{"id":46254,"date":"2018-07-27T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2018-07-27T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lwosonnfl.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/?p=46254"},"modified":"2021-03-20T20:33:30","modified_gmt":"2021-03-21T00:33:30","slug":"stephon-gilmore-patriots-x-factors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2018\/07\/27\/stephon-gilmore-patriots-x-factors\/","title":{"rendered":"Stephon Gilmore: New England Patriots X-Factors"},"content":{"rendered":"

Before the start of last season, the New England Patriots<\/a> shocked the world by signing Stephon Gilmore<\/a><\/strong> to a five-year, $65-million contract. While everyone else was worried about the Malcolm Butler<\/a><\/strong> situation, the Patriots made one of their rare “big signings”, for a cornerback who many believed wasn’t worth his price tag. Many fans believed he was prone to dropping coverage and letting receivers burn him.<\/p>\n

In fact, back in 2016, another former Buffalo Bills<\/a> player – Chris Hogan<\/a><\/strong> – did just that<\/a>. On a 53-yard bomb<\/a> from Tom Brady<\/a><\/strong>, Gilmore had a perfect opportunity to tackle Hogan just shy of the end zone. Instead, he slowed down and surrendered the play, allowing Hogan to run in for a touchdown. The Patriots would defeat go on to defeat the Bills 41-25 that day. But we’re not here to relive the past – we’re here to evaluate Gilmore’s future.<\/p>\n

While his first season with the Patriots got off to a rocky start, as the 2017 season progressed, Gilmore began to show his true skill as a cornerback. When Butler was benched in Super Bowl LII (a decision that still<\/em> makes us scratch our heads), Gilmore stepped up. Now that Butler belongs to the Tennessee Titans<\/a>, Gilmore has become the Patriots true top corner. Can he live up to the challenge?<\/p>\n

New England Patriots X-Factors: Stephon Gilmore<\/strong><\/h1>\n

Rocky Start Leads to Return on Investment<\/h2>\n

When you’re paired up with a Super Bowl hero like Butler, it can be admittedly difficult to make a name for yourself during your first year with a team. Then again, with a contract as large as Gilmore’s, you expect a certain caliber of performance. It took nearly half a season for Gilmore’s talent to heat up, but by week 10 the team had started to see their return on investment. By the end of the regular season, he had started and played in 13 games, racked up 47 solo tackles, nine pass deflections, and two interceptions returned for 59 yards.<\/p>\n

On paper, Gilmore’s playoff performance was nothing spectacular, but he is responsible for my single favorite defensive play from the postseason. On 4th-and-14 during the AFC Championship game against the Jacksonville Jaguars<\/a>, with less than two minutes remaining, Blake Bortles<\/a><\/strong> threw deep to wide receiver Dede Westbrook<\/a><\/strong>. Gilmore leaped into the air for a miraculous sideways pass deflection – images of which belong in a museum, or at the very least, the Hall at Patriots Place. It was this key play that cemented Gilmore’s future as the leading corner on the team.<\/p>\n

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GILMORE! #JAXvsNE<\/a> #NFLPlayoffs<\/a> https:\/\/t.co\/hIahSIjBHr<\/a><\/p>\n

— NFL (@NFL) January 21, 2018<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n