FOXBORO, Mass. — The New England Patriots’ defense has come under fire following its rough performance against the Seattle Seahawks, and for good reason.
The Patriots surrended a season-high 31 points in their loss to the Seahawks, further proof that their defense, which this past summer was touted as perhaps the best of coach Bill Belichick’s tenure, has severely underperformed.
A reporter asked Belichick during his Friday news conference if his team needs to forge an identity and begin playing with more “swagger” and “edge.” The coach scoffed at that notion.
“Yeah, I don’t really know what that means,” Belichick said. “So I can’t answer the question. We’re just trying to win games. We’re not trying to create — I don’t know what the identity is. The identity I’d like is a team that wins a lot of games, OK? We’ve had some of that around here, so I’ll take that rather than being known as this kind of team or that kind of team.
“I think if you’re a smart, tough football team that wins games, that’s what you want to be. The rest of it, I don’t really know what that means.”
That’s exactly the kind of team the Patriots have been under Belichick and continue to be this season. Despite its defensive struggles, New England carries a 7-2 record into Sunday’s matchup with the San Francisco 49ers, tied with the Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland Raiders for the best mark in the AFC.
Thumbnail photo via Ken Blaze/USA TODAY Sports Images
