New England’s defense has not played up to its standard in recent weeks.
The New England Patriots had a simple plan in mind entering 2024. They wanted to play a run-heavy, ball-control game on offense while simultaneously relying on what was one of the NFL’s best defenses last season to stifle the opponent.
That recipe, while sound in practice given the team’s personnel, has not worked as intended four games into the season. Losing three straight games after their opening day win, they have not looked particularly good on offense or defense lately.
While the offensive issues are at the forefront when it comes to discussions about New England’s season so far and what lies ahead, the defensive regression also cannot go unnoticed: a unit that ranked eighth in the NFL in expected points per play last season (-0.059) has dropped to 25th in the early stages of this season (0.083).
Losing core players such as Christian Barmore and Ja’Whaun Bentley is part of the problem, but there are other issues at play as well. One of those was raised by veteran defensive tackle Davon Godchaux earlier this week.
The Patriots defense, per his point of view, has “some guys being kind of selfish.”
Under long-time head coach Bill Belichick and his predecessor Jerod Mayo, the concept of team defense has always been at the forefront of any debate about the unit. The front and backend working in unison, and tied together by the scheme.
However, players going outside of the scheme has apparently raised some concerns with the group’s veteran leadership.
“We just all got to be on the same page,” Godchaux said. “I get it. We’re down, guys want to make plays. I get it. But — I’m talking about defense — everybody has to play as 11. And everybody has to sacrifice to do what’s best for the team. I know some guys want to make plays when we’re down, get back in the game. But we got to just keep going as a team and play team defense.”
Godchaux was not the only veteran defender to raise those concerns following the Patriots’ 30-13 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday. Safety Jabrill Peppers also addressed the issues during a media conference call earlier this week, offering the same solution to the problem that was also presented by his teammate.
It’s all about playing team defense.
“I wouldn’t say guys are trying to do too much, but I think that sometimes when you go down you try to make a play; sometimes, you go outside of the scheme,” Peppers said. “You just have to keep chopping at the bit, play one down after down, stay with the techniques, stay with the fundamentals, and make the plays that come to you.
“You’re not going to make the play every time — sometimes your job might be to set the edge, sometimes your job might be to take on a double team, et cetera, et cetera for the betterment of the defense. That’s really all that is: knowing the schematics, especially when things are going fast, when you’re tired, and things like that.”
Over their first four games, the Patriots saw several breakdowns on the defensive side of the ball. The biggest talking points coming out of Gillette Stadium are tackling and setting the edge, two things New England’s usually stout defense has not done a particularly good job of thus far.
The game in San Francisco was more of the same in that regard. And with a talented if injury-depleted Miami Dolphins squad coming to town in Week 5, there is some urgency for improvement.
Because of that, head coach Jerod Mayo does not seem overly worried about a veteran like Godchaux using harsh words — especially when talking to the media — to describe the situation.
“I’m okay with a player voicing that because that’s what I said in the squad meeting. Everything I say to the players, I’m not saying it as a secret,” Mayo said on Wednesday.
“We just have to play better together. Especially defensively — I would say across the board — it takes 11 people to make a big play. I know one person gets all the praise and things like that, but it takes everyone being on the same page. I agree with DG in regard to some of those plays are selfish plays. That’s exactly what it is.”