Bedard: Matthew Judon once again a dominant force - Patriots desperately need him to stay that way

FOXBOROUGH — It's a team sport, especially on defense, but it'd be hard to imagine where this Patriots team would be without the impactful play of Matthew Judon.

He entered the game with 14 total quarterback pressures in the first five games. That was 35 percent of the team's total. The next-closest defenders had five (Deatrich Wise, Christian Barmore).

Judon was at it again on Sunday against the Lions. If he didn't strip-sack Jared Goff in a 6-0 game into the hands of Kyle Dugger who returned it 59 yards for the game's only touchdown on 4th and 9 with 3:40 left in the first half, the Patriots might have kept kicking field goals all night. Despite the Lions being the worst scoring defense in the league, the Patriots were 0 for 4 in the red zone (they entered 21st in the league and are sure to drop), and finally scored an offensive touchdown up 19-0 with 1:51 left in the third quarter.

When you're playing defense like the Patriots played against Goff, who took some shots from his own coach following the game after being as weak-kneed as ever at the sight of Bill Belichick, a lot of things look good. You can tightly call and script a game for a fourth-round rookie quarterback (over 80 completion percentage). You can pound the rock (35 times for 176 yards, compared to 21 pass attempts). You don't need to risk much.

Or maybe it's just Judon. He's now the only Patriots player to have at least one sack in his first five games.

When the Patriots need him, Judon was there.

After a quiet start to the game, basically ended the Lions' series deep into New England territory on successive drives:

DET-1-10-NE 34 (11:55) 16-J.Goff pass incomplete deep left to 88-T.Hockenson.

Judon took the tight end Brock Wright and put him on skates backward 5 yards, to the point that Goff had to move and throw high with Kyle Dugger providing tight coverage.

Two plays later ... DET-3-7-NE 31 (11:07) (Shotgun) 16-J.Goff sacked at NE 40 for -9 yards (9-M.Judon).

Judon just flat-out beat left tackle Taylor Decker, who's a good player, to end the drive and force one of the few Lions punts on the day. I wanted to ask Decker about his matchup with Judon.

"I don't want to answer these questions," he said.

Following a Patriots interception, the Lions were threatening to cut into the Patriots' 6-0 lead when Judon happened again.

DET-4-9-NE 32 (3:40) (Shotgun) 16-J.Goff sacked at NE 45 for -13 yards (9-M.Judon). FUMBLES (9-M.Judon) [9-M.Judon], RECOVERED by NE-23-K.Dugger at NE 41. 23-K.Dugger for 59 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

Judon just flat-out beat the other tackle, former seventh overall pick Penei Sewell, to force a fumble that Dugger scooped and scored to give the Patriots a decided advantage.

"No, that's definitely my fault," Sewell said. "If we're just pointing fingers, do it at me, I gotta be way better than that.

"Good veteran player. Everybody knows who he is. He produces."

3Q DET-4-2-NE 34 (6:41) (Shotgun) 16-J.Goff pass short right to 14-A.St. Brown to NE 34 for no gain (31-Jo.Jones).

Judon didn't have a direct impact on this play, but he was in coverage and absolutely leveled TE TJ Hockenson down the field to take another receiver away from Goff.

4Q: DET-2-14-NE 17 (14:10) 16-J.Goff pass incomplete short left [9-M.Judon]. thrown away from outside the pocket

Judon blew by Hockenson and forced Goff to run for his life and throw the ball away as Judon got a hit on the QB.

DET-1-8-NE 8 (13:57) (Shotgun) 16-J.Goff pass incomplete short middle to 88-T.Hockenson [9-M.Judon].

Another hit on a stunt.

DET-4-5-NE 5 (13:17) (Shotgun) 16-J.Goff pass incomplete short right to 14-A.St. Brown (27-M.Bryant).

With a 26-0 lead, Judon finished what he started with another hurry on Goff for another turnover on downs.

Two sacks. Two hits. Two hurries. One touchdown caused.

“I will say Ju [Matthew Judon] and Dug [Kyle Dugger], they were flying around today," said Devin McCourty. "Coming up and making big hits. Judon gets to [Jared] Goff and really gets both his arms and forces a fumble. ... So just a huge play. ... It was obviously a key point in the game. To get the first touchdown of the game, get some breathing room and to do what we’ve done the last two weeks is score on defense. I think it’s huge. Anytime you can score, whether it’s defense or special teams, and give the offense free points is going to help us. I thought our offense did a good job of that turnover, then getting off the field and just to continue to move the ball and get points on the board kept the game flowing in our way and our momentum.”

Domination again from Judon ... if you don't ask the Lions.

"Yeah, look, Judon's a good player. We knew that coming into there," said Lions coach Dan Campbell. "We did a significant amount of chipping and nudging to his side. But I didn't necessarily feel like he wrecked the game. You know, there's – again, when things don't go well in your protections, there's a number of reasons. And it's all-encompassing between protection, it's between the backs and the quarterback. And so – but he's a good player.

"You know, I don't feel like he had a – he wore our tackles out or anything like that. But he certainly was – you know, he's a good player. We knew it coming in."

It must be noted ... Judon has done this before — even more, actually.  Judon had 6.5 sacks through five games last year — the team record — and was in the conversation for NFL Defensive Player of the Year through much of the season and then ... poof, he vanished. Judon averaged 3.1 QB pressures in the first 13 games of the year. In the final five, he averaged 0.9.

Team record difference: 9-4; 1-4.

"I gotta stay in condition and healthy," Judon said. "When I can do that and play like I do the first game (to the) last game the same, I think I'm a different person. So if I stay in condition and healthy, I think I'll be able to play throughout the year at a high level."

You sense the Patriots have realized how valuable Judon is, and how they must manage him. When the snap counts come out, expect Judon's to be lower in this game. Part of it, it seemed, like the Lions' run game was a priority (limited results), and the team went with more straight 3-4 looks and used Anfernee Jennings to play against the run. Judon was often saved for passing situations. Against some of the teams in the next stretch of games, that might be very wise.

With a tough close to the season, the Patriots will need the very best from Judon. They can't afford not to.