New England Patriots: Christian Barmore is the key to the Pats defense

New England Patriots rookie defensive lineman Christian Barmore is emerging as an absolute key to the success of the Patriots defense.

Now, what after a mere nine games would allow an observer to make such a demonstrative comment about a rookie defensive lineman, no less? It’s easy to explain.

Positive commentary about Barmore was raised in this space previously on several occasions. And not just in this space.

New England Patriots Christian Barmore is a star in the making

Barmore looks to this observer to be the spiritual successor to one of the all-time Patriots’ greats, Vince Wilfork. Why spiritual and not actual?

Let’s explore that and take a look in a bit more detail at why this rookie has made such a dramatic impact on not only the Patriots’ defense but on their entire recent success.

It’s one thing for an observer or a writer about sports to crow about a player who has been drafted or signed and say he’s the greatest thing since Parisian bread. (Sliced bread is so passe.)

It’s another to say that after half a season in the favorite home team colors, in this case, the revered red, white, blue, and silver of the New England Patriots, that this young player is special.

Well, Barmore is deserving of all that and more. The young man is a bull rusher seldom seen in Patriots colors since, well, maybe Houston Antwine. That means, he’s really good.

Barmore not only pushes the pocket, but he also crushes the pocket. There’s a difference and the Patriots are reaping the benefits thereof.

Big Sey, Richard Seymour, recently enshrined in the Patriots’ Hall of Fame did similarly, but not exactly what Barmore, the young former Alabama star does.

Seymour was a bit more mobile. Barmore is a bit more powerful. Both are/were outstanding. Either is an absolute treasure on an NFL football team.

New England Patriots Christian Barmore enhances the entire defense

While Seymour rushed more from the edge, Barmore is more likely applied in the interior gaps. No matter, wherever he’s deployed he’s not likely to be well-blocked by one offensive lineman.

He’s just too strong. He’s a bulldozer of a defensive lineman. Ask the New York Jets, who had trouble at times blocking him with three players!

He’s just too, and here’s another adjectival attempt, powerful for any one or maybe even two linemen to handle. So what’s the result?

Well, due to this propensity of Mr. Barmore to collapse absolutely any and all offensive line pockets, the opposing quarterbacks have problems. Big problems.

They can sit in the pocket and Barmore will sack them. Or conversely, they can roll out of the pocket, making them susceptible to the onrushing Matt Judon and others.

That’s the Judon of the nine sacks in nine games Judon, or another Patriots defender who will gladly mop up, thank you.

Alternatively, he can throw the ball out of bounds; throw it to a receiver where it may be intercepted; throw an incompletion; or, heck, just take a sack. The options aren’t great, frankly.

And all this is due to the presence of one dominant, unblockable defensive lineman, Christian Barmore. Think it’s hyperbole? Think again. It is what it is and that is an amazing thing to watch.

Barmore and Judon have added dimensions to the Patriots’ defense they haven’t had in a while. It’s great to see for us Patriots fans, but not for the opposition. Sorry.