No doubt about the defense
This unit deserves historic comparisons
The Patriots defense is special. It’s headed into the neighborhood of historic. In the pantheon of iconic defenses, the Steelers’ Steel Curtain of the ’70s, the ’85 Bears, the 2000 Ravens and the 2002 Buccaneers should get ready to make room. The Patriots could join them by February.
Already, the numbers are staggering. The Patriots have allowed a league-low 6.9 points per game. Only two other teams in NFL history have allowed less than a touchdown per game through seven games.
They’ve intercepted 18 passes. That’s the second-highest total through seven games for a team in the past 30 years.
They’ve surrendered just 27 points, and are on pace to allow just 110 for the season, which would shatter the all-time league record.
And yet, given the amount of bad teams and bad quarterbacks they’ve played in the first seven games, there’s an excuse to doubt the legitimacy of what’s been done, along with their potential place among the greats.
First of all, that’s nonsense. After Sunday afternoon’s clash with the Cleveland Browns, the Patriots will have reached the midway point of the season. Eight games is enough of a sample size to determine whether their dominance is real or fake news. In fact, seven with Sam Darnold seeing ghosts was enough.
The Patriots defense is real, soft schedule or not. Pundits may want to debate the point, and call up the string of woeful teams and quarterbacks they’ve faced (Josh Rosen, Luke Falk, Josh Allen, Colt McCoy, Daniel Jones) but at this address, there is no debate.
Bill Belichick’s unit passes the stats test and the eye test. They’re great. With eight more games to play, along with the postseason, we’ll better define the greatness.
Sirius XM NFL radio analyst Solomon Wilcots agreed.
“You can only play the people standing in front of you. But here’s the deal — they’ve dominated,” said Wilcots. “Ben (Roethlisberger) is a future Hall of Famer. And it’s not like some of those other guys haven’t played bad against the Patriots in the past. This is what we call domination in today’s NFL where the rules are meant to help the passing game, period. There’s never been a time when the rules are as favorable for an offense, as they are now.”
Through seven games, the Pats have allowed three touchdowns to opposing offenses — a 64-yard touchdown pass from Giants quarterback Daniel Jones to wide receiver Golden Tate, a 65-yard run by Redskins receiver Steven Sims and a one-yard sneak from Bills quarterback Josh Allen. That’s one more than their offense and special teams have surrendered. In between, the unit has pitched three shutouts, including Monday night’s 33-0 whitewash of the Jets, where Sam Darnold had the worst game of his young career. He didn’t have trouble the previous week, beating the Cowboys, but the Patriots constantly forced Darnold into making poor decisions and horrible throws with their pressure. He finished with a miserable 3.6 quarterback rating.
“When a quarterback says he’s seeing ghosts, that’s because a defense made him see ghosts,” said Wilcots. “They play so fast, they confuse your blocking scheme. They threw coverages at him, he thought he was playing against 18 defenders, not 11. That’s what good defenses do.”
Good defenses also get off the field on third down. This is no bend-but-don’t break outfit. They’re flying off the field.
The Patriots have allowed a mere 12 third-down conversions thus far, the fewest through seven weeks since the stat started being tracked in 1991. Their opposing third-down conversion percentage is 14.3 percent (12-for-84). In other words, they make the stop 85 percent of the time which is remarkable.
Wilcots makes an interesting point. He says the way Belichick has constructed this particular defense, it’s about stopping the pass first. Even with a passing league, most defenses still adhere to the principle of stopping the run.
“Usually, it’s, ‘we gotta stop the run.’ Well, no you don’t. Not in this league,” Wilcots said. “Bill’s defense is built to stop the pass. How is that? Pressuring the opposing quarterback. You’d rather get pressure, than sacks. Pressure leads to picks. So right now, the Patriots lead the league in picks, in total pressures generated, and by all of our measures, they rank first in coverage. It’s pressure and picks. That’s how they dominate and win games.”
Of the great NFL defenses of the past, Wilcots said the Patriots align most with the 2002 Buccaneers. While that Bucs team was coached by the offensive-minded Jon Gruden, it was the defense that stood out with Warren Sapp and Simeon Rice up front, linebacker Derrick Brooks, and a secondary that featured Ronde Barber, John Lynch and Super Bowl XXXVII MVP Dexter Jackson. The Patriots are beating teams the very same way.
“They pressured the quarterback, they led the league in sacks, they led the league in pressures, they led the league in interceptions, they led the league in touchdowns off interceptions, and allowing the fewest points,” Wilcots said of the Bucs. “They were built to rush the passer, and they were built with coverage on the back end with Barber, and that secondary. They had five picks in the Super Bowl.”
At this stage, nearing the halfway point, with all of their record-setting numbers, it’s silly to dismiss what the Patriots have done. Dominating bad teams tells a story, and this one is about a special defense.
With the departure of defensive coordinator Brian Flores and other members of the defensive staff, Belichick has been more involved, and it’s shown.
“He’s evolved the way the game has evolved,” said Wilcots. “Everyone wants to build a defense from the front to back. But Bill’s built his defense from back to front. Everyone else will catch on three years from now.”
The Patriots do have a tough slate coming up starting Sunday with a talented but underachieving Browns team, followed by the Ravens and Eagles, teams all coming off bye weeks. Then, it’ll be the Cowboys, Texans and Chiefs. It’ll be harder to question the competition after this stretch especially if they continue to terrorize quarterbacks and keep them out of the end zone.
But that shouldn’t alter the premise. They’ve been a special defense heading into the midway point and are on the road to being one of the most statistically accomplished defenses of all time.
Sanu can sling it
Wilcots, who is from Cincinnati, got to see a lot of Sanu when he was with the Bengals in his early years. First, a fun fact: He says Julian Edelman is going to have some competition throwing passes on trick plays.
Sanu, who was a high school quarterback, has completed 7 of 8 attempts with four touchdowns thus far in his NFL career.
“I’m telling you, this guy can throw it for distance,” said Wilcots. “I’ve seen him throw a 75-yarder to A.J. Green. I’ve seen him throw a 57-yarder to Julio Jones. He can sling it.”
He can also catch it. Sanu isn’t going to blow by you. He doesn’t have great speed, but he’ll catch the ball in a crowd.
“He’s a dude. He wins over 50 percent of his contested catches,” said Wilcots. “He’s not a burner. He’s not going to get separation. But, Mo’s a competitor. He’ll be in tight coverage and still come down with it. He’ll win over the middle of the field, and provide another option for Tom. I think that was a good pickup for them.”