Just because he’s back for a third tour as offensive coordinator, New England Patriots fans shouldn’t expect more of the same from Josh McDaniels. Especially when the play-caller is already making a major change to a core part of his system for the 2025 NFL season.
The change concerns how the Patriots will move the ball on the ground. Although McDaniels was long tethered to power-based principles and hat-on-hat blocking during previous stints on the headset, he’s been calling something different this preseason.
Differences were noticed by Patriots.com Staff Writer Evan Lazar, who pointed out “this iteration of the McDaniels offense is incorporating more outside zone run schemes rather than the downhill/gap runs we are accustomed to seeing from McDaniels. In the past, the Pats majored in downhill concepts such as lead (ISO), power, counter/trap, and gap/duo schemes – smash-mouth football.”
McDaniels leaned into more zone-style runs during the 20-12 victory over the Minnesota Vikings in preseason Week 2 on Saturday, August 16, when Lazar noted, “half, or 4-of-8, run plays while Maye was under center were outside zone schemes. The Pats mixed in duo and lead/lead draw plays, but it’s becoming clearer that outside zone will be more prominent this season. For reference, outside zone is where the blockers take a lateral step at a 90-degree angle toward the sideline to flow horizontally to the line of scrimmage. The running back can turn the corner or cut the run back through the middle.”
There are several compelling reasons why a shift toward zone rushing concepts makes sense for the Patriots. The best of those reasons involves personnel.
Patriots Have Right Players for Zone Shift
Perhaps the catalyst for a new-look running game occurred when the Pats used a second-round pick in the 2025 NFL draft to select TreVeyon Henderson. The former Ohio State running back possesses genuine scheme- and game-changing speed, along with the one-cut-and-go agility to turn zone and stretch plays into huge gains.
Henderson’s touchdown against the Vikings was a terrific example of a zone-stretch play. It was initially designed to attack the edge of the defense, before allowing the rookie runner to cut back against the grain.
The play meant Henderson demonstrated the “vision/patience/balance/burst that makes him a complete back,” according to ESPN’s Mina Kimes.
Kimes’ reference to this year’s fourth-overall pick, left tackle Will Campbell, was also telling. He’s been a concern in pass protection, but as Lazar pointed out, “Campbell is a dynamic zone blocker who can generate movement as a centerpiece in these schemes (third-round C/G Jared Wilson is also a fit for outside zone).”
Having two first-year linemen better on the move and in space makes a zone scheme the right choice for the Patriots. Especially when McDaniels’ O-linemen on the edge proved adept at running the scheme during his time as head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders, something highlighted by Taylor Kyles of Patriots on CLNS.
Using the superior speed of Henderson and shifty veteran Antonio Gibson on runs designed to punish over-pursuing defenses can generate more big plays on the ground. The Patriots need those after mustering just nine runs of 20-plus yards last season.
Change may be bad news for incumbent bruising runner Rhamondre Stevenson, but McDaniels is making the right shift. Especially as it relates to better using the full skill-set of second-year quarterback Drake Maye.
Josh McDaniels Making Change to Suit Drake Maye
The zone-led running game suits Maye because, as Lazar explained, “along with being able to generate explosive runs, the play-action concepts that marry to zone run actions can be lethal.”
It’s about more than just building the play-action game, though. Things get exciting when zone-run looks are used to move the pocket. Maye “is a highly effective passer on the move, so the bootleg concepts would be a nice fit for him,” according to Lazar.
Maye is very different from what McDaniels was used to when Tom Brady and Mac Jones were his signal-callers. They were more comfortable standing tall in the pocket and following the script, but Maye is a mobile ad-libber prepared to chance his arm on off-platform throws.
Using running plays and looks better designed to give Maye opportunities to trust his legs and change throwing angles is a necessary concession McDaniels must make.
It starts with X’s and O’s, but also involves calling a ground game to fit what his most important skill players can do, rather than tying them into the straight-ahead power scheme McDaniels trusted for so long.
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