What has gone wrong for the Patriots’ defense this year? Looking at the unit with position-by-position grades at the midway point of the season.
With the Patriots just about at the midway point of the season it’s time for our midseason grades. Yesterday we started on the offensive side of the ball – those grades can be found here.
Now it’s time to take a look at the Patriots’ defense. Through nine weeks the unit ranks 21st in the NFL allowing 24.1 points per game. That’s down from last year’s season total, when the Patriots ranked 15th allowing 21.5 points per game.
Multiple factors have played into that drop. The biggest, of course, is the departure of Bill Belichick. At the same time, the unit has dealt with mounting injuries and departures of key players at all three levels.
Even factoring in all those losses though, it still feels like there’s more potential this group isn’t tapping into. There have been players regressing from last year, and others in new roles who haven’t met expectations.
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The lack of a pass rush has stood out as the Patriots’ biggest issue. That’s not surprising given the loss of players like Christian Barmore and Matthew Judon. Still, those departures could have offered opportunities for other players to step up. Instead, the Patriots rank towards the bottom of the league in most major pass rushing categories including pressure rate and sacks.
Defending the run, the Patriots got off to an O.K. start but things haven’t been the same without Ja’Whaun Bentley, who is out for the year with a shoulder injury. Since Week 3 the Patriots have allowed an NFL-high 1,116 rushing yards, and are tied for allowing the 10th most yards per carry at 4.7.
As we get to the grades a quick reminder – compared to initial expectations and put more weight on more recent games. Grades take into account not just player performance, but how the coaching staff has managed each position.
Defensive line: D+
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – SEPTEMBER 19: Keion White #99 and Davon Godchaux #92 of the New England Patriots look on during the game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on September 19, 2024 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
We’ll start here with the obvious – the Patriots’ defensive line has been without its biggest playmaker since the second day of camp. Christian Barmore’s absence due to a blood clot issue can’t be understated when it comes to the impact on the Patriots’ defense.
Still, the Patriots have other players up front who have been solid in the past. For the most part, those players have seen their play drop off.
Against the run, Davon Godchaux has been the Patriots’ only consistent player. Daniel Ekuale and Jeremiah Pharms have struggled in supporting roles, while Jaquelin Roy has leveled off after a stronger start.
As for the pass rush, the front hasn’t had much. Keion White surged for the first month of the season, but has fallen off since. The only other defensive lineman with more than six pressures is Deatrich Wise, with 12.
Wise has been a steady presence for the Patriots this year but outside of last week’s game against the Titans hasn’t jumped off the screen. That was never his role, but with a lack of playmakers around him his style of play becomes less impactful.
Linebackers: D
Oct 27, 2024; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots linebacker Christian Elliss (53) against New York Jets running back Breece Hall (20) in the first quarter at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images
Much like on the defensive line, the Patriots’ linebackers have struggled to step up after losing key players in Ja’Whaun Bentley and Matthew Judon. All in all this has been the least-productive position on the defense.
We’ll start in the middle, where it was a scramble for the Patriots to replace Bentley early on. Multiple players cycled through the off-ball linebacker role but didn’t find much success, including Raekwon McMillan and Jahlani Tavai.
For Tavai, this meant playing out of position, after he’d had success on the edge the last few years. He’s started to come around in recent weeks with last week’s game against the Titans being one of his best of the year, but he struggled for a few weeks prior.
Perhaps helping Tavai has been the addition of Christian Elliss in the defensive lineup. A special teams player to start the season, Elliss’ defensive role has grown as the season has gone on. He’s looked like the Patriots’ best off-ball linebacker at times, and is a bright spot in what’s been a tough year for the position.
With Tavai playing in the middle, the Patriots have struggled to set the edge. Anfernee Jennings is the lone exception – he actually leads all edge defenders with 23 run stops according to PFF – but he hasn’t had much help.
This offseason the Patriots made Sione Takitaki one of their top free agency signings. His ability to play multiple roles seemingly would help this team right now, but he’s struggled to get on the field after missing all of training camp the first month of the season due to a knee injury. Him taking on a bigger role could really help the Patriots out in the second half.
Cornerbacks: C+
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – NOVEMBER 03: Christian Gonzalez #0 of the New England Patriots breaks up a pass intended for Calvin Ridley #0 of the Tennessee Titans during the first quarter at Nissan Stadium on November 03, 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
Christian Gonzalez carries this grade through nine games. After his training camp came up short of expectations Gonzalez has bounced back in a big way.
Against an impressive lineup of receivers Gonzalez has been targeted 57 times in 335 coverage snaps, allowing 49 catches for 356 yards with an interception and four pass breakups. In man coverage specifically, opposing quarterbacks have a 79.5 passer rating when targeting Gonzalez.
However, it’s been tough for the Patriots to find consistent play opposite Gonzalez on the other boundary. Jonathan Jones has dealt with injuries this year and has taken a step back, and Marcus Jones has been competitive but has been picked on as a size mismatch at times.
Going back to camp, the hope was one of Alex Austin, Marco Wilson, or Isaiah Bolden would step up as that second true boundary cornerback. That hasn’t happened. Austin has spent the majority of the season on IR, Wilson hasn’t played nearly as well as he did this summer, and Bolden has been used primarily as a special teams player with defensive snaps in only one game.
Getting Austin or Bolden more reps could help things if either can get back to the level of play they were at this summer. Pending that, cornerback looks like it could end up being a major need for the Patriots this offseason, as the team searches for somebody to play opposite Gonzalez.
Safeties: C
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – OCTOBER 06: Jonnu Smith #9 of the Miami Dolphins looks to avoid a tackle from Marte Mapu #15 of the New England Patriots during the first quarter at Gillette Stadium on October 06, 2024 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jaiden Tripi/Getty Images)
Like other positions on defense, the Patriots haven’t had the safeties they expected to have available at the start of the season. However they came into the season lacking depth at this position to begin with, causing that to have more of an impact.
Kyle Dugger has been in and out of the lineup dealing with an ankle injury. Meanwhile, Jabrill Peppers was placed on the commissioner’s exempt list after Week 4.
Without them, the Patriots have turned to a younger, more inexperienced group of safeties in Marte Mapu, Jaylinn Hawkins, and rookie Dell Pettus. Mapu’s play has been encouraging, and he’s taken over the play-calling duty at times, wearing the ‘green dot.’ Overall though this group just hasn’t provided the same consistent high-level play the team expected to get from Dugger and Peppers.
Special teams: C
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – NOVEMBER 03: Joey Slye #13 of the New England Patriots kicks a field goal against the Tennessee Titans during the second quarter at Nissan Stadium on November 03, 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
It’s hard to get a gauge on the Patriots’ special teams units this year. There have been highs and lows, pretty much across the board.
At times, the special teams units have looked elite. At the same time, there have been just as many moments where they’ve cost the Patriots’ opportunities.
That dichotomy continues down to a player-by-player level. Kicker Joey Slye has missed just three kicks, but all three have come in one-score games. Bryce Baringer has looked like an All-Pro at times but his misses have also come in key moments, whether it was outkicking his coverage against the Jaguars or untimely shanks against the Titans.
The coverage units have followed a similar trend. Penalties have also been an issue, including multiple instances of the team getting penalized on the opening kickoff of games.
In the end, the unit gets a dead-middle C grade. Once again, improved consistency will be key in the second half of the season.
