Is Patriots protection primed to peak over closing eight-game gauntlet?

As was the case in 2021, the Patriots protection hits the bye week flying high. Final 12 months, they have been coming off of a wind-swept victory over the Payments in Buffalo, capping off a seven-game win streak that had the workforce atop the convention in a race for the singular playoff bye. However popping out of the early-December break the Patriots had three of their worst defensive performances of the season of their closing 4 video games earlier than saving their worst for final in a 47-17 domination by the hands of the Payments.

This 12 months the Pats protection is again at it, coming in at seventh in factors in opposition to, second in takeaways, sixth general in defensive DVOA and first in defensive EPA. They overwhelmed Sam Ehlinger and the Colts, not permitting a third-down conversion in fourteen makes an attempt.

Any method you narrow it, the Pats protection is taking part in rather well, however will or not it’s sufficient because the video games turn into much more important?

“It was simply good workforce protection,” stated Invoice Belichick following the win over the Colts. “Any time you’ve gotten an excellent go rush, you’ve gotten good protection. Any time you’ve gotten good protection, you will have an excellent go rush. A few of these sacks regarded like protection sacks, the place there was no person to throw to. A few of them have been nice rush sacks the place they did not have time to execute the passing recreation. However good workforce protection is basically what it is about.”

After tying a workforce report with 9 sacks there are causes to really feel each assured but in addition trepidatious about how this 12 months’s squad will fare down the stretch. At 5-4, the Patriots are proper within the playoff combine, however primarily based on the offense’s struggles there appears to be much more strain on the protection to ship within the face of the hardest, defining closing body of the season.

After the bye week, issues kick off with an enormous rematch in opposition to the Jets, who’re coming off their very own spectacular victory over the division-leading Payments. That win, together with Miami’s defeat of the Bears, have saved the Patriots on the backside of the AFC East illustrating simply how aggressive the division has turn into and the way important each one of many closing eight video games will likely be.

“We simply have gotten to proceed to construct,” acknowledged captain Devin McCourty. “It isn’t going to get simpler at this level within the season. We’ve bought to nonetheless play higher, it’s what it’s. Particularly the week after subsequent, going again into the division with the Jets.”

The Jets imagine they need to’ve gained final weekend over the Patriots. It is laborious to understate how essential the rematch Foxborough with each groups coming off their bye weeks will likely be. However that is simply the beginning of a closing gauntlet that can embody two video games in opposition to the Payments and one in opposition to Miami, who’re a mixed 8-1 in opposition to the Pats over their final 9 video games in opposition to them.