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Snaps played by Patriots defenders in the team’s 28-13 AFC Championship Game loss to the Ravens, while analyzing what it means (small margin for error):

LB Jerod Mayo – 72 of 72
S Devin McCourty – 72 of 72
CB Alfonzo Dennard – 70 of 72
S Steve Gregory – 70 of 72
DE Rob Ninkovich – 68 of 72
DL Vince Wilfork – 67 of 72
CB Kyle Arrington – 65 of 72
LB Brandon Spikes – 60 of 72
DE Justin Francis -- 55 of 72
DL Brandon Deaderick – 48 of 72
LB Dont’a Hightower – 39 of 72
CB Marquice Cole – 33 of 72
DE Jermaine Cunningham – 32 of 72
DE Trevor Scott – 17 of 72
S Tavon Wilson – 9 of 72
CB Aqib Talib – 8 of 72
DT Kyle Love – 3 of 72
S Patrick Chung – 2 of 72
DE Chandler Jones – 2 of 72

(Penalties included. Game-ending kneel-downs not included.)

ANALYSIS: Brandon Spikes mostly stayed on over Dont’a Hightower as the second sub linebacker alongside Jerod Mayo, and the Ravens attacked him with success with tight end Dennis Pitta. It’s one game, but this could raise questions this offseason if Spikes will continue to play in the sub going forward or if he’ll return to more of a base-defense only type of role. … CB Aqib Talib’s eight snaps came on the first two series before he left with a thigh injury. This taxed the depth of the secondary, with Kyle Arrington moving into a starting role and Marquice Cole up to nickelback. Starter Alfonzo Dennard and Arrington were competitive from this viewpoint, while Cole looked overmatched against Anquan Boldin. The coverage issues seemed to be mostly with Cole in the slot and linebacker Brandon Spikes and safety Steve Gregory in the middle of the field against Pitta. … The 55 snaps were a season high for rookie DE Justin Francis, who started in place of Chandler Jones (ankle). With Francis playing on more early downs, he came off in some sub situations, which is where he excelled most this season as a pass rusher. … The Patriots played more sub defense in the second half, a result of the Ravens going to mostly “11” personnel (1 running back, 1 tight end, 3 receivers), and the Patriots attempted to generate more pass rush by subbing the lighter Jermaine Cunningham (DE) in for the heavier Brandon Deaderick (DT) as an interior lineman. Cunningham played five snaps in the first half and 27 in the second half but couldn’t help spark the rush. … DE Rob Ninkovich, who colleague Field Yates viewed as the Patriots’ best defensive player in the game, proved his worth as a true three-down player. … DL Kyle Love’s three snaps came on the opening series before he left with a knee injury. … DE Chandler Jones, playing a limited role because of an ankle injury, only played 2 snaps as part of the goal-line package. … The two snaps on defense for safety Patrick Chung came in the goal-line package. At one time earlier in his career, Chung had played in the slot and that was an area the defense was hurt. Chung’s decline in playing time in the second half of the season would seem to be an indication he’ll be playing elsewhere in 2013, as he is a free agent.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – A look at snaps played by Patriots defenders in the team’s win over the Texans, and analyzing what it means (small margin for error):

S Devin McCourty – 78 of 78
LB Jerod Mayo – 78 of 78
CB Alfonzo Dennard – 77 of 78
S Steve Gregory – 77 of 78
CB Aqib Talib – 77 of 78
DE Rob Ninkovich -- 76 of 78
DL Vince Wilfork – 61 of 78
LB Brandon Spikes – 58 of 78
DE Justin Francis – 49 of 78
LB Dont’a Hightower – 47 of 78
DT Brandon Deaderick – 39 of 78
CB Kyle Arrington – 35 of 78
DE Chandler Jones – 32 of 78
DL Kyle Love – 32 of 78
DE Trevor Scott – 19 of 78
S Tavon Wilson – 16 of 78
DE Jermaine Cunningham – 6 of 78
S Patrick Chung – 1 of 78

(Penalties included; also includes 2-point conversion.)

ANALYSIS: In a win-or-go-home game like this, one gets a clearer picture of how players are viewed by the coaching staff because the time for managing players’ health is less of a consideration and it’s all hands on deck. Along those lines, the defensive end rotation stands out. The Patriots started with Rob Ninkovich and Chandler Jones at end, and looked primed to go wire to wire with that combination, with both staying on the field on third down. The top backup was rookie free agent Justin Francis, as he came on as a sub rusher over Trevor Scott and Jermaine Cunningham. That was a role previously held by Cunningham, but his late-season suspension opened the door for Francis and now his role has been diminished. Jones didn’t play in the second half because of an ankle injury, which is when Francis’ numbers really spiked. … The lone snaps not played by CB Alfonzo Dennard, S Steve Gregory and CB Aqib Talib came at the goal-line when the Patriots went big. That goal-line package was also the lone snap played by S Patrick Chung, who was passed over as the dime back in favor of rookie S Tavon Wilson. … At LB, Brandon Spikes and Dont’a Hightower split duties in sub packages, with Spikes staying on the field a bit more. ... CB Kyle Arrington played the slot, with Aqib Talib and Alfonzo Dennard back in the starting roles.

