Patriot Defense: Tackling Gaps and Coverage Flaws

The New England Patriots allowed 17 missed tackles during their recent game in Chicago, a performance that head coach Mike Vrabel and his staff are now analyzing through weekly self-scouting. The team has been managing its workload since returning from that trip, taking a long weekend and giving eight starters a rest on Monday. The coaching staff split their time between preparing for the Miami Dolphins and reviewing their own film.

Safety Kevin Byard identified tackling as the primary area for improvement during a press conference on Monday. "We pride ourselves on being a really good tackling secondary," Byard said. "We haven't been doing that the past couple games, so that’s something we definitely have to improve on." The defense ranked among the better tackling units in the league last season, but current metrics show a decline. According to Pro Football Focus, several players are missing tackles at rates higher than their career averages.

The impact of these missed tackles is measurable in yards. The Patriots currently allow the third-most yards after the catch in the NFL at 887. They also give up an average of 3.38 rushing yards after contact, which is the fourth-worst mark in the league. Next Gen Stats indicates that if the defense ranked 16th in both categories, the team would save nearly 30 yards per game. That difference could move New England from 10th in total yards allowed into the top three.

Turnovers present another challenge for the team. The Patriots have the second-most giveaways in the NFL through Week 7. Quarterback Drake Maye has fumbled 20 times since the start of last season. However, Maye’s interception rate dropped in the last four games as his play under pressure stabilized. He remains a top-10 quarterback by success rate and Expected Points Added per play despite the turnover issues.

The pass defense shows a stark contrast between its man and zone coverage. The team plays man-to-man coverage at the league’s second-highest rate and performs effectively in that scheme. Conversely, New England is the second-worst team in the NFL in zone coverage by EPA/play. This gap has been exposed by opponents using play-action passes against heavy base personnel. In the last two weeks, opposing quarterbacks completed 8 of 8 play-action passes for 127 yards and two touchdowns against those groupings.

Pressure generation is also lagging. The Patriots generate the fifth-lowest pressure rate in the league. They allow the seventh-highest EPA/play on dropbacks where they do not blitz. The team currently blitzes on 41.7% of plays, which is the third-highest rate in the NFL. Solutions may involve reassigning snaps to better pass rushers or relying on the development of Gabe Jacas and Elijah Ponder.

The offensive line faces significant injury issues. Right guard Mike Onwenu is out for the year, and the starting left guard has been placed on injured reserve. The new fullback is also on IR with an injury he has managed since last season. These absences complicate the rushing attack, which is already hindered by the NFL’s heaviest average defensive boxes.

The Patriots face the Dolphins next in a game that will test these adjustments. The team has a winning record despite playing the NFL’s third-hardest schedule to date. The front office has invested in the offense to support Maye, trading for A.J. Brown and drafting Caleb Lomu and Eli Raridon. The defense must now stabilize its fundamental flaws to sustain that success.