Can Flores Fix First Down D?

If there’s a wheelhouse that fans and detractors of the New England Patriots’ defense love, it’s the “be more aggressive” angle and Mike Reiss nails it today taking a closer look at new de facto defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ presence at minicamp.

Quotes like this one from Dont’a Hightower are enough to give some fans a picture all-out Cover 0 blitzes coming on every down.

“Matty P and Flo are somewhat the same, but a little different at the same time. With the playcalling we’ve gotten so far, I definitely feel like we’re going to be more aggressive. Things are a little bit more simple, but it’s still a little bit different, and guys are learning bits and pieces of the defense. But so far, so good.”

The one thing I was never quite sure about with Matt Patricia was where Belichick ended and he began. The defense certainly evolved from the mid-2000’s, especially around 2012 where the switch to a mostly man-to-man defense took hold. Instead of off-the-line corners like Asante Samuel and Ellis Hobbs, who were quick and could pattern read, they actively pursued press man corners like Aqib Talib, Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner.

But for the last 17 years, the Patriots have primarily been a conservative defense, mostly content to play coverage, tackle well and wait for the other team to flame out. They’ll pick their spots with blitzes, sometimes, like 2014 with the Collins/Hightower Double A-Gap blitz, they’ll even make it a featured item.

Exploiting and winning one-on-one matchups up front is more what it’s about, rather than sending five or six rushers every single passing play. We have come to know, and hate, it as the Bend Don’t Break. That has always felt like Belichick more than the defensive coordinator.

Will Flores change this general philosophy? I’m not all that convinced, but what’s clear is that for a number of reasons, the 2017 Patriots defense was the one of the bendiest and break-iest under Belichick. Some adjustments must be made.

Personnel-wise it does not seem that the Patriots are ready to undergo a major scheme departure. The acquisition of Danny Shelton made that immediately clear. They’ll occupy the middle of the line with two big-bodied players that can eat up multiple blockers while the linebackers and edge players make the plays in space.

With Hightower, Derek Rivers and Harvey Langi returning, along with the signing of Adrian Clayborn, the playmakers of the Patriots defense should be far improved. Even more so if second-year players like Eric Lee and Dietrich Wise, along with re-signed vet Marquis Flowers take significant steps.

Right out of the box Flores has more players who can make plays up front to work with than Patricia had by the end of last season. But a good place for the Patriots to start? On first down, where they were passed on and gave up more yards than any other team in the NFL.

This goes hand in hand with the 2017 run defense’s DVOA nosedive from 4th in 2016 to 29th in 2017. Teams had success passing on first down, leaving them in ideal 2nd-and-4 situations where both the pass and run are on the table. Fixing the defense starts on first down.

When we talk about “aggressive” defenses we usually focus on how much they send blitzes, but that’s not what the Patriots really need. Their aggression needs to win the battle in the trenches on first down.

If Flores can stoke that fire and match it with his playcalls the 2018 Pats defense should be a lot better.