The New England Patriots defense appears to be one of the best in the organization’s storied history. Their 7.6 points per game allowed would be the best by a Patriots team in a 16-game season.
But they’ve also faced a favorable schedule, and they’ve got tough opponents on the horizon. The Pittsburgh Steelers, who have the 19th most points per game, boast the strongest offense New England has faced. The Steelers have battled a brutal rash of injuries, including one to quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who played in Week 1 against the Patriots. At that point, they probably weren’t the 19th-best offense. Even so, they weren’t on the same level as the Baltimore Ravens, who will host the Patriots in Week 9.
That’s why this matchup should generate so much intrigue. The Ravens have the second best scoring offense in the NFL. New England has the best scoring defense in the league. We’ll see if Lamar Jackson can test Bill Belichick’s defense — or vice versa.
