Pats Pulpit
For the first time since Week 4, the New England Patriots will take the field Sunday night coming off a loss. While players and coaches echoed that last week’s loss can be a positive for this group down the stretch, Mike Vrabel noted they won’t truly know until the groups’ response is seen vs. the Baltimore Ravens.
Here on Pats Pulpit, our focus this week has been on Baltimore preparation in addition to recapping the Bills loss. For anything else not covered previously, let’s clean out the notebook. Welcome to this week’s edition of our Sunday Patriots Notes.
It took an opposing running back 10 weeks to eclipse the 50-rushing yard mark against the Patriots defense. That was when Buccaneers running back Sean Tucker totaled 53 yards across nine carries.
What was an elite run defense to date started to show cracks that Sunday in Tampa Bay. Those have now fully revealed themselves.
Since Week 10, the Patriots run defense has cratered to 29th in rush EPA and 31st in the NFL in rush success rate. Over their first nine games, New England ranked 3rd in rush EPA and 8th in success rate.
“Obviously we’re struggling a little bit, it’s been down these last couple weeks,” outside linebackers coach Mike Smith said this week. “We have to get back to what we were at the beginning of the year.”
Injuries have not helped the case.
After suffering an ankle injury early in Week 11, star defensive tackle Milton Williams has resided on injured reserve over the last three games and will remain out Sunday. Fellow defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga (chest) missed a Monday night matchup against the New York Giants.
Linebacker Robert Spillane played a season-low 39 defensive snaps in that contest before not playing last week as he was available only in emergency. Spillane, who was seen in a walking boot this week, has already been ruled out for Sunday night.
But in addition to the injuries, the Patriots’ details, technique, and fundamentals — which add up to be the third pillar of Mike Vrabel’s team identity — were lacking in a 35-31 loss to the Buffalo Bills, who generated a +0.23 rush EPA (95th percentile).
“Just really working on the technique of their job and making sure we’re not chasing plays,” defensive play caller Zak Kuhr explained. “Sometimes guys want to make plays and they get excited and step out of their responsibility to try and make a play. Just do our job with good technique and fundamentals.”
“We want to chase wins, we don’t want to chase plays,” Vrabel added. “That’s the message. I think if we focus on winning and what’s required of winning, then every play will come to us and we’ll make the ones that we’re supposed to make.”
Healthy reinforcements will help, which should include the return of Milton Williams from injured reserve next week as he continues to progress well from his ankle sprain.
But this week, however,...
