Josh McDaniels and Matt Patricia exits will hurt New England Patriots

Jay Asser 15:15 03/02/2018
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  • Bill Belichick and Matt Patricia have been part of a strong coaching staff.

    Regardless of how Super Bowl LII plays out, it will be the end of an era for the New England Patriots.

    No, this isn’t the definitive end of the line for a Patriots dynasty which has spanned nearly two decades. Tom Brady and Bill Belichick aren’t going anywhere, so neither is New England’s status as perennial title contender.

    But Minnesota will be the last stop for the best coaching staff in the league, as Belichick, Josh McDaniels and Matt Patricia will preside over their final game together before parting ways.

    After forming a dynamic duo with Brady and helping shape a dominant offence, McDaniels will head for Indianapolis for his second crack at a head coaching job. Patricia, meanwhile, has parlayed his defensive coordinator position into the head coaching gig in Detroit. Both have learned and developed under the tutelage of Belichick and both are poised to succeed outside of his shadow.

    For the Patriots, however, their departure will leave a sizeable void on the sidelines, not too dissimilar to the coaching exodus back in 2005. The parallels to that year are remarkable: New England again face the Philadelphia Eagles as they go for their third title in four years, with both their offensive and defensive coordinator set to leave, like Charlie Weis and Romeo Crennel did in 2005.

    Absence felt

    Maybe it was just a coincidence, but after Weis and Crennel chose to follow their ambitions, the Patriots didn’t lift the Lombardi Trophy again for another decade. Neither had sustained success in their new surroundings, so it’s fair to wonder how much cause and effect was at work for the Patriots’ title drought.

    Belichick is the greatest football coach ever, but his coaching tree hasn’t been so fruitful, at least not when the branches have broken off. Even after Weis and Crennel, former defensive coordinator Eric Mangini flamed out as head coach of the New York Jets, while McDaniels lasted only two seasons in charge of the Denver Broncos in his first go-around.

    It does feel like the Patriots are built the same way on the field and on the sidelines. The players around Brady continue to change, but as long as he’s there, Super Bowl appearances are a regularity. Ditto for Belichick, who seemingly has the ability to mold young coaches into rising stars.

    However, that doesn’t mean the journey hasn’t been rocky at times, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if the loss of McDaniels and Patricia translates into a bit of a drop-off for New England going forward. After all, Belichick has enjoyed six years of stability with both of them flanking him. Some adjustment is inevitable.

    Shoes to fill

    Their replacements are unknown as of now, but if history is any indication, Belichick will likely promote from within to preserve the Patriots Way.

    The most obvious candidates appear to be Chad O’Shea on offence and Brian Flores on defence. O’Shea is currently the receivers coach and the red zone coordinator, so he’s well-versed in what McDaniels has already established. Flores is the linebackers coach and even interviewed for the Arizona Cardinals’ head coaching vacancy.

    It’s also possible Belichick wears multiple hats next season, as he’s done before, and takes on play-calling duties on either side of the ball. But considering Belichick’s likely desire to leave the Patriots in a position where they can sustain success after he’s gone, it makes more sense to hand over some of the reins now and allow the next coordinators to gain experience.

    The price for that may be growing pains, at least in the short term. Offensively, what happens if Brady finally begins to show his age and starts to decline? And will the same defensive adjustments that have seen the unit turn it around towards the end of the season the past few years be applied without Patricia?

    These are first-world problems that for every other team in the league, would be far down the list of pressing questions. When you’re a dynasty though, these types of cracks can eventually splinter the entire foundation.

    There will be an entire offseason to worry about that and Super Bowl LII could be another moment of pure bliss if it ends in Belichick, McDaniels and Patricia hugging it out again. But eventually, all good things must come to an end.

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