Tag: Adrian Phillips

This stat sums up the Patriots’ dominant defensive tear during win streak

Over the five-game win streak, the Patriots’ defense has played lights out.

The New England Patriots went from pretender to contender real quick this season when the defense started picking things up.

Bill Belichick’s crew began the season with a 2-4 record and they’re now sitting at 7-4 with ten days until the next game. Mac Jones has been spectacular for a rookie, but he isn’t the biggest story from Foxborough. Led by playmakers on all levels of this defensive group, the Patriots have allowed only 13 points over the past three games.

In the 25-0 shutout against the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday night, the Patriots totaled four sacks and four interceptions — one of them resulting in a touchdown. Matt Ryan’s offense recorded a measly 156 total yards and running backs only had 40.

The Athletic’s Jeff Howe put things into perspective with how suffocating this group has been in recent history.

The Patriots entered the game with the second-least points scored on them per game (17.7) behind the Buffalo Bills (15), and that average dropped following the game.

J.C. Jackson recorded his sixth interception of the season and Devin McCourty grabbed his second. Matthew Judon had a sack and pushed his season total to 10.5, while Kyle Van Noy had two sacks and a 30-yard pick-six.

Young playmakers like Christian Barmore and Kyle Dugger are making their imprint on the game as well — both playing key roles within the group. Jones and Rhamondre Stevenson are two of the best offensive rookies and their main job is to just pour on enough points to stay above the defense — which they’ve done with ease.

The Patriots are heating up at the perfect time and this mid-November push is looking extremely familiar for a Belichick-coached team.

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The NFL’s All-Underrated defense in the first half of the 2021 season

Touchdown Wire’s mid-season All-Underrated Defense features four Titans, two Patriots, and several other difference-makers around the league.

In every season, there are those players who, for whatever reason, do not receive the recognition their talents deserve. Perhaps they’re languishing on bad teams, or they’re doing their best in less than optimal situations, or it’s just that their positions aren’t the ones that get noticed.

But these players — Touchdown Wire’s All-Underrated team in the first half of the 2021 NFL season — have all earned notice as among the best at what they do, and it’s our job to help bridge the talent/recognition gap.

Here are the most underrated defensive players in the first half of the 2021 season.

You can see the All-Underrated offense here:

The NFL’s All-Underrated offense in the first half of the 2021 season

Adrian Phillips wins AFC Defensive Player of the Week after 2-int outing vs. Chargers

“Everybody always wants to kind of stick it to their former team.”

New England Patriots safety Adrian Phillips won the AFC Defensive Player of the Week from his Week 8 performance against the Los Angeles Chargers.

In Phillips’ revenge game, with the safety spending six years with the Chargers, he logged two interceptions (with one pick-six), three tackles and a quarterback hit while playing 92% of defensive snaps. He has been a standout in New England since joining the team in free agency in 2020, one of the Patriots’ best low-budget signings over the last few years.

The NFL wasn’t the only one to recognize Phillips’ contributions on Sunday. Bill Belichick gave the safety a game ball along with fellow former-Charger Hunter Henry, who scored the offense’s only touchdown.

“I love it out here, and every time that we get to play them, you kind of… Everybody always wants to kind of stick it to their former team,” he told reporters after the game on Sunday. “This is a great organization that we played against today, and just to be able to go out there and play against them and end up having the game that I had, it was sweet. I loved it. Yeah, it was sweet.”

On the season, Phillips has 37 tackles, three interceptions, three pass breakups and two tackles for a loss.

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Here are the 5 highest-graded Patriots on PFF

Pro football focus put together a list of the most productive New England Patriots.

As the New England Patriots head into Week 9 of the NFL season, player performances are beginning to come into focus. With New England currently sitting at 4-4, they are in the thick of a crowded AFC playoff race.

Several Patriots players have made a big impact on team performance to this point. Tuesday, Pro Football Focus put together a list of the highest-graded Patriots players this season. Guard Michael Onwenu was tied for first on the list with running back Damien Harris while safety Adrian Phillips and guard Shaq Mason rounded out the list.

Rookie Mac Jones was right in the middle of the list, as he becomes the first rookie quarterback to start for the organization since Drew Bledsoe in 1993.

With New England looking to get back to the playoffs, the players mentioned above should all be key components for the stretch run.

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Winners and losers from the Patriots’ statement win over the Chargers

These 10 Patriots stood out against the Los Angeles Chargers — for better and for worse.

The New England Patriots may not have played their best four quarters of the season, but they put together their best fourth quarter of the season in Week 8. And that’s what mattered against the Los Angeles Chargers in the Patriots’ 27-24 win on Sunday afternoon.

“The second and third quarter were not good enough,” quarterback Mac Jones said after the game. “We finished strong. That’s just the moral of the story: finish strong. … I think we’ve been on the other end of it, with it being close and not finishing. We’ve played well early and not played as well as it went on. And today was a little bit of the reverse.”

