Can The Patriots Win Another Super Bowl On Defense Alone?
By Matt Dolloff (@mattdolloff)
BOSTON (CBS) -- Why did the Patriots finally win their fourth Super Bowl? Because Tom Brady led a heroic fourth-quarter comeback. But what was the other reason they made it back to the Big Game and closed the deal? Malcolm Butler intercepted his way into Patriots lore, and the defense finally became championship-caliber again after a years-long lull that put too much on Tom Brady's shoulders for the Patriots to have the balance necessary to win it all.
This season, the concern entering the season was how the Pats' new-look secondary would play after the team let Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner go. It's safe to say that they are exceeding expectations. And don't blind yourself with revisionist history; Revis and Browner were a world-class combo in the back end for the majority of the 2014 season, and concerns over how Butler and Logan Ryan would perform in their stead was an understandable concern.
Butler and Ryan have emerged as a legitimate top-2 cornerback combo, playing well against (and at times even shutting down) elite receivers, while the biggest strength of the defense entering the season, the front seven, has taken some thrilling leaps forward. Chandler Jones is vying for Defensive Player of the Year with his consistently disruptive pass rushing, while Dont'a Hightower and Jamie Collins have built on their excellent 2014 season and emerged as one of the league's top dual linebacking threats. Their elevated play has done the same for Jabaal Sheard, Alan Branch, Akiem Hicks, Dominique Easley, and others in the Patriots' defensive front who shined most recently against the Houston Texans on Sunday night.
So that begs the question: Is this Patriots defense still championship-caliber?
Just looking at the talent, the answer is a definitive yes. The secondary was by far the biggest concern entering the season, and they are making Bill Belichick look like a genius. Even Patrick Chung has figured out how to cover and defend passes well. And if the front seven is at full strength, they present problems all over the field for any opposing offense.
This is not just a reactionary piece to how well the Patriots defense played against Houston. Yes, the Texans have a porous offensive line, a backup QB in the starter role, and no weapons beyond DeAndre Hopkins. But this was a huge game for the Texans for their playoff hopes, they were at home, and they are riddled with former Patriots who had plenty of extra motivation. Also, they're still a professional football team. For the Patriots defense to dominate like they did for 60 minutes was an impressive effort by any measure.
Logan Ryan essentially erased Hopkins from the game (with some help over the top) and Butler kept Nate Washington in check aside from two plays. With Houston keying on stopping Chandler Jones, Sheard, Branch, Easley, and Hicks (this year's Akeem Ayers?) were ferocious up front. They did this all without Hightower, their defensive signal-caller and one of the better all-around middle linebackers in the league, and continued to play well even after losing Devin McCourty, Dominique Easley, and Jonathan Freeney during the game. Even Jerod Mayo made a few plays in a year where he's disappeared at times.
With the Patriots offense suffering through major injuries and trudging to the playoffs with a patchwork offensive line, it's necessary for the defense to make the kind of game-changing plays we're used to seeing Brady make. This isn't to say that the Patriots won't be able to score in the playoffs once they get Julian Edelman back, but you've seen it in the playoffs before: a tough, talented defense slows Brady and the offense down, while the Patriots can't get the defensive stops they need and lose, say, 28-13. This time, they're more than capable of getting those stops.
After eradicating whatever concerns there may have been entering the season, the Patriots defense has provided plenty of encouragement that they can keep playoff games in the 20s and put the Patriots offense in position to score enough to win without being forced to do too much. If the Patriots have an off day on offense, you can rest assured that the defense has the talent to keep them in it. The defense would face a major test if the Pittsburgh Steelers come to Foxboro, but just about any other matchup ought to inspire supreme confidence in this group - especially if and when Hightower returns and they are at full strength.
Not only is this Patriots defense still Super Bowl-caliber, they may be even better than last season. And considering the trouble the offense continues to face with injuries, they could be the reason the Patriots end up hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in Santa Clara.
Matt Dolloff is a writer for CBSBostonSports.com. His opinions do not necessarily reflect that of CBS or 98.5 The Sports Hub. Read more from Matt here. Follow him on Twitter @mattdolloff and email him at mdolloff@985thesportshub.com.