Re-Focused: Patriots @ Broncos, Week 15 | ProFootballFocus.com
And reason number 3,452 why we need Patchung! back:
Little is expected when a special teamer, listed as a wide receiver, lines up at free safety and little was returned in this game. FS Matt Slater (-1.4) lasted all of ten snaps before being pulled for backup FS Sergio Brown (-1.5). Slater was a part of the early gashing on the ground and certainly drew the ire of Head Coach Bill Belichick with his missed tackle on running back Jeremiah Johnson’s 25 yard gain with 11:20 to go in the first quarter. The final straw was RB Willis McGahee juking past him on a 29-yard run at the 7:18 mark and Slater was relegated to his usual special team role the rest of the game. Brown had little impact as Slater’s replacement. CB Kyle Arrington was targeted frequently by the Broncos, giving up six completions on the nine balls his way for 97 yards. Arrington has been the best coverage player in New England since Leigh Bodden went down, but it was not a good day over at RCB. The public perception that the Patriots’ weakest link is the back end of the defense, held true in this game.