That about sums it up.

The Patriots coaching staff made a series of puzzling decisions in the second quarter — with a bad play-call on fourth down, a strange abandonment of the run in the red zone and a rushed final drive at the end of the half — and Jones had a rough run of incompletions that spanned from the second quarter into the third. But the Patriots recovered with a pair of interceptions from safety Adrian Phillips, including a pick-six and a massive, 7-minute drive from the offense. That closed things out.

Here are the winners and losers from the game.

Everything we know about Chargers’ 27-24 loss to Patriots

Highlighting everything notable from the Los Angeles Chargers’ loss to the New England Patriots.

The Chargers fell to the Patriots by the score of 27-24.

To recap Week 8, here is everything we know:

It was over when…

Nick Folk connected from 30 yards with a little over two minutes remaining.

Notable numbers

The Chargers were 4-of-12 on third-down situations.

The Patriots won the time of possession battle, 35:24 to 24:36.

Quarterback Justin Herbert was picked off twice.

Herbert was sacked three times.

The Chargers allowed a punt return average of 20 yards.

The Chargers’ first down yards per play average was only 4.94 yards.

Stars of the game

RB Justin Jackson: 3 carries for 79 yards, long of 75

RB Austin Ekeler: 124 yards from scrimmage, touchdown

S Derwin James: 12 tackles, tackle for loss, forced fumble

WR Josh Palmer: First NFL receiving touchdown

Quick takes

Bill Belichick knows how to get the better of Justin Herbert. In two games, Herbert averaged just 216 yards, had a completion percentage of 50, threw for two touchdowns, four interceptions, and was sacked six times.

Aside from the Patriots’ solid defensive game plan, a handful of Herbert’s throws were off the mark and his decision-making was questionable. However, the offense’s lack of execution also included…

Offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi’s play-calling on early downs continued to hinder the unit. As opposed to letting Herbert throw the ball, designed run plays were called far often than not.

Lombardi’s decisions put Herbert in many unfavorable positions, and it did not help that the team’s skill players struggled with dropped passes in crucial situations throughout the duration of the game.

Last season, the Patriots defense got to Justin Herbert with primarily twists/stunts. This time around it was blitzes on the right side of the line, which continues to be exploited.

Justin Jackson is the clear-cut RB2. Larry Rountree turned four carries into just 11 yards.

The run defense looked (slightly) better today with the presence of Justin Jones. Even though they allowed a total of 141 yards, the group allowed an average of only 3.6 yards per carry. Still an evident issue nonetheless.

Mac Jones was held to just 218 yards passing, but he mustered big plays that went for 44 yards and 33 yards. Jones also took advantage of the favorable field positions, which were attributed to…

The punt coverage unit, which allowed returner Gunner Olszewski to average 20 yards per punt, continues to be an issue.

Recapping the newest additions performances:

Andre Roberts: Returned three kicks for an average of 23.7 yards and a long of 29 yards.

Dustin Hopkins: Made all three extra points and his lone field goal attempt from 48 yards out.

The Chargers still have some work to do in terms of discipline. Too many costly penalties, including a Michael Davis hold on third down that turned into a touchdown.

Kind of fitting that the former Chargers had big plays. Adrian Phillips picked off Herbert twice and Hunter Henry recovered the onside kick at the end to seal the deal.

What’s next?

The Chargers are on the road to take on the Eagles next Sunday, Nov. 7 at 2:05 pm PT.

Here’s Adrian Phillips’ crucial, 4th-quarter interception against Chargers

Adrian Phillips recorded a key interception on Sunday.

With the New England Patriots trailing by one, safety Adrian Phillips returned an interception to the end zone to give New England the lead.

With the fourth quarter well underway, Phillips picked off a Justin Herbert pass for his second interception of the season. It was his first takeaway since Week 1 against the New York Jets. This was also his fifth takeaway as a member of the New England Patriots.

For Phillips, it gave him a chance to make an impact against his former team. The safety was acquired by New England in the 2020 offseason.

With the Patriots in a position to get to .500, the Phillips interception may prove to be crucial in making it happen.

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Adrian Phillips’ pick six of Justin Herbert gives Patriots the lead

Adrian Phillips with a pair of picks of Justin Herbert in Week 8

Adrian Phillips spent his first six seasons with the Chargers, in San Diego and Los Angeles. He’s been a New England Patriot for the past two seasons.

On Sunday, the DB burned the Bolts, picking off Justin Herbert and taking the ball 26 yards to the end zone for six points.

The pick was the second of the day for Phillips, who has 5 with New England and 10 in his career.

The 2-point conversion from Mac Jones to Jakobi Meyers was good and New England led, 24-17.

The pick came after a failed challenge by Bill Belichick.

The Chargers were deep in their territory and had been called for offensive holding.

