The Patriots have shown a multitude of different looks on defense over the years as the unit has morphed time and again to make the best use of the players on hand and confuse opposing offenses that aren’t looking for curveballs.
On Monday night, Eagles offensive coordinator Frank Reich was asked what it’s like to face a team that doesn’t have a defensive “DNA” and said that his unit “has to be prepared for” that kind of unexpected look from the Patriots in Super Bowl LII.
“That trait is in and of itself a DNA. We’re a little bit the same way in how we do things. In some respects, there are some core things to what we do and then in other respects every week is a new week. We’re gonna attack each week differently both in the run game and in the pass game. ... You can adapt quickly. You don’t wait until halftime to adapt. You have to adapt series by series.”
Reich said that having two weeks between games has been helpful on that front because he’s been able to spend about 80 percent of his time preparing for what he’s seen from New England while still having time to be ready for things that might be coming from a different angle.