For the first time in a quarter-century, the Patriots defense will have a new style under Mike Vrabel
If anything stands to greatly improve for the New England Patriots under new head coach Mike Vrabel, it’s the defense.
The Patriots finished 22nd in the NFL in points allowed per game (24.5) in the 2024 season, and also ranked 26th in opposing passer rating (96.9). Under now-former defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington, they often looked ill-prepared and failed to make even basic adjustments during games. Ex-head coach Jerod Mayo rarely, if ever, did much to intervene with that unit when it was struggling.
That’s set to change under Vrabel and new defensive coordinator Terrell Williams. But here’s the even more intriguing part: they’re expected to play a whole new style, too.
According to Doug Kyed at the Boston Herald, the Patriots are expected to run the same defense that Vrabel and Williams ran for the Tennessee Titans from 2018-23. That will officially end the Bill Belichick era of defense from 2000-24, which Mayo carried over in his lone season as head coach.
One of the hallmarks of Belichick’s Patriots defense was up front, where linemen employed a “two-gap” style that emphasized discipline, and reading & reacting after the snap according to the opposing offensive scheme. Vrabel’s defense is expected to run more of a “one-gap” style, which is more aggressive and decisive at the snap.
We’re still a long way from determining how the Patriots’ current roster will fit in this new scheme. One can expect Vrabel and Williams to find fits for some of their existing personnel, while bringing in new players in free agency and the draft that would be a better fit for their style.
Either way, gone are the days of pure “bend but don’t break” defense. It’s truly a new era in New England.
Matt Dolloff is a writer and digital content producer for 98.5 The Sports Hub. Read all of his articles here.