The Patriots’ coach challenged, saying the penalty had occurred in the end zone. If he had been correct it would have been safety — two points for the Patriots — and the ball to them.

However, replay did not concur.

6 Patriots who pose biggest threat to Chargers

Highlighting a few New England Patriots players who could make it difficult for the Los Angeles Chargers.

The Los Angeles Chargers take on the New England Patriots this Sunday at 1:05 p.m. PT.

Here are a few Patriots players who the Bolts must hone in on to increase their chances of coming out victorious.

RB Damien Harris

The Patriots know that the Chargers are susceptible against the run, which is why you can expect them to unleash Harris early and often. Harris has the eighth-most rushing yards (437), third-most rushing touchdowns (five), and already has three 100-yard games in the first seven games of the season, which is second-most in the NFL. Furthermore, bringing Harris down won’t be an easy task, as he is seventh in both rushing yards after contact (311) and forced missed tackles (20), per Pro Football Focus.

TE Hunter Henry

Henry returns to Los Angeles to face his former team on a bit of a hot streak. Quarterback Mac Jones has begun favoring Henry in the red zone, and the numbers show. He has hauled in a touchdown catch in each of the last four Patriots games. The Chargers, on the other hand, have allowed five touchdowns to tight ends this season.

EDGE Matthew Judon

The Chargers have seen a fair share of some of the league’s most premier pass rushers up to this point, and now they are set to face one who has continually gone under the radar. Judon, the sixth-year player, is just as good at defending the run as he is at applying pressure to signal-callers. He is sixth in the league with 20 combined quarterback hits and tackles for loss. Furthermore, he has 29 quarterback disruptions.

S Adrian Phillips

Henry is not the only former Chargers player who is having some success on their new team. Like in the blue and gold days, Phillips has played and thrived in an assortment of roles. In two seasons, Phillips has logged three interceptions, 143 tackles and his first career sack. This season, he has been sticky in coverage, allowing a passer rating of just 37.2.

DT Christian Barmore

For the second straight game week, there’s been a rookie listed among the crop. First, it was Ravens edge defender Odafe Oweh. Now, Barmore, the 6-foot-5 and 311-pound interior defensive lineman. The second-round pick has steadily established himself as one of the most disruptive players among the team’s front seven. With an explosive first step and power, Barmore has registered 17 quarterback disruptions so far while drawing a handful of penalties.

Returner Gunner Olszewski

If you remember the Patriots’ shutout win over the Chargers last season, you likely recall Olszewski’s punt return for a touchdown. But, of course, this happened when the special teams department was a dumpster fire, and while the coverage units are improved from then, it’s still a ways from being counted on as reliable. This season, Olszewski is averaging 11.1 yards per punt return and 23.3 yards per kick return.

4 key things to know about Chargers’ Week 8 opponent: Patriots

Highlighting important things to know about the Chargers’ opponent ahead of Week 8.

Following their bye week, the Chargers are set to take on the Patriots on Oct. 31 at 1:05 pm PT in hopes of getting back on track after being blown out by the Ravens.

Here are four important things to know about Los Angeles’ opponent ahead of the Week 8 bout:

The best rookie quarterback from this year’s class

Not Trevor Lawrence, not Zach Wilson, not Trey Lance, not Justin Fields, but Mac Jones, who is undoubtedly the most prolific passer from the 2021 draft class up to this point. After beating out Cam Newton for the starting job, Jones has started since Week 1, in which he has completed 70.4% of his throws for 1,779 yards and nine touchdowns. While he experienced some growing pains early in the season, Jones has shown steady growth as he looks more comfortable throwing to all areas of the field now.

How’s the run game?

After facing two of the better rushing offenses back-to-back in the Browns and Ravens, the Chargers are going up against a Patriots unit that’s far less superior, averaging just 95.4 yards on the ground. However, that number could be a lot higher on Sunday. Not only will New England be matched up against the league’s worst run defense, but the team’s new-look offensive line with Ted Karras at left guard and Michael Onwenu at right tackle could also be the recipe for success.

Decent defense

The Chargers’ offense will look to find its groove against a Patriots defense that is allowing 20 points per game (6th), 245 passing yards per game (16th), 105.6 rushing yards per game (11th). The last time Los Angeles and New England met, quarterback Justin Herbert was held to the least productive performance of his career. Head coach Bill Belichick stymied Herbert with an array of stunts/twists and disguised coverages.

Checking in on former Chargers

The Patriots have two notable players that used to suit up in the blue and gold: safety Adrian Phillips and tight end Hunter Henry. Phillips, the versatile defender, is currently New England’s highest-graded defensive player, per Pro Football Focus. He has 34 tackles, two tackles for loss, an interception, and a pass breakup. Meanwhile, Henry has been an integral piece on offense and special teams. He has caught a touchdown pass in each of the past four games and totaled 24 receptions for 264 yards.