Patriots defensive coordinator responds to veteran calling teammates ‘selfish’

FOXBORO — Patriots defensive tackle Davon Godchaux called out a few of his teammates Monday, saying certain defenders had been “selfish” during the team’s 30-13 loss at San Francisco.

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Godchaux described attempts to play outside of the defensive scheme in efforts to make individual plays. Asked about those comments Thursday, Patriots defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington did not directly address Godchaux or his claims, but repeated his stance that the Patriots must play team defense in order to be successful.

“Like any football team, we are good as a unit. So when we all play together, we’re good, right? I’ve been saying that from the beginning,” Covington said. “We’re not a team of a bunch of superstars, and just go out there and have this one guy win, all right? We are only good — and that’s offense, defense and special teams –w e’re only good as a unit, playing complementary football.”

One area where Godchaux’s comments seem to overlap with Covington’s message is quarterback contain. The Patriots let 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy scramble three times, including twice for first downs on the opening drive after defensive lineman Keion White rushed too far upfield. Even though Purdy was neutralized as a rushing threat for the rest of the game, Covington said the coaching staff continues to emphasize that area, given the defense’s prior struggles with it in Weeks 2 and 3, and Miami’s Tyler Huntley, one of the more mobile quarterbacks in the league, will visit Sunday.

“You best believe I’ve hit on it, and we’ll be better at it today and make sure that we coach it up to the highest level today in practice, tomorrow and again on Sunday; make sure that we’re bulletproof there,” Covington said. “I know we’ve got a quarterback that’s going to use his legs.”

In his Dolphins debut last week, Huntley rushed for 40 yards and a touchdown. Miami signed Huntley off the Ravens’ practice squad on Sept. 17, shortly after losing starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to a concussion that landed him on injured reserve.

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