For Patriots, defensive evolution is constant | Comcast SportsNet – CSNNE.com

Good read from Tom E. Curran, but it’s really stuff we’ve been talking about since 2010-ish with nickel being the new base.

As I’ve written about a lot here on then blog in recent years, the Pats defense is almost more of a 2-5 now when they’re in a run-stopping personnel package. One of the tackles just comes off in nickel, and for the pure passing downs they might even sub that final DT for Chris Jones or even Chandler sliding inside.

What’s making things work well now is the versatility of the linebacker-types who can blitz, cover or stop the run. Wilfork/Branch/Siliga/Chris Jones eat up the space inside while the others set the edges and make the plays.