When assessing a player’s value, teams can sometimes turn to playing-time statistics. The more valuable the player, the more he plays.

With this in mind, the following is a breakdown of playing time for Patriots defenders in 2012 (penalties included, no kneel-downs, small margin for error, charted by ESPNBoston.com.)

Defensive end
Rob Ninkovich – 923 of 1,112 – 83.0 percent
Chandler Jones – 746 of 1,112 – 67.1 percent
Jermaine Cunningham – 446 of 1,112 – 40.1 percent
Trevor Scott – 252 of 1,112 – 22.7 percent
Justin Francis – 193 of 1,112 – 17.4 percent
Jake Bequette – 29 of 1,112 – 2.6 percent

Quick hits: Ninkovich is a good example of how the Patriots find “value” in the marketplace. When the team signed Ninkovich to a two-year, $4 million extension in September of 2011, Ninkovich was at a 47-percent playing time clip as a first- and second-down 3-4 outside linebacker. But the Patriots projected his role would grow in their system – partly a credit to the team’s coaching/system, partly a credit to Ninkovich himself -- and he’s since become a solid three-down player who led the team in sacks (8) and forced fumbles (5) in 2012. Let's not forget that when the Patriots initially signed Ninkovich in 2009, he had just been cut as a long snapper with the Saints. … Jones was at a 90-percent playing time clip before injuring his ankle Nov. 18 against the Colts and missing the next 11 quarters. … Cunningham is the top backup and found a niche this year as an interior sub rusher. His playing time would have been closer to 50 percent if not for a four-game NFL suspension. … Francis has been a late riser, playing 38 snaps over the first 10 games of the season before amassing 155 over the final six games.

Defensive tackle
Vince Wilfork – 904 of 1,112 – 81.3 percent
Kyle Love – 549 of 1,112 – 49.4 percent
Brandon Deaderick – 378 of 1,112 – 34.0 percent
Ron Brace – 92 of 1,112 – 8.3 percent
Terrell McClain – 16 of 1,112 – 1.4 percent
Marcus Forston – 8 of 1,112 – less than 1 percent

Quick hits: The Patriots’ shift to more of a pure 4-3 this season thinned the number of “big” linemen on the roster. Wilfork’s playing time progression from 2009-2012 looks like this: 51.8 percent, 69.8 percent, 86.8 percent, 81.3 percent. Bringing his numbers down slightly this season was a reflection of the Patriots attempting to limit some of the wear and tear on arguably their most important defender. … Deaderick has been playing more snaps than Love over the last six games as the top option next to Wilfork. … This looks like an area the team will address in the offseason to add more depth.

Linebacker
Jerod Mayo – 1,066 of 1,112 – 95.9 percent
Brandon Spikes – 736 of 1,112 – 66.2 percent
Dont’a Hightower – 574 of 1,112 – 51.6 percent
Tracy White – 71 of 1,112 – 6.4 percent
Mike Rivera – 19 of 1,112 – 1.7 percent
Niko Koutouvides – 9 of 1,112 – less than 1 percent
Bobby Carpenter – 6 of 1,112 – less than 1 percent
Jeff Tarpinian – 6 of 1,112 – less than 1 percent

Quick hits: Losing Dane Fletcher to a torn ACL in the preseason thinned the depth here, as the Patriots made it through the year with basically three off-the-line linebackers. … Mayo, as he has been since being a first-round selection in 2008, is a “glue” player who seldom comes off the field. … Spikes took another step in his career progression this year, staying on the field in sub more, and also staying healthy (until the end of the season). That is reflected in his playing time progression from 2010-2012: 31.7 percent, 40.1 percent, 66.2 percent. … Hightower had a solid rookie season on which to build and should ultimately expand his duties into more three-down work. … Some more depth here could be an offseason focus.

Cornerback
Devin McCourty – 1,092 of 1,112 – 98.2 percent
Kyle Arrington – 838 of 1,112 – 75.4 percent
Alfonzo Dennard – 599 of 1,112 – 53.9 percent
Aqib Talib – 306 of 1,112 – 27.5 percent
Sterling Moore – 233 of 1,112 – 21.0 percent
Marquice Cole – 197 of 1,112 – 17.7 percent
Ras-I Dowling – 84 of 1,112 – 7.6 percent
Derrick Martin – 69 of 1,112 – 6.2 percent

Quick hits: McCourty split time between cornerback and safety, but since he played more games at cornerback, he is kept at this position for purposes of this breakdown. His long-term future, however, very well might be at safety. McCourty's high playing time total reflects the confidence the coaching staff has in him, which didn’t seem to be matched by public perception earlier in the year. … Dennard is positioned to be the No. 2 corner in 2013, while Talib would return as the No. 1 corner if he re-signs (he’s a free agent). Arrington is also a free agent, so this will be a position that needs to be looked at closely this offseason. … Dowling has been a disappointment and faces a crucial season in 2013 to get his NFL career on track.

