‘My play speaks for itself’: Stephon Gilmore on whether he is the Defensive Player of the Year
"No question."
Even with a Pro-Bowl selection, Stephon Gilmore thinks there’s another accolade he’s deserving of: Defensive Player of the Year.
The Patriots’ cornerback was asked about the honor on the 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Zolak and Bertrand Show on Wednesday, where he said, based on his performance this season, there’s “no question” if he should win.
We asked Stephon Gilmore if he was Defensive POY: “my play speaks for itself……no question” pic.twitter.com/VaUxFRAzoL
— Zolak & Bertrand (@ZoandBertrand) December 18, 2019
“I mean, my play speaks for itself,” Gilmore said. “If you really watch the tape each and every game, it’s no question.”
Gilmore has continuously proven all season that he’s a force on defense, and he’s currently tied for the league lead in interceptions (6) and passes defended (18). Against the Bengals, he had two of the Patriots’ four interceptions, one of which he caught in the third quarter and ran 64-yards into the end zone. His defensive-play-turned-touchdown was so “sweet”, Patriots’ quarterback Tom Brady joked that Gilmore could be a weapon on offense, too.
https://twitter.com/Patriots/status/1206303173071257601?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1206303173071257601&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.boston.com%2Fsports%2Fnew-england-patriots%2F2019%2F12%2F15%2Ftom-brady-patriots-bengals-nkeal-harry
Gilmore said those types of plays are what he “dreamt” of as a child.
“When you break on it and you’re like, ‘I hope he throws it’, you just have to catch it,” he told NFL Network’s Deion Sanders. “When you see green grass, that’s the plays you dream of growing up as a kid. Housing a great quarterback and getting into the end zone, that’s what it’s all about.”
Knowing he has a huge defensive-responsibility on the team, especially as the Patriots take on the Bills on Saturday, he’s ready for whatever his opponents throw at him.
“I feel good, it’s year eight and I’ve seen a lot of football, I’m studying, I’m covering the best guy every week. I’m in a rhythm and I’m just daring the quarterback to throw at me and I’m just trying to make them pay…Playing against the best guy, you have to really focus, every play is important – if you don’t play well on one play, it can cost your team. I try to focus each and every play, be in tight-coverage, try to be in great shape.”
“That’s my thing: I’m just trying to make them pay each and every play.”
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