New England Patriots: 3 keys to defensive success in 2020
Second, the New England Patriots will have to stop the run.
The New England Patriots were very good against the run statistically in 2019. But key pieces of that defense have departed the team. Danny Shelton, the “great wall” at nose tackle is now in Detroit.
Kyle Van Noy, their most versatile linebacker is in Miami. And, Jamie Collins, their most athletic linebacker is also now in Detroit. Those are big losses to make up.
How did the Patriots deal with replacing those key components of a statistically dominant defense in the offseason? Did the Patriots do enough?
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
Well, that is a difficult question to answer, and most of the possible answers are guesses. Frankly, it’s not clear at this point if they have. It looks rather doubtful.
They did sign linebacker Brandon Copeland as a free agent from their rival Jets. Copeland will be 29 in July. He’s not a young player. Last season in 12 games he had 42 tackles and 1.5 sacks. Those stats don’t seem to be a like-for-like replacement for Van Noy or Collins.
The Patriots also drafted two linebackers high in the draft in 2020. Josh Uche who is a solid pass-rush specialist and a more well-rounded linebacker, Anfernee Jennings. Can Jennings make up for the production of seasoned veterans like Van Noy and Collins? I’d say that’s doubtful.
So with that deficiency probable, what about the run-stopping of Danny Shelton who’s now in Detroit. Shelton had a really good year in 2019. I’ve written he was very underrated. New England probably made a mistake letting him go in free agency.
They signed a replacement of sorts in Beau Allen. But Allen is no Danny Shelton, at least not the Shelton of 2019. This looks like trouble in run defense to me. Shelton had a Vince Wilfork-like season last year. He will not be easy to replace and the draft added nothing in that area.
The New England Patriots defense went 8-0 against a basically powderpuff schedule in the first half of 2019. But in the tough part of the schedule, they came back to earth and went 12-4. That 4 instead of 3 cost them dearly. A bye and a likely home playoff game in the Divisional round.
So, the Patriots’ run-stopping defense is in question in 2010. The 2019 version was a statistical monster. But stats can often be deceiving. They clearly dominated poor teams. But they wilted when facing the NFL iron. How they do in 2020 will be very important.