When you look at Chandler Jones’ defensive stats, it’s easy to be impressed.
The New England Patriots defensive end is having the best season of his young career, leading the league with 9 1/2 sacks entering Week 10. Despite that eye-popping total, Jones’ play might be going a little bit under the radar this season.
A big reason for that could be because the Patriots’ success this season hasn’t been solely reliant on Jones being disruptive and making plays. Rather, Jones’ statistical success is more a reflection of a full, complementary effort from the New England defense.
“There is going to be a handful of plays that you can probably identify and say, well, that was a great pass rush by a certain player and that basically dominated the play, but there are far more plays that are collective,” Belichick said Tuesday during a conference call with reporters. “They’re done on a collective basis, whether it’s coverage that forces the quarterback to hold the ball a little longer or people in the throwing lane or … a player that’s providing a little bit of pressure initially on the quarterback, but he slides to get away from him and that puts him closer to other rushers, that type of thing.”
Complementary efforts in all three layers of the defense have produced impressive defensive stats for the entire unit, not just Jones. New England’s recorded 27 sacks this season (tied for second in the NFL) and nine interceptions (tied for ninth). Eight Patriots players have at least one sack with the picks spread out among four players.
It makes sense, too. The pass rush succeeds in part because of good coverage, and the secondary benefits when quarterbacks face pressure from the pass rushers.
“It’s usually more of that situation that’s more common to have guys that their production in the play is a function of what somebody else is doing in the play and really team defense,” Belichick said.
Of course, having players with good instincts, like Jones has, certainly helps.
“The closer you are to the ball more often, the more chances you’re going to have of making plays, and I’d say Chandler has definitely done that,” Belichick said. “He’s put himself close to the quarterback on a number of occasions and sometimes he makes the play, sometimes he forces to somebody else, but he’s around there quite a bit, so he certainly is getting a high level of production there because of that.”
Thumbnail photo via Stew Milne/USA TODAY Sports Images
