Keion White exploded off the edge Sunday night, recording 2.5 sacks and three quarterback hits to lead New England’s defensive charge in a stunning 24-21 victory over Buffalo at Gillette Stadium.
The second-year defensive end from Georgia Tech became the first Patriots player with multiple sacks in a divisional game this season, capping what has been a remarkable breakout campaign for the 24-year-old pass rusher.
“I’ve been working on my get-off all season,” White said after the game, still wearing his grass-stained jersey. “Tonight everything just clicked. Coach [Jerod] Mayo has been pushing me to be more aggressive, and you saw the results.”
White’s Emergence Changes Patriots Pass Rush
White’s performance against Josh Allen and the Bills marked his sixth multi-pressure game this season. The 6-foot-4, 285-pound edge rusher has compiled 8.5 sacks through 13 games, already surpassing his rookie total of 3.0 sacks from last season.
His most impactful play came late in the third quarter with Buffalo driving in Patriots territory. White beat left tackle Dion Dawkins with a perfect inside counter move, dropping Allen for a 12-yard loss that forced a punt and shifted momentum back to New England.
“Keion’s development has been exponential,” defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington said. “He’s understanding how to use his hands better, how to set up his rush moves. That sack in the third quarter was textbook pass rush technique.”
From Rotational Player to Full-Time Starter
White’s journey from afterthought to impact player reflects New England’s defensive rebuild under first-year head coach Jerod Mayo. Selected in the second round of the 2023 draft, White played just 35% of defensive snaps as a rookie while learning behind veterans Matthew Judon and Josh Uche.
This season, with Judon traded to Atlanta and Uche battling injuries, White has assumed a full-time role opposite veteran Anfernee Jennings. His 72% snap count ranks third among Patriots defenders, and his 15 quarterback hits trail only Miami’s Jaelan Phillips among AFC East pass rushers.
The Georgia Tech product has been particularly effective in obvious passing situations, generating pressure on 18.2% of third-down snaps according to Pro Football Focus. That rate ranks seventh among all NFL edge rushers with at least 100 third-down pass rushes.
Patriots Defense Shows Signs of Life
Sunday’s performance against Buffalo represented more than just White’s individual breakthrough. The Patriots defense held the league’s second-ranked offense to 21 points and forced two turnovers, including a strip sack by White that Christian Gonzalez recovered.
New England entered the game allowing 24.8 points per game, ranking 18th in the NFL. But against Allen, who came in averaging 285 passing yards per contest, the Patriots limited the Bills quarterback to 234 yards and pressured him on 23 snaps.
“We knew we had to get after Josh early and often,” linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley said. “Keion set the tone with his pressure, and it allowed our secondary to be more aggressive.”
Building Blocks for 2025
At 3-10, New England’s playoff hopes evaporated weeks ago. But performances like White’s provide optimism for a franchise in the early stages of a rebuild. The Patriots have now recorded multiple sacks in four straight games after managing just three such performances through their first nine contests.
White’s emergence alongside fellow young defenders like Gonzalez and safety Kyle Dugger gives Mayo’s staff core pieces to build around. His 8.5 sacks already represent the most by a Patriots player since Judon’s 12.5 in 2022.
“This is what we expected when we drafted him,” Patriots director of player personnel Matt Groh said. “The physical tools were always there. Now he’s putting it together mentally and technically.”
The Patriots close their home schedule next Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers, with White looking to reach double-digit sacks for the first time in his young career.