Safety
Steve Gregory – 749 of 1,112 – 67.4 percent
Patrick Chung – 536 of 1,112 – 48.2 percent
Tavon Wilson – 473 of 1,112 – 42.5 percent
Nate Ebner – 34 of 1,112 – 3.1 percent

Quick hits: McCourty helped out here and could find a long-term home at the position. But for purposes of this breakdown, he lands at the cornerback spot. … Gregory would have had a higher playing time percentage if not for missing four games with a hip injury in the first half of the season. The coaching staff seems to appreciate his smarts. One potential concern for the Patriots going forward is if a McCourty-Gregory pairing leaves them undersized at the position. … Chung enters free agency and given his struggles to break through into the starting lineup upon his return from injury in the second half of 2012, it might be a case where he looks for a fresh start. … Wilson, the second-round pick from Illinois, will be in the mix in 2013 after gaining some valuable experience as a rookie. The question is if he can break through as a starter. When everyone was healthy, his primary duties came as the dime back. … Ebner will be around for his special teams prowess. His future as a defender remains up in the air as he didn’t play a single defensive snap in the second half of 2012.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Snaps played by Patriots defenders in the team’s 28-0 victory over the Dolphins on Sunday, while analyzing what it means (small margin for error):

CB Devin McCourty – 59 of 59
CB Kyle Arrington – 59 of 59
S Steve Gregory – 58 of 59
LB Jerod Mayo – 55 of 59
LB Dont’a Hightower – 52 of 59
CB Derrick Martin – 51 of 59
S Patrick Chung – 50 of 59
DE Chandler Jones – 46 of 59
DL Brandon Deaderick – 40 of 59
DL Vince Wilfork – 39 of 59
DE Justin Francis – 34 of 59
DE Trevor Scott – 23 of 59
DE Rob Ninkovich – 22 of 59
DL Kyle Love – 18 of 59
S Tavon Wilson – 18 of 59
DE Jermaine Cunningham – 16 of 59
LB Brandon Spikes – 8 of 59
LB Tracy White – 1 of 59
CB Aqib Talib – 0 of 59

(Penalties included.)

ANALYSIS: Brandon Spikes’ low total was a result of him playing solely in the base defense, which the Patriots weren’t in often. When the Patriots went to the nickel, Spikes came off, with Dont’a Hightower staying on at linebacker alongside Jerod Mayo. Spikes had taken most of those reps earlier in the year but it looked like the Patriots were limiting his role as he works his way back from injury. … It is now six straight weeks that Brandon Deaderick has played more snaps than former starter Kyle Love at defensive tackle. That’s been an overlooked change on the depth chart at times, with Deaderick showing up Sunday with a sack. … Vince Wilfork finished the season at 81.3 percent of the snaps played, which is slightly down from last season, but still an impressive total. The Patriots found spots to rest him at times during games, which has a long-term benefit, even though Wilfork seems to prefer to never come off the field. … The total of 59 snaps were the second fewest played by the defense this season. Only 56 against the Seahawks on Oct. 14 was fewer, and part of the reason for that was the big plays the Patriots gave up in that game. This effort was much more authoritative. When the number is this low, it usually signifies a good third-down (Dolphins were 5 of 13) and fourth-down (0 for 1) defense. So that’s an added bonus for the defense entering the playoffs – not only does the unit benefit from the bye, it enters the postseason having less wear and tear from the finale. … Derrick Martin’s presence as the nickel back was new, as the team was thin bodies with Aqib Talib (hip) and Marquice Cole (finger) out. Martin has mostly been used as a special teamer, appearing in just 18 snaps before the finale, when he had 51.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A look at snaps played by Patriots’ defenders in the team’s 23-16 win over the Jaguars, while analyzing what it might mean (small margin for error):

CB Devin McCourty – 80 of 80
CB Kyle Arrington – 78 of 80
S Steve Gregory – 78 of 80
LB Jerod Mayo – 76 of 80
DL Vince Wilfork – 74 of 80
DE/LB Rob Ninkovich – 73 of 80
S Patrick Chung – 61 of 80
CB Marquice Cole – 57 of 80
DE Chandler Jones – 48 of 80
DL Brandon Deaderick – 47 of 80
DE Justin Francis – 47 of 80
LB Dont’a Hightower – 37 of 80
LB Tracy White – 30 of 80
S Tavon Wilson – 30 of 80
DE Trevor Scott – 28 of 80
DL Kyle Love – 17 of 80
DB Derrick Martin – 10 of 80
CB Aqib Talib – 8 of 80

(Snaps are 1 off as the Patriots had 10 players on the field for one third-quarter play, an incomplete pass. Penalties included.)

