Patriots can’t survive with a trick or treat defense | Karen Guregian

FOXBOROUGH – Mike Vrabel has been a little testier than usual in recent days.

The constant Christian Gonzalez questions – will he or won’t he play? – appear to have grown to the annoyance stage for the Patriots coach.

Beyond that, the defense, his calling card as a coach, has put on a clinic on how to miss tackles, and surrender explosive plays.

That can’t be warming Vrabel’s heart.

Neither can the thought of facing Aaron Rodgers, and his assortment of weapons, starting with DK Metcalf. Even at 41, Rodgers could very well embarrass the defense further Sunday if Vrabel and play caller Zak Kuhr, who is filling in for Terrell Williams, can’t come up with some fixes.

The Patriots have already allowed some pretty average quarterbacks (Geno Smith, Tua Tagovailoa) big passing days. Both had 300-yard games, so the pass coverage has been suspect at best.

Rodgers may be old, and not what he once was in his prime, but he’s still a level above that crew. He’s probably been licking his chops watching film of Vrabel’s defense over the course of the first two weeks, knowing he can exploit them.

And Vrabel knows it.

“We’ll have to tackle much better. We’ll have to tackle [Jaylen] Warren, Jonnu [Smith], [DK] Metcalf, [Calvin] Austin [III]. So, that’s the focus,” Vrabel said Wednesday. “That will be a critical part of this game plan. Those guys are great with the ball in their hands. They run very hard, they’re skilled, they’re big and present a challenge.”

To that end, tackling drills were front and center during Wednesday’s practice.

Linebackers Robert Spillane and Christian Elliss have been the chief offenders in this category.

According to Pro Football Focus, Spillane had three missed tackles against the Las Vegas Raiders, and five against the Miami Dolphins.

Elliss wasn’t much better with six the first two games. But the group, as a whole, hasn’t cut it in the tackling department. Between taking bad angles, and just not being fundamentally sound, they’ve allowed a ton more yards after catch.

On the plus side, the Patriots have done much better in the sack department. They currently lead the league with nine sacks, none more important than Milton Williams takedown of Tagovailoa to seal the win against Miami on Sunday.

But even with that, a trick or treat defense isn’t going to work. They can’t let teams continue to gash them for plays of 20 or more yards on a regular basis.

They surrendered nine against Las Vegas. They gave up seven plays of 18 or more yards to Miami. While they’ve only given up 40 points (the punt return doesn’t count) in the two games, better teams are bound to score more given how much they’re bending in the middle of the field.

Now back to Gonzalez.

After missing seven weeks, can he possibly ramp back up quick enough to play Sunday?

While he might play, it’s hard imagining him being at his shut-down best if he does.

It’s more a question of when he’s fully back and functioning at a top level, how much he can solve the problems plaguing the defense.

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The All-Pro corner is the team’s best player, and he will help. He’ll take the top receiving threat, and everyone else will slot in after that.

Now, if the Patriots still can’t stop the bleeding with Gonzalez back, that’s even bigger trouble and Vrabel’s worst nightmare.

As for the players on defense, they know they can’t continue to survive and win games if they continue to struggle at the second and third levels behind the defensive line.

Rookie safety Craig Woodson, who has earned a starting role next to Jaylinn Hawkins, said it boils down to the basics.

“I think it’s just everybody having the right fundamentals, and details of their assignment, and just playing team defense,” he said. “It’s keeping the plays in front of you, and making the plays you’re supposed to make. I think that’s what’s going to eliminate ‘X’ plays.”

Woodson was confident the defense would rise to the occasion, especially back home against Rodgers & Co.

“I think we can get after him,” Woodson said of the Super Bowl-winning quarterback. “I think we have a great defense. We’ll have some things ready.”

Tackling has to be at the top of the list.