On paper, it looked like the Patriots would sport a very good run defense heading into the 2021 season.
On the field, that unit was a bit suspect early in the year, getting pushed around and run through at key times in losing efforts to the likes of the Dolphins and Saints. The group allowed 100-plus yards in three of the first four games of the year.
Now, though, the front is clearly hitting its midseason stride.
The production is better. And as they say in the business of football defense, the run fits are tight.
That’s good, because even with Kareem Hunt on IR and Nick Chubb working through COVID protocols that have his status in question, New England’s run defense may still face its toughest test of the season this Sunday at Gillette Stadium against the Browns. The combination of the Browns backs – little-known backup D’Ernest Johnson ran for 146 yards filling in for Chubb and Hunt in Week 7 – and a Joel Bitonio-led offensive line had Patriots linebackers coach Jerod Mayo calling this the “biggest challenge of the year.”
“I think that’s something, yeah, that’s something here in New England as a culture you want to pride yourself on being able to stop the run and being good in that aspect,” linebacker Dont’a Hightower said. “It’s always something that’s going to change week in and week out. Since Week 1 we’ve harped on it, something that we’ve attacked each week. Each week we see more and more improvement.”
According to free agent defensive tackle addition Davon Godchaux, part of the improvement is simply about guys getting reps playing together. New faces like him. Returning faces like Hightower, who opted out a year ago. Returning vets like Kyle Van Noy. It all led to process early in the season.
“I mean it’s no excuse, but it’s just kind of getting that solid foundation of guys knowing where guys are going to be at and where fits are going to be,” Godchaux said. “And just week by week try to get better. Of course this is a big test because they have a great running back and a great O-line.”
New England has held three of its last five opponents to less than 80 yards rushing. Four of the last five foes have averaged less than 4 yards per carry.
They feel good about the way they are playing up front and that people are starting to notice.
“But reputation and intimidation only get you so far,” Hightower declared. “All that stuff is cool, but at the end of the day it comes down to, on game day, it comes down to execution. If the rest of the league thinks that, if ya’ll think that, that’s cool. But on Sundays if we go out and don’t execute, it just takes one guy to mess up or see the wrong thing. So that’s something we’ve harped on and we’ll continue to harp on.”
So while the Patriots are preparing for a Browns running game that’s No. 2 in the NFL averaging 160.2 yards per game – one that Hightower notes is made possible by the “hogs in front” of the talented running backs – Cleveland is likewise preparing for a New England running defense that’s coming into its own.
“I’m sure they’re probably hearing playing the run game and all that other stuff how everybody’s talking about how well we’ve been doing,” Hightower said. “I’m sure they’re going to see that as motivation or inspiration or whatever. But they’re a really good offense and they’re good at what they do. They’re just kind of line it up and run it. Everybody talks about the Titans, the Browns are kind of the same way.
“This is probably (going to be) one of the most physical if not the most physical game that we’ve played this year. It’s going to be good up front. It’s going to be a battle of the trenches. I think the game’s probably going to be won there.”
