much higher rate. His interception percentage last year was 2.5. This year, it’s 4.2.
Whatever the Patriots are doing with Jones, it isn’t working. Patricia and Judge clearly aren’t devising strong game plans.
It’s amazing that Belichick didn’t see this coming.
