Patriots' Alex Van Pelt still has something to prove
The Patriots answered the most important question of the season: did they find the quarterback of the future? Drake Maye has flashed his brilliant athletic talent and continues to grow as a decision-maker and leader.
Like an irritating riddle, though, that answer just leads to another critical consideration: is Alex Van Pelt the right offensive coordinator to pair with Maye through his sophomore season?
The truth is, the even-keeled, run-first, quarterback-whispering play caller still has to prove he’s the guy for the job going forward – even if he is, as Jerod Mayo said earlier this week – deserving of most of the “credit” for Maye’s performances.
“I would say when we interviewed all of the coaches that are here, one of the prerequisites or requirements was a guy who was level-headed, a guy who believes in working together, and a guy who doesn't get too high, doesn't get too low. That's Alex, and I appreciate that,” Mayo said of Van Pelt earlier this week.
Yes, developing the quarterback was the top priority of this season. It continues to be. Mayo says Van Pelt deserves the credit for doing that, so let’s give it to him.
But Maye’s future doesn’t just hinge on his singular success, and there’s no better example of that truth than the quarterback he’ll face Sunday. Matthew Stafford spent a dozen seasons in Detroit and threw for more than 4,000 yards in eight of them. He got knocked for having garbage time stats, but he also averaged between 7.2 and 8.1 yards per pass attempt between 2015 and 2017. During those seasons, the Lions went 7-9, 9-7, and 9-7. He was the posterchild for squandered talent until he got to L.A. and Sean McVay.
New England’s offensive roster of misfit toys might make it impossible for Van Pelt to showcase what his system can really produce, but so far, the numbers are bad. The Patriots offense is 31st in average points per game. They’re 30th in yards per play, 30th in touchdowns per game, and 26th in third-down conversions. Think Jacoby Brissett has negatively slanted those stats too much? Here are those stats over the last three games, when New England has gone 2-1: 18th in average points per game, 28th in yards per play, 24th in touchdowns per game, and 15th in third-down conversions.
If you ask me, those read a little bit like going from 4-13 to 7-10. Just not good enough.
It’s also possible the offense’s woes have more to do with the position group coaches, rather than Van Pelt. But heavy is head who wears the crown. Van Pelt has the title and he’ll be compared to the Ben Johnson and Bobby Slowik wiz kids come the offseason. If his offense’s production continues at this rate, he might also have to compete with someone like Brian Daboll, should Daboll lose his Giants head coaching job after this disastrous season. He would appear to be a perfect fit for Maye, given the Josh Allen comparisons.
And that brings up the consideration of the challenge changing coordinators puts on young quarterbacks. Continuity typically builds confidence, so long as wins follow. But again, consider Stafford. He had the same offensive coordinator in Detroit, (Scott Linehan), for his first five seasons. The team only finished one of those seasons with a winning record.
Alex Van Pelt has proven himself to be an excellent quarterbacks coach over the last ten weeks. He still has seven more weeks to show who he can be as the coordinator for the Patriots’ future.