ANALYSIS: Devin McCourty switched back to cornerback because Aqib Talib’s playing time was reduced significantly because of a hip injury. Talib didn’t play at all in the second half as he clearly wasn’t running as well as he has, and was holding his hip at times. … Rookie lineman Justin Francis played a season-high 47 snaps as he's really coming on. He drew a holding penalty in run support, but also looked to be the 11th player who didn't come on to the field on the one play the Patriots had just 10 on the field. … On the interior of the defensive line, Brandon Deaderick is making his mark in recent weeks. He’s played 141 snaps over the last three games. In the first 12 games of the season, he played 197. His rise has trimmed back Kyle Love’s playing time. … With middle linebacker Brandon Spikes not dressing, it required Rob Ninkovich to move from end to linebacker at times. … Marquice Cole played in the slot and his 57 snaps nearly matched his season high of 62 against the Bills on Nov. 11. … Safety Patrick Chung’s 61 snaps were his most since Week 5 and reflected how he had a bigger role than he has for most of the season. … DE Chandler Jones saved his best for last as he had some big rushes in the fourth quarter.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Snaps played by Patriots defenders in the team’s 41-34 loss to the 49ers, while analyzing what it means (small margin for error):

LB Jerod Mayo – 67 of 67
S Devin McCourty – 67 of 67
DE Rob Ninkovich – 67 of 67
DL Vince Wilfork – 66 of 67
LB Dont’a Hightower – 64 of 67
CB Aqib Talib – 62 of 67
LB Brandon Spikes – 50 of 67
S Steve Gregory – 48 of 67
DL Brandon Deaderick – 47 of 67
DL Kyle Love – 39 of 67
CB Alfonzo Dennard – 38 of 67
DE Chandler Jones – 34 of 67
CB Kyle Arrington – 31 of 67
DE/DL Justin Francis – 21 of 67
S Patrick Chung – 19 of 67
LB Mike Rivera – 5 of 67
CB Marquice Cole – 4 of 67
S Tavon Wilson – 4 of 67
DE Trevor Scott – 3 of 67
LB Niko Koutouvides – 1 of 67

(Penalties included. Kneel-downs not included. Fake punt not included.)

ANALYSIS: Rookie end Chandler Jones was kept on the sideline for six drives after the 49ers’ 9-yard touchdown run by Frank Gore early in the third quarter. Jones appeared to get caught watching the play and was easily single-blocked before being pushed to the ground by a doubling offensive lineman late. Rookie Justin Francis took Jones’ place. Jones was on the field for just three snaps the rest of the game after Gore's TD, all in the “heavy” package at the end of the fourth quarter. Looked like a "rookie moment" on a broken play for Jones and one the coaching staff addressed quickly. … The other notable personnel change came at safety, where Steve Gregory was replaced by Patrick Chung in the base defense after Michael Crabtree’s 27-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter. Gregory was spotted with a bandage on his head, although his absence was not injury-related, according to the team. The status of Jones and Gregory will be areas to watch in the weeks to come. … Not including the final kneel-down, the Patriots’ defense was on the field for 16 drives. That’s a high total, and reflects how the 49ers had three one-play scoring “drives.” The big play hurt the Patriots again -- an early-season problem returning after things had settled down in recent weeks. … The Patriots subbed out end Chandler Jones for bigger DL Brandon Deaderick when the 49ers went big on offense. … No rotation at the other end spot, as Rob Ninkovich went wire to wire. … The lone snap not played by DL Vince Wilfork came midway through the second quarter as it looked to be part of a set rotation to keep him fresh. … Unlike past games, LB Dont’a Hightower took all the nickel reps alongside Jerod Mayo instead of splitting them with Brandon Spikes. … LB Mike Rivera started at middle linebacker over Spikes but didn’t play a defensive snap the rest of the game. That’s a question for Bill Belichick today – was that a result of Rivera practicing all week because Spikes was limited with injury, or something else? (update: Belichick said on his Monday conference call that it was a result of Spikes being limited in practice and the team wanting to see how things looked as the game began.) … CB Alfonzo Dennard didn’t return after leaving with a knee injury at the end of the second quarter.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Snaps played by Patriots defenders in Monday’s 42-14 win over the Texans, and analyzing what it means (small margin for error):

S/CB Devin McCourty – 69 of 70
LB Jerod Mayo – 64 of 70
S Steve Gregory – 63 of 70
LB Dont’a Hightower – 61 of 70
DE Rob Ninkovich – 55 of 70
CB Alfonzo Dennard – 53 of 70
DL Vince Wilfork – 50 of 70
DL Brandon Deaderick – 47 of 70
LB Brandon Spikes – 46 of 70
DE Chandler Jones – 41 of 70
CB Kyle Arrington – 39 of 70
DE Trevor Scott -- 38 of 70
CB Aqib Talib – 35 of 70
DL Kyle Love – 32 of 70
DE/DL Justin Francis – 17 of 70
S Tavon Wilson – 17 of 70
S Patrick Chung – 16 of 70
CB Marquice Cole – 14 of 70
LB Tracy White – 9 of 70
LB Mike Rivera – 5 of 70

(Includes penalties; one extra snap because of 12-men-on-the-field penalty)

