Kevin Byard doesn’t need much time to size up the challenge in front of the Patriots this week. Aaron Rodgers is coming to town, and Byard already has the matchup circled for one very specific reason: he wants his first interception against the veteran quarterback.
That’s the headline for New England’s secondary entering Week 2, especially after the Patriots made a point of adding a proven playmaker in the offseason. Byard, 33, was a major pickup for a defense that managed only 10 interceptions last season. He answered with seven picks of his own, tying for the league lead for the second time in his career, and now sits at 36 interceptions over 11 NFL seasons.
The numbers only tell part of the story. Rodgers has been the missing name on Byard’s list, and with the Steelers in Foxborough, the opportunity is right there.
“Definitely looking to get my first interception against Aaron Rodgers this week,” Byard said. “But, no, I think it’s going to be fun, and really I just want to win.
I don’t care if I don’t get an interception. If we just get some turnovers on defense, I’ll be more than happy.
But it’s definitely something that’s on my mind.”
That’s not a small ask, even for a defense that expects to make life difficult. Rodgers has built a career on elite ball placement, sharp decisions, and taking care of the football.
His 1.4 interception percentage remains the best in NFL history. Still, he’s been picked off before - 123 times on 8,783 attempts - and the version of Rodgers showing up now is not the one that once dominated at his peak.
He had 12 interceptions in his final season with the Green Bay Packers, then posted 11 and 7 in his last two healthy seasons.
He got through Week 1 without a turnover, but New England’s secondary figures to present a tougher test than the Atlanta Falcons did. Byard also comes in with momentum of his own after breaking up eight passes and grabbing seven interceptions, which gives the Patriots a legitimate ball-hawking presence on the back end.
The Steelers’ receiving group brings its own challenges, with DK Metcalf, Michael Pittman Jr., and Roman Wilson all listed as part of the mix. Christian Gonzalez gives New England another weapon in coverage, which should force Rodgers into difficult decisions snap after snap.
Byard’s arrival also ties into a familiar coaching connection. He is another former Al Harris alum, and Harris has helped develop defensive backs such as Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland into interception machines. The Bears led the league in created takeaways last season, another sign of the kind of instincts Harris has helped sharpen.
There is room for some regression, and age has a way of sneaking up on defensive backs. But Byard’s anticipation and feel for the game are still what define him.
For the Patriots, the bigger issue is getting the whole operation back on track after a late collapse in Week 1. The defense showed enough against the defending champions to suggest it can hold up its end, even without forcing a turnover. Now it gets a chance to do more against Mike McCarthy’s squad.
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The reaction has only added to the scrutiny around the move. Other stadium owners, including David Tepper, Arthur Blank and Jeffrey Lurie, were reported to back Krafts stance, while several of Sheerans opening acts have since withdrawn from the tour in solidarity with Macklemore. For a Patriots owner used to being discussed in football terms, this is now playing out on a far broader stage. [Read more 🡒]
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Baltimore also brought veteran Brandin Cooks in for a workout as another possible answer while Zay Flowers works through a hamstring issue and may be unavailable for the next game. For Patriots fans, Cooks still carries some familiarity as a former New England receiver who once gave the offense a big-play element, and his name now popping up on Baltimores radar adds another layer to a situation the Ravens clearly are not done addressing. [Read more 🡒]