Alex Van Pelt is sticking to his guns.
The New England Patriots offensive coordinator appeared to catch a stray from his head coach after Sunday's loss to the Cardinals when Jerod Mayo replied, "You said it, not me" to a question wondering why the team didn't call a designed run for Drake Maye on a pair of failed short-yardage plays near Arizona's goal line.
Van Pelt instead dialed up back-to-back runs up the middle for running back Rhamondre Stevenson, which were both stuffed for no gain and resulted in a turnover on downs. Given Maye's size (6-foot-4, 225 pounds) and rushing ability, it's fair to wonder why Van Pelt didn't call his QB's number after Stevenson fell short the first time.
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But speaking to reporters Thursday, Van Pelt said he wouldn't change his decision.
"Obviously in hindsight it's easy to look back and say I would have done something different," Van Pelt said. "That's always part of a play-caller's deal after a game. Would I call that play again in that situation? Probably.
"We needed a half a yard. We called a similar play on the goal line in the Jets game to win it, and that's an attitude play. That's a 'move guys off the ball' (play); two lead blockers for a good running back.'"
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To Van Pelt's point, Stevenson's 1-yard touchdown plunge with 25 seconds remaining helped lift the Patriots to a 25-22 win over the Jets in Week 8, and New England did find some success with short-yardage Stevenson runs early in the season.
But it's fair to question Van Pelt's apparent refusal to call designed runs for Maye, a dynamic athlete who's racked up 359 rushing yards on 8.5 yards per carry on scrambles alone. Van Pelt admitted Maye's health has been a factor in avoiding those play-calls.
"Really just focused on keeping him out of harm's way and getting through these last three games healthy, and that's really what it comes (down) to," Van Pelt said of Maye.
"It's about developing our quarterback. I think we all feel very confident in his abilities. At the same time, I'd hate to lose him and not let him finish out the season by using him in a way where if we didn't need to, we didn't have to. So, that's kind of my thought on that."
While Van Pelt said he'd be open to calling QB sneaks for Maye in critical moments, he's clearly hesitant to put his franchise quarterback in danger with designed runs. That's a bit inconsistent with the message Mayo delivered earlier this week when asked if the concussion Maye suffered during that Week 8 loss to the Jets had anything to do with not using him in clear running situations.
"That was a conversation we had in the past," Mayo said Monday of May. "He's out of the concussion protocol. He can quarterback sneak. Again, it's on me."
Maye's long-term health obviously is paramount for the Patriots. But it sure sounds like Van Pelt and Mayo have differing opinions when it comes to leveraging the rookie QB's skill set.
If that's impacting the OC-head coach relationship, though, Van Pelt isn't letting on.
"I have Jerod's back at all costs," Van Pelt added. "We have a great relationship. We're very communicative, and I took no offense to that whatsoever. I think it was taken out of context, as he said, and we have a great relationship."
The Patriots will be heavy underdogs against Josh Allen and the Bills this Sunday in Buffalo. Kickoff is set for 4:25 p.m. ET.