ANALYSIS: With rookie Chandler Jones returning from an ankle injury for the first time since Nov. 18, the Patriots utilized him as the third man in as part of a three-man rotation at defensive end. Rob Ninkovich and Trevor Scott started at the end spots. Prior to his ankle injury, Jones was logging more than 90 percent of the defensive snaps. This could be a one-week type of deal, or the start of a larger rotation that possibly benefits Jones in terms of keeping him fresh. … Rookie end Justin Francis was used in the Jermaine Cunningham interior rush role in sub packages. … Linebackers Brandon Spikes and Dont’a Hightower split snaps in the nickel. … Of Patrick Chung’s 16 snaps, 14 come on the final three drives when the outcome was well in hand. He has really fallen out of favor when all players are healthy, as rookie Tavon Wilson is playing over him in the dime. Chung is essentially a special teamer and depth option at this point, which is a hard fall for the 2009 second-round draft choice who opened the year as a starter. … The last few weeks has seen a change at the defensive tackle spot next to Vince Wilfork, as Brandon Deaderick is taking some snaps away from Kyle Love.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – With three-quarters of the regular season concluded, a look at snaps played by Patriots defenders, which highlights personnel value (small margin for error):

Defensive end
Rob Ninkovich (706 of 836) – 84.4 percent
Chandler Jones (577 of 836) – 69.0 percent
Jermaine Cunningham (430 of 836) – 51.4 percent
Trevor Scott (160 of 836) – 19.1 percent
Justin Francis (74 of 836) – 8.9 percent
Jake Bequette (29 of 836) – 3.5 percent

Quick-hit: Ninkovich has emerged as a front-line player after a slower start to the season. … Jones, the team’s top draft choice, was up over 90 percent before an ankle injury sidelined him in the first quarter of the team’s Nov. 18 win over the Colts. He's expected to return tonight.

Defensive tackle
Vince Wilfork (675 of 836) – 80.7 percent
Kyle Love (443 of 836) – 53.0 percent
Brandon Deaderick (197 of 836) – 23.6 percent
Ron Brace (92 of 836) – 11.0 percent
Terrell McClain (16 of 836) – 1.9 percent
Marcus Forston (8 of 836) – 1.0 percent

Quick-hit: Wilfork’s numbers are down slightly from last season, as the team has found spots to rest him at times. But he’s as much of a factor as ever. Depth behind him is thinner than the norm.

Linebacker
Jerod Mayo (804 of 836) – 96.2 percent
Brandon Spikes (632 of 836) – 75.6 percent
Dont’a Hightower (360 of 836) – 43.1 percent
Tracy White (31 of 836) – 3.1 percent
Mike Rivera (9 of 836) – 1.1 percent
Niko Koutouvides (8 of 836) – 1.0 percent
Bobby Carpenter (6 of 836) – 0.7 percent
Jeff Tarpinian (6 of 836) – 0.7 percent

Quick-hit: Mayo is a three-down player who leads the huddle, serving as a “glue” to help keep the defense together. … Spikes’ rise is notable as he’s played in every game this season, which has helped him take a step forward in his progression as a player.

Defensive back
CB/S Devin McCourty (817 of 836) – 97.7 percent
CB Kyle Arrington (631 of 836) – 75.5 percent
CB Alfonzo Dennard (508 of 836) – 60.8 percent
S Steve Gregory (502 of 836) – 60.0 percent
S Tavon Wilson (404 of 836) – 48.3 percent
S Patrick Chung (390 of 836) – 46.7 percent
CB Sterling Moore (233 of 836) – 27.9 percent
CB Aqib Talib (201 of 836) – 24.0 percent
CB Marquice Cole (122 of 836) – 14.6 percent
CB Ras-I Dowling (84 of 836) – 10.0 percent
S Nate Ebner (34 of 836) – 4.1 percent
CB Derrick Martin (8 of 836) – 1.0 percent

Quick-hit: McCourty has settled in at safety, with Talib assuming top duties at McCourty’s old left cornerback spot. With Gregory (safety), Dennard (starting right cornerback) and Arrington (slot cornerback) rounding out the top five, the Patriots seem to have found the combination they like best.

MIAMI – A look at snaps played by Patriots defenders in the team’s 23-16 win over the Dolphins, while analyzing what it might mean (small margin for error):

CB Alfonzo Dennard – 63 of 63
S Steve Gregory – 63 of 63
LB Jerod Mayo – 63 of 63
S Devin McCourty – 63 of 63
CB Aqib Talib – 63 of 63
DE Rob Ninkovich – 57 of 63
DL Vince Wilfork – 51 of 63
DE Trevor Scott – 50 of 63
LB Brandon Spikes – 45 of 63
CB Kyle Arrington – 36 of 63
LB Dont’a Hightower – 35 of 63
DL Brandon Deaderick – 34 of 63
DL Kyle Love – 26 of 63
DE Justin Francis – 18 of 63
DT Jake Bequette – 12 of 63
S Patrick Chung – 8 of 64
DL Ron Brace – 3 of 63
LB Tracy White – 2 of 63
S Tavon Wilson – 2 of 63

(Penalties included.)

