The Patriots defense is playing on another level this year. They’re first in the league in yards and scoring, second in passing defense, and first in DVOA. They’ve rarely given up touchdowns and are excellent at taking the ball away, with their 19 interceptions and nine fumble recoveries contributing to the team’s +18 turnover differential.
A lot of this has to do with the man behind the curtain, Bill Belichick. Revered as one of the greatest defensive minds in NFL history, Belichick’s shape-shifting defense has been able to conform to whatever it needs to be in order to shut down opposing offenses, with the lone exception being the Baltimore Ravens.