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he NewEngland Patriots struggling on offense has surprised nobody, but the defense wasn’t supposed to falter, and starting nose tackle Davon Godchaux named a disturbing reason why the unit hasn’t met expectations.
New England’s D’ ranks 17th in points and 24th in yards after four games. Godchaux told WEEI’s Jones & Keefe show “some guys have kinda been selfish.”
Doubling down on that alarming statement, eight-year pro Godchaux said, “I get it. We’re down, guys wanna make plays. I get it, but you know everybody gotta play as, I’m talking about defense, everybody has to play as 11, and everybody gotta you know, sacrifice to do what’s best for the team. I know some guys wanna make plays when we’re down trying to get back in the game. But, we gotta just keep going as a team and play team defense.”
“Just being honest, some guys have kinda been selfish.”
Davin Godchaux tells @JonesWEEI & @Keefe21 that players on the #Patriots’ defense have been going rogue, trying to make plays for themselves, hurting the team.
📺Full interview: t.co/8NphWTiqYk
Those are eye-opening statements from a core member of what’s supposed to be one of the toughest defenses in the NFL. Godchaux’s words not only underline how much things are going wrong on that side of the ball.
He’s also pinpointed a worrying shift in attitude this early into the post-Bill Belichick era.
Patriots No Longer Playing Team Defense
Forsaking individual glory for the good of the team was the mantra for the near quarter of a century Belichick spent as head coach. Slogans like “Do Your Job” and the “Patriot Way” summed up the collective commitment to playing as a unit.
That commitment showed up most on defense, where Belichick often had very good, but not elite players, yet consistently still fielded formidable units. The trend was supposed to continue when inside linebackers coach Jerod Mayo replaced Belichick and defensive line coach DeMarcus Covington became coordinator.
Things haven’t worked out that way, with the 353 yards allowed per game by the Patriots, “the 3rd most by any AFC team.” Godchaux thinks the issues are in the Patriots’ power to correct.
He told Jones & Keefe, “it’s all self-inflicted wounds, it’s not like the teams are doing something that we haven’t seen.”
The #Patriots 353 yards allowed per game this season are the 3rd most by any AFC team.
However, Davon Godchaux is confident they will clean that up:
“It’s all self-inflicted wounds… it’s nothing that the teams are doing, it’s us beating ourselves.”
Godchaux’s confidence is strangely placed considering familiar failings are undermining the Patriots.
Davon Godchaux, Patriots Repeating Mistakes
Those failings include not containing quarterbacks in the pocket and allowing too many throws on the run. Mayo called out the problem after Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets beat the Pats 24-3 in Week 3.
The first-year head coach must’ve been more than frustrated after his defense frequently let Brock Purdy break free from the pocket for the San Francisco 49ers in Week 4. Mayo admitted, “Defensively, we just haven’t tackled well. We haven’t kept the quarterback in the pocket. There have been times where we’ve covered well — and also times that it seems like receivers are wide open. That’s something we just have to get better at,” per Chad Graff of The Athletic.
What’s happening here is the Patriots spent decades playing opponent-specific, gameplan defense. The approach demanded players selflessly committing to the cause.
For example, containing mobile quarterbacks only happens if pass-rushers agree to rush with discipline. Agree to maintain their lanes and not freelance in search of the big play.
Asking stud defensive players to forego their natural attacking instincts was an easier sell when the Patriots were winning as serial contenders for Super Bowls. That hasn’t happened since Tom Brady left town in 2020.
Belichick couldn’t win without Brady, but his demanding coaching style and defensive expertise at least maintained pride on that side of the ball. Pride is what Godchaux and Co. need to rediscover and fast this season.
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