ANALYSIS: Patrick Chung’s fall down the depth chart stands out. His eight snaps came on the final three drives of the game, as rookie Tavon Wilson was playing in the dime package over him earlier in the game. The Patriots appear to have settled on a Devin McCourty/Steve Gregory safety pairing. Also, there is more stability at cornerback, with Aqib Talib and Alfonzo Dennard going wire to wire, with Kyle Arrington coming on in the nickel. … DE Trevor Scott’s first start of the season produced a season-high 50 snaps. His previous high was 32, versus the Colts. … Rookie DE Jake Bequette’s 12 snaps came as an interior rusher in sub packages. … For the second straight week, DL Brandon Deaderick started over Kyle Love and played more snaps next to Vince Wilfork. … In the nickel package, LBs Brandon Spikes and Dont’a Hightower split reps.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Snaps played by Patriots defenders in Thursday’s win over the Jets, while analyzing what it might mean (small margin for error):

CB Alfonzo Dennard – 71 of 72
CB Aqib Talib – 71 of 72
LB Jerod Mayo – 65 of 72
S Devin McCourty – 65 of 72
DE Rob Ninkovich -- 65 of 72
DE Jermaine Cunningham – 64 of 72
S Steve Gregory – 61 of 72
LB Brandon Spikes – 51 of 72
DL Vince Wilfork – 50 of 72
LB Dont’a Hightower – 42 of 72
DL Brandon Deaderick – 37 of 72
CB Kyle Arrington – 31 of 72
DL Kyle Love – 27 of 72
S Patrick Chung – 22 of 72
DE Trevor Scott – 19 of 72
DE Justin Francis – 18 of 72
DL Ron Brace – 10 of 72
S Tavon Wilson – 8 of 72
CB Derrick Martin – 7 of 72
LB Tracy White—7 of 72
LB Mike Rivera – 1 of 72

(Penalties included.)

ANALYSIS: The depth at safety stood out most, as the trouble spot looks like it’s been stabilized a bit. With the Patriots keeping Devin McCourty at safety, the team opened with a McCourty/Steve Gregory combination, and had Patrick Chung come on as part of one of their two nickel packages. The role of Chung, a former starter, could be intriguing to watch in the weeks to come. Can he get his starting spot back? Or will be remain in a reserve role, like he was as a rookie in 2009? This was Chung’s first game back on the field since Oct. 14 (shoulder/hamstring injuries). … The depth at safety was also reflected with rookie Tavon Wilson playing just 8 snaps, with seven of them coming on the final two drives. Wilson, the dime back, wasn’t a big part of the plan in part because of Chung’s return, and also because the Patriots didn’t need to go small against the Jets’ less-than-threatening passing attack. … The lone snap not played by starting CBs Aqib Talib and Alfonzo Dennard came on the goal-line. … Dennard starting on the right side over Kyle Arrington is a notable change on the depth chart. Arrington played as the slot corner in one of the Patriots’ two nickel packages. … Brandon Deaderick was worked more into the mix at interior d-line, marking the first time his snap total surpassed starter Kyle Love. … Vince Wilfork had a 35/15 split between first half/second half snaps, as his power was on display on the bizarre Mark Sanchez fumble in which Sanchez ran into the backside of guard Brandon Moore, who was controlled by Wilfork. … Professional toughness displayed by DE Rob Ninkovich, who left for the locker room in the first quarter after injuring himself while playing on the punt team, but didn’t miss a snap. He played every snap in the first half and then 23 of the first 30 in the second half before getting a well-deserved break.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – A look at the snaps played by Patriots defenders in the team’s 59-24 win over the Colts, while analyzing what it might mean (small margin for error):

S Devin McCourty – 78 of 78
CB Alfonzo Dennard – 72 of 78
S Steve Gregory – 70 of 78
LB Jerod Mayo – 67 of 78
DE Rob Ninkovich – 67 of 78
CB Aqib Talib – 67 of 78
DE Jermaine Cunningham – 65 of 78
DL Vince Wilfork – 60 of 78
CB Kyle Arrington – 49 of 78
LB Brandon Spikes – 56 of 78
LB Dont’a Hightower – 36 of 78
DL Kyle Love – 35 of 78
DE Trevor Scott – 32 of 78
DL Brandon Deaderick – 26 of 78
DL Ron Brace – 19 of 78
CB Marquice Cole – 19 of 78
DE Chandler Jones – 11 of 78
S Tavon Wilson – 11 of 78
LB Mike Rivera – 8 of 78
LB Tracy White – 8 of 78
LB Niko Koutouvides – 1 of 78
CB Derrick Martin – 1 of 78

(Penalties included.)

