FOXBOROUGH - It’s always hard to balance what a team looks like in training camp practices and trying to project how the things you are seeing in that environment will actually play out when the games count.
For instance, in 2022, I (and many others) kept writing and talking about how disjointed the Matt Patricia/Joe Judge offense looked. In nearly three decades of covering this team/the league, I’d never seen a group look that incompetent. Lo and behold, that power dynamic - and the stupidity behind it - was the beginning of the end of the Bill Belichick era and Mac Jones’ time as the team’s quarterback (as well as Patricia and Judge).
But other examples run counter to what was observed at this time of year. Like, I never expected the Pats offense to be as prolific as it was a season ago, when it was top-5 in nearly every important modern metric used to evaluate the game. We may have stories to do today, but especially with new players/schemes, etc., you need to keep gathering evidence before you can reach a firm conclusion.
That’s why I have been hesitant to go full five-alarm fire on the running game, despite their inability to create noteworthy space for Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson. But since Sunday was our first time this summer speaking with offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, I asked him if it was difficult to gauge where they were in that regard. He went through it chapter and verse.
“It's always a little difficult to gauge this because you don't tackle the runner (in practice), which people sometimes forget,” he said. “Like the runner's a pretty big part of the running game. And getting them onto the ground is, in and of itself, not an easy thing to do. We got some good backs. They do things with the ball in their hands, and I know sometimes it looks like maybe the play was a three- or four-yard run, but it might not have been. It might have been bigger than that.
“I think all the other aspects of taking care of each other. We're not really trying to put people on the ground. We're certainly not cutting on the backside. You know, it was good to see us the other night in the game and get a couple. You get an opportunity to cut somebody because it's an actual football game, so there's certain things you have to continue to coach and work on without seeing them.
“But honestly, you never really know. You get to the regular season, and then I think that the last 10 years here, maybe even longer, have become one of the great challenges for coaches: the running game needs to be continued, a work in progress as we enter the regular season, September, October. I thought last year we made progress as the season went on, and I don't see this year being any different.”
Had McDaniels loved where they were, he would have said so. But there was also no panic. He has seen too much, over too many years, to start deciding the offense can do this but can’t do that. They’ll continue to drill, continue to craft and, as McDaniels noted, hope they are trending up as the season progresses.
This offense certainly has the pieces in place - assuming health - and because of the attention that will be paid to Drake Maye and the passing game, especially with newcomers A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs, there should be lighter boxes and more opportunities for the running game to show it will be capable of handling its share of the load. But as of right now - and that’s all we have to go on - it hasn’t, and that's something I'll continue to watch closely.
POPPING UP
Once again, Pop Douglas has had a terrific start to training camp, which is the norm for him. In fact, it’s been at this time every year that we wonder if this is Douglas’ year to break out and become the shifty little slot receiver Pats fans have grown up with and adore (Brown, Welker, Edelman).
But this year has a different feel to it. Douglas took multiple steps back from a production standpoint in year one of the McDaniels’ offense, and even though he’s almost always the third wideout in three-receiver sets this summer, he’s not getting nearly as much attention, lost behind the large shadows of Brown and Doubs.
But this may be the best role possible for Douglas. He’s not being asked to carry the passing attack like he was in ‘24, but he is being utilized as a more multi-leveled route runner. He is delivering on those opportunities, be it short, intermediate, or over-the-top.
“Last year, I would say the ingredients we had in the room - there were a couple of guys that maybe played in the same general role and spot, and maybe that's a little bit different this year,” wide receiver coach Todd Downing said. “Pop is an extremely talented and gifted playmaker, and a guy that we got to find opportunities to get the ball in his hands, and he continues to work hard and to work on decision-making within the routes and growing in the system. And as he does more of that, I'm glad to see him be rewarded with some production.”
One of the things that McDaniels and Downing have pushed Douglas to do is paint outside the lines more. No, that doesn’t mean freelance. It’s more about getting to where you’re supposed to be, but do it your way instead of, say, following the paint-by-numbers in the playbook.
“TD lets us be a little creative,” Douglas said. “Add your little spice to it. You don't want to do what is on a piece of paper, you know, because you're gonna have a different look on defense. It's gonna be a different look from different teams. … Do what you do, and go out there and play free. That's helping me play with more confidence.”
There’s no denying that. Douglas has been, from the beginning of camp through now, the most consistent of all the pass catchers. He gets open and catches what’s thrown his way, even some of the stuff further down the field that is more challenging for a player his size. Douglas’ feel for the game is also improving, allowing him to win with more than just quicks and speed.
“It's a maturation process, right? I think when you first start in a new system, you're learning the terminology, you're learning what the routes even are, and and then as you get more comfortable and you get more experience with some of the decision making, then you realize that okay, I can put a little artistry on this, I can I can put my own flavor on this,” Downing said, adding, “There’s trial and error as well. That's what training camp's for. Let's figure out if you can use a changeup release and still get there on time. Can you be physical without getting grabbed or putting yourself in a position to get knocked off your route? And all those things are things that Pop continues to improve at and excel at.”
It remains to be seen if Douglas will approach his 66-catch season of ‘24. In fact, it would seem unlikely considering who else will be in the huddle with him. But Vrabel told us this offseason they wanted to find more ways to get fourth-year pro the football, and to this point, he’s rewarding the coach’s confidence.