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Patriots coach Bill Belichick admitted last week that he really won't know the true identity of his team until “five or six weeks” into the regular season. However, that doesn't mean he's not focusing on the main goal during that time.
In an interview with WEEI's “The Greg Hill Show” on Tuesday, Belichick emphasized the importance of still winning games while figuring out the identity of the Patriots during the opening stretch of the season.
“We’re not going out there trying to have a science lab experiment,” Belichick said. “We’re trying to go out there and win games. I think as you play games and compete against other teams, you see maybe where your strengths are, and where teams are trying to attack you and how you’re holding up in those areas.
“We’re trying to go out there and be as competitive as we can, but at the same time we’re trying to take a close look at what’s happening and how it’s all playing out.”
The Patriots' first test in figuring out their identity while also trying to win games comes on Sunday, when they open the regular season in Miami against the Dolphins. New England has struggled against Miami in its last five matchups, going just 1-4. The Dolphins also made a big offseason acquisition that Belichick knows needs extra attention when his defense is on the field.
“We all know that [Tyreek] Hill is a very explosive player, can score from anywhere on the field and has game-breaking speed that we see from time to time, but it’s relatively rare. So, we'll certainly have to be aware of him,” Belichick said in an early assessment of the Dolphins.
Hill has put up tremendous performances against the Patriots in four regular-season games against them, recording 24 receptions for 401 yards and five touchdowns. Most of those games though came with Patrick Mahomes throwing to him. Sunday will be the debut of the Tua Tagovailoa-Hill partnership, and while the Dolphins quarterback isn't as accomplished as Mahomes, he's also had success against the Patriots. Tagovailoa has won all three starts he's against the Patriots in his career.
Tyreek Hill played just 3 snaps in the preseason, but in his first, he caught a 51-yard deep ball from Tua Tagovailoa.
A reminder of what the Patriots must contend with in Sunday’s season opener. pic.twitter.com/n2W4lzeV7B
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) September 5, 2022
In addition to Tagovailoa, the Dolphins return second-year receiver Jaylen Waddle, who caught a touchdown in each game against the Patriots last season. Belichick is cognizant that the Patriots can't just focus on Hill, even if he's the most explosive player on Miami's offense.
“Good receivers, good quarterback, tight end, and a big emphasis on the running game with their offensive line,” Belichick said. “So it’s not just one guy to stop, we’ll have to be competitive all the way across the board and play good team defense.”
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Hill isn't the only one making his Dolphins debut on Sunday, either. Mike McDaniel officially begins his head coaching career on Sunday. Belichick shared his initial impressions on the former 49ers offensive coordinator and how he might make the Dolphins' receivers even better.
“Well the last two years, the 49ers have led the league in yards after catch. So they get a lot of yards after the ball is in the receivers' hands,” the Patriots coach said. “A lot of emphasis on the zone running game. So again, things that we've seen from Kyle [Shanahan] and even before that from Mike Shanahan. But game plan team, creates different things each week for the new opponent, multiple types of runs.
“It's not all zone runs by any stretch, and they use all their players, receivers, tight ends whether it's [George] Kittle or whoever as part of the running game, or RPO, which is kind of an extended – it's pass play – but it's kind of an extended part of the running game. Outside screens and bubble passes, and things like that.
“So they do a good job of attacking the entire field and play actions come off the running game and of course they've added a lot of speed to their team with the two backs, [Cedrick] Wilson, Hill, of course they already had Waddle. So I don't know. It's an explosive offense that has a balance of running game, play action, mobile quarterback and deep ball, explosive play threats.”
Jaylen Waddle makes a great play to score his first career touchdown pic.twitter.com/oroEAMXFVs
— Ben Brown 🌻 (@BenBrownPL) September 12, 2021
With the talent Miami has at receiver, New England's reshuffled corner room will get a real test to open the season. Jalen Mills is expected to be the No. 1 corner on the outside, but Hill and Waddle have done a lot of their damage in the slot. Whether the Patriots adjust and have Mills line up in the slot against the two speedsters or they insert third-round rookie Marcus Jones into the starting lineup to match speed-for-speed remains to be seen.
However they decide to lineup against the Dolphins' receivers, Belichick and the Patriots will take a step closer to learning the identity of his team.
