The New England Patriots placed star defensive tackle Milton Williams on injured reserve after he suffered an ankle injury in the first quarter against the New York Jets on Thursday night to open Week 11.
The Patriots have the No. 1 run defense this season, only allowing 84.7 rushing yards per game as of Sunday morning, and allowing only two running backs to have 50-yard games against them. A large part of the defense’s success is because of the defensive line and Williams being a leader on it, proven by the following Pro Football Focus team stats:
- Pressures: 35 (3rd)
- Sacks: 4 (3rd)
- Hurries: 26 (4th)
- Run stops: 16 (T-4th)
- Pass rush grade: 72.3 (5th)
His impact will be missed, clearly, and now it's time for the rest of the Patriots defense to prove they can survive his absence.
Patriots Depth Will Be Crucial Amid Milton Williams' Absence
To help preserve the defensive line tandem of Christian Barmore and Williams, the Patriots have a rotation system in place that allows them to take a quick break within a series. It’s worked well and has provided the team with flexibility throughout the season.
In doing so, the Patriots will often deploy rookie Joshua Farmer and Cory Durden to spell Williams and Barmore. They also used waiver wire addition rookie Eric Gregory for the first time on Thursday after Williams went down.
It’s worth mentioning here that Swiss Army knife Khyiris Tonga will likely have an increased role during this time. He’s been the most underrated addition on defense and is now an essential player for New England that fills in at fullback on offense as well.
Fortunately for the Patriots, the depth along the line has gained experience throughout the season from playing in just about every game while improving every week as well. That said, this likely factored into the decision to put Williams on IR, knowing that the depth can get them by.
Upcoming Stretch Could Build Character
With Williams on IR, he won’t be available for the Patriots’ next four games against the Cincinnati Bengals, New York Giants, Buffalo Bills, and the Baltimore Ravens. Without Williams, New England’s top run defense may take a hit in these four weeks with the heavy hitters of James Cook and Derrick Henry on the schedule, but successfully weathering the storm will give the players and coaches even more confidence in the final stretch.
Something that head coach Mike Vrabel has been thinking of is the big picture of the season while still being present in the moment. With that, the Patriots are 9-2 and are going to be in the playoffs. Vrabel knows that Williams should recover now to be available for when the games matter most at the end of the season and in the playoffs.
New England’s depth has been tested all season, but Williams is the biggest loss thus far for the Patriots. This does create a roster spot for the time being, so it will be interesting to see if the Pats' backups can keep stepping up in the face of adversity.