**FOXBORO — Patriots’ Defense Shows Grit in Close Win Over Falcons**
For most of the season, the Patriots defense lived by the old cliché: it’s not how you start, but how you finish. Over their first eight games, the Pats frequently allowed opponents to score on their opening series but bounced back to play some of the best second-half defense in the NFL.
However, Sunday’s game against the Falcons saw the inverse. Early on, the Patriots forced Atlanta to punt on its first two drives, but late in the game, the defense loosened up, allowing two crucial fourth-quarter scores. Despite this, the Patriots narrowly escaped with a 24-23 victory at home in Foxboro.
The Falcons managed a late field goal and a touchdown, but a missed extra point and an untimely penalty on the Falcons’ ensuing drive ultimately proved decisive in the final outcome.
Pats outside linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson recorded the defense’s only sack and praised the unit’s persistence after the win.
“Grit and just a ‘next play’ mentality, for sure,” Chaisson said. “Obviously, they made some plays when they had to. They have some key playmakers. The receivers made some decent plays, just keeping the drive going. So, every time we get back to the sideline, we’re finding ways to get the drive stop, get off the field, and keep surviving.”
The final seven and a half minutes tested the Patriots further, as they played without star cornerback Christian Gonzalez, who sustained a head injury. Without him, Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (22-of-37 for 222 yards, 3 TDs) managed to advance to midfield on his last series with under three minutes left.
On first down, Penix’s pass fell incomplete. Then, defensive tackle Milton Williams was hurried into an intentional grounding penalty, followed by a deep incompletion on third-and-20.
“I think both their guards were out, so their communication might have been off,” said Williams. “One probably tapped the center or something, but I’m going off the ball. I was already down, ready to go. Shoot, he snapped it, and I was gone.”
The Patriots’ defensive efforts forced Penix to rely heavily on the pass, as they effectively bottled up Pro Bowl running back Bijan Robinson, who led Atlanta with just 46 rushing yards. Remarkably, for nine straight weeks, the Pats have not allowed an opposing player to rush for more than 50 yards — an NFL record dating back to 1950.
Inside linebacker and captain Robert Spillane shared insights on the team’s defensive dominance against the run post-game:
“It’s a mindset. It’s a willingness to stop the run at all costs,” Spillane said. “All 11 players on the field being dedicated to stopping the run game. If you have one corner that doesn’t want to tackle, those runs turn into big runs.”
Looking ahead, the Patriots will take their top-10 defense by points allowed — along with strong advanced metrics — on the road to Tampa Bay. The 6-2 Buccaneers are coming off a bye week and will present the next challenge for New England’s stout defense.
https://www.bostonherald.com/2025/11/02/patriots-defense-fixes-slows-starts-barely-survives-late-in-win-over-falcons/
