{"id":33339,"date":"2025-09-21T22:46:01","date_gmt":"2025-09-21T22:46:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/breakingnews.azontree.com\/?p=33339"},"modified":"2025-09-21T22:46:01","modified_gmt":"2025-09-21T22:46:01","slug":"breaking-news-patriots-defense-rounds-into-shape-after-benching-two-starters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/breakingnews.azontree.com\/?p=33339","title":{"rendered":"BREAKING NEWS : Patriots\u2019 defense rounds into shape after benching two starters"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bostonherald.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/tsnl27_bfe021.jpg?w=451\" alt=\"Foxboro, MA - New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel waits for a call from an official during the third quarter of the game at Gillette Stadium. (Nancy Lane\/Boston Herald)\" \/><\/p>\n<p>FOXBORO \u2014 Don\u2019t blame the Patriots\u2019 defense for Sunday\u2019s loss to the Steelers.<\/p>\n<p>After allowing two quick touchdowns to begin the game, the defense kept the Patriots in the game for the remaining 43 minutes of the contest.<\/p>\n<p>Credit coaches for identifying two issues early in the game by benching linebacker Christian Elliss and cornerback Alex Austin after the Steelers\u2019 initial scoring drives.<\/p>\n<p>Elliss, whose tackling issues continued from last week\u2019s win over the Dolphins, was replaced by veteran linebacker Jack Gibbens.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnytime I got an opportunity to help the team, I\u2019m gonna do it,\u201d Gibbens said after the game. Any chance I get to get on the field, excited about it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Gibbens finished the game with one tackle while playing next to linebacker Robert Spillane on early downs. Marte Mapu remained the Patriots\u2019 dime linebacker after Elliss was benched.<\/p>\n<p>Austin, who had a tough game in Week 2, as well, was penalized for defensive pass interference and defensive holding in the first two drives of the game. He was replaced by cornerback Charles Woods, who was claimed off waivers from the Rams at cutdowns.<\/p>\n<p>Woods also registered one tackle.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt was exciting, just being ready when the opportunity got called,\u201d Woods said. \u201cSo, it was very exciting. Go out there and play with the guys. We just got to execute better fundamentals and technique and obviously get a win.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The unit didn\u2019t allow another first down for five straight drives. They forced four straight three-and-outs and four punts with an interception but did allow a late score after the offense had turned over the ball for the fifth time. The offense had one last chance to tie the game but turned the ball over on downs to close out the contest.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Patriots\u2019 defense rounded into shape after making early hooks, benching two starters in Sunday\u2019s loss.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":33341,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[295,77,1046,531,1166,74,370,227,2052,225,1045,2051,226,2053,2055,2054,532],"class_list":["post-33339","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-new-england-patriots","tag-2025-nfl-draft","tag-drake-maye","tag-eliot-wolf","tag-mike-vrabel","tag-new-england","tag-new-england-patriots","tag-nfl-draft","tag-nfl-news","tag-nfl-patriots","tag-patriots","tag-patriots-2025","tag-patriots-game","tag-patriots-news","tag-patriots-schedule","tag-patriots-stats","tag-pats","tag-robert-kraft"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.7 - 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