Bedard: Michael Bennett, Dont'a Hightower & the Patriots already making sweet music together

NASHVILLE — You almost felt bad for the Titans.

They didn't know. Nobody knows.

At one point during Wednesday's joint practice against the Titans, the Patriots ran one of their multi-level "games" where a linebacker plays off the rush of a lineman. It's the same stuff New England has been running for years, especially the second half of last season with the amoeba defense.

In this case, Michael Bennett, from his left defensive tackle spot, ran across the face of the Titans center and attracted the attention of both the right guard and the center. That left a gaping hole for linebacker Dont'a Hightower to run through, and get a pressure on the quarterback. He can't be touched during practice. In the game, all bets are off.

Bennett, whom the Patriots acquired from the Eagles, hasn't even been practicing for three weeks (he missed the first two days of camp). How are Bennett, Hightower and the rest of the defense able to work so well so soon?

Hightower told BostonSportsJournal.com that Bennett hit the ground running with his teammates and the 32-year-old loves to talk strategy, from play to play.

"You’re able to go through a pass rush and then you know Mike B is telling me, 'The guard’s doing this or the center’s doing that,' and then we’re able to get on the sidelines and say, ‘We can fix it doing this,'" Hightower said earlier this week. "And we’re able to do that a lot of times on the field because we as defense know what we want to do and we want to get the most out of it. It’s more about us being able to communicate that before the ball is even snapped. We’ve got great chemistry with that, all 11 guys on the field."

The chemistry between Hightower and Bennett is evident, and the admiration is mutual.

"Oh, man, I love playing with Dont'a Hightower," Bennett said on Tuesday. "I just think he's a very unique person in the NFL, as far as being able to play linebacker and rushing. He's just a really good player so working with him and talking to him, and figuring it out has just been fun. Like I said, as a new guy, I've got the chance to play with some great linebackers, and he's one of the ones I feel like is one of the great ones, so it's a great opportunity to play with him."

Bennett has seamlessly slid into a Patriots defense that has, largely, played together the last two seasons, some even longer. That's not always easy in this league. Having brother Martellus in New England as a tight end previously probably helped the rest of the team deal with the Bennett Experience.

"It's been awesome, in a way," Devin McCourty joked. "I told Mike I didn't think two people who could be so similar and I don't know what I did to have to deal with two Bennetts like this. He's very similar to his brother, speaks his mind, always fun to be around him.

"He's been, I think, a really good teammate. Obviously, a veteran guy, a guy that all of the younger guys can learn from. Obviously, he brings a lot of experience and you've watched him out there – he's a really good player. It's just fun to have him. ... We've had fun so far."

The versatility that Bennett brings — he has played everything from end to nose tackle to standup linebacker so far — plays to his strengths.

"I think they just want me to do what I do well, but do it in the scheme of what we're doing," Bennett said. "That's the greatest thing about it, they're not asking me to do something I'm uncomfortable with. I've played four-technique before, I've played five-technique, I've played nine, I've played zero, I've played one, I've played two – all of that. It's all the same to me really. It's just lining up and dominating the person in front of you, and just having more will than he has, and just doing it play-in and play-out and doing it with your teammates."

The versatility and unpredictability that was on display late last season has continued for the Patriots defense. Throwing Bennett, who is a little more versatile than Trey Flowers, into the mix should only enhance what the Patriots have developed.

"We’ve got a good grasp on what we’re doing," Hightower said. "I mean, we have a lot of guys that can play a lot of different things. We try to use that to our advantage. Bill always talks about the more you can do and I might be inside and (Kyle Van Noy) might be outside. Then we’ll switch and then Jamie (Collins) might be outside and then go inside. One of us might switch with Mike B. As far as scheme and disguise stuff, there’s a lot you can do to disguise, not just in the back but in the front as well."

That could mean trouble for opposing offenses this season. Just ask the Titans.