Belichick's Master Plan to Destroy the Raiders from Within Then Bring Josh McDaniels Back to Run His Offense Took a Huge Step Forward

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It's a hypothesis I've discussed before. Based on observation and history, supported by data and empirical evidence. For decades now, Bill Belichick has been covertly placing his operatives into high level positions in rival organizations to destroy them from within.

He has a long history of training and developing highly successful football men. Coaches and personnel people alike, who succeed just enough to get hired elsewhere and then fail utterly. The list is long and undistinguished, and there's no need to get into it here. Just note that he's got two such coaches on his offensive staff right now, who ruined the Lions and Giants, respectively. Who were then returned to the fold, their missions complete. 

And of all these sleeper agents Belichick has assigned to infiltrate and undermine his enemies' regimes, perhaps none has been as effective as Josh McDaniels. His first assignment was Denver, where he immediately alienated Brandon Marshall, used a 1st round pick on Tim Tebow, and lasted less than two seasons. He eventually was brought in from the cold and won three championships running Belichick's offense once more. 

But his stint in Las Vegas won't last that long. His utter failure has been so brilliantly spectacular, he actually seems to have blown his cover and might not last the season, despite what Mark Davis has said about not being able to afford to fire McDaniels and hire someone else. 

All of which just helps support my theory. There is simply no way Josh McDaniels can be this bad at head coaching. No ducking way. He's been historically awful. Consider:

--He lost to Jeff Saturday, coaching his first game ever. Pro, college, high school, Pop Warner, or Powder Puff.

--He just lost to Baker Mayfield, who hadn't practiced and had less than 48 hours to look at the Rams highly complex playbook.

--He's now blown leads of 13 points four times, which is an NFL record.

--He's also blown leads of 17+ points three times.

--He let Derek Carr throw the ball just 20 times, despite the fact Geno Smith just got done shredding the Rams for 367 yards and three TDs. Carr has attempted the 7th most passes in the league, 33.4 per game.

--He instead opted to attack LA with Josh Jacobs, who had 27 rushing attempts. For a 3.7 yard average. 

--He got shut out by the Saints. 

That degree of terribleness simply cannot be just from simple incompetence. It has to be intentional. All part of a sinister plot. One that has worked so many times before, all around the football world. 

The cliche' would be to call it Machiavellian. But even Niccolo couldn't have dreamed up anything so clever and underhanded. Belichick's plan is Palpatinian. It's turning Anakin to the Dark Side by killing the only women he ever loved, with a side of Order 66.

McDaniels' highly successful failure explains so many things about how this year has unfolded. There was no need to go out and recruit another offensive coordinator. No reason to pull Bill O'Brien away from Nick Saban at Bama. All the Hooded One had to do was put Matt Patricia in as a figurehead to keep the seat warm, let the defense and special teams keep him in the playoff hunt, then sit back and wait for patience to run out in Vegas, and bring back the best offensive mind in the league for the playoff run. And the plan is being executed to perfection. Well done, once again, Double Agent McDaniels.