Patriots defense standing tall against league's top offenses
The Patriots defense has been pretty solid this season, for the most part anyway. They are at the tail end of a brutal stretch that saw them go up against Denver, Indianapolis, Detroit, Green Bay and San Diego all in consecutive weeks, and they went 4-1.
Very impressive. That stretch will end this weekend with a home game against the Miami Dolphins with a chance to wrap up the AFC East. They're 7-6, but they're not to be taken lightly.
Getting back on the subject at hand, according to a Reddit.com thread, the Patriots, in their last five games, have allowed 17 points per game to these high-powered offenses. Let's break it down:
Denver - 21 points allowed
Indianapolis - 20 points allowed
Detroit - nine points allowed
Green Bay - 26 points allowed
San Diego - seven points allowed (San Diego's second touchdown came by way of a of a Brandon LaFell fumble that was returned 53 yards by Darrell Stuckey)
The defense has also done a good job of keeping opponents from scoring in the second half. Two of Denver's touchdowns came in the second half, but the game was seemingly in hand by that point. Detroit and Green Bay were both held to three points and San Diego didn't score any. The one exception is the Colts, who scored 10 points in the second half in a game that was close until the middle of the fourth quarter.
One can only wonder what this would mean going forward, as the Pats finish with three straight division contests. These teams do not boast the kind of offense that New England's last five opponents did. What's more, this has all come without the services of Chandler Jones and Jerod Mayo.
And, Dont'a Hightower sat out Sunday night, who was calling the defensive signals in place of Mayo. The Patriots had to rely on Jamie Collins to shoulder that burden, and he excelled.
One of the biggest surprises out of all of this, is how effective Akeem Ayers has been since he came over from the Titans. In six games with the Pats, Ayers has totaled 19 tackles, three sacks and an interception that came on Sunday night. Those numbers don't seem like much, but when you factor in that he was in Ken Whisenhunt's doghouse in Tennessee and is only 25, Ayers still has some room to grow.
Follow me on Twitter - @JesseGaunce
For more of my articles, click here.
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| AP Photo/Denis Poroy |
Getting back on the subject at hand, according to a Reddit.com thread, the Patriots, in their last five games, have allowed 17 points per game to these high-powered offenses. Let's break it down:
Denver - 21 points allowed
Indianapolis - 20 points allowed
Detroit - nine points allowed
Green Bay - 26 points allowed
San Diego - seven points allowed (San Diego's second touchdown came by way of a of a Brandon LaFell fumble that was returned 53 yards by Darrell Stuckey)
The defense has also done a good job of keeping opponents from scoring in the second half. Two of Denver's touchdowns came in the second half, but the game was seemingly in hand by that point. Detroit and Green Bay were both held to three points and San Diego didn't score any. The one exception is the Colts, who scored 10 points in the second half in a game that was close until the middle of the fourth quarter.
One can only wonder what this would mean going forward, as the Pats finish with three straight division contests. These teams do not boast the kind of offense that New England's last five opponents did. What's more, this has all come without the services of Chandler Jones and Jerod Mayo.
And, Dont'a Hightower sat out Sunday night, who was calling the defensive signals in place of Mayo. The Patriots had to rely on Jamie Collins to shoulder that burden, and he excelled.
One of the biggest surprises out of all of this, is how effective Akeem Ayers has been since he came over from the Titans. In six games with the Pats, Ayers has totaled 19 tackles, three sacks and an interception that came on Sunday night. Those numbers don't seem like much, but when you factor in that he was in Ken Whisenhunt's doghouse in Tennessee and is only 25, Ayers still has some room to grow.
Follow me on Twitter - @JesseGaunce
For more of my articles, click here.