ANALYSIS: CB Aqib Talib (67 of 78 snaps) started on the left side and the coaching staff managed his snaps a few times in each half as he gets back into game shape after serving his four-game suspension. Talib wasn’t part of the goal-line package, and played solely in the nickel on one first-half drive. He also got a breather early in the second half for one series. Overall, Talib’s high snap total, after having been with the team for just one week, reflects how he’s viewed in the eyes of the coaching staff already. He’s the Patriots’ new No. 1 corner. … Devin McCourty went the entire way at safety and this might have been his best game at the position. His breakup of a long pass down the sideline, with Talib trailing, was a terrific play. … Alfonzo Dennard replaced Kyle Arrington at right corner on the second series, with Arrington mostly then relegated to slot duties.. … Rookie DE Chandler Jones never returned after going down with a right ankle injury, which accounted for his low total. … Jermaine Cunningham’s high count (65) was a result of him replacing Jones. … At linebacker, Brandon Spikes took most of the nickel reps in the first half, while Dont’a Hightower stepped in at times in the second half. ... Rookie safety Tavon Wilson was the dime back again.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Snaps played by Patriots’ defenders in the team’s 37-31 win over the Bills, while analyzing what it might mean (small margin for error):

LB Jerod Mayo – 81 of 81
S Devin McCourty – 81 of 81
DE Rob Ninkovich – 81 of 81
CB Kyle Arrington – 79 of 81
CB Alfonzo Dennard – 79 of 81
S Steve Gregory – 79 of 81
DL Vince Wilfork – 77 of 81
DE Chandler Jones – 68 of 81
CB Marquice Cole – 62 of 81
LB Brandon Spikes -- 61 of 81
DL Jermaine Cunningham – 41 of 81
DL Kyle Love – 33 of 81
LB Dont’a Hightower – 30 of 81
S Tavon Wilson – 14 of 81
DT Brandon Deaderick – 13 of 81
DE Justin Francis – 12 of 81

(Including penalties.)

ANALYSIS: The coaching staff made its view of the safety spot clear, with Steve Gregory playing every snap but two (on the goal-line) in his return to the lineup, and rookie Tavon Wilson -- a starter for the previous four games -- demoted to the dime back role. … Devin McCourty was at safety for the third game in a row as starter Patrick Chung remained out with injury (shoulder/hamstring). … It looked as if the coaching staff entered the game with a set rotation in mind at right defensive end, with Justin Francis spelling Chandler Jones for the start of the third series of each half (6 snaps apiece). That could be a proactive approach to managing Jones and the so-called "rookie wall" as we get deeper into the season. … While there was a rotation on the right side, Rob Ninkovich played every snap on the left side, as the team was without backup Trevor Scott (hamstring). … The Patriots rotated run-stuffing DL Kyle Love and pass-rushing DL Jermaine Cunningham based on what personnel the Bills had on the field. … The 62 snaps for slot CB Marquice Cole were easily a season-high, as one could view him as being rewarded for a strong performance against the Rams on Oct. 28. Entering the game, Cole had played a total of 41 defensive snaps for the entire season. … LBs Brandon Spikes and Dont’a Hightower split time in the nickel package in the first half, but stopped that rotation in the second half, going solely with Spikes. That seemed to be an acknowledgement of Hightower’s struggles in the game. ... The 81 snaps were the second most played by the defense this season (behind 84 vs. Jets in overtime game), and reflected struggles on third down (Bills were 7 of 11) and fourth down (Bills were 1 of 1). Buffalo owned the time-of-possession advantage by stringing together long drives. … Vince Wilfork’s competitiveness shined through at the end of the game. As the Bills were driving for a potential game-winning touchdown and extra point, the coaching staff sent Brandon Deaderick to replace Wilfork, but Wilfork waved him off. After the game, Wilfork explained that he was tired but felt like if he came off the field, he would have been letting the team down. He ended up playing every snap in the second half.

With half of the season completed, here is a defensive snapshot of player value through the lens of playing time stats (including penalties, small margin for error):

DEFENSIVE END
Chandler Jones (498 of 542) – 91.9 percent
Rob Ninkovich (436 of 542) – 80.4 percent
Jermaine Cunningham (260 of 542) – 48.0 percent
Trevor Scott (59 of 542) – 10.9 percent
Justin Francis (26 of 542) – 4.8 percent
Jake Bequette (17 of 542) – 3.1 percent

Quick hits: Jones is a leading candidate for defensive rookie of the year honors at this point, according to ESPN.com NFL scout Matt Williamson. … Ninkovich has played mostly end, but moved to linebacker for a short stretch when rookie Dont’a Hightower was out with a hamstring injury. … Nice rebound season from Cunningham, the 2010 second-round pick who has found his niche as an interior rusher in sub packages and backup end. … Scott, who came aboard as a free agent after four years in Oakland and was viewed as a potential Mark Anderson replacement as a nickel rusher, has been more of a special teamer. Part of that has been tied to Jones being so effective; the coaches don’t want to take him off the field … Francis (rookie free agent) is ahead of Bequette (3^rd round) on the depth chart, in part because he has added special teams value (punt coverage).

DEFENSIVE TACKLE
Vince Wilfork (437 of 542) – 80.6 percent
Kyle Love (322 of 542) – 59.4 percent
Brandon Deaderick (87 of 542) – 16.1 percent
Ron Brace (60 of 542) – 11.1 percent
Terrell McClain (16 of 542) – 3.0 percent*
Marcus Forston (8 of 542) – 1.5 percent**

Quick hits: Wilfork is down a tick, from 86.8 percent last season, as the Patriots are finding spots to rest their captain and one of their best defenders. … Love is up a tick, from 50.5 percent last season. He’s staying on the field in some passing situations after being more of a pure two-down player in 2011. … Depth behind Wilfork and Love is thin, as Deaderick and Brace haven’t done much to stand out. … Myron Pryor remains on the physically unable to perform list and could help.

