Hightower polices ‘D’
LB steps up patrol for playoffs
FOXBORO — This season has truly validated Dont’a Hightower’s worth to the Patriots.
The linebacker maintained his steady ascension as one of the team’s most impactful players, both on and off the field, and his attributes were finally recognized on a leaguewide scale. That’s why, when Hightower was selected last month to his first Pro Bowl and last week as a second-team All-Pro for the first time, he was genuinely excited and appreciative that others have taken notice.
“It really felt great getting those acknowledgements,” Hightower told the Herald in a wide-ranging interview about the evolution of his season. “With winning the first Super Bowl and adding this, just another accolade, it just means a lot. Knowing a couple years ago, my play has been always doing the hard work, which doesn’t always get noticed. Now, finding my way up to the top of guys starting to notice me, guys around the league and fans, too.”
Hightower’s importance is typically conspicuous on the field, as he forced two safeties this season and had 17.5 quarterback disruptions (2.5 sacks, seven hits and eight pressures), two forced fumbles, five run stuffs and two pass breakups. He credited part of his progression to studying video of his play from 2014, watching his movements and finding ways take everything a step further.
But his contributions behind the scenes weren’t calculated on a stat sheet. The firsttime captain played an integral role during the Pats’ transition to life without linebacker Jamie Collins, who was shockingly traded to the Cleveland Browns during the bye week.
The Week 9 trade stung the locker room, and Hightower and Collins were incredibly close. But as coach Bill Belichick and his staff never broke stride, Hightower, safety Devin McCourty, defensive end Rob Ninkovich and defensive tackle Alan Branch were among the group of leaders who kept the players focused. Hightower and the vets watched more film with the younger, newer players who were tasked with stepping up, whether it was Kyle Van Noy and Shea McClellin into Collins’ linebacker role or Trey Flowers on the defensive line.
There was undoubtedly an adjustment period, but credit Hightower and the leadership core for maintaining the stability in the locker room.
“Absolutely, that’s part of the Patriot Way, the mentality we’ve had the past couple years,” Hightower said. “It’s kind of been the next man up. That (trade) happened, and it was kind of different, but it was basically the same sense. We kind of dealt with it and moved on. We were able to mold together pretty quickly, and I think that’s what really helped us. I think for the most part everybody knew what it was, kind of dealt with it, spent a little extra time doing this and doing that. Me and Dev and some of the older guys would kind of push to watching more film with some of the younger guys and making sure they understood what was actually going on and weren’t just shaking their head because coach was moving along.
“We knew it was a long season, and guys were going to be asked to step up and play. That was the case.”
Hightower was also given more responsibility on the field due to a heightened comfort level with defensive coordinator Matt Patricia. The fifth-year linebacker and impending free agent has the ability to make pre-snap checks if he notices a different look from the offense, whether he has to realign the front or check into a different call.
“Matty P trusts me more to have more on my plate,” Hightower said. “I think was able to be more fluent, and I feel like that is what allowed me to make more impact plays.”
Hightower was also humbled by his captain status. And because he isn’t a rahrah guy, he appreciated that no one asked him to morph into something he’s not due to the captaincy tag.
“I got lucky enough to get blessed by my teammates to be a team captain this year,” Hightower said. “I thought I’d be asked to do a lot more or to step outside my comfort zone. But honestly, it’s really been fluent. Obviously, I have (special teamer Matthew Slater), Dev and (quarterback) Tom (Brady) with me, too. They help me take off a lot of the load. Wi t h m y leadership, I’m more of a lead-by-example guy. I’m not a big vocal guy. A lot of guys respect what I do on the field and off the field. Most of the time, I don’t really have to get on anybody or anything. It’s not like that. Guys just fall in behind what I do. I didn’t really have to change too much.”
As a leader, Hightower has publicly defended his defense on several occasions in recent weeks, taking exception to repeated inquiries about the group’s perceived improvements. Hightower explained why he has shrugged off that line of questioning.
“If you kick a dog enough times, he’s going to bite,” Hightower said. “I know we have a good defense. I know what we worked on in OTAs. We worked in training camp. We worked all throughout the season. At the end of the season, we were the best scoring defense in the league for the last three years. Early in the season, we didn’t get turnovers and we didn’t get sacks, but we have a good defense. We know what we’re doing. We trust each other. We’ve got a brotherhood on the entire team, but especially on defense. We’re going to stand up for one another.”
And now with the Pats’ playoff opener on Saturday against the Houston Texans at Gillette Stadium, Hightower knows it’s go time. All of that stuff from the past four months? Doesn’t mean a damn thing.
Hightower will be ready, and he knows his guys will be right there with him just like they have been all year.
“You’ve got to go out and empty the tank and put it all out there on the field,” Hightower said. “That’s what I try to do, and I feel like that’s what we all try to do every week, especially now that it’s the playoffs. I feel like we’ve worked to be where we’re at in the regular season
with a great record, and that’s why we had the bye week. I also know we don’t get complacent around here, and we had some really great weeks of practice. We know what it is.
“It doesn’t really matter what we did in the regular season if we can’t push through and have a great week of practice, a great week of preparation and go out and execute Saturday. Everybody’s mind is right. We’re all looking forward to getting back and ready to go.”