Before we review the Chargers' game, a few early thoughts on the Texans, who will visit Gillette Stadium on Sunday night, starting with some family ties — football and blood — between both teams that could play a big role.
Josh McDaniels is set to face former assistants Nick Caley (offensive coordinator), Cole Popovich (offensive line), and Jerry Schupinski (senior offensive assistant), along with brother Ben McDaniels, for the first time in their careers. Caley (tight ends, eight years), Popovich (assistant offensive line, five years) and Schupinski (assistant quarterbacks, six years) studied under McDaniels with the Patriots. Schupinski was also with McDaniels with the Raiders. And, of course, you have Texans general manager Nick Caserio, who was the personnel chief under Bill Belichick for years, and was also in the coaching booth on gamedays. The Texans also have two other personnel staffers (including Shane Vereen) and seven former players with Patriots ties.
But I only really care about Caley, Schuplinski and Ben McDaniels, and here's why:
Offensive coaches around the league are always studying their counterparts around the league (Sean McVay, Kyle Shanahan, Ben Johnson and Josh McDaniels are popular) to see what they are doing, and what they might be able to copy — especially those from the same tree. I can almost guarantee you that Caley, Schuplinski and, especially, Ben McDaniels have been studying the Patriots' offensive film all season to see what Josh McDaniels has been up to, and what he's perhaps added to the attack, especially with a mobile quarterback in Drake Maye.
So they can go to head coach DeMeco Ryans and defensive coordinator Matt Burke and tell them, in great detail, which
