Patriots flexibility, versatility a key cog in winning ways

The New England Patriots are going on a two-decade dynasty. One of the many reasons is an unparalleled ability to be flexible and scheme-versatile.

In Super Bowl LI, New England changed its entire plan in a halftime.

The Patriots expected the Atlanta Falcons to play Dan Quinn’s traditional Cover 3 defense, the same one they had seen against the Seattle Seahawks two years prior when Quinn was the defensive coordinator there. Instead, Atlanta came out in man, and the Falcons jumped out to a 21-0 first-half lead with assistance of a Robert Alford pick-six.

At halftime, New England offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels threw out his zone beaters and pulled out his man-to-man playbook. The Patriots ended up rallying from a 28-3 deficit because they were flexible. The Falcons never went to zone. Ball game.

Going into Sunday, one of New England’s hallmarks remains its chameleon-like ability. The Patriots aren’t defined by the 3-4 or 4-3. Players aren’t defined by specific positions but rather weekly roles doled out in meetings.

It’s a long-standing ability to change on the fly, from quarter-to-quarter or between games.

“Versatility is good,” Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said. “We face a lot of different types of offenses throughout the league and you need some versatile players on the field but you also need good players on the field who can do certain things. … I think that’s true in all three phases of the game, but I don’t think that’s a must for everybody. but if you don’t have a couple guys who can do that, then you become a little bit inflexible.”

It’s a mindset and mentality that has been forged through Belichick, dating back to his days with the New York Giants as a defensive coordinator. In Super Bowl XXV against the high-powered Buffalo Bills, Belichick famously told his players that to win, Thurman Thomas would run for more than 100 yards. Players needed to buy in, understanding that the Giants would employ seven and eight defensive backs, punishing receivers and halting yardage after the catch at the expense of rushing yardage.

New York won, 20-19. Belichick’s game plan resides in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

On New England’s current roster, there are ample players who can line up in different spots. Dont’a Hightower can play the middle linebacker in a 4-3, but can also rush off the edge or drop into coverage. Trey Flowers is 6-foot-2 and 265 pounds, yet lines up anywhere from the wide-nine stance to over a tackle, or even at nose guard. Safety Patrick Chung can roam deep, but against the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game, spent much of his time going into the box.

While the Patriots have played more man-to-man defense than any team in football, their fronts and the employment of specific players is ever-changing.

“It’s a challenge, but I think it’s something we are all used to,” safety Devin McCourty said. “We all know we can have multiple roles in game plans and a lot of it kind of falls on the key communicators out there and guys that have been here for awhile. I think we know within that challenge that if we’re doing multiple things, it probably puts us in the best position for both the team and our strengths.

“I think that’s one of the best parts about playing in this defense. … Each game we come in, and each time we come in on Wednesday morning it’s kind of like ‘let’s see what we’ve got, let’s see where I am.’ We never really know how we are going to play.”

So many teams around the NFL are largely inflexible. For example, the Indianapolis Colts play Cover 2 zone under on a majority of their snaps. In the Divisional round against Kansas City, two coordinators from other teams expressed a firm belief that the Chiefs would destroy Indianapolis with Travis Kelce. Kelce ended up with seven catches for a game-high 108 yards.

The Colts knew what was coming, but they refused to change. New England takes the opposite approach. It tailors the plan around what its opponent does best and chokes that off, giving the Patriots a critical advantage.

Going into Sunday, the Patriots are playing a Los Angeles Rams team that almost exclusively plays 11 personnel (three receivers, a tight end and a back). It works for them due to a wide array of options from that scheme, but the predictability is evident.

With New England, it’s impossible to look at film and walk away with an understanding of what’s coming next.