Rhode Irish
Semi-retired
- Messages
- 7,057
- Reaction score
- 900
If I can jump in here, the offense that the Patriots run is Belichick's offense. By that, I mean that it has been developed by coaches under his watch and incorporates the principles that he wants. In many respects, the offense the Patriots run now can be tied back to the offense the Patriots were running when Weis left. On the other hand, the offense that the Pats run now looks WAY different than the offense that Charlie brought to New England a decade ago. It is definitely not the "same" offense.
I will say that the offense O'Brien runs more closely resembles what Charlie did than what we saw under McDaniels. McDaniels attacked the deep portion of the field with the vertical passing game much more aggressively than Weis or O'Brien, although some of that could be attributed to personnel. People forget, but Charlie's offenses were called "dink and dunk" a lot because it involved using RB and receiver screens frequently in the passing game and picking up smaller chunks of yards through safer and more completeable throws. Under O'Brien, the offense relies heavily on option routes that require the receiver and QB to make the same read. Of course, this is a Belichick thing and this element was present before O'Brien, the offense just relies on it more heavily now. O'Brien also attacks the seems and the middle of the field with the same aggressiveness that McDaniels attacked the deep part of the field and Charlie exposed defenses in the flats and underneath.
Long story short: the offenses under CW, JM and BO share a lineage, but they aren't the same. Some of the differences may be attributable to personnel differences, but that doesn't change the fact that they functioned quite differently. The offense has evolved over time, and it is really more the "Brady-Belichick" offense than anything else.
This is just a matter of my opinion, but in terms of play calling, I won't be disappointed to see O'Brien go. Charlie was an innovative but at times frustrating play caller in NE (as he was at ND). McDaniels was my favorite of the three - aggressive, cerebral and rarely questionable. O'Brien is my least favorite play caller of the three. Sometimes it seems like he is just picking plays off his sheet at random without regard for down or distance or situation or what the defense is doing. The offense, which is unquestionably great because of Tom Brady, stalls out and looks lost far too frequently. I'm not, nor have I ever been, a big O'Brien fan. Rumors are that the Pats could be looking to bring back McDaniels. Whatever criticism you can make about his head coaching ability, Josh can flat-out call plays. I would LOVE to see him back in Foxboro.
I will say that the offense O'Brien runs more closely resembles what Charlie did than what we saw under McDaniels. McDaniels attacked the deep portion of the field with the vertical passing game much more aggressively than Weis or O'Brien, although some of that could be attributed to personnel. People forget, but Charlie's offenses were called "dink and dunk" a lot because it involved using RB and receiver screens frequently in the passing game and picking up smaller chunks of yards through safer and more completeable throws. Under O'Brien, the offense relies heavily on option routes that require the receiver and QB to make the same read. Of course, this is a Belichick thing and this element was present before O'Brien, the offense just relies on it more heavily now. O'Brien also attacks the seems and the middle of the field with the same aggressiveness that McDaniels attacked the deep part of the field and Charlie exposed defenses in the flats and underneath.
Long story short: the offenses under CW, JM and BO share a lineage, but they aren't the same. Some of the differences may be attributable to personnel differences, but that doesn't change the fact that they functioned quite differently. The offense has evolved over time, and it is really more the "Brady-Belichick" offense than anything else.
This is just a matter of my opinion, but in terms of play calling, I won't be disappointed to see O'Brien go. Charlie was an innovative but at times frustrating play caller in NE (as he was at ND). McDaniels was my favorite of the three - aggressive, cerebral and rarely questionable. O'Brien is my least favorite play caller of the three. Sometimes it seems like he is just picking plays off his sheet at random without regard for down or distance or situation or what the defense is doing. The offense, which is unquestionably great because of Tom Brady, stalls out and looks lost far too frequently. I'm not, nor have I ever been, a big O'Brien fan. Rumors are that the Pats could be looking to bring back McDaniels. Whatever criticism you can make about his head coaching ability, Josh can flat-out call plays. I would LOVE to see him back in Foxboro.
Last edited:
