Following an up and down regular season, the New England Patriots put it all together to win their sixth Super Bowl title. Here are five unsung heroes from the regular season.
It wasn’t supposed to be the New England Patriots year. Fueled by offseason turmoil, the 2018 regular season got off to a rocky start.
Following back-to-back losses to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Detroit Lions, it looked like the dynasty was finally coming to an end. Not only did Tom Brady start to look his age, the team couldn’t find an identity on the road and the star that is Rob Gronkowski seemed to be dimming fast.
The Patriots did bounce back stringing together impressive victories over the Kansas City Chiefs and Green Bay Packers. Despite the inconsistent play, the team showed flashes of dominance, but the lack of an identity was still there.
More prominent in the team’s up-and-down ride was the struggles of Brady himself. With rumors that he was nursing and hiding an injury, the 41-year-old quarterback made uncharacteristic mistakes giving his haters fuel to drive the Brady falling off a cliff narrative.
But somehow the team rose above the late-season loss of Josh Gordon to put it all together. The defense got tougher and the offense found another way to win football games. Like a chameleon, the 2018 New England Patriots morphed into whatever kind of team they needed to be to beat whoever they were playing that particular week.
Perhaps that was their identity?
A power running team utilizing the blocking of Rob Gronkowski barreled over teams. The defense led by Stephon Gilmore was reminiscent of the Bill Belichick defenses of old despite the lack of talent. And a man in Tom Brady took all the noise about his decline and used it as motivation to bring another Lombardi Trophy back to One Patriot Way.
It was a memorable season and here are five unsung heroes who were vital parts in the New England Patriots turning a up-and-down season into a championship season.
Kyle Van Noy
If there was any player who defined the New England Patriots in 2018 it was veteran linebacker Kyle Van Noy.
More from Chowder and Champions
- 3 Midseason Chaim Bloom Decisions That Have Killed the 2023 Red Sox
- 10 Patriots Who Will Be Cut by Tuesday’s Roster Deadline
- MLB Screws Red Sox Fans With Broadcast for Mookie Betts Return
- 3 Most Underpaid Celtics Heading Into the 2023 Season
- Red Sox Continue Rollercoaster Season With Massive Win
Playing on a defense that was defined as lacking talent during most of the regular season, Van Noy showed a leadership on and off the field that went unrecognized until the Patriots stormed through the post-season beating the very teams that were predicted to end the dynasty.
Van Noy was simply lights out in 2018. With 92 combined tackles, 3.5 sacks and an interception, the versatile linebacker was everywhere on the field, particularly in the playoffs. He was effective in the running game and delivered some key sacks on both Patrick Mahomes and Jared Goff in the AFC Championship and Super Bowl LIII respectively.
Undersized, but playing a large role, Van Noy’s contribution throughout 2018 was not a surprise for Patriots head coach Bill Belichick who said back in October:
"“Kyle has turned out to be very versatile and very good at many things we’ve asked him to do, from the kicking game, to playing on the line of scrimmage, to playing off the line of scrimmage, to blitzing, to playing man coverage, zone coverage-so, multiple things. So, we didn’t know that. Some if it was kind of a step-by-step process.”"
Not only was he entertaining on the field, Kyle Van Noy became the team’s voice off the field. He barked back at criticism from the Boston media and also took time to put ESPN’s Max Kellerman in his place after the team silenced the critics with their Super Bowl LIII victory.
JC Jackson
Undrafted out of the University of Maryland, rookie cornerback JC Jackson was this season’s Malcolm Butler without the Super Bowl saving play.
In many ways, Jackson was a more effective cornerback than Butler was during that season.
As a long-shot to make the team, Jackson quickly opened eyes during training camp and by the middle of the 2018 NFL season found himself as the No. 2 corner alongside Stephon Gilmore.
What makes JC Jackson one of the unsung heroes is that he stepped up into a role that was supposed to be held by Eric Rowe before he was sidelined for the season. Then, there was veteran cornerback Jason McCourty who had his own struggles holding down the No. 2 spot.
At 6-foot-1, 198 pounds, Jackson took advantage of his opportunity with three regular-season interceptions. While having an All-Pro like Gilmore as a mentor, the New England Patriots lock-down cornerback was just as impressed with the undrafted rookie during the season.
"“He’s a great player,” Gilmore said in mid-January, via NESN. “Ever since (he) came in, he’s sat beside me, asked questions and gotten better every week. He don’t like giving up passes, and he’s helping us out as a defense. I’m happy that he’s on our team.”"
