Linebacker Delivers Vicious Quote On Patriots’ Historic Defense

The New England Patriots’ defense continued its historic first half of the season in Week 8, allowing no running back to rush for 50 yards or more on Sunday vs. the Cleveland Browns.

New England’s defense is the first to hold any running back from reaching that figure through the first eight games of a season since 1950 and now ranks second in the NFL with 76.0 rushing yards allowed per contest.

Linebacker Jahlani Tavai (who missed the first four games of the year with a calf injury) led the Patriots in tackles last season and has picked up where he left off this fall.

The 29-year-old has 13 tackles through four contests this year and had a season-high five takedowns in the 32-13 win vs. the Browns.

Tavai explained to the Boston Globe’s Christopher Price how New England’s rush defense has been so good in 2025.

“I asked Jahlani Tavai the secret to playing good run defense, and how they keep that positive momentum moving forward,” Price wrote on Bluesky. “‘We’ve just got to continue to play with our hair on fire. It’s a scary thing when you see just 11 defensive players running and trying to tear a guy’s face off, you know?'”

The Patriots’ run defense will have one of their toughest tasks of the season in Week 9, as they host Pro Bowl running back Bijan Robinson and the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.