In my last article, I previewed what to expect from the 2013 New England Patriots Offense. I’ve donned my Patriots Speedo, and am now ready to dive into the defensive end of the pool today.
The Patriots are coming off an up-and-down season on the defensive side of the ball. They ranked 9th overall in points allowed per game (20.7), yet managed to rank 25th in yards allowed per game (373.2). If you watched a single Pats game last year you heard the phrase “bend but don’t break defense” roughly 437 times a game.
This can be accredited to ranking 9th in rush yards allowed per game and 29th in passing yards per game. This can be attributed to Belichick’s inability to draft talented defensive backs unless they punch cops in the face and fall 5-6 rounds on draft day (what up, Fonzie Dennard!). There might a conspiracy theory here that Belichick loves drafting these no-name d-backs in an attempt to prove his superior coaching ability when he turns them into somewhat capable starters. I don’t have an answer for that, but the Patriots remain a contender on the defensive side of the ball due to fantastic line and linebacker play – and yes, coaching.
The key this year will be staying healthy, as an Aqib Talib injury single-handedly derailed an otherwise solid defense performance in last year’s AFC Championship game (I broke this down in detail in my first article). The Patriots have the talent on defense to contend for a championship this year, so without further ado, let’s hop into the positional breakdown.
Defensive Line: This unit is anchored by arguably one of the best interior defensive lineman in the game, Vince Wilfork. Number 75 dominates the line of scrimmage, opening up opportunities for other defensive linemen to make significant impacts throughout the season. Two years ago, the Pats pulled Mark Anderson and Andre Carter off the scrap heap and they each posted 10-sack seasons – they’ve since burned out, and both may not even play in the league this year. Wilfork’s biggest contribution is generating pressure right up the middle and drawing double teams, which opens things right up for other lineman and the linebackers.
The Patriots seem to have finally found an answer at defensive end with second year player Chandler Jones. The Patriots took Jones in the first round last year and the rookie made waves, compiling six sacks and three forced fumbles before getting injured in week nine. He only missed two weeks, but wasn’t healthy and/or a factor in the limited action he saw in the final four games of the season. He avoided off-season ankle surgery and should be 100% for 2013.
The Pats addressed the other defensive end position this offseason by bringing in former-Raider Tommy Kelly. Kelly has always been very talented, but failed to maximize his potential in Oakland. At 32, the New England faithful hope this can be another example of Belichick turning a wily veteran into a reliable contributor for the defense. For depth, the Pats will situationally rotate relatively unknowns Jake Bequette, Justin Francis, Marcus Forston and Michael Buchanan across the line.
Linebacker: Much like the defensive line, this unit is captained by a superior-stud, Jerod Mayo. The two-time Pro Bowler consistently ranks near the top of the league in total tackles (4th last year, 1st in 2010 , respectively) and is perhaps the largest benefactor of Vince Wilfork’s presence. Not a big player in pass rush/pass defense scene, Mayo makes his contribution in the run game – the defense’s strong suit.
The human-sledgehammer Brandon Spikes can also take some credit for the staunch run defense. Being a borderline liability in the passing game, Spikes can be relied on for creating disturbances at the line of scrimmage. Spikes is a less-talented Mayo, but has proven to be an above-average and reliable player. Perhaps the most intriguing player on this year’s defense is second year player and former first round pick Dont’a Hightower. Hightower showed promise last year, but needs to make the second year leap in order for the Patriots to ascend into the defensive upper echelon. He certainly posses the capability, and is my number one defensive player to watch this preseason.
Rob Ninkovich is the most capable pass-rusher of the group, which isn’t saying much unfortunately. He’s combined for 14.5 sacks the past two seasons and appears to be Belichick’s Mike Vrabel of this LB group – a good, but-not-great-at-anything kind of player who you can put down on the line or standing up at outside linebacker. He’s a solid player role-player who the Patriots hopefully won’t have to rely on too much this season. The Pats spent a second round pick on pass-rushing specialist Jamie Collins this off-season, but he doesn’t project for much more than a situational pass-rusher this season. He’s spent the majority of camp/preseason dedicating his time to special teams.
Cornerback: I see a theme forming here; every defensive unit has a stand-out member, and the d-backs are no different. The Patriots acquired cornerback Aqib Talib last season from Tampa Bay for a fourth round pick, and it’s beginning to look like a steal. Talib was signed to a one-year deal this offseason and is far and away the most talented defensive back on the Patriots roster. His contribution/health this season might be the most important factor for this Patriots defense to be successful.
The other starting cornerback position is held down by second year man Alfonzo Dennard. Dennard was one of the highest rated cornerbacks in last year’s draft, but suffered a free fall on draft day due to an arrest for assaulting a police officer. He was sentenced to 30 days of jail time for this that he’s scheduled to serve next March. He was also arrested this off-season, and was charged with suspicion of DUI. If found guilty, he’d be in violation of his current parole stemming from the assault incident. On the field, Dennard is extremely talented but a likely suspension could cost him games this season.
The Pats resigned Kyle Arrington this off-season, and will likely start him opposite of Talib should Dennard miss time. Arrington has found success as a third corner, and is far from an ideal starting option. The Patriots could potentially slide by unaffected in the beginning of the season by only facing three true passing threats in the Falcons, Bengals, and Saints. The remainder of the cornerback unit is rounded out by unproven options in Marquice Cole, Ras-I Dowling, and rookie Logan Ryan.
Safety: The Patriots brought in Arizona-defect Adrian Wilson during the off-season. The Cardinals cut Wilson after he lost playing time to no-name players – he was an All-Pro from 2008-2011. The Patriots are hoping Bill Belichick can revive the once prolific safety. Wilson isn’t guaranteed to do so, so the two starting safety positions will be won by him, Steven Gregory or Devin McCourty. McCourty has the most natural talent in the group, finishing 2nd in the 2010 Defensive Rookie of the Year voting. He’s since lost his way, at times looking like someone who has never played football before, much less someone who’s attempted to guard a wide receiver. Gregory is the epitome of “average”, and brings almost nothing to the table. This unit is far and away the worst on the team, and might even be the worst in the league. Huge bounce backs from Wilson and McCourty will need to happen in order for the Patriots to compete on a weekly basis. Just for the sake of mentioning him, last year’s surprise 2nd round pick Tavon Wilson (projected to go undrafted), has been ‘invisible‘ at Patriots camp and looks like another Belichick d-back bust.
The defense is the most important part of this 2013 New England Patriots team. It relies HEAVILY on star players over-performing, and below-average talents putting forth AT LEAST borderline competent efforts. The health of these players is the number one most important variable, as one injury to a key player could derail the entire season. Belichick is perhaps the greatest mind in NFL history, and his game planing, schemes and mid-game adjustments have single-handedly won games. Overall on paper, this is one of the most talented defensive units he’s had since 2007. This defense is a prototypical “bend but don’t break” squad. There’s a reason you hear it so often during telecasts.
But at the end of the day, when Tom Brady is on the other side of the ball, that can be good enough. It’s also good enough for the Patriots to continue their reign of supremacy over the AFC East.
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