Unheralded defensive tackle pair giving Patriots key push up front

Key Highlights

• He quickly signed on to the Patriots’ practice squad before joining the 53-man roster a week later — and hasn’t looked back. Playing a career-high 447 snaps (38 percent of the team’s defensive snaps), Durden became a key rotational piece along New England’s front.
• He carved our a niche as a pass rusher, recording 28 pressures, while his pass-rush win rate was tied with All-Pro Jeffrey Simmons for best among interior defenders. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement“I think that he’s just worked hard at it.
• I think that’s something that he’s focused on, is figuring out what works for him,” Vrabel said.
• “You get together with the player, [defensive line coach] Clint [McMillan] and everybody else, and kind of figure out a couple moves that may work for them, then you go about practicing those through the week, and then coming up with a plan.
• So, they’re not trying things that maybe they’re not good at.”“I don’t want to get past either the run game stuff with him,” defensive play caller Zak Kuhr added.