The New England Patriots’ defense can hold its head high after limiting the Denver Broncos to 21 points — statistics be damned.
Peyton Manning threw for 438 yards Sunday night, but that will happen when one of the greatest quarterbacks who has ever lived is playing from behind, without the threat of a running game. Throw in a great arsenal of wide receivers, and yeah, a 400-yard passing game is a natural result.
Peyton’s performance single-handedly pushed the Patriots from having the NFL’s fourth-ranked passing defense to a middle-of-the-road 14th. They still rank 11th in passer rating against.
Check out how the Patriots allowed more than 400 yards in this week’s takeaways from the 43-21 win over the Broncos.
REVIS, BROWNER SOLID AGAINST TOP TARGETS
No one talked about Darrelle Revis or Brandon Browner separately after the two top cornerbacks signed in New England over the offseason. Instead, an amalgamation formed, and they became Revisandbrowner: an unstoppable force, capable of eliminating any receiver who dares to line up near the sideline.
Revis and Browner weren’t perfect Sunday, but they certainly earned their contracts — and hype — by limiting Demaryius Thomas, Emmanuel Sanders and Julius Thomas.
Browner lined up at both cornerback, covering either Demaryius Thomas or Sanders, and in a hybrid safety/linebacker/slot role, where he took on Julius Thomas. Browner and safety Patrick Chung were key in holding the tight end to just two catches for 33 yards and one touchdown.
Browner is being used more creatively in New England than he was in Seattle under Pete Carroll, who mostly stuck him on the outside in a Cover 3 defense. Browner’s size (6-foot-4, 225 pounds), physical play and smarts allows him to move around the defense with ease.
Check out this week’s pass-coverage charting stats:
Malcolm Butler: six receptions on 10 targets for 82 yards
Darrelle Revis: 5-6, 71 yards
Brandon Browner: 4-8, 68 yards, interception
Patrick Chung: 4-10, 56 yards, three pass breakups, TD
Devin McCourty: 1-1, 41 yards
Rob Ninkovich: 2-3, 18 yards, interception
Jamie Collins: 4-5, 17 yards
Kyle Arrington: 1-3, 9 yards
Dont’a Hightower: 1-3, 9 yards
Akeem Ayers: 1-2, 6 yards
Check out the Patriots’ pass-coverage charting stats for the season:
Revis: 25-45, 346 yards, TD, two INTs, two pass breakups
Logan Ryan: 16-24, 201 yards, TD, INT, three pass breakups
Alfonzo Dennard: 14-21, 192 yards, two TDs
Jerod Mayo: 12-16, 127 yards, TD
Arrington: 10-21, 136 yards, TD, pass breakup
Collins: 13-28, 128 yards, interception, TD, pass breakup
Hightower: 18-25, 109 yards, pass breakup
Tavon Wilson: 4-7, 80 yards, two pass breakups
Deontae Skinner: 5-5, 72 yards
Butler: 10-19, 145 yards, TD, pass breakup
Chung: 10-20, 110 yards, two TDs, four pass breakups
McCourty: 7-14, 93 yards, two TDs, INT, two pass breakups
Ninkovich: 6-9, 53 yards, INT
Browner: 6-13, 101 yards, TD, INT, pass breakup
Chandler Jones: 2-3, 23 yards, two pass breakups
Dominique Easley: 2-3, 25 yards, interception
Ayers: 1-2, 6 yards
Nate Ebner: 1-3, 3 yards
Duron Harmon: 0-1
Chris White: 0-1
Vince Wilfork: interception
AKEEM AYERS COMES THROUGH WITH KEY SACK
The Patriots weren’t able to generate much of a pass rush against Manning and the Broncos’ offensive line, but newly acquired edge rusher Akeem Ayers came through with a key sack on fourth down, when Denver still had a shot, down 20-7 with 2:09 left in the second quarter.
Ayers has proven to be a steal for the Patriots, who gave up a sixth-round draft pick to acquire the linebacker and a seventh-round selection from the Tennessee Titans. The Patriots lined up Ayers and Rob Ninkovich at defensive end in their nickel defense, with Dont’a Hightower and Jamie Collins in the middle. Since all four players can rush the passer and drop back in coverage, the Patriots were able to fool Manning by using a combination of the players in both roles.
Check out this week’s pass-rush charting stats:
Akeem Ayers: sack, three hurries
Dont’a Hightower: four hurries
Jamie Collins: QB hit, two hurries
Rob Ninkovich: QB hit, hurry
Dominique Easley: hurry
Check out the Patriots’ season-long pass-rush charting stats:
Ninkovich: four sacks, eight QB hits, 21 hurries, 32 pressures
Chandler Jones: 4.5 sacks, eight QB hits, 15 hurries, 28 pressures
Hightower: 3.5 sacks, five QB hits, 13 hurries, 22 pressures
Vince Wilfork: .5 sack, two QB hit, seven hurries, 10 pressures
Ayers: two sacks, QB hit, six hurries, nine pressures
Chris Jones: 1.5 sacks,, two QB hits, six hurries, eight pressures
Collins: four QB hits, four hurries, eight pressures
Jerod Mayo: sack, QB hit, four hurries, six pressures
Easley: .5 sack, three hurries, four pressures
Joe Vellano: one sack, two hurries, three pressures
Casey Walker: one sack, two hurries, three pressures
Zach Moore: .5 sack, two hurries, three pressures
Patrick Chung: one QB hit, two hurries, three pressures
Deontae Skinner: one sack, one hurry, two pressures
Logan Ryan: one QB hit, one hurry, two pressures
Tavon Wilson: two hurries, two pressures
Kyle Arrington: one sack, one pressure
Sealver Siliga: one QB hit, one pressure
Alfonzo Dennard: one hurry, one pressure
Photo via Elise Amendola/Associated Press
