Pretty early on in their Super Bowl LIII match up with the Rams, Patriots offensive coordinator (and current Raiders head coach) Josh McDaniels knew it wasn't going to be one of those games where they're able to put 32 on the board.
To win on the game's biggest stage that night, it was going to be a grind.
"I think the realization happened for us somewhere in the middle or toward the end of the third quarter, where it was like, we need A DRIVE."
"Forget about the game plan for a second and let's see what we can come up with based on what has happened in the game that we might be able to put in, or adjust, that would give us a chance to have some easier plays and have some match ups that are in our favor."
In this clip on NFL Turning Point that has been recirculating on social media, McDaniels went on to share the thought process on a critical drive with about 10 minutes on the clock in the fourth quarter.
That's where they drew up a play on the sideline that they'd never even practiced (per this insight from Michael Hurley from CBS Boston), and the result was a mismatch on Rob Gronkowski that turned into a perfectly executed 18-yard gain.
From there, the Patriots got in 22 personnel to keep the Rams base defense on the field, but went with an empty backfield to run what most know as "Hoss Y-Juke" three straight times. The result was a methodical march down the field to set up the game's only touchdown and cap a 13-3 Super Bowl victory.
To get there, McDaniels had the foresight to scrap the game plan they had spent weeks on, and react to what the Rams defense was doing to them that night.
Pretty remarkable.
Hear more from McDaniels about that drive in the clip.
Adapt or Die… pic.twitter.com/QVsPYsHFro
— Dub Maddox (@CoachDubMaddox) July 7, 2022