The New England Patriots‘ offense has been getting most of the recognition for the team’s stunning 23-20 upset win over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.
Yes, the offense was clutch in the second half, but the defense was great throughout the game.
The Bills came into the game as the second-highest scoring offense in the league, averaging 33.3 points per game. Yet, the Patriots still managed to hold them to only 20 points in their own building. It was an astonishing feat that few saw coming in Week 5.
Inside linebackers coach Zak Kuhr, who has served as the de facto defensive coordinator, deserves a lot of credit for the job he has done five weeks through the season. The team has also benefited from sensational moves made in free agency, including the additions of Milton Williams, Carlton Davis, Khyiris Tonga, Robert Spillane and Harold Landry.
All five players are contributing in major ways for a Patriots team that went on the road and made Bills quarterback Josh Allen and running back James Cook look human on Sunday night. Here were the best and worst Pro Football Focus grades for the Patriots’ defense on Sunday:
Top five PFF graded players
- LB Robert Spillane: 90.3
- CB Marcus Jones: 83.1
- DT Khyiris Tonga: 77.2
- EDGE Elijah Ponder: 75.0
- CB Christian Gonzalez: 68.1
Bottom five PFF graded players
- S Brenden Schooler: 35.6
- LB Jack Gibbens: 36.0
- DT Joshua Farmer: 49.4
- DT Christian Barmore: 51.3
- Harold Landry III: 51.5
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This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Best and worst defensive PFF grades for Patriots in win over Bills
