The New England Patriots' defense struggled against an inconsistent Miami offense on Sunday, allowing 27 points after the Dolphins managed just eight points the previous week. The defensive line came alive in the fourth quarter, with pressure from stars Milton Williams and Harold Landry leading the way.
A notable absence in the game was Keion White, who was unable to play due to illness. With the absence of the third-year edge defender, several players got extended play time.
Week 1 inactive Anfernee Jennings returned as part of the defense, and undrafted rookie Elijah Ponder also played a role on the edge. Another one of such players was Cory Durden.
Cory Durden made a name for himself with his performance for the Patriots in Week 2
Despite only playing a few snaps on defense, Durden made his presence felt, recording an 85.3 overall PFF grade, one of only three players on the team to record an elite 85+ grade. As a pass rusher, he nabbed a more than respectable 76.1 grade.
Despite flying under the radar, the 26-year-old has had a nice start to the season. Before his time in New England, he came into the league with the Lions, later moving to the Rams and then the Giants.
He played his collegiate ball at Florida State for three seasons before transferring to NC State and playing for the Wolfpack for another two seasons. He has played in ten career games, accounting for Sunday, recording 13 tackles in his appearances.
The Florida native was a three-star prospect coming out of high school and had a strong sophomore season with the Seminoles, netting five sacks. He had six sacks in the rest of his college career combined.
There's no doubt that Durden's performance against the Patriots in the preseason gave the team some belief in him. He featured for the Giants in New England's final matchup of the preseason, notching a stop and a 76.5 overall PFF grade while playing 20 snaps. He sported a very solid 71.3 PFF run defense grade across his 55 preseason snaps, and given his 300-pound frame, that checks out.
We'll have to see what the season holds for Durden, but he's doing all he can for now: thriving in a small role. Should backups Khyiris Tonga or Joshua Farmer go down, expect the coaching staff to show little hesitancy in giving the NC State alum another chance. Cory Durden will be a name to watch on the defensive line this season.