FOXBOROUGH — Through the summer, the Patriots defense took every opportunity to tell reporters one of their primary goals for the season was to be the No. 1 scoring defense in the league.
After two weeks, the Patriots are just that, having allowed 16 combined points through the first two games, an average of eight points per game. The Seahawks are second at 8.5 points per game, while the 49ers have allowed 10 per game.
Of course, it’s a small sample size. But for New England, it’s the best start to a season since 2019, when the Patriots’ defense yielded just three points combined in the first two games.
“I honestly don’t think there’s gratification or validation there,” said defensive coordinator Zak Kuhr, when asked about the positive totals. “I think they’re still hungry and they want to get better.
“That’s what I love about this group,” he added. “I think they’d all tell you it’s only Week Two. But it’s good that we’re improving and it’s good that we’re kind of feeling our rhythm as a unit, because we had a couple new pieces added, and have guys playing off each other and learning how they play their play style, and guys working the calls together.
“But I think it’s been good so far. And we’ve just got to continue to get better.”
“I think obviously we have extreme confidence as defense in who we are and who we have in our room,” said safety Kevin Byard. “But you know, we’re not satisfied with just two weeks of obviously being a No. 1 defense. I don’t think it surprised anybody as far as our stats right now. But we have a long way to go.”
There’s an argument to be made that New England has been able to pad its defensive totals because it’s faced a backup quarterback (Seattle’s Drew Lock, who played the bulk of the opener) and a 42-year-old signal caller (Pittsburgh’s Aaron Rodgers). At the same time, both offenses possess elite receivers who performed better this season when they didn’t face the Patriots.
Regardless of the opponent, holding its first two opponents to one touchdown over eight quarters stands as an impressive mark. In all, the Patriots are currently top 5 in several statistical categories heading into Week 3; New England is first in third-down defense (opponents are converting at a rate of 17.4 percent), fourth in total yards allowed (260 per game), and fifth in passing yards allowed (166). In addition, the Patriots haven’t allowed a red-zone touchdown this season.
“That’s always a good start, sure,” said linebacker Christian Elliss when presented with the numbers. “But I think for me, I don’t feel gratified yet until that final whistle blows on our season. I don’t see us at that point yet. So it’s something you have to do week in and week out. And we have another good opportunity this week to add to it.”
New England will get a chance to add to it Sunday against the Jaguars, who are averaging 23.5 points per game through the first two contests, good enough for 15th in the league. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence is completing 67.3 percent of his passes, and has thrown for 434 yards, with four touchdowns and one pick through the first two games. Parker Washington (12 catches, 18 targets, 181 yards, one touchdown) has been his primary target in the passing game, while Bhayshul Tuten (28 carries, 131 yards, one touchdown) is the primary option on the ground.
“Their quarterback is playing at a very high level,” Byard said. “I played Trevor Lawrence a few times over the years, and I think just watching the film and what he’s doing right now, I think he’s playing the best football of his career. But they have some really good skill position players. Obviously, Parker Washington is their top target, who is you know looking like wide receiver one in that offense, for sure.
“They want to push the ball down the field,” Byard added. “They want to throw the ball down the field. So I think we have to control the trenches — dominate the trenches. But then as a defensive back group, limiting those explosive plays, and at the same time, being opportunistic and getting those turnovers.”
In the end, if the Patriots end up pitching a shutout against the Jaguars, they’ll end up improving on the 2019 start; that group allowed 17 points through the first three games. And it would be another step in the right direction for a team that’s certainly enjoyed the early stages of the journey.
“A lot more work has to be done,” said cornerback Marcus Jones. “We’re hard critics upon ourselves. We watch the film. There are things that we definitely need to get aligned and everything like that, but really, the effort and finish are the main things. Those are the things that we got to make sure we take advantage of going forward.”
Christopher Price can be reached at [christopher.price@globe.com](mailto:christopher.price@globe.com). Follow him on Bluesky at christopherprice.bsky.social.