Yesterday, we took a look at the season-ending grades for the Patriots’ offense. Today, it’s onto the defense and special teams.
It was truly a bizarre year for the Patriots’ defensive unit. As a whole, they were impressive. They were second in the league in points allowed per game (17.8), tied for third in takeaways (30), and eighth in opponent third down percentage (30.1 percent). In just about every key metric, they ranked top-10 in the NFL.
Yet at the same time, the unit felt incomplete at key moments. Early in the season they failed to come away with stops late in games, then after the bye faltered against the Colts, Dolphins and twice against the Bills.
Special teams saw a noticeable dip, as the unit finished with a negative DVOA for the first time since 1994. In just about every aspect of the kicking game, the team took a step back from 2020, and general success over the past few seasons.
How much of these units’ successes in 2021 are replicable moving forward? And where were the gaps that caused the issues late in games and late in the season? Let’s take a look position-by-position at the performance in 2021.
But first, the same qualifiers from the offensive side of the ball apply. First, the grades are as much based on preseason expectations as they are overall performance. Second, the grades are weighted with a recency bias. Football is a ‘what have you done for me lately’ game, and these grades reflect that. Strong showings early in the season factor in, but teams tend to base their end of year evaluations on what players looked like at the end of the season, so we’ll do the same.
Defensive line: C+
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – SEPTEMBER 19: Defensive tackle Christian Barmore #90 of the New England Patriots celebrates a tackle against the New York Jets in the second quarter of the game at MetLife Stadium on September 19, 2021 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
After getting bullied up front throughout the 2020 season, the Patriots invested heavily in the defensive line this past offseason. They gave Lawrence Guy a contract extension, made Davon Godchaux one of their first signings in free agency, then traded up in the draft to take Christian Barmore.
That aggressive strategy saw mixed returns. Barmore proved to be an unquestionable hit, and was a regular source of interior pressure. He showed flashes of being a true three-down defensive tackle, and should become more of that type of player with more experience.
Godchaux had some impressive games, but disappeared in others. Throughout the year the team seemed to be constantly redefining his role. It will be interesting to see if his job is more clearly defined in his second year in the system.
The Patriots also got contributions from depth players like Carl Davis and Daniel Ekuale. Both should be in the mix for rotational spots next year.
While there was plenty of promise shown by this group in 2021, consistency was their biggest downfall. The Patriots ranked 22nd in rush yards allowed and 25th in opposing yards per carry, despite holding opponents under 100 rushing yards in eight games. That’s not entirely a reflection of this group, but stopping the run starts up front.
Midseason grade: B+
Linebackers: C
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – NOVEMBER 14: Case Keenum #5 of the Cleveland Browns is tackled by Dont’a Hightower #54 and Matt Judon #9 of the New England Patriots during the third quarter at Gillette Stadium on November 14, 2021 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
It was a tale of two seasons for the Patriots’ linebackers. Matthew Judon had 12.5 sacks through the first 13 games, Kyle Van Noy was playing sideline-to-sideline football, and Dont’a Hightower was dishing out punishment on a regular basis.
Yet after the bye week, this group faded as much as any on the team. There was little-to-no pop from the trio that had been the defensive catalyst through the first three months.
One player who did stand out as a positive was Ja’Whaun Bentley, who led the team in tackles (109) as well as forced fumbles (3). Bentley stepped into a bigger role in 2020 after Hightower opted out and adapted well. Even with Hightower returning, there wasn’t a drop-off for Bentley in 2021, which was a contract year for the 25 year old.
The only other linebacker regularly in the rotation was Josh Uche, who saw his playing time dip late in the year after returning from an injury. Uche was a standout in camp, but never found a consistent role in the defense despite his athleticism and explosiveness.
Midseason grade: A
Cornerbacks: B
Nov 18, 2021; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; New England Patriots cornerback J.C. Jackson (27) celebrates after an interception against the Atlanta Falcons in the second half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
All things considered, the Patriots’ cornerbacks put together a solid showing in 2021. While the loss of Stephon Gilmore was felt at times, overall it wasn’t as extreme as some may have predicted.
