The New England Patriots continue to impress. The Patriots were able to come away with their fourth straight win Sunday, crushing the Tennessee Titans, 31-13. While Drake Maye and the offense continue to get all the praise for their exceptional play, the defense’s impressive efforts continue to go unnoticed.
The defense shut down the Titans, limiting them to just 255 total yards and racking up five sacks. Edge rusher K’Lavon Chaisson was vital to the team’s victory, recording two sacks, one fumble recovery returned for a touchdown, and three total tackles.
Chaisson continues to play a key role on the Patriots’ defense, as he’s quietly become the team’s most important defender. His stellar play has been crucial to the improvement of a pass-rush that ranked just 28th in sacks last season.
K’Lavon Chaisson Has Become Patriots’ Most Important Defender
When the Patriots signed Chaisson to a one-year, $3 million contract, the expectation was that he’d be a rotational player who specializes in third-down pass rush situations. Chaisson was excellent in that role for the Las Vegas Raiders last season, recording a career-high five sacks, 32 total tackles, and seven tackles for loss.
However, Chaisson wanted to become more than just a backup, and he proved that immediately in New England. From day one, Chaisson displayed improvement, consistently making headlines for his terrific play in training camp.
Chaisson’s breakout caught head coach Mike Vrabel’s attention, as he rewarded his play by naming him the team’s starting edge rusher opposite Harold Landry III. His impressive play has translated into the regular season, recording 12 total tackles and leading the team in sacks (4.5).
Coming out of college, Chaisson displayed his potential skill set as a pass-rusher despite being a raw prospect. His potential, combined with his youth, resulted in the Jacksonville Jaguars selecting Chaisson in the first round of the 2020 draft. Unfortunately, the Jaguars were unable to unleash his potential, as Chaisson recorded just five sacks in 57 games.
Despite not putting up the numbers a first-round selection is supposed to, he’s finally displaying his untapped potential in New England. Chaisson has been one of the best players on the Patriots' defense and a key to their success.
Still, only 26 years old, Chaisson is just entering the prime of his career, and he is showcasing just how valuable he can be. This season, the Patriots' defense has combined for 18 sacks and has allowed 19 points per game. Last year, their defense had 14 sacks through seven games and allowed 25 points per game.
Patriots fans are hopeful that Chaisson’s excellent play continues, as they are inching closer to making the playoffs for the first time since 2021.