Belichick says not to worry about offensive play-calling duties after Patricia, Judge split job in Patriots' preseason opener
FOXBORO -- The biggest -- and most heated -- topic from Patriots training camp hasn't revolved around the players, but the coaches on the sideline. Who the heck is going to call offensive plays for Mac Jones and company this season?
It's kind of a big deal with Jones heading into his second NFL season. But with no named offensive coordinator following Josh McDaniels' departure for Las Vegas, and Bill Belichick remaining silent on the matter, we're left wondering if the play-calling duties will fall on Matt Patricia or Joe Judge.
It looks like the gig will eventually go to Patricia, who earned the title of senior football advisor/offensive line coach for the season. Patricia handled the duties to open Thursday night's exhibition tilt, calling plays while veteran backup Brian Hoyer was in the game.
But then a new wrinkle was added the great mystery, with Judge taking over play-calling duties when rookie Bailey Zappe was inserted into the game. Judge, who was named an offensive assistant/quarterbacks coach, spent his time with New England's quarterbacks when the defense was on the field. Patricia worked with the offensive line when the defense was doing their thing throughout the game.
Though Jones didn't play, it's likely that Patricia would have been calling the plays on offense when he was in there. That is just a guess though, because Belichick didn't want to discuss the matter following the 23-21 defeat.
"Don't worry about that," he said. "We'll work it out."
Of the 15 questions that Belichick was asked after the game, nine of them revolved around his offensive coaching plan. But if Belichick has made a decision, he's keeping it under wraps.
"We're going through a process. Just like everything else on this team," he said.
Asked about the Patricia-Judge split during the game, Belichick would only say that he saw it as "a good opportunity for us to do that."
"We did a lot of things in this game that are going to be beneficial in the long run, whether it was on the coaching staff, playing time, players that played and so forth," he added. "That's all part of the process."
While Belichick remains coy on the matter, it appears the job will eventually belong to Patricia. Hoyer and the offense scored a touchdown on their second drive of the game, with the quarterback finding rookie Tyquan Thornton in the back of the end zone to cap off an eight-play, 55-yard drive.
Zappe struggled in his first few drives against an NFL (preseason) defense, but calmed down a bit in the second half and finished his evening 19-for-32 for 205 yards, a touchdown, and an interception.
We could (maybe) get some more clarity on the situation next Friday, when Jones will likely take the field for the first time this preseason when the Patriots host the Carolina Panthers. That is, unless Belichick wants to keep everyone outside of Gillette Stadium guessing.
