Except that it really didn't. They were enormously vulnerable to the run all year long. But most teams couldn't afford to run the ball once the Patriots had that two TD lead. In the second half opposing offenses ran all over them. Next year opponents' offenses are going to have a lot more options when facing a team with a bottom 5 receiving corps and a virtual rookie QB than they did last year playing a team that was still starting one of the best QBs in the NFL.
New England's CBs are fantastic man coverage guys, which is really important when the opposing offense has to throw every down. Having three or four guys that can lock down a WR makes it a lot easier to hold on to those leads. But when those opponents are running the ball in order to hold on to their leads, those CBs are a lot less useful.
Last 8 games of the year (following the Ravens game)....
- Beat Philly, 17-10. Eagles were up 3-0, 10-0, 10-3, 10-6, 10-9, before a 3rd quarter touchdown gave NE a 17-10 lead. The Pats' D managed to keep Philly in check, allowing their offense to finally produce something. At that point, Philly didn't need to pass. They had, with 10:55 left in the third quarter, tons of time to run anything in their playbook. The Pats' D just held firm all game long, whether NE was behind or ahead by one score.
- Beat Dallas, 13-9. Pats were up 7-0, 10-0, 10-3, 10-6, 13-6, and 13-9. For all but a few minutes, Dallas (one of the best offenses in the league last year) was within a single score. Brady finished just 17-37 for 190 yards, and the Pats' offense couldn't get untracked, so this was all on the defense to hold the line and win the game.
- Lost to Houston, 28-22. Defense played poorly.
- Lost to KC, 23-16. Might have seemed like the D played poorly in this game, but they held KC well under their season norms (at least in games when Mahomes played) in points and yards. The offense couldn't do jack, and of course the Pats got robbed of the Harry TD. You'd happily take 23 points and 346 yards allowed to KC any day of the week. For the last 8:50 of the third quarter and all the fourth quarter, the Pats stonewalled the Chiefs, giving the offense chance after chance to come back. The D held up great despite being behind.
- Beat Cincy, 34-13. Game was well in hand for most of the second half.
- Beat Buffalo, 24-17. Close game all the way, with the lead switching hands early. But NE was behind 17-13 early in the fourth quarter. Once Buffalo got a 17-13 lead with 7:34 left in the third, the Pats' D stepped up and stoned them.
- Lost to Miami, 27-24. Just a disaster all the way around.
- Lost to Tennessee, 20-13. The last six came on Brady's pick-six at the end. But otherwise, NE held Ten to just 14 points and 272 yards. The offense didn't do jack squat. In 95% of playoff games in Foxboro, you'd happily take a defense that allowed 14 points and 272 yards. The Pats' offense only needed to be semi-decent and they win that game. But they sucked on offense all game long. Can't really put that one on the defense.
So numerous times in the last 8 games, in situations where the offense was sucking, or when the Pats were behind, or just ahead by one score, the defense played really well and kept them in the game, giving the offense chance after chance. Just twice all year - Houston and Miami - did the D truly just lay an egg. They didn't even lay an egg in the Ravens' game. In that game they held the Ravens to fewer points and yards than they normally accrued, and Baltimore was aided by an egregious non-called pick play on a crucial fourth down conversion. And they played well against KC. Against those two teams, you're gonna give up some points and yards, and the Pats' D did a much better than average job against both of those opponents.
In those games, here's the opponents' rushing:
- Philly: 21-81, 3.9 avg
- Dallas: 26-109, 4.2 avg
- Houston: 23-52, 2.3 avg
- KC: 29-75, 2.6 avg
- Cincinnati: 32-164, 5.1 avg
- Buffalo: 23-92, 4.0 avg
- Miami: 22-63, 2.9 avg
- Tennessee: 40-201, 5.0 avg
So only two teams during this stretch "ran all over the Patriots": Cincy and Tennessee. And in both those games, NE's defense held them to 13 and 14 points, respectively.