Not much has gone right for the New England Patriots on defense this season, but nose tackle Davon Godchaux is pacing the NFL in a niche category. He’s doing it by taking on a new and expanded role.
Godchaux “is officially the NFL leader in run stops (18), racking up a season-high six in a dominant performance vs the Texans Whether he was at NT or odd DE, no one could block Godchaux 1v1,” according to Taylor Kyles of Patriots on CLNS.
Kyles’ reference to Godchaux playing two different spots against the Houston Texans in Week 6, speaks to how the veteran is thriving using a different technique.
Davon Godchaux Playing Different Techniques
Godchaux is used to playing over the ball, but the 29-year-old has seen his role evolve under new head coach Jerod Mayo and defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington. They are letting the 6-foot-3, 330-pounder play on the edge more often.
Moving him to defensive end is taking Godchaux out of the traffic along the interior of the trenches. The veteran talked up how much he’s enjoying the change after facing his old team the Miami Dolphins in Week 5.
Godchaux explained, “If I’m on my A-game, no tackle should block, just being humble with it, but no tackle should block me in the run game…When I get an opportunity to set the edge and get a chance to not be in a double team at the nose, I’m always excited for it,” per Kyles.
Essentially, there’s nothing new about what the Patriots are doing. Moving a dominant run-stuffer to the outside is something former head coach Bill Belichick used to do with five-time Pro Bowler and franchise great Vince Wilfork.
The ploy helps wreck offenses that like to attack specific sides in the running game. It can also isolate the Patriots’ best run defender in more favorable matchups against weaker blockers.
Coaches are letting Godchaux play to his strengths at various positions, and he’s responding brilliantly. Unfortunately, the rest of New England’s defense has hardly followed suit.
Patriots Defense Not Meeting Davon Godchaux’s Standards
Godchaux hasn’t been shy about calling the unit out for a lack of teamwork. He spoke up earlier in the season, and Godchaux didn’t mince words about a lack of pride after the 41-21 defeat to the Texans, telling reporters, including ESPN’s Mike Reiss, “don’t look like you had pride out there.”
Patriots coaches and players might not appreciate this many public assessments of their unity and effort, but Godchaux is earning the right to be outspoken. He’s one of the few members of a defense expected to be one of the league’s toughest this season who’s actually living up to the billing.
Part of the problem has been a lack of elite talent in key positions, especially along the front seven. Trading Pro Bowl edge-rusher Matthew Judon to the Atlanta Falcons didn’t help, while seeing stud defensive tackle Christian Barmore sidelined indefinitely by illness also left a hole the Pats have had trouble adequately filling.
Those issues are why the Patriots shouldn’t trade an experienced and versatile edge defender who is one of the few able to help Godchaux shoulder the burden of carrying a below-par unit.
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