Stephon Gilmore Looking To Put Early-Season Penalties Behind Him

Stephon Gilmore committed just one defensive-pass-interference penalty in the entire 2019 NFL season.

Three games into the 2020 campaign, he’s already tripled that total.

New England’s star cornerback was flagged twice for DPI during the Patriots’ season-opening win over the Miami Dolphins and once in Sunday’s victory over the Las Vegas Raiders.

Since pass interference is a spot foul in the NFL, those penalties resulted in gains of 23, 19 and 28 yards. Two led to touchdowns for the opponent.

Gilmore was penalized five times for defensive holding last season, a foul that results in an automatic first down but just 5 yards of field position.

The reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year was asked about his recent penalty problems Wednesday during a video conference with reporters.

“Got to put it behind you, get ready for the Kansas City Chiefs,” Gilmore said, referring to the Patriots’ Week 4 opponent. “It’s a big opportunity for us to go out there and make plays and play aggressive and go out there and do whatever we can to win.”

Gilmore hasn’t played poorly this season but he hasn’t looked like the best cornerback in football, either.

He lost a tough matchup against Seattle’s D.K. Metcalf in Week 2, surrendering three catches on five targets for 85 yards and a touchdown in a Patriots defeat. His 1.68 yards-allowed-per-coverage-snap average through three games is tied for 77th among the 98 corners with at least 50 coverage snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. (That number was 1.08 last season).

Gilmore, who’s been targeted 15 times in coverage, enters Week 4 as PFF’s 73rd-highest-graded cornerback. Fellow Patriots corners J.C. Jackson and Jonathan Jones rank fifth and 59th, respectively.

“I just try to prepare each and every snap,” said Gilmore, who has one interception and one pass breakup his season. “Coach puts me in certain situations each and every week to make plays for my team. So whenever the ball comes my way, I try to be in the best position I can.”

Gilmore and the rest of the Patriots’ defense will face one of their toughest challenges of the season this Sunday against Patrick Mahomes and the 3-0 Kansas City Chiefs.

If the Patriots’ strategy from recent years holds, Gilmore’s primary assignment likely will be wide receiver Sammy Watkins, who has 15 catches on 20 targets for 155 yards and a touchdown this season. When these teams met last December, Mahomes was just 2-for-6 for 13 yards when targeting Watkins with Gilmore in coverage.

“It’s a big opportunity for us to go out and show what we can do against those guys,” Gilmore said. “They have great speed. We’re not going to back down. So it’s going to be two good teams playing against each other. That’s why you play the game, to go out there and compete against good teams.”