High Pace offense

Coming off an embarrassing 41-14 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, there are many questions about the 2014 New England Patriots. The Patriots have been regarded one of the best teams in the NFL for over the past decade. They have been to five Super Bowls in the past twelve years, winning the first three before losing the last two to Eli Manning and the New York Giants. Over that span the Patriots have been to eight AFC Championship games, including the last three. Even with all this success over the past decade plus, their are many out there who believe we are seeing the end of one of the greatest dynasties in NFL history.

This season got off to a rocky start for New England, when they dropped the first game to the Miami Dolphins by a score of 33-20 after leading at halftime 20-10. The Patriots’ defense gave up 134-yards on 24 carries and one touchdown to Dolphins running back Knowshon Moreno. With Lamar Miller adding his rushing attack, the Dolphins racked up a total of 191-rushing-yards with an average of five yards per carry (NFL.com). Additionally the unit was roughed up on third down as the Dolphins offense converted 53% of the time. The New England offense got off to a strong start by racking up 20 points in the first half before being shutout in the second half of the game. Patriots’ Quarterback Tom Brady finished the game completing 29 of his 56 pass attempts for 249 yards and a QBR (quarterback rating) of 32.2 (NFL.com). The leading rusher for the Pats was Shane Vereen with 36 yards and one score.

The Patriots were able to win their next two games against the Minnesota Vikings and Oakland Raiders. Neither of which were surprising to say the least. In week two, it seemed as if the Vikings hurt themselves more than the Pats hurt them. Vikings’ Quarterback Matt Cassel threw four interceptions and the offense was not able to get anything going against the Patriot defense throughout the game. The Patriot offense relied greatly on the run by racking up 150-yards on 37 attempts, most of which came by running back Stevan Ridley. Brady finished the game completing 14 of 21 pass attempts for 149-yards and one touchdown (NFL.com). In week three, the Patriots scraped by the Oakland Raiders, winning by a score of 16-7. This was an ugly win as the Patriots offense was only able to get into the end zone one time to go along with three field goals. The Patriot defense played well, giving up just over 240-yards and limiting the Raider offense to three field goals. The only surprising thing about these two victories was how bad New England played and was still able to come away with wins.

The poor play finally caught up with the Pats in week four. On Monday night, they were blown out by the Kansas City Chiefs by a score of 41-14 as stated earlier. The Chiefs built a 27-0 lead before Brady hitting wide receiver Brandon LaFell for a 44-yard score late in the third quarter. At that point, it was too little too as Brady was benched with around ten minutes remaining in the game. Brady finished 14/23 for 159-yards, one touchdown and two interceptions (NFL.com). This was the second time in three weeks Brady finished with less than 160-yards through the air. Rookie Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo then entered the game and played pretty well, finishing 6/7 for 70-yards and one score to Tight-End Rob Gronkowski. The New England defense was gashed for 443-yards. They allowed 236 through the air and 207 on the ground (NFL.com). You don’t have to be a football genius to see that kind of play is not a winning recipe in the NFL.

So are we witnessing the end of the Patriot dynasty? In my opinion, I believe it is a little early to give up on the Brady-led Patriots. There are three areas where the Patriots must improve if they want to turn things around. First, New England defense is giving up close to 130 rushing yards per game. Second, the Patriots have struggled on third downs on both sides of the ball. They have converted 36.2% of the time and have allowed opponents to convert 46.9% of the time on third downs (NFL.com). Lastly, Tom Brady simply has to improve his play. Averaging 185 passing yards a game with four touchdowns and two interceptions through the first four games is not going to get it done. Even with all the struggles, keep in mind that the Patriots still have one of the greatest Quarterbacks to ever play in the NFL and one of the greatest coaches of all-time in Bill Belichick. And that is always a winning recipe in football.

