Belichick: Patriots pass rush not that good despite eight sacks
By Doug Kyed
Most NFL coaches would be happy if their front seven produced eight sacks in a single game. Bill Belichick, always one to push his players, focuses on the negatives just as much as the positives.
The Patriots sacked Buffalo Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor eight times for a loss of 53 yards in Week 2. Taylor also hurt the Patriots on the ground, however, rushing for 43 yards and a touchdown on five carries.
“I didn’t think it was all that good last week to tell you the truth,” Belichick said. “We let the quarterback out a lot. They scored 32 points. I don’t think that’s anything to be proud of defensively. There were some good things, there were a lot of things to work on. We have to play better this week.”
Taylor was 23 of 30 passing for 242 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions. The Patriots’ defense was stout through three quarters, allowing just 13 points, but they let the Bills back into the game in the fourth quarter, when they scored 19 unanswered points.
The Patriots already have 11 sacks on the season. The single-season sacks record for a Belichick head coached defense is 48 sacks, so the 2015 Patriots are well on their way to shattering that mark.
Chandler Jones leads the team with three sacks, followed by Jamie Collins (2.5), Dont’a Hightower (1.5) and Rob Ninkovich, Jabaal Sheard, Alan Branch and Malcom Brown, all of whom have one sack apiece.
The Patriots face off against the Jacksonville Jaguars at home in Week 3. Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles has been sacked just five times this season. The Jaguars’ offensive line has allowed 17 hurries and six quarterback hits, according to Pro Football Focus.
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