NFL Notebook: Coaching continuity has been underrated part of Patriots' success

Taking a weekend spin around the NFL with a focus on the Patriots…



1. If this is indeed the end of the run for the trio of Bill Belichick, Josh McDaniels and Matt Patricia, then it’s time to step back and call it what it is — when it comes to modern-era dynasties, it’s one of the most impressive runs of coaching continuity the NFL has ever seen. If the Patriots are able to win two more games, they would not only be just the third franchise to win three titles in four years — joining the Cowboys of the 1990s and the Patriots of the 2000s — they’d be the second franchise to keep their head coach and coordinators together on staff for the duration of that run. (The Cowboys saw head coaches and coordinators come and go in their three Super Bowl wins in four years, while New England lost both coordinators after Super Bowl XXXIX.) When stacked against the rest of the league, the totals are maybe even more impressive: The Patriots have had the same coordinators in place since the start of the 2012 season, a stretch of six seasons. No other team in the NFL has managed to keep their head coach, offensive coordinator and defensive coordinator in the same positions in that same stretch of time. While many people spend time trying to figure out the secret to New England’s run of success — team-building, personnel, on-field execution, the quarterback — continuity remains an overlooked part of what has made the franchise great.

2. Got a few folks asking me what the mood and tone was like in the locker room this week, and it was relatively uneventful. There are some weeks where you can feel some discontent or some unease. Other than a mildly testy exchange with backup quarterback Brian Hoyer about Tom Brady’s situation — who looked and sounded tired of responding to the same question three or four different ways before abruptly cutting off a session with the media — it was pretty much business as usual in the New England locker room this week. They were not buying into the drama, either around Jacksonville’s confidence or the Brady hand issue. There was more media on the scene (Rob Gronkowski emerged from his Wednesday press conference wide-eyed at the number of reporters who had gathered in the media workroom), but it didn’t appear to shake the Patriots too much. We’ll see how they respond come Sunday.

3. Four Brady stats for you to ponder...

a) The Jaguars had the NFL’s second-ranked scoring defense this season. According to NFL Research, Brady has faced a Top 2 scoring defense in the playoffs three times (the 2014 Seahawks, 2004 Eagles and 2004 Steelers), and is 3-0 in those games with a passer rating better than 100 on each one of those occasions.

b) Another one from NFL Research: Sunday will mark the fourth meeting between the No. 1 passes and No. 1 pass defense in a playoff game since 1990. The pass defense is 3-0 in those games.

c) On Sunday, Brady can become the first quarterback in postseason history to record four consecutive games with at least 300 yards and multiple touchdown passes. Right now, he’s tied with Matt Ryan, Drew Brees, Jim Kelly and Dan Fouts, all of whom had three consecutive games.

d) Even though we’ve used this one several times before, if Brady wins Sunday, he’d become the first starting quarterback age 40 or older to reach the Super Bowl.

4. With the incredibly puzzling news this week that the Jets fired offensive coordinator John Morton — the New York offense certainly overachieved this season — it appears likely that all four teams in the AFC East will have new offensive coordinators in 2018. Provided the Patriots lose McDaniels, there’s Morton’s departure from the Jets (likely to be replaced by Jeremy Bates), as well as Clyde Christensen stepping aside in Miami (he was replaced by Dowell Loggains) and the Bills moving from Rick Dennison to Brian Daboll. Don’t look for wholesale offensive reboots on all four teams, but the fact that all four jobs are going to turnover at the same time is interesting.

5. Not to get too far ahead of ourselves, but it was announced this week that Gene Steratore will work as the lead official for Super Bowl LII. Steratore has always had a pretty good relationship with the Patriots — the last seven New England games where he’s worked as a referee, the Patriots are 5-2. This past season, he was the referee for the Oct. 22 win at home over Atlanta, as well as the Dec. 3 win over the Bills in Buffalo. For more on Steratore's history as an official, check out his page here.

6. Good to see good guys LeGarrette Blount and Chris Long reach the NFC title game in their first season with the Eagles. Both were great locker room guys, serving as key pieces of last year’s Patriots. The 31-year-old Blount saw his role shrink slightly over the course of the 2017 season, but he still finished with 766 yards on 173 carries (4.4 yards per carry) and two touchdowns in the regular season. He added a rushing touchdown in the divisional playoff win over the Falcons. As for Long, the 32-year-old defensive end had five sacks this season, and continues to do more charity work than just about anyone in the NFL. He’s also one of the driving forces behind the dog masks that have become so popular in Philadelphia with the underdog Eagles. "If people want to show up in dog masks and it's like 'The Purge' out here minus the violence on Sunday, that would be awesome," Long said to Turron Davenport of The Eagles Wire. "Just that creepy vibe at the Linc." (Of course, given his experience with masks in New England last year, it’s probably not a coincidence he’s played a sizable role in helping spark sales in the run up to the NFC championship game.)

7. Mel Kiper dropped his first mock draft this week, which means that it’s officially pre-draft season. We ran down a few mock draft updates a week or two ago, but here’s a look at what some pundits think the Patriots will do if they keep their pick at the end of the first round.

Kiper, ESPN: DE Rasheem Green, USC
Kiper: “Green was absolutely unblockable in the second half of the season, finishing with 10 sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss. He could play tackle in a 4-3 defense or end in a 3-4, which is probably what he’d be for New England. At 6-4, 275 pounds, Green has a tremendous frame, and I think he’ll be impressive in workouts. Could New England think about a quarterback here? Tom Brady will be 41 when the 2018 season begins. The Patriots also will have a pick in the first half of the second round as a result of the Jimmy Garoppolo trade.”
Daniel Jeremiah, NFL Media: OT Mike McGlinchey, Notre Dame
Water Football: CB Mike Hughes, Central Florida
NFL Draft Scout: CB Jaire Alexander, Louisville
SB Nation: CB Carlton Davis, Auburn
CBS Sports: OLB Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, Oklahoma
San Diego Union-Tribune: CB Joshua Jackson, Iowa
Land of 10: RB Derrius Guice, LSU

8. Happy to hear our friend and former Patriot running back Kevin Faulk is close to landing a new gig with Louisiana State. Faulk, who has been a high school coach in Carencro, Louisiana the last few years, has to have his new job approved by the SEC to make sure he has no ties to current players or walk-ons, which could violate a new NCAA policy. But if he gets a thumbs-up, he would join his alma mater in a player-development type of role. Faulk is an Louisiana football legend — he’s LSU’s all-time leading rusher (4,557 yards). No LSU back has run for more touchdowns (46).

9. Last Saturday against the Titans, the Patriots were hit with four penalties for 37 yards, not counting flags that were offset or declined. Here’s a look at who was whistled for what:

DB Brandon King: 1 (unnecessary roughness on special teams), 15 yards
LB Nicholas Grigsby: 1 (offensive holding on special teams), 9 yards
DL Lawrence Guy: 1 (offensive holding on special teams), 8 yards
CB Eric Rowe: 1 (illegal contact), 5 yards

10. Picks this weekend? I’ve got the Patriots (23-13) and the Eagles (24-21). Enjoy the games, everyone.