B-Side Sports
“His system is pretty much all systems in one.”
Brian Hoyer has spent more time working with New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels than any other OC in the league during his career, though he and McDaniels didn’t work together until Hoyer’s ninth NFL season.
That’s why the former Patriots quarterback, who also worked with McDaniels during the latter’s head coaching stint with the Las Vegas Raiders, feels confident the longtime Pats offensive coach is the right man to get Drake Maye and the rest of the unit up to speed in his third go-round in Foxborough.
“I’ve played in every offensive system. And … if you transported me back to rookie year right now and said, ‘With all the knowledge you have, what offense would you pick,?’ I’d always pick this one,” Hoyer said on Episode 24 of “The Quick Snap.”
That might surprise people who have a more tepid view of McDaniels as a coordinator and play-caller, believing his success was primarily an artifact of working with Tom Brady for so long. Or it might not be surprising given Hoyer’s familiarity with McDaniels.
But wherever you call on that spectrum, McDaniels’s offense does offer some intriguing possibilities for Maye and the Patriots. For one thing, his chameleonic tendencies might be perfect for a team in the middle of creating a new identity.
“The one thing about Josh is his system is pretty much all systems in one. It’s just a matter of, “What players do we have this year? How are we gonna benefit them the most?” Hoyer explained.
While the buzz phrase “offensive system” often suggests a set philosophy coaches adhere to and hammer into their teams, McDaniels has typically shown a willingness to adjust gameplans from week to week depending on what opposing defenses like to do.
“The West Coast system — and I’ve had more success as a player in the West Coast system than I did in any other system — you do what you do. You’re going to be really good at your plays. You’re gonna dress them up a certain way. You’re gonna run them every week,” Hoyer added.
“As far as Josh is concerned, it’s [about] what the defense gives you. Are we playing a team that plays a lot of man? OK, we’re going to run a lot of man-beaters this week. We’re not gonna run a bunch of pass plays that aren’t good against man.”
While this philosophy can backfire when an opposing team throws curveballs at you, McDaniels has also proven on the biggest stages that he can adapt his offense in-game as well.
Beyond that, the new-old Patriots OC has also designed offenses that made Cam Newton and Mac Jones serviceable in 2020 and 2021 after Brady left the Patriots for Tampa Bay, so he’s not “just” a Brady merchant.
What’s more: even when Brady was around at the end of his career, McDaniels showed a determined commitment to running the football and maintaining balance in play-calling. From 2016 to 2021, the Patriots ranked among the top 10 in rushing attempts in five out of six seasons — the only outlier was 2017 (11th in rushing attempts). Especially with Maye still developing, being able to run the football effectively can keep pressure off the young Patriots quarterback — and open up big-play opportunities down the field.
Plus, with a diverse offensive coaching staff under McDaniels that includes assistants from a variety of different systems, New England should be able to coach up just about anything.
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