DE Long fits right in
Vet a quick follower of Patriot Way
FOXBORO — Chris Long’s union with the Patriots doesn’t have to be a one-year fling.
Aside from being one of the defense’s two or three best players through three weeks, everything about Long screams Patriots. Bill Belichick adores Howie Long’s son, whose relentless effort has made him disruptive as a pass rusher and reliable as a run stopper, and his chances in coverage have yielded impressive results, too.
Long, 31, signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract after a pair of injury-shortened seasons with the Rams, and the budgetconscious deal was reflective of the uncertainty over his ability to revitalize his career. The early returns have been so vital to the Pats’ defensive success, and his personality jibes so well with Belichick’s locker room, that it makes sense for the two sides to extend their partnership in the offseason.
Long’s response would make Belichick a happy man.
“One way to get yourself in trouble as a football player is to think past this week or today,” Long said. “You can’t take anything for granted as far as going out and practicing, going to play on Sundays. If you keep things one day at a time and you keep it narrow, I mean, there’s nowhere I’d rather be today. That’s the way I come to work every day.
“It’s easy to feel that way when you’ve got guys in this group like this. You’ve got to appreciate it, cherish it, because if you don’t, you’re not going to be able to think about next year. It’s all about today, this week, and when you stack that up enough, then you can worry about those decisions down the line.”
Long’s disciplined perspective is genuinely Belichickian, and it’s how he views just about everything related to football. It’s helped Long blend in with teammates, and it doesn’t hurt that the 2008 first-round pick can also produce.
“The guy is a hell of a football player,” linebacker Dont’a Hightower said. “He loves it. He brings a lot of energy, enthusiasm. He is not just a great pass rusher. He is a great defensive player.”
Long ranks second on the Pats with one sack, four quarterback hits and four pressures, and his two batted passes are the most among linemen. He also has one fumble recovery, run stuff and drawn holding penalty. Those 14 combined pressure plays are the most on the team.
But Long also does the little things. He dropped into coverage last week to clog up a passing route, which allowed linebacker Jamie Collins to peel away and intercept Brock Osweiler’s pass. It’s challenging to find the right depth on those pass drops, especially for a defensive end who isn’t used to such a task.
“If my job is to do that, I’m going to try to be exactly where I’m supposed to be,” Long said. “Some things might seem less important than the big things, getting a sack or whatever, but I think if you’re doing your job efficiently and with detail then everybody on the field is going to be successful because of each other. That’s team defense, and that’s what this thing is about.”
Long’s resurgence has been immensely valuable. He was signed to help replace Chandler Jones, and he launched up the depth chart in August when Jabaal Sheard sprained his MCL and Rob Ninkovich tore a triceps muscle prior to his fourgame suspension due to a failed drug test.
Through three weeks, Long’s 140 snaps (71.7 percent) are seventh most on the defense and the third most on the front seven. Not bad for a guy who got the 12th highest signing bonus ($500,000) and 15th most guaranteed money ($1 million) among free agent defensive ends this offseason.
As a side benefit, Long could give the Pats some insurance if they can’t reach a big-money extension with Sheard. They’ve already secured Ninkovich through 2017 and have Trey Flowers under contract through 2018, so an agreement with Long, who turns 32 in March, would keep the depth intact with a cost-friendly alternative if Sheard breaks the bank.
Several months from now, Belichick and Long will determine if they can remain on the same page from a business sense. They are in perfect harmony with Long’s responsibilities on the field, and that will be considered when it’s time to allocate their financial assets.
“I don’t think it’s anything I haven’t done in the past,” Long said of his production. “I’m just thankful to be part of a really good team and have a role. I just try to play hard every play I’m out there. Every play is important.”