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Factoid

New England's improved defense

Patriots have shored up league's leakiest defense

You can’t help but be blown away by the work the Patriots are doing on defense. This is a unit without dominating personnel. They had the worst defense in the league at one point. Yet they have turned things around.

The Patriots after the first four weeks were allowing 32 points per game, 2nd-most in the league. But since that time, remarkably, they have allowed a league-low 12 points per game.

DEFENSE, POINTS (Weeks 1-4)
TeamAvg
Buffalo13.5
Pittsburgh14.8
Cincinnati16.8
Carolina17.5
Detroit17.5
Denver18.5
Jacksonville18.5
Miami19.0
Minnesota19.0
Kansas City19.3
Seattle19.3
New Orleans19.5
Oakland19.8
Baltimore20.0
Green Bay20.3
Tampa Bay21.3
Houston22.0
Atlanta22.3
Washington22.3
Arizona22.8
NY Jets23.0
Philadelphia23.0
LA Chargers23.3
San Francisco23.5
NY Giants23.8
Dallas24.3
Chicago26.0
LA Rams26.3
Cleveland26.8
Tennessee31.5
New England32.0
Indianapolis34.0

I don’t think they’re doing it with personnel. Instead, I think it’s been a matter of getting guys coached up and playing together – getting everyone to execute together an overall plan.

Bill Belichick is a coaching Jedi, of course, and they must be getting production from a bunch of their assistants as well, including defensive coordinator Matt Patricia.

DEFENSE, POINTS (Weeks 5-13)
TeamAvg
New England11.9
Jacksonville13.0
LA Rams14.6
LA Chargers14.9
Philadelphia15.4
Baltimore15.9
Minnesota16.0
Seattle18.1
Pittsburgh19.1
Atlanta19.4
Tennessee19.5
Chicago20.4
New Orleans20.6
Carolina21.0
Cincinnati21.1
Dallas23.4
Indianapolis24.3
NY Giants24.5
NY Jets24.5
Kansas City24.6
Oakland24.9
Tampa Bay24.9
Green Bay25.0
Cleveland25.1
San Francisco25.5
Miami26.8
Arizona27.4
Houston27.6
Washington28.1
Buffalo28.6
Detroit29.8
Denver30.1

The figures aren’t as compelling for yards. In the first month of the season, the Patriots were allowing 457 yards per game of offense – 51 yards per game more than anyone else. They allowed plenty of yards in each of their first four games (against Kansas City, New Orleans, Houston and Carolina).

DEFENSE, YARDS (Weeks 1-4)
TeamRunPassTotal
Denver50.8223.0260.8
Pittsburgh112.5181.3266.5
Cincinnati108.5185.5273.3
Carolina87.3211.3282.0
Houston95.5211.0291.5
Green Bay111.0210.0299.5
Arizona88.0231.3302.8
Chicago85.5234.8306.3
Buffalo93.8229.0306.5
Washington87.5242.5311.3
Jacksonville165.5174.5312.5
Atlanta93.0250.5318.3
Seattle134.0198.0318.8
Minnesota71.3267.8320.5
Detroit86.3255.3322.8
Cleveland87.3256.3328.0
NY Jets143.8203.5338.5
Dallas107.5257.8339.3
San Francisco106.0254.5346.3
Oakland120.0241.5347.8
Baltimore127.3232.5349.5
Miami77.7282.7350.0
LA Chargers163.5211.5355.5
Philadelphia70.8301.0355.8
NY Giants142.8224.5359.3
Kansas City111.5264.3359.5
LA Rams151.5235.5367.8
New Orleans109.5285.3374.8
Tennessee112.5285.3386.8
Tampa Bay78.7319.3394.3
Indianapolis112.8296.8396.3
New England132.8335.3456.8

The Patriots in their last eight have had more of an average defense (in terms of yards). Since Week 5, they’ve allowed 115 rushing yards per game and 240 passing yards, on average.

DEFENSE, YARDS (Weeks 5-13)
TeamRunPassTotal
Philadelphia66.8215.9261.9
Pittsburgh86.3239.6264.4
Jacksonville90.4200.1267.5
Minnesota80.9210.1274.6
Baltimore105.4210.3292.1
Tennessee73.0242.6299.4
Carolina89.3233.8305.4
New Orleans114.5211.5307.8
Denver112.6211.5313.0
LA Rams108.5226.5316.9
Cincinnati136.9244.6317.6
Atlanta123.3216.8322.4
Seattle80.5263.3322.4
LA Chargers112.9228.4325.4
Cleveland101.8233.9326.9
New England114.8240.1335.1
Miami129.4219.4336.6
Arizona105.0254.0344.1
Dallas108.0256.3344.3
Oakland97.8256.1345.4
Chicago125.5239.8346.6
Washington132.1236.4354.5
San Francisco132.9236.9359.8
NY Jets107.6265.5361.0
Houston109.4269.4365.0
Indianapolis106.3276.1371.9
Detroit129.3258.8379.1
Green Bay112.4285.4382.5
Tampa Bay131.4261.1382.7
Buffalo134.0261.3389.4
Kansas City138.4262.0393.5
NY Giants124.6293.0406.6

—Ian Allan

Fantasy Index