Much of the attention surrounding the Patriots thus far has been fixated on the offense, and deservedly so. But to say New England is excelling on the other side of the ball, quite frankly, would be an undersell.
Neither the Pittsburgh Steelers nor the Miami Dolphins could muster anything up against the Patriots’ defense, which only has allowed three points on the campaign thus far. In fact, you’d have to go all the way back to January’s AFC Championship Game for the last time New England let an opponent reach the end zone.
New England’s defense was shaping up to be good heading into the season, but not many saw the unit playing this well. As such, ESPN believes the reigning champion’s defense has been the team’s most pleasant surprise through the first two weeks of the campaign.
“After an offseason of chatter about who would take over for defensive playcaller Brian Flores — and if Bill Belichick might be stretched thin with more oversight over the defense — the unit has been stingy through two games, allowing only three points,” Mike Reiss writes. “The points-against pace can’t continue — no defense has finished the season averaging 1.5 points allowed per game — but there’s no reason to think the unit can’t continue its solid play as the competition level rises. It’s a versatile, talented group.”
The Patriots’ defense is primed for another stout performance this Sunday when it welcomes the New York Jets to Gillette Stadium. Second-year signal-caller Luke Falk is set to make his first career start in the divisional matchup, and we all know how inexperienced QBs typically fair against Bill Belichick and Co.
