Two Patriots Named NFL Midseason All-Pro
At 5-4 and nine games into their 17-game schedule, the New England Patriots are technically more than halfway through the season. Regardless of the NFL's new, tricky math, two Pats have stood out in keeping the team afloat during an, at times, first nine weeks.
With New England on its Bye this weekend before preparing for an AFC East home game against the New York Jets Nov. 20, it's as good a time as ever to assess their position and their play.
Pro Football Focus this week ranked the Pats' Top 10 players and now The Athletic has named a couple players to its Midseason All-Pro team. The website surveyed various NFL coaches and general managers in coming up with its list.
On it: Patriots offensive guard Michael Onwenu and pass-rusher Matthew Judon, who leads the league with 11.5 sacks and is injecting himself as a candidate for Defensive Player of the Year.
While counterpart Cole Strange has been benched in consecutive games, Onwenu has been rock solid. Writes The Athletic of Onwenu, who received the second-most votes at guard behind only Joel Bitonio of the Cleveland Browns:
Michael Onwenu, New England Patriots (15 votes) - The third-year pro has gone from sixth-rounder in 2020 to one of the leading players at his position. He hasn’t surrendered a sack this season and is just as effective in the run game.
Though producing in the shadow of the large media shadow cast by the Dallas Cowboys' Micah Parsons, Judon is on pace to break both New England's and the NFL’s single-season sacks record.
Says The Athletic:
Matthew Judon, New England Patriots (16 votes) - The move from Baltimore to New England prompted a spike in production, as Judon racked up 12 1/2 sacks in 17 games in 2021. The seventh-year pro has elevated his game even further in 2022 and has a league-leading 11 1/2 sacks through nine games. After earning Pro Bowl nods in each of the last three seasons, he appears likely to extend that streak and possibly take home his first All-Pro selection.
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