Bill Belichick responds to Cardinals coach calling Patriots offense defensive-minded
FOXBORO — A day after Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph said the Patriots operate “like a defensive guy is calling offense,” Bill Belichick offered a brief retort to those comments.
“Whatever he said, he said. So, great,” Belichick said Friday. “Ask him about it.”
Did Belichick at least agree with the premise that defensive-minded coaches tend to prioritize protecting the ball and time of possession, as Joseph also mentioned?
“I can’t think of any offensive coach I’ve ever talked to who has been in favor of turning the ball over. So, start with that,” he said.
The Patriots and Cardinals will kick off Monday night in Arizona, where first-year offensive play-caller Matt Patricia will try to exploit Joseph’s high-pressure defense. The trouble for the Pats has been the aforementioned conservatism, which players called out last week after losing to the Bills. Overall, the Patriots offense ranks in the bottom half of most statistical categories and in the bottom 10 of a few others, including Football Outsiders’ opponent-and-situation-adjusted metric, DVOA.
Though, the Pats have eliminated their interceptions and fumbles, going turnover-free for three straight weeks. In those games, the Patriots are nonetheless 1-2, having eked out a 10-3 win over the Jets before losing to Minnesota and Buffalo.
“It’s like a defensive guy is calling offense,” Joseph said with a laugh Thursday, referring to Patricia, a former defensive coordinator. “It’s how a defensive guy would call offensive plays, right? Let’s not turn the ball over, let’s get four yards a play and try to burn clock. That’s what they’re doing. That’s what he’s going to do on Monday night.”
Belichick and Patricia have come under fire in recent weeks for the offense’s lack of production, which also stems from poor offensive line play. In addition to calling plays on game days, Patricia is also the Patriots’ offensive line coach. Patricia first established himself in the NFL as the Pats’ defensive coordinator from 2012-17.
“(Patricia)’s going to be patient, maybe take a shot here from time to time, but for the most part it’s run game, it’s quick game, and it’s screens,” Joseph said. “So I mean, it’s a defensive guy. That’s what he’s doing. He’s calling the way a defensive guy would call plays.”
from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/jnTaUfd
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