2025
2025 season · Weeks 1 to 22 · 14-3
Patriots defense
Every snap the Patriots defended, what it cost them and how they got there: the league ranks the player pages quote, where offenses find room, how this defense plays, and who plays in it.
- How good-0.05 EPA a play allowed, 11th of 32, and 0.01 below what the offenses they faced usually manage (14th).
- How they playThey blitz on 28% of dropbacks, the 19th-most in the league, and get pressure on 21%.
- Where offenses find roomOn the ground: 4.1 a carry, 11th, and runs outside right gain 4.6 a carry.
- Who hurt themDalton Kincaid (BUF): 142 yards and +11.8 EPA on 10 touches, the most anyone has managed against them.
How good is itthe defense against the league, and game by game
| Stat | Value | Rank | League | Pctl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EPA per playevery snap | -0.05 | 11th of 32 | 67th | |
| Pass EPAper dropback | -0.04 | 11th of 32 | 67th | |
| Rush EPAper designed run | -0.06 | 16th of 32 | 52nd | |
| Success rateplays that gain enough | 45% | 18th of 32 | 45th | |
| Explosive rate20+ pass, 10+ run | 9% | 10th of 32 | 70th | |
| Yards per play | 5.2 | 12th of 32 | 64th | |
| Yards per carry | 4.1 | 11th of 32 | 67th | |
| Third downsconverted against them | 39% | 11th of 32 | 67th |
| Stat | Value | Rank | League | Pctl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sack rateper dropback | 5.9% | 20th of 32 | 39th | |
| Pressure rateper dropback, PFR | 21% | 25th of 32 | 23rd | |
| QB hit rateper dropback | 15% | 16th of 32 | 52nd | |
| INT rateper dropback | 1.7% | 19th of 32 | 42nd | |
| Red-zone TD ratetrips ending in a touchdown | 68% | 29th of 32 | 11th | |
| Points per drivetouchdown 7, field goal 3 | 1.78 | 8th of 32 | 77th | |
| Takeawaysper game | 1.1 | 20th of 32 | 42nd | |
| EPA against expectationallowed minus the offenses' usual | -0.01 | 14th of 32 | 58th |
Each bar is the league's 32 defenses; the marker is the Patriots. Right is better for the defense, so a low EPA allowed sits right. The pressure rate is PFR's pressures (hurries, hits and sacks) per dropback. EPA against expectation compares each game with what that offense averaged in its other games, so a strong schedule is not held against them.
They held 8 of 17 offenses below their usual EPA a play. The biggest stop: Week 18 against the Dolphins, 0.35 a play under their norm. The offenses they have faced average -0.04 a play elsewhere, the 32nd-toughest schedule of offenses.
vs LVL 13-20+0.11usual -0.24
at MIAW 33-27+0.17usual -0.03
vs PITL 14-21-0.05usual +0.03
vs CARW 42-13-0.02usual -0.04
at BUFW 23-20+0.04usual +0.15
at NOW 25-19-0.04usual -0.09
at TENW 31-13-0.28usual -0.15
vs CLEW 32-13-0.34usual -0.18
vs ATLW 24-23+0.07usual -0.03
at TBW 28-23+0.06usual -0.01
vs NYJW 27-14-0.09usual -0.13
at CINW 26-20-0.19usual +0.00
vs NYGW 33-15-0.13usual +0.02vs BUFL 31-35+0.26usual +0.13
at BALW 28-24+0.11usual +0.03at NYJW 42-10-0.20usual -0.13vs MIAW 38-10-0.34usual +0.00Where offenses find roomthe field, the run lanes, the positions and the situations
The soft spot is intermediate right: +0.72 EPA a throw against a league +0.26. The lockdown zone is deep left, -0.21 a throw (league +0.42). Completions against them run 3.1 points over expected, 28th-best in the league.
Every pass they faced with a charted air distance and side, sacks excluded. Green is a zone where they allow less than the league, red more. How often shows the share of throws against them there.
Offenses run for 4.1 yards a carry against them, 11th of 32. The leak is outside right: 4.6 a carry and +0.09 EPA (league 5.2, +0.07).
| Position | Targets a game | Yards a game | EPA per target | Fantasy points allowed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wide receivers | 17.19th | 117.04th | +0.054th-toughest | 19.315th-fewest24.313th-fewest29.213th-fewest |
| Tight ends | 7.520th | 55.020th | +0.2015th-toughest | 8.115th-most11.015th-most13.813th-most |
| Backs, receiving | 5.825th | 28.711th | -0.212nd-toughest | 14.13rd-fewest16.64th-fewest19.05th-fewest |
| Quarterbacks | – | – | – | 14.711th-fewest14.711th-fewest14.711th-fewest |
Who hurt them most
| Player | Team | Touches | Yards | TD | EPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dalton Kincaid | BUF | 10 | 142 | +11.8 | |
| Drake London | ATL | 14 | 118 | 3 | +11.4 |
| John Metchie III | NYJ | 6 | 86 | 1 | +8.6 |
| Tyreek Hill | MIA | 7 | 109 | +8.2 | |
| Dawson Knox | BUF | 6 | 52 | 2 | +7.6 |
| Zay Flowers | BAL | 8 | 102 | 1 | +6.9 |
Targets, yards and EPA per target by the receiver's position, ranked 1st for the toughest defense: the same numbers a receiver's This week panel quotes against this defense. Fantasy points allowed follow the scoring switch. Who hurt them ranks every opposing player by EPA on his targets and carries against this defense.
