Here's where the Pats have ranked in all their 7 SB seasons (5 wins, 2 losses) in terms of overall scoring defense and where they ranked in terms of sacks.
2001: #6 scoring, #t13 sacks, Won SB
2003: #1 scoring, #6 sacks, Won SB
2004: #2 scoring, #5 sacks, Won SB
2007: #4 scoring, #2 sacks, Lost SB
2011: #15 scoring, #14 sacks, Lost SB
2014: #8 scoring, #t13 sacks, Won SB
2016: #1 scoring, #16 sacks, Won SB
So in years they won the Super Bowl, they were ranked 13th, 6th, 5th, 13th, and 16th in sacks. In the years they lost the Super Bowl, they were 2nd and 14th in sacks.
I know pass rush is not just sacks. But over the course of a season, over that larger sample size, a good pass rush will eventually lead to sacks. They've never, in the BB era, really been worse than at least average at rushing the passer, and often they've been really good. But three of the years they've won the SB they've been basically average at, at least, generating sacks.
In other words.... I'm not worried.
