In the opener, Keion White delivered exactly the way the Patriots hoped he would
White, who is being counted on for a bigger role in the Patriots pass-rush impressed in the opener
It didn’t take Keion White long to show that he is capable of producing on a completely different level than he did last year as a Patriots rookie.
White had one sack last season. He got one within the first minute of Sunday’s season-opening win against the Bengals. He finished with 2.5 sacks, a pair of tackles for loss, and a forced fumble.
After trading Matthew Judon to the Falcons and losing Christian Barmore (blood clots) for an indefinite period of time, the Patriots are counting on White to raise his game and elevate the pass rush.
“We were expecting him to hit that Year 2 leap, going from rookie season to Year 2,” defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington said Tuesday. “I think he’s doing a good job of trending upwards in that direction, which I thought this offseason during the spring and training camp, both of those he came in in shape and ready to work.
“And then, really stepping into more leadership roles especially on the field, communication calls, we ask him to do a lot. Players like him, Deatrich Wise, we actually do a lot with different roles and line up in different positions.”
White’s first sack came when he was matched up against former Patriot Trent Brown. White lined up standing on the outside and got a running start before hitting Brown with an inside move and chasing down Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow from behind. White used his speed to his advantage to beat the taller, heavier Brown.
“I just try to go fast,” White said. “I’m not the cleanest pass rusher. I’m not the most technical, but I just try to go fast and let everything work out for itself.”
The 6-foot-5-inch, 285-pound White also put his power on display, bull-rushing guards and wrestling with the center when he was lined up closer inside.
Covington said White’s versatility is one reason why expectations are high for him this season.
“We just really put him in positions that we think he can win in and then depending on what the call was for us,” Covington said. “Again, a guy like that, when you have him on your defense who can do a lot of things — line up from a 9-technique outside linebacker all the way from 0 — you’ll find a way to keep him on the field in whatever situation you need.”
Judon noticed White’s performance and commented on an Instagram post.
“3 of them,” Judon wrote, referencing the number of sacks White was involved in.
“Passed the torch,” White wrote in response to Judon.
The Patriots are building a new identity under coach Jerod Mayo, and White is expected to play a significant role as he continues to improve.
“I’ve still got a long way to go, personally,” White said. “I had the one inside move and everything like that but can definitely do better. You can always do better. It’s still a work in progress. Year 2. We’re going to get to it.”
Starting off fast
Brenden Schooler hit a top speed of 22.42 miles per hour as he ran down the field as a gunner on a Patriots punt in the first quarter. That was the fastest a player ran in the NFL during Week 1, according to Next Gen Stats.
“He can roll,” said special teams coach Jeremy Springer. “That dude, he’s an animal. We have good coaches. [Tom] Quinn does a good job with him, [Matthew] Slater, and those guys.”
“But, at the end of the day, the man goes out there and does what he does because he’s got a built-in fire within him and he’s got a heart that’s bigger than most of us, and the guy just loves football. Everything he does is because of how hard he works and what he puts into the game.”
Playing with heart
Marcus Jones (5-8, 188) and Jonathan Jones (5-9, 185) are relatively small for NFL players.
However, they delivered two of the biggest plays of Sunday’s win. Marcus Jones scooped up a touchdown-saving forced fumble from Kyle Dugger, and Jonathan Jones flew in for a key fourth-down stop with a full-speed tackle.
“It don’t matter about the size of the dog,” Covington said. “It’s really about the heart of the player, the way they’re not scared of anything or anybody, and they do it in practice.
“So if they’re able to do it in practice, they’re able to do it in a game. That’s what we continue to preach for those guys.
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