New England Patriots: Chase Winovich is a bull rush of energy

New England Patriots third-round pick Chase Winovich had himself quite a debut in the team’s preseason opener against the Detroit Lions Thursday night.

The New England Patriots turned the Motor City into sack city during Thursday night’s 31-3 victory over the Detroit Lions in the preseason opener.

Speaking of motor, third-round pick and Michigan product Chase Winovich made an immediate impact in his debut recording three tackles and 1 ½ sacks on the night.  While it was just the first preseason game, the way Winovich got to the quarterback is a sign that he is going to be one of the steals of the draft and someone Patriots fans are going to love.

Following the game, Winovich talked about how “cool” it was to play at Ford Field after playing his college career in the area.  He also emphasized being just a piece in the defense’s overall success during Thursday night’s slaughter in Detroit.

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"“It was cool,” Winovich said.  “But it’s like anything – I’ve talked about this before.  I’ve always felt this way, but it’s definitely emphasized here.  You saw me make the play, maybe on a couple occasions today, but really, there’s so many guys up front: Nick (Thurman), David (Parry), Byron (Cowart), Trent (Harris).  Really just all the linebackers making the calls: Terez (Hall), Christian (Sam) – I could go on and on.”"

The New England Patriots finished the game with nine sacks overall, including sacks by linebackers Jamie Collins and Ja’Whaun Bentley.  While those sacks were enough to get fans excited about the prospects of what this defense could be, Winovich’s production further highlighted his high energy as a pass rusher.

And then there is his football mind.

In detailing his first sack of the night, Chase Winovich used the knowledge gained from the team’s joint practice to take advantage of a situation. More than his physical ability, knowing how to attack an offensive lineman is where the rookie defensive end will make a name for himself.

"“I just felt that I knew he had been spending a lot of time at left tackle during the week,” Winovich said when asked what he saw in the offense.  “So I figured he’d be a little bit more uncomfortable trying to make that transition in the game. But, I felt like I had a good get-off, had the edge, so I slipped it. I was worried I might’ve been a little low at first, so I was looking around for the penalty, but it wasn’t. I was like, ‘OK, alright! We’re good!’”"

In all, Winovich sounds just like a Bill Belichick type of guy.  Although the head coach didn’t pinpoint the Michigan product out, he has to be smiling inside about what he has in his third-round pick.

Again, it was just the first preseason game and a game in which he played against second and third string players, but New England Patriots fans and coaches have to like what they see in Chase Winovich.  He is one bull rush of energy coming off the edge.