Defense finds comfort zone
Unit stingy inside 20-yard line
FOXBORO — The Patriots have a right to be confident with their red-zone defense.
By the most important metric, they’re the best in the NFL, having allowed opponents to score on just 72.9 percent of their trips inside the 20-yard line.
“We’ve always had that (confidence),” cornerback Eric Rowe said. “We started saying we’re going to bend but we’re not going to break. Even if we do give up a touchdown in the red zone, ‘OK, we’re going to make you go 1-for-4 (in the game). It’s not going to be field goals to beat us. Just kind of when we get down there, everyone’s awareness heightens up. We’re just trying to roll with the momentum that we have in the red zone.”
It takes a complementary effort to claim the No. 1 seed in the playoffs, especially with the defense losing players to injured reserve like linebackers Dont’a Hightower and Shea McClellin, end Derek Rivers and tackle Vincent Valentine. Plus, linebacker Kyle Van Noy, tackles Malcom Brown and Alan Branch, and end Trey Flowers all missed extended stretches due to injuries.
So they knew if they could get stops in the red zone, they’d turn it over to Tom Brady and the secondranked scoring offense. And the Pats ranked fourth in the league by allowing touchdowns on 43.8 percent of their red-zone visits, so they’ve become efficient at trading field goals for touchdowns.
“Somehow when we get within that 20, we all just kind of just heightened up,” Rowe said. “Everybody is confident. We know we need to make this stop, make them kick a field goal. Field goals aren’t going to beat us.”
Practice wrap
The Patriots have gotten healthier during their playoff bye week, as Branch and running back Rex Burkhead returned to practice yesterday after extended absences.
Branch injured his knee in Week 14 against the Dolphins, and Burkhead injured his knee in Week 15 against the Steelers. Neither had practiced until yesterday, which was the first of two bye-week workouts.
Brady, who missed five practices in the final six weeks of the regular season to treat a bruised Achilles and mild left shoulder issue, was also present. That hasn’t always been the case during bye weeks, so it’s a positive sign for his health.
Running back Mike Gillislee (knee) and defensive end Eric Lee (ankle) were the only players missing. Gillislee got hurt in Week 16 and hasn’t practiced since then. Lee sat out last Friday but played Sunday against the Jets when he recorded a fourth-quarter safety, though he was noticeably hobbled during the game.
Wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell continued to practice. The Patriots can activate Mitchell from injured reserve to the 53man roster at any point until Jan. 17.
They’re scheduled to practice again today before taking off for the weekend, and there won’t be any official injury reports until next week.
Award season
Special teams captain Matthew Slater was honored as the Patriots’ recipient of the Ed Block Courage Award, which is annually given to the player who best exemplifies the principles of courage and sportsmanship while also serving as a source of inspiration.
The league’s 32 recipients will be honored at the 40th annual Ed Block Courage Awards Banquet in Baltimore in March.
Slater overcame a torn hamstring to become the first special teamer to make seven consecutive Pro Bowls.
Safety Devin McCourty was voted as the second annual recipient of the Ron Hobson Media Good Guy Award. Slater earned the honor last season . . . .
Linebacker Trevor Reilly returned to the practice squad in place of wide receiver Bernard Reedy.