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) | |
---|---|
Team | Avg |
Buffalo | 13.5 |
Pittsburgh | 14.8 |
Cincinnati | 16.8 |
Carolina | 17.5 |
Detroit | 17.5 |
Denver | 18.5 |
Jacksonville | 18.5 |
Miami | 19.0 |
Minnesota | 19.0 |
Kansas City | 19.3 |
Seattle | 19.3 |
New Orleans | 19.5 |
Oakland | 19.8 |
Baltimore | 20.0 |
Green Bay | 20.3 |
Tampa Bay | 21.3 |
Houston | 22.0 |
Atlanta | 22.3 |
Washington | 22.3 |
Arizona | 22.8 |
NY Jets | 23.0 |
Philadelphia | 23.0 |
LA Chargers | 23.3 |
San Francisco | 23.5 |
NY Giants | 23.8 |
Dallas | 24.3 |
Chicago | 26.0 |
LA Rams | 26.3 |
Cleveland | 26.8 |
Tennessee | 31.5 |
New England | 32.0 |
Indianapolis | 34.0 |
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) | |
---|---|
Team | Avg |
New England | 11.9 |
Jacksonville | 13.0 |
LA Rams | 14.6 |
LA Chargers | 14.9 |
Philadelphia | 15.4 |
Baltimore | 15.9 |
Minnesota | 16.0 |
Seattle | 18.1 |
Pittsburgh | 19.1 |
Atlanta | 19.4 |
Tennessee | 19.5 |
Chicago | 20.4 |
New Orleans | 20.6 |
Carolina | 21.0 |
Cincinnati | 21.1 |
Dallas | 23.4 |
Indianapolis | 24.3 |
NY Giants | 24.5 |
NY Jets | 24.5 |
Kansas City | 24.6 |
Oakland | 24.9 |
Tampa Bay | 24.9 |
Green Bay | 25.0 |
Cleveland | 25.1 |
San Francisco | 25.5 |
Miami | 26.8 |
Arizona | 27.4 |
Houston | 27.6 |
Washington | 28.1 |
Buffalo | 28.6 |
Detroit | 29.8 |
Denver | 30.1 |
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) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Team | Run | Pass | Total |
Denver | 50.8 | 223.0 | 260.8 |
Pittsburgh | 112.5 | 181.3 | 266.5 |
Cincinnati | 108.5 | 185.5 | 273.3 |
Carolina | 87.3 | 211.3 | 282.0 |
Houston | 95.5 | 211.0 | 291.5 |
Green Bay | 111.0 | 210.0 | 299.5 |
Arizona | 88.0 | 231.3 | 302.8 |
Chicago | 85.5 | 234.8 | 306.3 |
Buffalo | 93.8 | 229.0 | 306.5 |
Washington | 87.5 | 242.5 | 311.3 |
Jacksonville | 165.5 | 174.5 | 312.5 |
Atlanta | 93.0 | 250.5 | 318.3 |
Seattle | 134.0 | 198.0 | 318.8 |
Minnesota | 71.3 | 267.8 | 320.5 |
Detroit | 86.3 | 255.3 | 322.8 |
Cleveland | 87.3 | 256.3 | 328.0 |
NY Jets | 143.8 | 203.5 | 338.5 |
Dallas | 107.5 | 257.8 | 339.3 |
San Francisco | 106.0 | 254.5 | 346.3 |
Oakland | 120.0 | 241.5 | 347.8 |
Baltimore | 127.3 | 232.5 | 349.5 |
Miami | 77.7 | 282.7 | 350.0 |
LA Chargers | 163.5 | 211.5 | 355.5 |
Philadelphia | 70.8 | 301.0 | 355.8 |
NY Giants | 142.8 | 224.5 | 359.3 |
Kansas City | 111.5 | 264.3 | 359.5 |
LA Rams | 151.5 | 235.5 | 367.8 |
New Orleans | 109.5 | 285.3 | 374.8 |
Tennessee | 112.5 | 285.3 | 386.8 |
Tampa Bay | 78.7 | 319.3 | 394.3 |
Indianapolis | 112.8 | 296.8 | 396.3 |
New England | 132.8 | 335.3 | 456.8 |
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) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Team | Run | Pass | Total |
Philadelphia | 66.8 | 215.9 | 261.9 |
Pittsburgh | 86.3 | 239.6 | 264.4 |
Jacksonville | 90.4 | 200.1 | 267.5 |
Minnesota | 80.9 | 210.1 | 274.6 |
Baltimore | 105.4 | 210.3 | 292.1 |
Tennessee | 73.0 | 242.6 | 299.4 |
Carolina | 89.3 | 233.8 | 305.4 |
New Orleans | 114.5 | 211.5 | 307.8 |
Denver | 112.6 | 211.5 | 313.0 |
LA Rams | 108.5 | 226.5 | 316.9 |
Cincinnati | 136.9 | 244.6 | 317.6 |
Atlanta | 123.3 | 216.8 | 322.4 |
Seattle | 80.5 | 263.3 | 322.4 |
LA Chargers | 112.9 | 228.4 | 325.4 |
Cleveland | 101.8 | 233.9 | 326.9 |
New England | 114.8 | 240.1 | 335.1 |
Miami | 129.4 | 219.4 | 336.6 |
Arizona | 105.0 | 254.0 | 344.1 |
Dallas | 108.0 | 256.3 | 344.3 |
Oakland | 97.8 | 256.1 | 345.4 |
Chicago | 125.5 | 239.8 | 346.6 |
Washington | 132.1 | 236.4 | 354.5 |
San Francisco | 132.9 | 236.9 | 359.8 |
NY Jets | 107.6 | 265.5 | 361.0 |
Houston | 109.4 | 269.4 | 365.0 |
Indianapolis | 106.3 | 276.1 | 371.9 |
Detroit | 129.3 | 258.8 | 379.1 |
Green Bay | 112.4 | 285.4 | 382.5 |
Tampa Bay | 131.4 | 261.1 | 382.7 |
Buffalo | 134.0 | 261.3 | 389.4 |
Kansas City | 138.4 | 262.0 | 393.5 |
NY Giants | 124.6 | 293.0 | 406.6 |
—Ian Allan