All-Pro Safety looking to keep Elite Pass Defense – Home

ads

Getty Adrian Phillips celebrates with his teammates.

T

he New England Patriots’ defense took a hit with the loss of JC Jackson, but their pass defense still has a lot of potential.

While there will be a lot of pressure on Malcolm Butler and Jonathan Jones in the secondary, New England has one of the best passing depths in the NFL today. If this player can play like he did the past two seasons, the Patriots’ secondary will be tough to beat.

ALL the latest Patriots news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Patriots newsletter here!

Adrian Phillips has been great since joining New England. In 33 games, he has six interceptions along with 13 passes defensed. Phillips’ defense in the air the past two years has put him in a league of his own among safeties.

Phillips was tied with safety Kyle Dugger for second on the team in interceptions in 2021 with four picks. He was also tied for second in total tackles with his teammate last season with 92 total tackles.

When you consider the talent in the NFL, it’s impressive to see that Phillips is the only safety to achieve this feat. It’s a testament to his consistency and Phillips’ ability to maintain a high level of performance.

stop the race

Whereas Phillips is clearly good at defending against the pass. He is also pretty good at defending the run. Over the past two seasons, Phillips has had 201 total tackles in addition to a sack.

Standing 5-foot-11 and weighing 210 pounds, Phillips is capable of landing big shots and stopping racers in their tracks. He really is a multifaceted player who has helped New England’s defense a lot. Over the past two seasons, he has been one of New England’s best defensive players.

This is an area of ​​the game where the Patriots will also need Phillips’ help. With Kyle Van Noy leaving along with Dont’a Hightower unsigned, the forward seven will look a bit different.

A three headed monster

Phillips will be part of a group of safeties who have the potential to do great things. Along with Phillips, New England also has Devin McCourty, Jabrill Peppers and Dugger on the list.

Compared to Phillips, Dugger is much larger, standing at six feet two inches and weighing 220 pounds. With so many safeties on the roster, Dugger could get more playing time closer to the line of scrimmage.

This could also allow a safety like veteran McCourty to get more rest than in previous seasons. Entering his 13th NFL season, McCourty is coming off a 2021 season in which he had more than 1,000 snaps.

Bill Belichick will have plenty of options in terms of how he can set up his secondary and confuse opposing quarterbacks. Phillips will definitely be a part of the head coach’s plans in 2022.

So Patriots fans should continue to expect a lot from Phillips. At 30 years old, he still has a lot of football left in the tank. Especially when you consider his performances in recent seasons for the team.

ads