Patriots nickel and dime their way to another tough day defensively

Facing the elements, a driving rain and wind gusts to 40 mph, the New England Patriots went light in the box against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. The Pats’ base defense featured a traditional four-man line, one linebacker (Ja'Whaun Bentley) and six – yes, six! – defensive backs.

Is it surprising in Sunday’s 24-21 Buffalo victory that the Bills’ combo of Zack Moss and Devin Singletary chunked the Pats for six yards per try – 28 carries, 167 yards?

The Patriots picked their poison and it was indeed lethal, not just here in Week 8. It has placed the season on life support.

Bill Belichick actually started a defense with Adrian Phillips, a 210-pound safety/kicking game specialist, at inside linebacker.

The question is why?

Why is a Patriots defense, that within the last calendar year had ranked at the top of the game, running out a slew of defensive backs to stop running teams on a day fit for kite-flying and little else?

Belichick answered that question, albeit cryptically last week before the game, when on Sirius XM Radio, he spoke about the obstacles this team faced when it came to depth.

The coach brought up the salary cap, Covid-19 opt-outs and injuries.

"From a salary-cap standpoint, we didn't have much flexibility at all… Then we had some opt-outs, so we lost some players there that would normally be giving us a significant amount of playtime. And then like every year, a couple guys are banged up and we've missed some guys here and there in certain games,” said Belichick when noting why younger players were showing up more regularly in the lineup.

Sunday, it was not the fact that the younger players were involved. It was the fact that New England got steamrolled by the Bills, early and often.

The vision of Moss’ 8-yard stroll in the end zone on Buffalo’s opening possession set an ugly tone. Do yourself a favor though. Watch the replay and notice safety Devin McCourty stepping up and taking on the block of a guard.

This happened way too often Sunday with the defensive backs proving to be the second level of defense.

These were not the defending NFC champion Niners doing the damage. This was the Bills, who came in ranked 29^th in rushing in the NFL.

Buffalo made it look easy.

“The big guys up front were getting a lot of movement,” said Singletary. “All I had to do was run today.”

Look at the Patriots’ stat sheet from Sunday. On a day where the Bills ran the football 38 times, Devin McCourty and cornerback Jonathan Jones led the Pats with six tackles apiece.

Bentley had four solos, and John Simon added four from his edge spot.

The Patriots aren’t coming downhill defensively. This is a defense in steady back-pedal.

The playmakers on defense had better get moving if this situation is to change.

Right now, it’s a stray pick by JC Jackson, one on which Josh Allen misread a cut, that this group is celebrating.

Sunday, the Bills, left one-dimensional by the weather, would not get off the field, mounting late 9 and 10-play drives to stay in charge, keeping the Patriots’ offense, which had found its rhythm behind Damien Harris, off the field.

“It’s one or two plays, defensively, it’s us getting the ball back faster for the offense, not letting a long drive, even though we held them to three,” said Devin McCourty, who sounded pretty positive about a unit that has been manhandled by Denver and the Niners in previous weeks.

“Obviously last week was terrible … If we could just do a little more throughout the game so we don’t have to be so perfect at the end.”

McCourty was effusive in his praise of his defensive backfield mates. He didn’t bring it up, but they do get high marks for their courage this week.

Unlike the Niners’ loss, they were always eager, while not always effective.

McCourty was proud of that.

“We have a good football team here, that wants to buy in, wants to do the right thing. I think that was evident with our effort,” he said. “For me personally, this is all I’ve got.”

One interesting spot to watch on this defense is that defensive backfield as it pertains to Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline. The reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year, Stephon Gilmore, spent this weekend at home, nursing a tender knee that he, according to reports, tweaked in practice this week.

The Patriots thrust Jackson into the lead spot, and he, with help from the weather, held Bills’ top gun Stefon Diggs to six catches for 92 yards (41 came on one play).

“I thought the group of corners did a great job, without our guy, without (Gilmore) everyone stepped up,” said McCourty. “We covered our butts off.”

One other defensive spot to watch is outside linebacker/defensive end where John Simon and Deatrich Wise have sent second-year man Chase Winovich to the bench, or at least a full slate of special teams.

You would think Belichick would find a way to get an extra bigger body on the field more often, especially after seeing his little guys bullied in three straight weeks.