Robert Spillane returned to the New England Patriots defense Sunday night, and his impact was felt, according to inside linebackers coach Zak Kuhr.
Kuhr spoke about Spillane’s impactful game Sunday in New England’s 16-3 win over the Los Angeles Chargers at Gillette Stadium and why he was excited to have the team’s leadership voice back.
Spillane, playing his first game since Dec. 1 due to an ankle injury, had six tackles and one pass defended in the Pats’ tour-de-force defensive performance against Justin Herbert and the high-octane Chargers.
He’ll try to keep up that energy and leadership when the second-seeded Patriots host the dangerous Houston Texans on Sunday at Gillette Stadium at 3 p.m. ET.
Zak Kuhr: Robert Spillane’s Return Took Defense ‘Back To Old Times’
Spillane didn’t have the biggest tangible impact on the Patriots defense Sunday. But according to Kuhr, getting the defensive playcaller back — Spillane wears the coach-to-player helmet on New England’s defense — had a positive impact on the Patriots defensive members.
“There’s not that big of a dropoff with that communication between [Spillane] and [fill-in Jack Gibbens],” Kuhr said. “But you’ve been hearing [Spillane’s] voice for how many weeks? You’re kind of used to hearing that voice, and getting that back, you’re back to old times for sure.”
The 30-year-old is in his first season in New England after he signed a three-year, $33 million deal last March. But the Patriots are, of course, in their first year of a new coaching regime, with Kuhr, defensive coordinator Terrell Williams and of course head coach Mike Vrabel about to complete their first seasons in Foxborough.
Yet, Spillane’s prowess speaks for itself, since he had 97 tackles, one sack, five passes defended and two interceptions in just 13 games this year while helping the Patriots finish as the eighth-ranked defense.
Zak Kuhr’s Linebackers May Blitz A Lot Against The Texans
The Patriots are a clear favorite, but Houston is the hottest remaining team in the NFL playoffs by virtue of its nine-game win streak and the fact it dismantled the Pittsburgh Steelers 30-6 on Monday night.
The Texans defense finished first in the NFL, but their offense, and especially quarterback C.J. Stroud, struggled for much of the first three quarters against the aggressive Steelers defense. Stroud fumbled five times, yet only lost two, and had a hard time securing snaps in Pittsburgh.
The Patriots sacked Herbert six times and battered him all night by blitzing him on 45% of LA’s 60 offensive snaps. With Stroud shaky at receiving snaps, and with Houston’s No. 1 receiver Nico Collins to miss the game with a concussion, the Pats defense will surely be blitzing heavily again.
Kuhr spoke about what goes into the decision to blitz and when to lay off. The Patriots blitzed about 25% of defensive snaps during the regular season, and that balance helped them finish fourth in the league in points-against per game (18.8).
“It is a balance. It is game to game,” Kuhr said. “At some point, you’ve got to feel what is working best for you without being reckless.
“It’s a good mix of our personnel and opponent dependent, as well.”
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