G Talan-Flickr

There is an ancient Chinese proverb which states, “When the wind of change blows, some people build walls, others build windmills.” Change is a constant in both, life and the NFL. The league’s initials are frequently referred to as “Not For Long.” Franchises unable to build strength during times of adversity are doomed to fail. As in life, coaches who demonstrate a willingness to embrace change, enjoy greater success. The wind was blowing hard during Andy Reid’s last season at the helm in Philadelphia and it was clear that change was needed. Owner Jeffrey Lurie realized he needed someone who would build windmills, rather than walls for a team stuck in a death spiral. The man chosen to harness the power of the storm in Philly and push the team back to the playoffs was none other than former Oregon Duck head coach, Chip Kelly.

Kelly (a football genius) is a pioneer who, in his short tenure as a head coach, has been setting trends and turning heads at the highest levels of both collegiate and professional football. In Oregon, Kelly became synonymous with an intense “blitzkrieg” attack, incorporated into a “spread” offense, overwhelming and exhausting his defensive opponents.

This innovative strategy, combined with a “no huddle” offense, proved Kelly one of the top offensive football minds in the nation.  A key ingredient in Mr. Kelly’s secret sauce, are fast-paced, upbeat, tempo practices that help players remain focused. The squads run play after play even faster, than the pace in games, because they are not encumbered by referees. The team listens to a variety of motivational music during practices. While some pro teams play “crowd noise” to help players prepare for game conditions, Kelly elects something matching the tempo of his speedy offensive style. In a New York Times article, written by Michael Sokolove, Kelly states, “To me, that stuff is like fingernails on a chalkboard. I like the music because it puts some energy and rhythm in our practice.”

Kelly’s staff corrects player mistakes in the classroom, during film review, saving time for repetitions during field practice sessions. “We play really fast. It gets us in our rhythm and takes the other team out of its comfort zone.” This method will soon be used by most, if not all, NFL teams because of its unparalleled success.  Chip Kelly is a devoted football mind, filling every waking hour with his passion. This dedication, due in part because Kelly never married, is unencumbered by outside interests or responsibilities. When asked about his lack of other interests by Sokolove in the N.Y. Times article, “Speed -Freak Football,” Kelly mused, “I’m just a football guy. I love my job.” His love of the game and his players is reflected in his enthusiastic infusion of technology and new ideas to the gridiron.

Kelly searches outside of football for inspiration in leadership and training techniques. His fondness for military training is well known since his days at Oregon, where he used a training plan named “Judgment Day” in 2010. Kelly’s fascination with the Navy Seals conditioning, led him to bring a groundbreaking style of strength-training to the Philadelphia Eagles called “Sports Science.” This rigorous training is a high-tech balance that encompasses closely-monitoring everything from conditioning and nutrition, to proper sleep and hydration. Chip Kelly’s program is the first of its kind in the NFL. Managed by Shaun Huls, Sports Science Coordinator, Huls’ training regimen reduced injuries and improved overall player performance. Employing the same high-tech methods used in his five years as a Conditioning Coordinator with the Navy’s Special Warfare Group II, his program gained immediate credibility with both players and staff throughout the league.  High-tech training and high-speed play is resulting in higher performance and the players in Philly seem to be 100% on-board.

Safety Nate Allen recently commented to Rich Hoffman at the Philadelphia Daily News, “Playing fast is a normal pace for us. We just feel fresh and not as run down.” The exact methodology used in Huls’ Sports Science program is a cloaked in secrecy. Huls has never spoken to the press during his time in Philadelphia. The Eagles made a miraculous turnaround in 2013, from 2012, making the playoffs in Kelly’s first year as head coach.

While Chip Kelly’s football program morphed Philly into a high-tech and data-driven enterprise; one year does not provide enough evidence of success. However, it is likely, the offensive genius’ methods are the beginning of a new wave in professional football that will be around for years to come. Brian Baldinger, former player for several pro teams and a current analyst at NFL Network, believes Kelly’s strategies are revolutionary to the game, stating in the New York Times, “It’s going to be copied, from high school up through colleges and all the way to the NFL.” Chip Kelly has been tearing down walls and building windmills all his life. The coach’s time in the city of brotherly love wont be any different.

Christopher DuVall is a writer for the Couch Rider Report. Follow him on Facebook.

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