Ranking the Buffalo Bills’ defense in the AFC East in 2023
By Brandon Ray
3.) New England Patriots
In 2022, the Patriots finished the season as a top ten overall defensive unit. They were in the middle of the pack when it came to limiting the passing game (ranked 16th against the pass) and they were top ten when stopping the run (ranked 6th against the run).
The defense has never been an issue with Bill Belichick. In fact, this specific unit is sometimes the reason why the Patriots have won games since 2020. There were eight games when the Patriots' defense gave up no more than 20 points (two of them they only have up three points and shut out the Detroit Lions).
How are they able to sustain a good defense? It is all about versatility with Belichick. In this past NFL draft, the Patriots traded down to pick number 17, and still managed to steal cornerback Christian Gonzalez who is a perfect fit for the Patriots defense.
One of the only reasons why the Patriots are ranked third on this list is because the offense is so limited, sometimes the Patriots rely on their defense to bail them out which can hurt the record overall.