Patriots ‘Doubling Down’ On Culture? Colin Cowherd Expresses Concerns

The New England Patriots will look and act differently in 2022. The team made some changes to the roster and new members joined the coaching staff. Head coach Bill Belichick didn’t make too many moves early in the offseason, but he is fine with the current situation in New England. Colin Cowherd had some concerns about the Patriots culture though.

The FS1 host believes that Belichick’s team doesn’t fit in the modern NFL. Fans are pretty shocked because Cowherd is one of the greatest Patriots fans nowadays.

“One of the things I always loved about the New England Patriots: They were ahead of the league on stuff,” Cowherd said on FS1. ” … Now, I feel like they’ve fallen in love with themselves and their culture, and I don’t understand what they’re doing.”

New England is doubling down on culture…

"Remember when I used to love the Patriots? They were ahead of the league on stuff… They're not viable anymore." — @ColinCowherd pic.twitter.com/Ubn6nIeIlA

— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) May 24, 2022

This doesn’t mean that Cowherd will stop supporting the Patriots. He is just having some concerns about the team, that’s all.

It all started with the departure of Josh McDaniels. The former Patriots offensive coordinator left the team and got himself a new job. He is the new head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders. McDaniels’ departure may affect the upcoming season and Belichick has yet to name his new OC. The Patriots said they won’t have an offensive coordinator this season. Will Belichick call plays?

Patriots culture changed?

Cowherd is really concerned about the Patriots coaching staff and the changes Belichick made so far.

“The Patriots are somewhere in the middle — like, I don’t get it, but I kind of do and I don’t want any part of it,” Cowherd said. “Which is: They don’t have an offensive coordinator. They have, probably next to Green Bay, the weakest wide receiving corps in the league, as the league pivots and transitions to a more weapons-based league because of rules (and) regulations on what you can do defensively.

“Like, I get what they’re doing — doubling down on their culture — but when your quarterback, Mac Jones, doesn’t have the ability athletically — and this is indisputable — to make plays off-script, and you also have among the weakest playmakers off-script, how do you win? You become a 1979 NFL team. You have to score on long, ball-controlling drives. Kansas City can do that. And so can Buffalo and the Chargers and the Rams and the Packers, but they can also score quickly.

“New England has very little chance to go over the top, make plays with their feet, a super-fast wide receiver beats coverage. They can score one way, they’re not going to win shootouts regularly, they already can’t get Josh Allen off the field. The last time they played, he didn’t punt in his 10 possessions — eight, 10, 11, whatever it was. So, like, I don’t get it. I don’t get not re-signing J.C. Jackson. I don’t get not having an offensive coordinator. It’s the OTAs. He’s young. No OC? They’re going to struggle to play from behind.”

There’s more.

Questionable draft moves

Cowherd has some issues with Belichick’s draft picks. Team owner Robert Kraft wants the Patriots to win a title. He is not happy with the fact that the team hasn’t won anything since 2018. Belichick didn’t have too much money this offseason and Cowherd is concerned about the speed of the new team.

“The draft was weird. They’re not fast enough. They let go of their elite corner. It feels like they’re doubling down on culture,” Cowherd said. “That’s the Spurs, right? They’re not viable anymore. You’ve got to have stars. You’ve got to have easy buckets. Got to have easy touchdowns. You don’t want to have to out-brilliant people every week.”