It’s difficult to talk about the Patriots without delving into the busted coverage in the secondary and the mental breakdowns in the team’s defense.
But if you want to know the core issue with this team, look no further than the line of scrimmage.
On both sides of the ball.
The secondary breakdowns have been ugly, but the unit has Pro Bowlers like Devin McCourty, Malcolm Butler and Stephon Gilmore. The mistakes should be fixable if communication and understanding of the scheme improve.
What you can’t fix is the shortcomings in personnel, and that’s what the Patriots have on the defensive line.