The New England Patriots went from 4-13 to the Super Bowl in Mike Vrabel’s first season, thanks in large part to one of the league’s best defenses.
This year has been a different story, however,
At 5-4, the Patriots are coming off a 45-27 home loss to the Green Bay Packers, and the self-inflicted mistakes are starting to pile up. Now defensive tackle Milton Williams is taking matters into his own hands.
Williams said this week that he’s fining his teammates $1,000 every time they get flagged for jumping offside or encroachment, according to MassLive’s Mark Daniels. The money will go to the Patriots’ support staff at the end of the season.
Milton Williams Puts Patriots Teammates on Notice
Williams didn’t sugarcoat the team’s growing penalty issue.
“I put in fines this week — $1,000 fine for whoever jumps offside,” Williams said. “I had a couple early, early in the season. And I feel like we talk about it, but it’s not enough consequences to come with it other than hurting the team. So hurt your pockets.”
It’s easy to understand why he’s fed up.
Patriots defensive linemen were called for seven offside penalties over the last two games — four in the 24-19 win over the Miami Dolphins and three more in the loss to Green Bay.
And it doesn’t sound like Williams is exempting himself either. By his own admission, he was one of the early offenders. Williams also has the standing to make the rule.
The Patriots signed him to a four-year, $104 million contract ($51 million guaranteed) in free agency after he won a Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles. That deal made him the highest-paid player in franchise history at the time.
Patriots’ Defense is its Own Worst Enemy
The penalties are only part of the problem for New England’s defense.
Entering Week 9, the Patriots ranked 11th in DVOA, 15th in scoring defense and 16th in EPA per play. That’s a big drop for a unit that finished fourth in the league in scoring defense last season, allowing just 18.8 points per game.
Then Green Bay put up 45 points at Gillette Stadium. The Miami game wasn’t much cleaner.
The Patriots trailed 13-3 at halftime after the Dolphins put together an 11-play, 70-yard drive to close the first half, aided by a few ill-timed New England penalties. Drake Maye had to rally the Patriots in the second half to escape with the win.
Williams’ first chance to collect comes on Sunday, when the Patriots face the Detroit Lions at Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, at 9:30 a.m. ET.
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