CoachSpeak is back with yours truly. We heard from the assistants here on Tuesday morning. As several of them were taking place simultaneously, I couldn't be everywhere all at once. So, I focused on a few, including Bill O'Brien. As always, they use words, and I am here to interpret them uniquely.
Bill O'Brien being asked about Mac Jones, with the preface that quarterbacks tend to get too much credit for when a team wins and too much for when they lose.
"I think he did a really good job, and you know, he's only a third-year player. You're not talking about a guy that's been around for 12 years. He's been around for three years and not even three yet. And so, you know, every game is a learning situation for him, and certainly, he has a lot of experience relative to his rookie year and last year and those things, but, you know, he's still a young player. I think the guys around him did a great job, and I think that's really important… it's very much of a team game. We dealt with some adversity in the game as a team and we were able to come back; you know, he's the quarterback. He got us into the right plays on that last drive and did a really nice job, and the guys around him did a really nice job, whether it was the receivers, the tight ends, the backs - Hunter (Henry), Pop Douglas, Kendrick Bourne - whatever it was, the line up front, you can't do anything without the line up front. So everybody working together and I think that was that was a, you know, it was good for our team to do that. And now this week's a different game, and we got to get ready for this game."
Giardi interpretation: Let's not go putting Mac in the Hall of Fame just yet. There were many aspects of that game that O'Brien managed exceptionally well to keep his quarterback in more favorable situations. From snap to release, the Pats still operated quicker than any team in the NFL for a second straight week. Jones was again working throwing balls relatively close to the line of scrimmage, at just over 4 yards per clip. That number is obscenely low but also the best way to approach the offense, considering Mac's struggles down the field and how the offensive line has played. I think it's also O'Brien's way to remind us that there is more growth possible from the quarterback, so let's see what it looks like more down the road and if they can achieve the consistency that has eluded Jones for a majority of his career, and certainly since his rookie campaign.
I asked assistant wide receivers coach Ross Douglas about Demario Douglas's growth.
Douglas: "I'm gonna joke a little bit. He has the Douglas last name, and when you have that last name, you tend to get things done, you know what I mean? (jokes) He's really has matured as a runner. Not even in the past month, but since we drafted him and he stepped foot in his building back in May. So it's been truly a blessing to see him. It's been a blessing to work with him. Blessing to see him kind of just developing to go under the wings of veteran players like Juju, KB (Bourne), DP (Devante Parker), Hunter Henry, Mike Gesicki, and really learn what it takes to be a pro. We're still not where we need to be, but he's definitely heading in the right direction.
Question from your boy: How much can you see him picking up the nuances of it? If you're playing at Liberty, not to knock Liberty, but he's not playing nearly the same type of athletes and schemes he's playing now. So, it would seem like the little things matter a ton on this level.
Douglas: "The little things don't matter a ton, and I think he's learning that through experience because there's a couple plays - I'll pull out the Bradley Chubb example when he got punched out from behind - like you can make that cut maybe versus Akron University, but you might not be able to make that against the Miami Dolphins because you got to big werewolf coming to punch the ball out. So it's just through experience and through repetition he's continuing to learn, so with reps, hopefully, it continues to get better."
Giardi interpretation: Ross Douglas is a breath of fresh air. This isn't nuclear war. It is essential to all involved, but it is just football. So thank you to him. As for Pop, we've been screaming that he was their best receiver all summer and their best playmaker at that position when he's been on the field. Sunday was just a reaffirmation that this kid needs to continue to be heavily involved in the plan, whether working the slot or getting him to the edges via jet sweeps and reverses. He's a jackrabbit. Douglas said something postgame that made me smile - about how he doesn't want the first guy to bring him down - and my goodness, has he managed to make that a big part of who he is as a rookie. It's reminiscent of those little slot guys they've had. Mind you, there is a long way to go, but there are some promising signs.
Linebacker coach and head coach in waiting (?) Jerod Mayo was asked what the most underrated part of this explosive Miami Dolphins offense.
"The most underrated part of their offense… they have a lot of good players. I will say, you know, really, it's more if I want to bring up something that's underrated. It's just the scheme, which I would say - they scored seventy points in a game. So, I don't even know if they're underrated. They're very explosive. That's a pretty hard question to answer. They have a lot of weapons all over the field and obviously have a lot of speed. All those guys are elusive. But that's a tough question. I would say everything that you read about in regard to the Dolphins is true. It's true. There are no underrated aspects of that offense."
Giardi interpretation: These guys can embarrass you if you let them. And the Patriots approach the first time around was to play soft - with three safeties at times - to prevent the Fins from hitting big plays against them. But that didn't go over all that well with the players, and I would suspect some alterations made for this Sunday's tilt in Miami allow the talent to get after it a little more. I'll look at Philly's approach with some film study on Wednesday and what the Dolphins love to do and have had success with prior.
Mike Onwenu played right tackle against the Bills. Offensive line coach Adrian Klemm was asked if Onwenu would be back out there again this weekend.
Klemm: "We'll see how that goes. So, it all depends on what availability is for everybody across the board. So, with Cole (Strange) coming back and some of the things happening in our group, it afforded us the opportunity to put them out there. So if it gives us an advantage, to definitely did the last game, we'll continue to do that."
O'Brien weighed in as well:
"Mike's a very versatile guy. You know, Coach Belichick and myself, we talked about it. You're always trying to get the best five out there that you can. There have been various reasons throughout this season that there have been different combinations of guys, whether it's injury or whatever it might be, so this week, we felt like that was the best five. And you know, Mike played that as a rookie. He's played tackle. He's played guard. He's one of those rare guys that can do those things. And he did a nice job for us, and we'll see how it goes this week. But yeah, Mike was a guy that was definitely willing and able to do that."
Giardi interpretation: It seems as if O'Brien heard or read some of the talk that Onwenu didn't appear enthusiastic about the move, so he included that last line about "willing and able." The bottom line is that the Pats need the versatile lineman to stay out there. He is by far their best option now that the Riley Reiff/Calvin Anderson/Vederian Lowe trio has proven they can't handle business out there or can't stay healthy, or both. It also creates stability for a unit searching for it since July. There is—however, one thing to keep an eye on this week. Trent Brown left the game with what appeared to be a knee injury, and while he did return for the final game-winning drive, the left tackle was hobbled.
