Patriots' defense continues to set a new record that has opponents scared

For much of the Patriots' first nine games of the season, there has been a hyper focus on the offense because of Drake Maye's incredible second-year jump and the way his teammates have risen to the occasion. While it makes sense that they would be dominating the conversation, more attention needs to be paid to the defense, which set another record on Sunday with its stout run defense.

That aspect of their performance has been a weak point for the group over the last few years, which is why Mike Vrabel and Co. prioritized adding even more big bodies and proven talent to the defensive line. And so far, it's paying off, especially in stopping some of the best running backs in the league.

They faced another impressive talent when they welcomed the Falcons to Foxboro, as Bijan Robinson has become a top player at the position over the last two years. But his standout performances failed to continue in Week 9, recording just 46 yards on 12 carries.

Considering Robinson is only a few weeks out from recording 19 carries for 170 yards and a touchdown, it's quite impressive what the Patriots did. It's even more impressive when you look at just how good they've been all year long.

The notable performance by the Patriots' run defense continues against another legit running back

The Patriots' run defense is becoming a featured show during games so far this season, as they have now stopped running backs from totaling 50+ yards in every game so far this season, a feat that not many could have predicted before the season began.

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The star-studded list is nothing to gloss over, and the Patriots' defense has made their jobs much easier by ensuring they are not beaten on the ground. That will be crucial to maintaining their dominance moving forward, with plenty of good running backs left to slow down.

That starts next week when they head to Tampa to face the Bucs, as quarterback Baker Mayfield is neck and neck with Maye in leading the MVP conversation.

Their running back, Rachaad White, has become a focal point of their offensive game plan, so the Patriots' defense will have to game plan for him as much as rising star receiver Emeka Egbuka. It will be another test to see just how good this team really is, and hopefully, they can clean up their mistakes from this week and avoid continuing down that road more next Sunday afternoon.