Patriot Games Media

Over the years, the New England Patriots have employed numerous strategies to make them one of the most respected teams on the field. Under the coaching of Bill Belichick, this strategy has been cemented into what can be considered an artor, as some commentators, have noted, military training. Belichick is closely tied to the Naval Academy, and former coach Bill Parcells also coached the Army team for four years.OffenseThe current offense for the Patriots is a modified Ron Erhardt-Ray Perkins system. Both men were assistant coaches to Chuck Fairbanks during his 1970s tenure with the team. The system is epitomized by a small number of basic plays with multiple variations, whether in formation or grouping. The Patriots system has sometimes been called a “smash mouth offense,” focused on increasing possession by maximizing runs. However, the team has also been known to focus on its passing game, often with up to five potential receivers. Wes Welker and formerly Randy Moss are instrumental in this offensive system.DefenseThe Patriots’ defensive system is a modified 3-4 Chuck Fairbanks-Hank Bullough model. Utilizing three defensive linemen and four each of linebackers and defensive backs, this system is focused on giving the defense the flexibility to adapt to whatever comes at them. Patriots players are notoriously versatile, and linebackers especially often shift their roles to rattle the opposition. As is evident from the name of the system, this type of defense has been adapted by a number of different coaches, starting with Fairbanks in 1974who adapted it from Bud Wilkinson’s University of Oklahoma defense in the 1940s.Don’t think that this information will give away any secrets to defeating the team. The Patriots have proven their ability to adapt their style to maximize their advantage against certain teams, such as in a victory against St. Louis back in 2002. Then-linebacker Tedy Bruschi said, “The one thing Belichick stressed was to try to keep them guessing. If you get predictable against an offense that’s as explosive as that one, they’re going to make plays, because they’ll pick up on your tendencies as the game goes on. So part of our plan was to have no set tendencies at all. And it worked out pretty well, didn’t it?”The answer, both then and more than eight years later, is a resounding, “Yes.”