New England Patriots Defense: Is It Deep Enough in 2014?

While the offense has struggled in 2014, the defense is off to a great start. After three games the New Englad Patriots are third in yards allowed (272.7), first in passing yards allowed (168.7) and fifth in points per game (16.3).

Injuries haven’t affected the defense’s performance so far. Linebacker Jamie Collins didn’t play against the Minnesota Vikings, and New England allowed just one touchdown on Minnesota’s first offensive possession. Not even defensive lineman Sealver Siliga’s early exit against the Oakland Raiders hurt the unit.

New England hasn’t allowed a touchdown in seven straight quarters. Maintaining that streak will be tough if injuries begin piling up.

Injuries crippled a defense that exhibited occasional dominance early last year, as defensive tackles Vince Wilfork and Tommy Kelly and linebacker Jerod Mayo all finished the season on injured reserve. The losses gutted the defense up the middle, and New England’s run defense finished last in the NFL.

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It took weeks of trial and error before New England found adequate help to fortify the interior line. Joe Vellano couldn’t hold down the starting job. The Patriots gave the Philadelphia Eagles a fifth-round pick for Isaac Sopoaga and quickly learned why the Eagles were willing to part ways with Sopoaga. Chris Jones could rush the passer, but he struggled against the run.

Siliga was signed off the Seattle Seahawks’ practice squad on October 23. He started the last four regular-season games and two playoff games.

And the difference cornerback Aqib Talib made to the pass defense was obvious in the AFC Championship loss to the Denver Broncos: Once Talib limped off the field, Denver quarterback Peyton Manning picked apart New England’s secondary.

On Saturday Siliga was placed on short-term injured reserve with a possibility of returning in November. DT Casey Walker was signed off the Carolina Panthers' practice squad to fill out the roster. It’s a tough loss as Siliga started two out of three games in 2014.

With so few veteran reserves on the team, there isn’t anyone the coaching staff knows for sure whether he can competently fill in for a starter along the front seven.

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Wilfork and Rob Ninkovich are the only D-linemen with more than four years of experience. It’s a similar story at linebacker as Jerod Mayo’s peers have four years or less under their belts. Physical ability is great, but how many of these reserves know how to play at the NFL level?

New England needed to find out who can play by now. They were fortunate to start the season against the Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings and Oakland Raiders. Miami is ranked 22nd in total offense, while Minnesota (29) and Oakland (32) are even worse. The schedule gets harder with the Cincinnati Bengals, Chicago Bears and Denver Broncos on the horizon.

First, though, the front seven must find a way to contain a loaded Kansas City Chiefs backfield with RBs Jamaal Charles, Knile Davis, Cyrus Gray and Joe McKnight on Monday night.

The secondary doesn’t have any concerns regarding depth. It's off to a great start with free-agent additions cornerbacks Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner, with Browner about to complete his four-game suspension. Alfonzo Dennard and Kyle Arrington are proven contributors, while Logan Ryan showed promise as he led the team in interceptions as a rookie.

Safety is also well-stocked, with Devin McCourty and Patrick Chung bolstered by Duron Harmon, Tavon Wilson and Nate Ebner.

Besides Walker, New England signed DT Ben Bass to the practice squad. It’s starting to look like 2013 for the defensive line. Will the unit hold up through the regular season? Can LB Deontae Skinner or Chris White step up if his number is called, or will New England have to find more outside help?

Versatility can preserve the defense’s ability to perform at a high level. But strategically switching between 3-4 and 4-3 alignments can patch only so many holes.

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