With a winning attitude and confidence, JC Jackson was easy this season’s diamond in the rough and it will be intriguing how the 23-year-old cornerback progresses in 2019.
Dante Scarnecchia
The success of the 2018 New England Patriots hinged on the offensive line and boy did they produce.
With an aging quarterback who was less mobile during the regular season than he ever was (and that’s saying a lot), the offensive line had to be physical and effective to keep Tom Brady upright. They also displayed that physicality in a ground attack that proved elite during the season and throughout the playoffs.
More from New England Patriots
- Former Patriot Stevan Ridley Put Kevin Hart in a Wheelchair
- 3 Patriots Who Can Clinch a Roster Spot in Final Preseason Game
- Patriots Get Win Over Division Rivals Before Season Even Begins
- New Massachusetts Sportsbook Promos: $450 Bonus to Bet on Your Patriots at Caesars + DraftKings
- Ezekiel Elliott Reveals 3 Reasons Why He Signed With Patriots
Individually, none of these names stand out as top offensive lineman in the NFL, but as a group, Trent Brown, Joe Thuney, David Andrews, Shaq Mason and Marcus Cannon stood out as one of the elite units in the league and the team has another Lombardi Trophy to show for it.
Not only did they limit the likes of Joey Bosa, Dee Ford and Justin Houston, they shut down Aaron Donald and Ndamukong Suh in Super Bowl LIII. While credit goes to the players, the ultimate credit goes to offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia for the job he continues to do with whoever he has to plug into this offensive unit.
You better believe Tom Brady is appreciative of the coach in charge of his protective unit.
"“I wouldn’t want to have anyone in the league other than the five guys I have up front,” Brady said following the AFC Divisional game. “Dante is the greatest offensive line coach in the history of the NFL.”"
As long as Scarnecchia is coaching, the New England Patriots offensive line will be more than okay. He has proved it over and over again.
James Develin
If there is one player who symbolized the 2018 New England Patriots, it is fullback James Develin neck roll and all.
The Patriots turned back the hands of time and showed that a physical running game could win a championship during a time in the NFL where the league was shifting towards more of a high-powered air attack.
The offensive line had a lot to do with setting the tone, but what Develin re-defined as a fullback can’t be underestimated. The Brown University alum did put up minor, but effective offensive numbers with four rushing touchdowns and 12 receptions out of the backfield, but what he did as a lead blocker was monumental for the team.
With his physicality, he opened holes for Sony Michel, Rex Burkhead and James White and really became the force behind the running game. In a copycat league, James Develin has brought the fullback position back to relevance in the league.
"“I think the fullback position has always kind of got the moniker that it’s a dying breed, that it’s kind of on its way out, but I think football is such a matchup game and things work so cyclically,” Develin said back in January. “As defenses get smaller and try to stop the passing attack, it kind of leaves them susceptible to, with lighter, faster guys on the field, for a power running game. I think there’s always going to be a legitimate use for a fullback and I’m just happy to be out there doing what I do.”"
A Pro-bowler in 2017, James Develin didn’t get the honors in 2018, but doesn’t mean he didn’t perform like a Pro-bowler. If he didn’t before, he definitely proved his importance to the New England Patriots offense in a season that saw the team work their way to a title.
Sony Michel
Sure, production wise, New England Patriots running back Sony Michel is already recognized as a major part of what the team did this season on the ground, but it is how he did it that makes him an unsung hero.
The rookie out of the University of Georgia played a larger role quicker than expected with injuries to Jeremy Hill and Rex Burkhead. With a total of 931 yards rushing and 6 touchdown’s in just 13 games played, Michel made believers out of those who were critical of the team using a late first-round pick on him.
Labeled as injury prone, what stuck out about Sony Michel in 2018 is his toughness and ability to play through injury. Along with his maturity, Michel’s competitive nature quickly justified Bill Belichick’s decision to take him in the first round.
It all came together in the playoffs and Super Bowl where Michel averaged 112.0 rushing yards per game with six rushing touchdowns, including the go-ahead touchdown in Super Bowl LIII.
In all, it was his ability to be effective on the ground that really allowed the New England Patriots to change what they wanted to do on offense on the fly.
While it did appear the team wanted to emphasize the running game more before the season even started, Sony Michel staying relatively healthy and productive through the last part of the season and into the playoffs allowed them to use the rushing attack as a major offensive weapon.
With a season under his belt and room for improvement, it will be interesting to see what Michel does in 2019.