A lot is being expected of the Patriots' defense. Not only are they coming off a year in which they were number one in weighted DVOA (a great advanced stat), but the team then used their first three draft picks on defensive players: CB Christian Gonzalez, edge Keion White and LB/S Marte Mapu. It is expected that those three pieces will contribute, making a strength even stronger.
But Saturday night, in their second preseason game of the season, that vaunted defense experienced some growing pains. Now it should be noted that starting linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley (vet rest) and corner Jon Jones (injury) didn’t play, the rest of the group was mostly present and accounted for… some of the time.
It wasn’t just one thing. Sometimes it was the pass. Other times, the run. The issues versus the latter were a combination of blown assignments and getting beat head-on. That aspect proved to be somewhat surprising.
Defensive tackle Davon Godchaux, who a year ago was declared one of the best in the game by Bill Belichick, got moved on a first down gallop by Aaron Jones, then spun like a top on a second down conversion by A.J. Dillon. That came on the opening drive. Yes, the drive ended with a turnover, courtesy of a bad snap, but a tone for the first half had been set.
The second series again resulted in just one first down and featured some sticky coverage. Jack Jones should have had a pass breakup at the very least and possibly an interception on the third down conversion, reading a dig route to Romeo Doubs perfectly. But he oddly paused on the break, and Doubs made a contested catch.
On the next set of downs, Adrian Phillips showed his smarts, closing on rookie right end Luke Musgrave along the sideline, holding him to a short gain on what could have been a first down. Then Myles Bryant jumped an out route, and knocked away the Jordan Love throw. But that was the last good moment for this potpourri of first and second teamers.
The Packers would come away with points on three straight drives. Rookie corner Isaiah Bolden, who is making a strong bid to earn a roster spot, tried to get handsy with Doubs and missed. He then got away with some late hand-to-hand combat on a ball Love hung up just a bit, but Doubs made the catch (initially, it was ruled incomplete but the Pack challenged it and got the call overturned). A huge chunk play, accounting for 42 yards and instead of being pinned deep in their own end, Green Bay had life.
(Bolden later was carted off the field with a scary head injury and will be held overnight for observation.)
Second-year defensive lineman Sam Roberts had the first of two brain farts, diving on a sliding Love to tack a 15-yard personal foul on top of a nice scramble. Two plays later, Jayden Reed ran away from corner Shaun Wade on a backside crossing route. Touchdown.
The next drive was - in a word - gross. Emanuel Wilson - ever hear of him? - found more openings than winter does through a drafty window. The rookie runner went for 11 yards on a check down, exploiting a vacated zone and a bad angle taken by linebacker Mack Wilson. On the next snap, Josh Uche and Roberts got creased for 9 yards. After a four-yard gain, Wilson ripped off 14 yards before he was threatened. Lawrence Guy (who didn’t start) was moved rather easily at the point of attack. Not great.
A handful of plays later, Patrick Taylor waltzed into the end zone from 8 yards out. It was sooooooo easy. Uche was once again manhandled on the edge (by rookie TE Luke Musgrave), and safety Joshuah Bledsoe jumped inside when, based on conversations he had after with Brenden Schooler, he probably was supposed to be outside. Either way, that was no one’s idea of good defense, let alone the suffocating brand the Pats need to play.
The Packers scored one more time, this time flawlessly executing a 2-minute drive, going 57 yards in 55 seconds. It was aided by a borderline defensive pass interference call on Gonzalez, but even then, the Pats still had opportunities to shut it down and escape the half tied at 14. Instead, a field goal with one second left in the half gave Green Bay the edge.
So what does it all mean? Nothing… yet. There are three more weeks until the games matter for real, but I think a refresher course is needed here.
These are the Patriots’ first four games:
- Eagles, #3 in scoring last year.
- Dolphins, in year 2 of the Mike McDaniel experience. They were 11th in scoring last year despite Tua missing considerable time.
- a trip to Jersey to face the Aaron Rodgers-led Jets. No more Zach Wilson to eat against.
- at Dallas, who was #4 in scoring a year ago and added Brandin Cooks.
Oh, and all four of those teams are, at the very least, good defenses and, in a couple of cases (Dallas & NYJ), elite (at least on paper). So it might be tough sledding for Mac Jones and company early, only adding to the burden being carried by the Belichick, Belichick & Mayo law firm. Are they - and most important - the defense capable of handling it? Based on how this team has been built, they have to be. And based on the talent that exists on that side of the ball, they're certainly capable. It didn't always look that way in Green Bay - the first day of joint practices belonged to the Packers - but we're still weeks away from game planning and it counting. That's time to learn, time to grow and, yes, time to get better.