Patriots’ Elite Run Defense Off To Historically Good Start
At 3-2, the New England Patriots are off to their best start since Tom Brady’s final season with the team six years ago.
While much of the credit has gone to Drake Maye and Josh McDaniels for turning the offense around, the defense has been excellent as well. The Patriots are allowing just 20.2 points per game, good for ninth in the NFL.
The unit has shined despite having a first-time defensive coordinator in Terrell Williams and not having its best player, Christian Gonzalez, for the first three games of the season.
New England’s defense has been especially strong up front. The Patriots have one of the best run-stopping units in football this year, allowing 85 rushing yards per game and only two rushing touchdowns thus far.
New England’s run defense, which ranks fourth in rushing yards allowed per game and first in rushing touchdowns allowed, is off to a historically good start.
The Patriots are the only NFL team this year to not allow an opposing running back to rush for at least 50 yards against them through their first five games — the first time in franchise history they’ve accomplished that.
This represents a big improvement from last season, when New England’s run defense was one of the worst in the league. The Patriots allowed the tenth-most rushing yards per game last year.
New England will try to extend its streak this weekend against the New Orleans Saints, who have a solid ground game led by Alvin Kamara. Kamara has topped 50 rushing yards in two of his last four games and still has plenty of juice in his 30-year-old legs, so containing him won’t be easy.
That said, he may not have much room to run on Sunday if the Patriots’ run defense keeps winning in the trenches.