Patriots Country

Patriots Star on Record-Breaking Pace to Start Season

A New England Patriots star is on pace to shatter a massive NFL record this season.

Evan Massey

Sep 15, 2024; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots defensive end Keion White (99) sacks Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) during the second half at Gillette Stadium.
Sep 15, 2024; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots defensive end Keion White (99) sacks Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) during the second half at Gillette Stadium. / Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images
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Coming into the 2024 NFL season, no one knew what to expect from the New England Patriots' pass-rush.

After a late-offseason trade that sent star pass-rusher Matthew Judon out of town, the Patriots were nervous about finding a way to replace his production. Keion White has put all of those concerns to bed.

Through two games so far, White has racked up 11 total tackles to go along with four sacks and a forced fumble. He has been a one-man wrecking crew getting after the quarterback.

At just 25 years old, White has become one of the most dangerous up-and-coming defensive stars in the NFL.

With that in mind, Pats Buzz took to X to share a wild statistic for him to start the season. Currently, he's on pace to shatter the NFL single-season sack record. If he continues on his current pace, he would rack up 34 sacks.

Before the Week 1 upset over the Cincinnati Bengals, New England was not expected to win many games this season. The national media expected a very high draft pick for the team and wasn't expecting them to be able to compete much.

After beating the Bengals, the Patriots almost pulled off another surprising win in Week 2 against the Seattle Seahawks. They ended up falling in overtime by a final score of 23-20, but again they proved that they aren't going to be a pushover team.

Jerod Mayo has instilled a new brand of football into the team. He plays an aggressive and swarming style of defense. Offensively, New England is a run-frst team that tries to overpower opposing defenses.

It's a big change from Bill Belichick's tenure with the Patriots, but it's also a breath of fresh air.

All of that being said, White is going to be a huge piece of the future for the Patriots. He has started to become the new leader of the defense and will be asked to step up even more due to the season-ending injury sustained by star linebacker Ja'Whaun Bentley.

Hopefully, White will continue being able to play at the high level he has showcased so far through the first two weeks of the season.

Make sure you bookmark New England Patriots on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

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Evan Massey
EVAN MASSEY

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