Their biggest third-down edge is third-and-7+: offenses convert 16% against a league 26%. They are stingiest in the two-minute drill (-0.08 a play, league +0.03) and weakest in the red zone (+0.11, league 0.00).
| Situation | Plays | Allowed | League | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st down | 419 | +0.01 | +0.01 | +0.00 |
| 2nd down | 315 | +0.00 | +0.02 | -0.02 |
| 3rd down | 199 | -0.16 | -0.05 | -0.11 |
| 3rd and 1 to 3 | 58 | 69% | 60% | +9 pts |
| 3rd and 4 to 6 | 51 | 45% | 44% | +1 pts |
| 3rd and 7+ | 90 | 16% | 26% | −10 pts |
| Red zone | 115 | +0.11 | 0.00 | +0.11 |
| Two-minute drill | 94 | -0.08 | +0.03 | -0.11 |
| When they lead | 681 | -0.04 | -0.01 | -0.04 |
| One-score game | 594 | -0.03 | +0.02 | -0.05 |
| When they trail by 9+ | 6 | -0.09 | +0.04 | -0.13 |
EPA a play allowed, or for third downs the share converted (a first down or a touchdown). Green is better than the league for the defense. Score states are from the defense's side.
How they playpressure, the box, what offenses try, discipline
They send extra rushers on 28% of dropbacks and average 4.3 rushers; 72% of dropbacks see four or fewer. They allow -0.05 EPA when they blitz and -0.03 when they do not.
They put 6.6 defenders in the box on runs, eight or more on 10%. Into a light box (six or fewer) runs gain 4.3 a carry; into eight or more, 2.3.
Offenses lean on the run against them: 2 points under their expected pass rate on early downs in a neutral game. Play action gains -0.12 EPA against them on 24% of throws; screens -0.04.
40 defensive penalties for 406 yards, 27 of them first downs, the 6th-fewest. They miss 7% of tackle attempts by PFR's count, 2nd-best.
The defenderswho plays, and what each one has done
Harold Landry III leads the pass rush with 23 pressures and 8.5 sacks on 66% of the snaps.
| Player | Snaps | Pressures | Sacks | QB hits | TFL | Tackles | FF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2Harold Landry IIILB | 66% | 23 | 8.5 | 19 | 10 | 48 | 1 |
| 90Christian BarmoreDT | 66% | 15 | 2 | 11 | 4 | 29 | |
| 44K'Lavon ChaissonLB | 63% | 23 | 7.5 | 18 | 10 | 31 | 2 |
| 97Milton WilliamsDT | 42% | 12 | 3.5 | 8 | 8 | 26 | |
| 94Cory DurdenDT | 37% | 1 | 1 | 5 | 26 | ||
| 95Khyiris TongaDT | 33% | 3 | 2 | 2 | 23 | ||
| 33Anfernee JenningsLB | 27% | 10 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 25 | |
| 92Joshua FarmerDT | 22% | 1 | 14 | ||||
| 91Elijah PonderLB | 21% | 8 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 24 | |
| 55Eric GregoryDT | 13% | 8 |
Robert Spillane plays 73% of the snaps with 96 tackles and 1 sacks.
| Player | Snaps | Tackles | TFL | Sacks | Pressures | Targets | Rating allowed | Missed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14Robert SpillaneLB | 73% | 96 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 48 | 83.1 | 9 |
| 53Christian EllissLB | 50% | 92 | 4 | 31 | 92.5 | 8 | ||
| 51Jack GibbensLB | 48% | 79 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 29 | 91.7 | 5 |
| 48Jahlani TavaiLB | 23% | 41 | 4 | 13 | 92.6 | 1 | ||
| 15Marte MapuLB | 12% | 25 | 22 | 80.2 | 1 | |||
| 43Bradyn SwinsonLB | 3% | 1 | ||||||
| 49Chad MumaLB | 2% | 4 | 1 | 39.6 |
Jaylinn Hawkins is the hardest to complete a pass against: a 72.0 passer rating on 35 targets.
| Player | Snaps | Targets | Catches allowed | Yards | TD | Rating allowed | INT | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31Craig WoodsonSAF | 93% | 44 | 29 of 44 | 388 | 7 | 112.4 | 3 | |
| 7Carlton Davis IIICB | 91% | 74 | 43 of 74 | 394 | 4 | 86.1 | 10 | |
| 21Jaylinn HawkinsSAF | 82% | 35 | 20 of 35 | 273 | 3 | 72.0 | 4 | 6 |
| 0Christian GonzalezCB | 75% | 84 | 45 of 84 | 508 | 2 | 77.8 | 10 | |
| 25Marcus JonesCB | 71% | 78 | 53 of 78 | 554 | 7 | 87.7 | 3 | 11 |
| 29Kyle DuggerSAF | 19% | 6 | 5 of 6 | 74 | 88.5 | |||
| 28Alex AustinCB | 14% | 12 | 10 of 12 | 142 | 1 | 125.3 | 1 | |
| 24Dell PettusSAF | 11% | 13 | 9 of 13 | 81 | 82.4 | 2 | ||
| 22Charles WoodsCB | 11% | 9 | 7 of 9 | 90 | 92.1 | 1 |
Tackles, sacks, QB hits, TFL, interceptions, passes defended and forced fumbles are nflverse's weekly stats; pressures, targets, catches and yards allowed, passer rating allowed and missed tackles are PFR's charting. Snap share is the season average of defensive snaps.