The New England Patriots might be the surprise of the NFL so far. I know Titans fans aren’t feeling any joy watching Mike Vrabel turn that Patriots program around in a single season, but hey – credit where it’s due. That staff has done a fantastic job. Particularly, I’m looking at offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and the way he’s leveraging Drake Maye’s strengths to make big plays down the field. Not only is Maye a surprising entrant into the MVP race, but he’s emerged as one of the best deep ball throwers in the NFL this season. This 39-yard touchdown to Kayshon Boutte is a fantastic example of the intersection between arm talent and good scheme.
Well-executed deception is a surefire way to create explosives in the NFL. I’m a sucker for smoke and mirrors, and a lot of successful offenses in the NFL leverage misdirection to their advantage. In essence, can you hit your opponent with an okie doke? Can you pull their shirt over their head and punch them in the face when they can’t see it coming? That’s the secret sauce, man!
And, the Patriots pull it off here. The way this thing looks like the dagger concept before both outside receivers turn up field is a thing of beauty. I mean, I’m just watching this tape for fun (I’m a Titans fan – I’d like to watch good offense every once in awhile so I don’t completely kill my love of football this season) and sitting up in my chair when I notice how this concept worked that safety and cornerback.
The fact that these Boutte can sell this so well and still plant and get up field quickly is a testament to his explosiveness. He’s improved greatly as a route runner this season, and he’s emerging as a dependable weapon for Maye. But, it’s how he’s thriving in this scheme that serves as a testament to the importance of coaching. When you got a good one, you feel the boost. The Patriots got a good one in McDaniels. I’ll be curious to see if Maye gets any real MVP love this season because based on the teams I’ve watched so far, he absolutely deserves to be in the conversation.
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, second on Football & Other F Words, analyst for Stacking The Inbox, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD, #BeBetter, and ‘Minds right, asses tight.’ “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, the NFL Draft, Nashville, Yankee Candle, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley.
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