3-Point Stance: Josh McDaniels’ diversified offense gets Patriots back on track

The New England Patriots' offensive performance significantly improved in their Week 4 victory against the Buffalo Bills, overcoming the recent struggles that had them ranked near the bottom of the NFL in scoring. The key to this resurgence was a more diversified game plan implemented by offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. One major change was the increased use of pre-snap motion, which saw a 21.3% increase from the previous three contests.

This move made it difficult for the Bills to predict whether quarterback Drake Maye would pass or hand off the ball, providing a significant advantage. By incorporating play-action 15% more often, the Patriots appeared deceptive and forced opposing defenders to respect the pass even when the offense lined up to run. The resulting higher success rate on both passing and running plays, coupled with improved performance from Maye, resulted in a convincing 29-26 victory, displaying a more dynamic and productive offense.