The Patriots defense is off to a historic start, having allowed only 40 points in their first eight games. And they've done it without a defensive coordinator.
As has been Bill Belichick's custom recently (as in last season with then-linebackers coach-now-Dolphins coach Brian Flores), there's no coordinator per se, but a defensive play-caller. Who that was this season - among Belichick, first-year inside linebackers coach Jerod Mayo and secondary coach Steve Belichick - has been unclear.
Steve Belichick, the head coach's son, has been calling defensive plays for weeks, multiple Patriots players confirmed to the Boston Herald.
Mayo, who has garnered significant attention in his first season on the coaching staff, was calling the plays in the preseason but according to the Herald's Andrew Callahan, "passed the play sheet over to his old film room partner" in the regular season. The story chronicles how Mayo, as an injured linebacker, and the younger Belichick, as a coaching assistant, had spent a lot of time together in previous seasons looking at film together.
That's not to say that there couldn't be someone else looking over their shoulders. More from Callahan's story:
Bill Belichick remains ever-observant on the sideline, jotting notes and getting a feel for the game. Whenever he deems necessary, the head man will turn from the field and address his defense with an adjustment.
New England Patriots
Safe to assume that even with one defensive play-caller, maneuvering the NFL's best defense remains a collaborative effort.
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