New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick put Joe Judge and Matt Patricia in charge of the offense in 2022, counting on assistant coaches who he trusted. As the Patriots begin to overhaul their coaching staff this offseason, new details about what happened last season are emerging.
Many around the NFL were skeptical of Belichick’s decision to put Judge and Patricia at the helm of the offense and it soon became apparent the decisions likely weren’t going to pay off.
It took very little time for the warning signs to emerge out of the Patriots’ building. Players privately expressed concern regarding the direction of the offense early in the summer. Soon after, beat writers provided multiple alarming reports regarding the scheme, communication and cohesion.
Related: Wild details emerge about New England Patriots’ dysfunction in 2022
Things never improved when the season arrived. While the Patriots boasted one of the best defenses in the NFL, their offense held the team back and kept them out of the playoffs. While much of the blame fell on Judge and Patricia, the Patriots’ coach was reportedly far more involved in the offense than before.
- New England Patriots offense: 21.4 PPG (17th), 42.22% red-zone touchdown rate (32nd)
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer addressed the Patriots’ issues on offense and what plagued the team in 2022. Among the problems, per the NFL insider, was Belichick getting involved in play-calling during games.
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“My understanding is Belichick was active on the headsets on game day, having the sort of oversight over the offense that he’d traditionally had over the defense, and moonlighting as play-caller at points (which is why, at times, calls were late going in, and the offense could look messy from an operational standpoint).”
Albert Breer on Bill Belichick’s involvement in New England Patriots offense
While it’s not made clear if Belichick did this throughout the regular season or just late in the year when it was apparent change was necessary, it clearly played a role in the unit’s dysfunction. Between Belichick’s decisions with his coaching staff and the end result on the field, it culminated in owner Robert Kraft demanding changes this spring.
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Fortunately for the Patriots, Bill O’Brien is returning to the franchise. After a successful stint as the Alabama Crimson Tide offensive coordinator, the veteran coach agreed to come back to New England to work with Mac Jones.
O’Brien will be working directly with Jones, providing him with a coach he trusts and will have better communication with next season. Adding an experienced play-caller for the offense will also allow Belichick to focus more on the defense and special teams. As long as the Patriots have a league-average offense in 2023, they will be a playoff contender.
Related: Wild details emerge about New England Patriots’ dysfunction in 2022