FOXBORO, Mass. — The key to the success of Dont’a Hightower and Jamie Collins this season is simple: The New England Patriots linebackers are having fun.
Of course, that’s easy to say when you’re as big, fast, smart and talented as Hightower and Collins are. Collins has a gift of making even the most complex premise sound straightforward.
“We’re all coming together as one on defense, and we try to go out there and have a lot of fun playing football,” Collins said. “I believe that’s what we do: go out and have fun together.”
Of course, that “fun” stems from the fact that Hightower and Collins have been in the Patriots’ defense for four and three years, respectively. It wasn’t always so easy for the two linebackers to change roles from play to play, read the opposing offense and react accordingly. But they’ve developed those skills as they’ve gained more comfort in the Patriots’ defense.
“Whenever you can go out there, and you can play football and do something you’ve been doing since you were just a little kid, and you just go out there and play and you have fun — usually when we do that, we’re playing fast, playing aggressive,” Hightower said. “Offenses don’t like it when everyone’s playing fast and aggressive, because something’s going to happen. Someone’s going to get hit hard, the ball’s going to come out. That’s something we were doing a lot early in the year and through the midst of the season. We’re starting to get back to that.”
The Patriots rank seventh in the NFL in total defense, eighth in points allowed and sixth in turnover differential, all while dealing with a multitude of injuries. Hightower has missed time with a knee injury, Collins with an illness, safety Devin McCourty with an ankle issue and Patrick Chung with a foot ailment. The Patriots are able to adapt because of the experience and versatility of their best defenders.
“That’s something a lot of us take pride in any time we can plug and put us in a different position to get the offense,” Hightower said. “‘Where’s 54 (Hightower) at? Where’s 50 (Rob Ninkovich) at? Where’s 91 (Collins)? Where’s 32 (McCourty)? Where’s 51 (Jerod Mayo)? We’re putting stress on those guys. The more the better.”
Opposing offenses will have to deal with the fastest and most aggressive defense the Patriots have had since the beginning of the season when everyone regains their health for the postseason. And something’s going to happen, all right.
Thumbnail photo via Greg M. Cooper/USA TODAY Sports Images
