How exactly do they do that? According to Pats linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley, the name of the game is “leverage.” That goes for both gang tackling and tackling in the open field 1-on-1. Either way, the defense needs to work together. They need to keep the backs contained by sticking to their side and maintaining their angles, avoiding over-pursuit, and trusting the help they have behind them.
“Knowing your leverage, knowing how close you are to the sidelines, things like that,” Bentley said Friday, when asked about open-field tackling. “Knowing where your teammates are, everybody hustling to the ball. A whole lot of things go into play when you talk about tackling in the open field, but leverage is definitely at the top of that list.”
If all 11 guys on the Patriots defense are in sync and keeping each other properly leveraged, then it should come down to whether Chubb can make the first guy miss, perhaps the second and third as well. He’s certainly capable of doing that to anybody, but a well-prepared defense with sound tackling ability should give themselves a chance to slow him down.
Hunt can’t be ignored in this equation. He’s mixed in more than 14 touches per game as a change of pace from Chubb, and has contributed a little more as a pass-catcher. If he catches the ball out of the backfield or otherwise gains possession in the open field, the Patriots’ best hope may be for their box safeties to close quickly and make the play. Kyle Dugger and Adrian Phillips will likely be extremely important pieces to the plan, for those reasons.
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 10: Kareem Hunt #27 of the Cleveland Browns runs for a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium on October 10, 2021 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images)
