Why did Hightower sit for a practice-squad player?
FOXBORO — Dont’a Hightower knows he hasn’t been himself.
The Patriots’ season-opening loss to Miami marked one of his worst performances in years, an unusual no-show Hightower owned up to days later. He said he wanted to be more impactful moving forward, and soon he was, playing more outside linebacker than inside during the team’s Week 2 blowout of the Jets. Then came Sunday. During their 28-13 loss to New Orleans, the Pats replaced Hightower with practice-squad linebacker Jahlani Tavai for two second-half defensive series. Hightower hadn’t flashed yet, for reasons good or bad. Tavai took over anyway.
The team elevated Tavai to its game-day roster Saturday, an early sign second-year linebacker Josh Uche would be unavailable against the Saints. (Uche was ruled out pregame with a bad back). Despite Uche’s absence, Tavai didn’t see any defensive snaps until the second half. Over the first half, the coaching staff rotated Hightower, Ja’Whaun Bentley and Kyle Van Noy around Matt Judon, the team’s new defensive centerpiece.
Van Noy sat out early downs on three possessions, while Hightower and Bentley each missed one. Once Bentley left in the second half, the Patriots plugged Tavai into his spot instead of tightening their rotation and relying strictly on their veterans. Asked about the coaching staff ’s rotation — which were also in effect for the opener — Van Noy deflected.
“You’re going to have to ask them that,” he said post-game.
Has Van Noy at least had a conversation with the coaches about why he’s rotating?
“You’re going to have to ask them that,” he repeated.
Released by the Lions on cutdown day, Tavai is a sturdy 6-foot-2, 246-pounder best known for his run defense. He entered the league as a 2019 second-round pick out of Hawaii, a selection widely panned as a reach by Detroit’s front office. After a decent rookie season, Tavai rated as the second-worst linebacker in football last year among those who took at least 500 snaps, per Pro Football Focus player grades.
He signed to the practice squad on Sept. 2, three and a half weeks before making his team debut. He finished with zero tackles.
“I’m not sure,” said defensive captain Devin McCourty, when asked about the rotations. “Yeah, I don’t know, sometimes I notice this once we go on the field. But different guys are in there, everybody gets reps in practice, so you’d have to ask the coaches.”
The coaching staff also rested J.C. Jackson, their only above-average cornerback, for one second-half series. Several defensive linemen rotated in and out throughout the game, an effort to keep them fresh as the Saints had three drives of 10 plays or more. But the decision to sit Hightower, with two linebackers already sidelined, was irregular.
Did the Patriots think that poorly of his play? Or highly of Tavai? Why remain faithful to a pre-planned rotation with the game in the balance?
Perhaps Hightower’s stat line through 54 minutes spoke loudest. It read exactly like Tavai’s: zeros across the board.
Hightower then recorded two tackles on the Saints’ final drive, one solo and one assisted. He halted Taysom Hill by himself on the penultimate play of the series. On the next snap, Hill charged right for a 4-yard touchdown.
He followed a pulling guard whose job was to erase the only defender standing between him and the end zone. New Orleans had successfully caved in the left edge of the Patriots’ defense with an extra offensive linemen and one tight end. Instead, the defender dove into the moving mass of blocked teammates and Saints offensive linemen, leaving his gap wide open
It was Hightower.