Patriots Run Defense ranks 31st in NFL

For the past few seasons, the Patriots run defense has been strong while the pass defense has held the team back. This year, the roles have been reversed, as the Patriots run defense ranks 31st in the NFL at the season's midway point.

To put that into context, only the lowly Jacksonville Jaguars are keeping the Patriots from the cellar. The Pats have allowed 130 yards per game on the ground and have given up a steady 4.2 yards a carry through eight games.

Now, it's important to put some of those numbers into context. Three out of the Patriots past four opponents heavily emphasized the run, looking to dominate time-of-possession and limit Tom Brady's opportunities. As a result, the Patriots have faced a whopping 251 carries already this season, more than anyone but the aforementioned Jaguars. The 4.2 yards per carry number isn't good, but its better than a few higher ranked teams (#9 San Diego and #11 New Orleans have both given up 4.8 ypc), as teams have been more inclined to attack those defenses through the air.

However, there's no way to look at 1,046 rushing yards surrendered through eight games and not be concerned as a Patriots fan. It's a weakness that they can expect opponents to continue to attack, as they have yet to prove they can hold up against the run without big Vince Wilfork manning the middle of the defense. The four weeks without Vince have seen the defense give up 162 yards to Cincinnati (4.15 ypc), 131 yards to New Orleans (at 5 yards per carry, the Patriots were very fortunate that New Orleans only ran 26 times), 177 yards to the Jets (albeit on 52 carries and only 3.4 ypc) and 156 yards (5 ypc) to a Miami team that had struggled to run the ball all season.

The one saving grace for the run defense has been limiting the big play. The longest run the defense has given up all season is 28 yards. Limiting big plays (which the Pats defense has also done well against the past) has been a key to the bend-but-don't-break defensive philosophy that has the Patriots ranked fifth in the league in scoring defense.

Still, the ability to defend the run remains a lingering concern for a defense that simply needs to play well for the Patriots to win. Most problematic is the lack of in-house options to improve the defense's play. Vince Wilfork and Jerod Mayo, arguably the team's two best run defenders, are both out for the season. The eventual return of Tommy Kelly can only help so much, as he'll still be playing next to a undersized, undrafted rookie.

Joe Vellano and Chris Jones have played as well as you could expect from them considering the circumstances. Despite that, teams are still running with authority against New England. Barring some unforeseen move (the trade deadline is today at at 3 pm), the run defense will likely continue to be a problem going forward for this team.