Midseason Reinforcements Exactly What the New England Patriots Needed

Back in September, as the first few New England Patriots players went down with injuries, like they did in 2013, I wondered if the defense was deep enough to sustain its level of play through the season.

Losing linebacker Jerod Mayo to injured reserve for a second consecutive season, defensive tackle Sealver Siliga for 10 games and defensive end Chandler Jones for six seemed like significant losses.

After 16 games, New England doesn’t have the elite rankings it had after three games anymore (third in yards allowed, first in passing yards allowed and fifth in scoring). But New England finished the regular season ranked in the top 10 in rush defense (ninth, 104.3 yards per game) and scoring (eighth, 19.6 points per game).

Doing so without Mayo since Week 7 and Siliga and Jones temporarily required teammates to step up, coaches to make the right adjustments and the front office to find the right players able to come in and contribute immediately.

Linebackers Akeem Ayers and Jonathan Casillas and defensive tackle Alan Branch were all acquired by late October and immediately played roles for the defense.

Midseason acquisitions are nothing new for the Patriots. Few teams, if any, are as active as New England.

But the Patriots really stand out with executing trades before the trade deadline. Over the past few years, New England swung deals for defensive tackle Issac Sopoaga (2013, Philadelphia Eagles) Aqib Talib (2012, Tampa Bay Buccaneers) and wide receiver Deion Branch (2010, Seattle Seahawks).

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Ayers was barely playing for the Tennessee Titans when New England acquired him. The Patriots acquired Casillas from Tampa Bay. Branch was a free agent after being released by the Buffalo Bills following an August DUI arrest.

For all three players, coming to New England from their previous situations was like winning the lottery. The Buccaneers and Titans tied for the worst record in the NFL at 2-14. Branch, a former 2007 second-round pick, was unemployed with a red flag on his record.

All three have become regulars for New England. Ayers has played defensive end and linebacker. Casillas plays special teams and even started two games when linebacker Dont’a Hightower was sidelined. Branch plays primarily on run downs.

They’ve all made a difference. Ayers’ second-quarter sack of Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning on fourth down protected a 20-7 lead that the Patriots extended to 27-7 after the turnover on downs.

Casillas and Branch both made plays against the San Diego Chargers. Casillas forced a fumble by tight end Antonio Gates, though Gates recovered the fumble.

Branch stuffed running back Branden Oliver for a one-yard loss on second down. The Chargers failed to convert on 3rd-and-8 and were forced to punt. Branch’s stop helped protect a slim 16-14 lead, which New England’s offense extended by three on the subsequent drive.

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And as Ayers, Casillas and Branch played well, Siliga and Jones recovered and re-joined the defense, fortifying the front seven.

And while the overall numbers don’t say elite, its performance suggests the defense can be at times.

Not only did New England keep the potent Detroit Lions out of the end zone, but it kept the Green Bay Packers, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Bills and Chargers from scoring a touchdown in the second half. Those five teams scored a combined nine points in the second half.

The ability to step up in the second half is valuable, but playing half a game in the playoffs leads to an early exit. The key for the Patriots defense is it has the depth for a stout 60-minute performance, thanks in part to Ayers, Casillas and Branch.

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