J.C. Jackson was once again one of the best cornerbacks in football. He led the league with 23 deflected passes, and his eight interceptions were one shy of a career high. Opposing quarterbacks had a 47.8 percent passer rating when targeting Jackson, which ranked second in the NFL.
Jalen Mills took over the outside spot opposite Jackson and showed tremendous improvement from his time in Philadelphia, when he had to switch from cornerback to safety. Jonathan Jones played well before getting hurt, and Myles Bryant showed growth in his second year stepping into his spot.
Unfortunately, a lot of what was promising about the Patriots’ cornerbacks overall was exploited in the two losses to Buffalo. Jackson struggled against Stefon Diggs once again, and Bryant was simply a speed mismatch against Isaiah McKenzie. With Mills out in the wild card matchup, the team’s lack of depth at the position was thrust into the spotlight, as Joejuan Williams, who was a healthy scratch for multiple late-season games, didn’t offer much resistance.
Again, these grades are compared to pre-season expectations. The Patriots cornerback depth was thin to begin with heading into camp, and that was before they lost Gilmore and Jones. For this group to play as well as they did as a whole is an encouraging sign moving forwards.
Midseason grade: B
Safeties: B
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – JANUARY 02: New England Patriots players celebrate after an interception by Kyle Dugger #23 in the third quarter of the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Gillette Stadium on January 02, 2022 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
The story of the safety position for the Patriots in 2021 was growth. No player at the position showed more growth than Kyle Dugger. In just his second year in the league, Dugger played a pivotal role for the Patriots’ defense and was a factor both against the run and pass. He recorded 92 tackles and four interceptions.
While Adrian Phillips didn’t show the same kind of traditional growth, it was clear that he grew within the system in his second year in New England. Phillips was the team’s fourth-most used defender playing over 80 percent of the snaps, and rotated mainly between a box safety role and covering tight ends.
As the Patriots look to rework their defense, the versatile natures of Dugger and Phillips will be a big help. With Phillips’ extension, both are under contract for multiple years and are players the team can build around.
Then there’s Devin McCourty, who was the only Patriots defender to play over 90 percent of the team’s snaps this season (94.44 percent). Even at 34, McCourty showed he can still be productive.
Beyond those three players, the Patriots used practice squad elevations to fill safety depth from time to time. Like at the cornerback position, the top-end talent was able to flex throughout the year, but depth was and still is a need to be addressed moving forward.
Midseason grade: B+
Special Teams: C-
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 31: Nick Folk #6 of the New England Patriots kicks a field goal in the second quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium on October 31, 2021 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
After one of the best special teams seasons in franchise history in 2020, the Patriots took a step back in 2021. Almost nobody was exempt from the issues.
The most glaring hole for the Patriots was in punt protection. They had three punts blocked this season, the most in a single year under Belichick. The blocks seemed to come at the most inopportune times as well.
Punter Jake Bailey failed to look like the All-Pro he was in 2020. He had eight fewer punts downed inside the 20, with one more touchback. His net average dropped from 45.6 yards to 39.6 yards per kick.
On kick returns, the Patriots cost themselves 18 yards of field position running the ball out of the end zone instead of taking touchbacks. Only one return from the end zone crossed the 25 yard line. Overall, the Patriots averaged 21.8 yards per return, their lowest since 2016. It was also the first time since 2016 the special teams unit didn’t produce a touchdown.
Meanwhile, 37-year-old kicker Nick Folk was one of the best kickers in football for the second year in a row. Folk was third among all qualified kickers with a 92.3 field goal percentage, with the two kickers ahead of him playing for teams with indoor stadiums. He was a perfect 33-for-33 from kicks within 50 yards, and hasn’t missed such a kick dating back to Week 1 of the 2020 season.
For the second year in a row, Folk enters free agency after a strong season. The Patriots do have summer standout Quinn Nordin signed to a futures contract, but he remains an unknown. With adjustments likely coming to the special teams unit as a whole, Folk should stay as a constant.
Midseason grade: B+
