Patriots Gridiron News 11/10: Rob Ninkovich Finds Sack Stat ‘Overrated’

The New England Patriots will have their work cut out for them Sunday night against a mobile quarterback. Can they find a way to collapse the pocket?

In losing Chandler Jones and now Jamie Collins, the Patriots current defensive players have to find a way to get to the quarterback. The team’s inability to disrupt the pocket all season long has been one of the concerns facing the defense.

The players, however, don’t see the declined sack total as a major concern. Just ask Rob Ninkovich. The Patriots defensive end is more concerned about the outcome of games rather than a stat he feels doesn’t matter in the scheme of team defense.

"“I’m happy with wins,” Ninkovich said Tuesday. “I think that the sack stat sometimes is a little overrated. There are teams with plenty of sacks but no wins.”"

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Ninkovich is correct, except that lack of pass rush has given opposing quarterbacks time to throw and find the open man, which contributes to the team’s third-down problems. Following a season in which the Patriots recorded 49 total sacks, the defense just has 13 sacks in eight games.

That number needs to change for the defense to become more effective and disruptive. No one will replace the 12 ½ sacks recorded by Jones last season, but players like Ninkovich, Jabaal Sheard, Trey Flowers and Chris Long have the capability. Let’s see if they are able to bring it home starting this Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks.

Chris Hogan on politics in the locker room: Although Tom Brady and Bill Belichick were hit with questions concerning their connection to Donald Trump, Patriots players like Chris Hogan and Chris Long says politics should not come up in locker room talk.

"“The locker room, I don’t think is a huge place for guys really to talk politics,” Hogan said Tuesday via NESN. “There’s always a couple of guys that will be in here butting heads or something like that, but (that’s it).”"

Long echoed those sentiments and said prior to the election he didn’t even plan on voting.

Anthony Johnson to New York: The Patriots have lost a player off their practice squad. According to NESN, defensive tackle Anthony Johnson has been signed off the practice squad by the New York Jets. The 23-year-old defensive lineman has been on and off the Patriots roster and practice squad all season long.

Next: Boston Sports Daily 11/10: Red Sox Off-Season Notes

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