To say the New England Patriots experienced changes in the 2018 off-season is an understatement. The team lost countless key players but also lost longtime defensive coordinator Matt Patricia to the Detroit Lions. In his place, New England handed defensive play-calling duties to linebackers coach Brian Flores. Flores had never served in this capacity before, but after one week, he looks like the right man for the job.

Brian Flores Has Strong Debut as Defensive Play Caller

The New England Patriots defense did not have an easy opening matchup. Deshaun Watson had a fantastic rookie year, and players with his mobility have historically given the Patriots fits. Additionally, Houston has a top-five receiver in DeAndre Hopkins. Completely eliminating Hopkins from a game is impossible, so Flores needed to find a way to minimize his impact on the game.

The first-year play-caller answered the call against the Texans offense. Watson looked off all night long, as the Patriots managed to apply consistent pressure without sacrificing their edge integrity. The Patriots finished their night with three sacks, limiting Watson to 176 passing yards, 40 rushing yards, and a 62.9 quarterback rating.

Hopkins gave the Patriots trouble, but that’s somewhat unavoidable. Stopping a receiver that good for four quarters is an impossible task, no amount of scheme can take him away. The key to this game was limiting Hopkins’ impact, and the Patriots certainly managed to do that. In the first half, New England limited Hopkins to just one catch for ten yards.

How Real Was The Success?

The final numbers obviously look good, but what was the cause of this success? Did the impressive defensive performance come from the scheme, the players on the field, or the Texans offense just underperforming?

The answer is a combination of the three. Flores has simplified the defense from the complex scheme used by Matt Patricia. While this could lead to a more predictable defense down the line, the players are clearly more confident with this scheme. Everyone seemed to be playing faster, and nobody was out of position. These improvements are primarily due to the players having a better understanding of what to do on a snap-by-snap basis.

That said, Flores’ simplified play calling isn’t the sole reason for the perceived improvement. Based on talent alone, the Patriots defense right now is healthier and better than they ever were last year. Dont’a Hightower is finally healthy, and Ja’Whaun Bentley is better than any third linebacker the Patriots used last year. Additionally, the defensive line has added multiple players while also benefiting from the natural development of players like Deatrich Wise Jr.

Lastly, the Patriots defense benefitted from Watson and the Houston offense missing open opportunities. Watson, in particular, looked sloppy and didn’t appear to trust his knee throughout the game. He was slow on his reads and had scattershot accuracy. Watson has a bright future in this league, but the Patriots ran into Watson at a good time.

Last Word on Brian Flores and the Patriots Defense

We won’t know exactly how good this defense is until Week Three against the Detroit Lions. New England takes on the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week Two, led by the underwhelming Blake Bortles. It doesn’t take much to make Bortles look bad, especially when his weapons are injured.

It’s far too early to make any sweeping claims about Flores and this defense. However, there’s plenty of reason for cautious optimism. The defense played faster and there wasn’t a single busted coverage. The biggest thing to monitor moving forward is whether this defense can continue to succeed when opposing offenses aren’t making as many mistakes. Chances are, Blake Bortles will make mistakes. Matthew Stafford probably won’t.

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