Three things the Redskins can learn from the New England Patriots
By Ian Cummings
Strategy, not identity, is what matters in the NFL
The Patriots won the 2019 Super Bowl the same way they’ve won the last five: Out-coaching their opponent.
With every victory, the Patriots remind the league that there’s so much more to coaching, game calling, and game planning than what meets the eye. Between game scripting, in-game adjusting, and pace and rhythm, Bill Belichick put on a clinic against the Rams.
On offense, Belichick didn’t confine himself to a certain mode. He went with the game flow, running when the Rams defensive line was on the lurch, and passing when the Patriots needed to keep the momentum rolling.
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On defense, Belichick, who happens to be a defensive coach, kept pressure on Jared Goff, a quarterback who crumbles in the face of free rushers. Goff was rattled all through the game, and his state was a direct result of Belichick’s specialized planning.
Belichick didn’t pigeon-hole himself into a specific identity, like other teams, such as the Seahawks, and occasionally the Redskins. Instead, he did what he needed to do to best a unique opponent. Teams should be strategizing every week, not reserving themselves to what they believe to be their best play style. The Redskins could learn from the Patriots adjusting prowess.