{"id":105995,"date":"2022-06-21T22:09:10","date_gmt":"2022-06-22T02:09:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.clnsmedia.com\/?p=105995"},"modified":"2022-06-21T22:48:17","modified_gmt":"2022-06-22T02:48:17","slug":"lazar-breaking-down-key-differences-in-a-potential-shift-for-patriots-to-shanahan-style-offense","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.clnsmedia.com\/lazar-breaking-down-key-differences-in-a-potential-shift-for-patriots-to-shanahan-style-offense\/","title":{"rendered":"Lazar: Breaking Down Key Differences in a Potential Shift for Patriots to Shanahan-Style Offense"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Patriots\u2019 offense\u2019s roots haven\u2019t changed since Bill Belichick\u2019s first season as the head coach nearly 22 years ago.<\/span><\/p>\n

Former offensive coordinator Charlie Weis installed the foundational elements in New England\u2019s Erhardt-Perkins system, which typically uses multiple formations and personnel groupings with a smash-mouth running game married to downhill play-action and a highly-sophisticated, option-route-based passing attack.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Over the years, Josh McDaniels and Bill O\u2019Brien have added plays and adapted the scheme to the team\u2019s best offensive personnel. For example, McDaniels revolutionized the game with the 2007 Patriots playing three wide receivers to run its offense through Hall of Famer Randy Moss and All-Pro slot receiver Wes Welker. Then, O\u2019Brien installed more tempo, spread, and two-tight end elements to utilize Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez in the early 2010s.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

New play designs were added, such as the famous HOSS Y\/Z Juke (Michael Jordan) and New England\u2019s \u201cCharles Barkley\u201d play-action concept mimicked their power runs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

However, the system’s play-calling verbiage and general outline haven\u2019t changed since Weis led a young Tom Brady to three Super Bowl championships in the first phase of the dynasty.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Heading into a season without an official offensive coordinator for the first time since 2010, Belichick and current Patriots players have spoken about \u201cstreamlined\u201d terminology offensively.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Although Belichick noted the team cleans up its verbiage every few years on both sides of the ball, the players seem to feel it\u2019s a noticeable change to a more simplified play-calling system.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThey took out a little bit of thinking for us. They kind of dumbed it down a little bit so everybody can play faster,\u201d starting offensive tackle Isaiah Wynn told reporters earlier this month.<\/span><\/p>\n

Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne went as far as calling it a \u201cnew system\u201d with \u201cnew terminology\u201d for New England under top offensive assistants Joe Judge and Matt Patricia.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Along with simplifying the play-calling, the Patriots also increased their usage of Shanahan tree-style concepts during June\u2019s minicamp and spring OTA practices.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Unlike the Pats\u2019 traditional downhill rushing attack, Shanahan and his disciples stress the defense by horizontally stretching the field with outside zone runs and bootleg actions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Sources within the organization were quick to downplay a seismic shift in the scheme, but one source pointed to Belichick\u2019s mutual respect for the Shanahan\u2019s and their style of offense. For years, a source said, Belichick has toyed with the idea of mimicking the Shanahan system.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As of now, we can chalk a practice circuit filled with outside zone and bootleg drills up to spring experimentation, but it\u2019s certainly worth noting the noticeable shift in philosophy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s go over the main differences between New England\u2019s traditional offensive system and the outside zone craze that is taking over the NFL:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

OUTSIDE ZONE RUNS VS. DOWNHILL RUN SCHEMES\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

The basis of the entire Shanahan coaching tree is its early-down sequencing with an outside zone rushing attack and under-center play-action passes creating explosive plays.<\/span><\/p>\n

Outside zone runs aim to horizontally stretch defenses to create space and cutback lanes for ball carriers.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to Pro Football Focus, only 10.3 percent of the Patriots\u2019 rushing plays last season were outside zone concepts. Instead, the Patriots majored in power, counter, and lead schemes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Under Mike Shanahan’s protege Sean McVay, the Rams led the NFL by utilizing outside zone blocking schemes en route to a Super Bowl title.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n