Old Wave vs. New Wave: Brady-Belichick vs. Goff-McVay
Fifty years is the difference in the combined age gap between New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick (66 years old) and quarterback Tom Brady (41 years old) to Rams head coach Sean McVay (33 years old) and quarterback Jared Goff (24 years old).
This game features the largest age gap between opposing quarterbacks and opposing head coaches in Super Bowl history. This is the epitome of an old wave of coaching and playing quarterback versus a new wave of coaching and playing quarterback.
On one end you’ve got the old guys that have run things for nearly two decades, while on the other side are the new upcoming faces of the NFL.
So, what is this new wave versus old wave thing? Is it coaching philosophies? Well, sort of. When comparing the identities of these two teams offensively there is a difference.
For the Rams, their offense is based on play action and taking multiple shots down the field. It’s setting up defenders for one thing and then doing something completely different.
The Rams offense imposes its will on opposing defenses. The Rams know what they do well, and they will just shove that down your throat until you stop it.
New England, on the other hand, are all about the underneath passing game and getting the ball out of Brady’s hand fast. It’s quick routes that allow tons of yards after the catch. Sprinkle in the run game with Sony Michel, who follows behind the fullback James Devlin, and you’ve got the gist of what the Patriots do offensively.
The biggest thing about their offense is that, unlike the Rams, the Patriots look for your biggest weakness defensively and exploit it to the absolute maximum.
However, this new wave versus old wave thing isn’t just coaching philosophies, but it’s also the way these locker rooms are run.
For the Rams, Coach McVay is energetic. He chants along with the team and will even dance around with his players. McVay lets the big personalities that are all over the Rams roster be themselves.
Meanwhile, Belichick is very old school. You show up, you work hard and you do your job. No nonsense, no distractions, you simply come to work and get better. The way these locker rooms are run by the two coaches couldn’t be more different.
Now, the Rams have changed the way the NFL plays offense and why no one can figure out how to stop the machine that is Sean McVay’s system. The Rams are two steps ahead of everyone. They’re always innovating and staying ahead of the competition.
The reason why Bill Belichick and Tom Brady have been a dynasty for 17 years now is that the Patriots are two steps ahead of everyone.
These teams are always thinking outside the box and coming up with game plans and plays that no one has ever seen before. Sure Belichick is 33 years older than McVay, but that being said what makes these coaches great is exactly the same thing.
What makes Brady a legend and Goff a young superstar is the same thing, they know how to run their systems perfectly. They can make the big throws and have the clutch moments that are the difference between winning and losing. A 17-year age difference between Goff and Brady doesn’t change those similarities.
Sure, these coaches and quarterbacks came from different eras and were developed much differently than each other. That being said, it doesn’t matter how old or how young you are. If you aren’t innovative and ahead of the game like these two teams are, then good luck trying to win a Lombardi Trophy.
Mitch Broder is a freshman majoring in journalism. To contact him, email mub584@psu.edu.
