Under Mike Vrabel, the New England Patriots are using nickel personnel on defense at the third-highest rate in football.
The reason for that is clear as day: Marcus Jones has become too big a game-changer to be taken off the field.
The 27-year-old defensive back added yet another big play to his resume on Sunday. His walk-in interception for a touchdown off Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco helped flip an early 10-0 deficit into a game the Patriots never trailed from the 7:42 mark of the second quarter on.
Jones’ pick-six was the Patriots’ first since the 2023 season.