Patriots Commentary

Patriots 2015 End of Regular Season Report Card – Defense

Steve Balestrieri Senior Writer · PatsFans.com since 2011

Jan 7, 2016 at 6:00 am ET 7 min read 2.9k views

Photo: David Butler II - USA TODAY Sports

7 min read Patriots Commentary

Defense-

Defensive Ends: A-

Chandler Jones led the team with 12.5 sacks in 2015.
(USA TODAY Images)

The Patriots defensive ends got a great deal of depth this season as they added Jabaal Sheard during free agency and Geneo Grissom and Trey Flowers during the draft. They were part of the beefing up of the front seven that Belichick and Patricia planned on in the event Revis et al. were gone. Chandler Jones and Rob Ninkovich have played so many snaps the past few years that they’ve worn down in the second half of the season and late in games.

But the addition of Sheard and the rookies has given a great boost to the depth, and effectiveness of the pass rush. The Patriots had 49 sacks in 2015, the most for a Bill Belichick team.

Jones has arguably his best season in a Patriots uniform with 12.5 sacks and a much better season at setting the edge in the running game. Ninkovich can do it all, rush the passer, stop the run and play linebacker and drop back into coverage. He’s the consummate professional and is invaluable for this defense. He’s been his normal solid self this season.

Sheard was one of the steals of free agency, while playing about 400 less snaps than Jones, he logged 8 sacks and had four forced fumbles. Grissom and Flowers both have potential and flashed some of it this season. They will bear watching in year two. Next up are the Tackles

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About Steve Balestrieri

A former US Army Special Forces NCO and Officer, Steve has been following the Patriots since their days at Fenway Park. Steve has worked in the film industry and wrote as an Military Editor at SpecialOperations.com, 1945.com as a reporter for the Millbury Daily Voice, Millbury-Sutton Chronicle, and the Grafton News. He's also a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA)

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