The New England Patriots are set for a bit of a transition on defense this season following the departure of long-time defensive coordinator Matt Patricia. While not officially the DC in title, linebackers coach Brian Flores will ostensibly have the responsibility to lead that unit after Patricia.
One of Flores’ charges in the linebacking corps, Dont’a Hightower, believes the Patriots defense will be more aggressive this season under the de facto DC.
“He's not backing down [and will] be more aggressive,” said Hightower per Mike Reiss of ESPN. “You could see it. I think this was probably our best practice we've had and we want to continue to build on that.”
Hightower admits that while there are similarities between Flores and his predecessor Patricia, Flores has added something extra to the playcalling which the Patriots players are slowly but surely getting used to.
“Matty P and Flo are somewhat the same, but a little different at the same time. With the playcalling we've gotten so far, I definitely feel like we're going to be more aggressive,” he said. “Things are a little bit more simple, but it's still a little bit different, and guys are learning bits and pieces of the defense. But so far, so good.”
Flores will have some work to do in revitalizing a defense which was not particularly impressive last season. The return of Hightower, who missed 11 games due to injury, should be a huge boost.
The added aggressiveness should help the Pats force more turnovers, which they struggled with last season. They had a mere 18 takeaways, which was 25th in the league. If that more aggressive defense can improve the unit as a whole, this already formidable Patriots team figures to get even better.
Follow Us
Subscribe