FOXBORO, Mass. — After missing the majority of the 2017 season with a torn pectoral muscle, New England Patriots linebacker Dont’a Hightower has come back with one of his steadiest NFL seasons.
Hightower, barring an injury in practice this week, will play 15 games this season, which is the second-most of his career. The linebacker missed the Patriots’ Week 8 win over the Buffalo Bills but otherwise has been on the field for the majority of New England’s defensive snaps.
“He’s had a good year,” Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said Wednesday. “He had a good spring, good training camp. He missed the first Buffalo game, but he’s missed very few snaps all year in practice and games. He plays in different packages, and we haven’t put him out there for every snap, but he’s held up well and played well. He’s gotten in on a lot of plays in the running game, passing game and rushing the passer, some coverage plays, pursuit plays, things like that. He’s done a solid job for us.”
Hightower hasn’t been quite as disruptive this season as in years past. He has just 20 “stops” this season and a 2.76 percent stop rate, according to data from Pro Football Focus. That’s down from a career average of a 4.24 percent stop rate.
Hightower is on pace for 49 tackles, which would be the lowest total of his career save for last season when he played in just five games.
Hightower generates pressure on 15.2 percent of pass-rush snaps. That’s also down from a career average of 18.3 percent. But still, Hightower leads the Patriots in pressure rate among players with at least 50 pass-rush snaps. He’s rushing the passer at a slightly higher clip than in years past, as he’s played more and more as an edge defender.
Hightower was criticized by pundits for losing a step early in the season, but that talk has died down as he’s stayed on the field as the season has progressed.
Even if Hightower is running a step slower this season, it hasn’t hindered his coverage ability. He’s only allowed more than 30 yards in a game three times this season. The most yards he’s allowed in a game came Week 6 against the Kansas City Chiefs, when he let up five catches on seven targets for 56 yards. He also had an interception in that game.
While Hightower’s name might not be said quite as often on broadcasts this year, he’s been a valuable member of a Patriots defense that appears to be improving at the most critical point of the season.
For more grades, advanced statistics and more at Pro Football Focus, go to ProFootballFocus.com.