LINEBACKER
Jerod Mayo (528 of 542) – 97.4 percent
Brandon Spikes (419 of 542) – 77.3 percent
Dont'a Hightower (217 of 542) – 40.0 percent
Tracy White (14 of 542) – 2.6 percent
Niko Koutouvides (7 of 542) – 1.3 percent
Bobby Carpenter (6 of 542) – 1.1 percent
Jeff Tarpinian (6 of 542) – 1.1 percent

Quick hits: Mayo is the defensive signal-caller and is a three-down player who seldom comes off the field. The lone snaps he’s come off have been because of injury or at the end of games. … Spikes’ rise is particularly notable, as he’s strung together games without interruption from injury and/or suspension. He played 40.1 percent of the snaps last season, usually coming off in sub packages. But this year he’s staying on the field in the nickel, as evidenced by his higher total (77.3 percent). … Hightower missed almost three full games with a hamstring injury, lowering his playtime total. … Depth behind Mayo, Spikes and Hightower is thin. The trio has to be the NFL's biggest starting linebacker group.

CORNERBACK
Devin McCourty (530 of 542) – 97.8 percent
Kyle Arrington (436 of 542) – 80.4 percent
Sterling Moore (233 of 542) – 43 percent
Alfonzo Dennard (223 of 542) – 41.1 percent
Ras-I Dowling (84 of 542) – 15.5 percent
Marquice Cole (41 of 542) – 7.6 percent

Quick hits: McCourty has played safety the last two games and now that cornerback Aqib Talib has been acquired, keeping him there remains an option. The question is whether the Patriots see Arrington or Dennard as a strong enough option as a No. 2 corner alongside Talib in that scenario. … Arrington has hit a rough patch after winning the No. 2 job out of training camp. His playing time total would have likely been higher if he wasn't knocked out of the most recent game against the Rams after 6 snaps because of a concussion. … Moore, the team’s primary nickelback since Week 2, was available for any team to claim and no one did. That speaks to how his upside is viewed around the NFL. … Dennard has come on strong from a playing-time perspective after not logging a snap in each of the first four games of the season. …. Dowling is on injured reserve for the second season in a row, which is naturally a big disappointment. … 20 of Cole’s 41 snaps came last week against the Rams.

SAFETY
Tavon Wilson (369 of 542) – 68.1 percent
Patrick Chung (360 of 542) – 66.4 percent
Steve Gregory (229 or 542) – 42.3 percent
Nate Ebner (34 of 542) – 6.3 percent

Quick hits: A position that was a trouble spot in 2011 remains one this year, in part because of injury. … Wilson, the second-round pick out of Illinois who some analysts viewed as a reach at that point in the draft, was supposed to be a top backup. Instead, he’s been thrust into a top role because of injuries to Chung (shoulder) and Gregory (hip). ... That’s why the Patriots have tapped McCourty at this spot and might consider to do so. … Even when Chung has been on the field, the results have been uneven. … Gregory has been out since the fourth quarter of the Sept. 30 road against the Bills.

* No longer on team
** Currently on practice squad

LONDON – A look at the snaps played by Patriots defenders in the team’s 45-7 win over the Rams (small margin for error), while analyzing what they mean:

CB Alfonzo Dennard – 63 of 63
S Tavon Wilson – 63 of 63
LB Jerod Mayo – 60 of 63
CB Sterling Moore – 57 of 63
S Devin McCourty – 56 of 63
LB Brandon Spikes – 53 of 63
DE Chandler Jones – 52 of 63
DE Rob Ninkovich – 43 of 63
DE Jermaine Cunningham – 38 of 63
LB Dont’a Hightower – 37 of 63
DT Vince Wilfork – 34 of 63
DT Kyle Love – 27 of 63
CB Marquice Cole – 20 of 63
DL Brandon Deaderick – 19 of 63
DE Justin Francis – 19 of 63
S Nate Ebner – 15 of 63
DE Jake Bequette – 12 of 63
DT Ron Brace – 7 of 63
CB Kyle Arrington – 6 of 63
LB Jeff Tarpinian – 6 of 63
LB Bobby Carpenter – 3 of 63
LB Niko Koutouvides – 3 of 63

(Penalties included.)

ANALYSIS: Two players at opposite ends of the draft-day spectrum found themselves atop the defensive play-time chart. When the Patriots drafted safety Tavon Wilson (Illinois) in the second round, many analysts called it a reach (link here). Bill Belichick and his staff stayed true to their convictions and Wilson is contributing. While Wilson was in coverage on Chris Givens’ 50-yard touchdown bomb in the first quarter -- a play nicely broken down by Field Yates earlier this morning -- he capped off the day with a late-game interception. Meanwhile, many analysts felt the Patriots received great value with CB Alfonzo Dennard in the seventh round. Dennard (Nebraska) had slipped because of an off-field incident but he’s on the rise on the Patriots’ defensive back depth chart. While there have been the typical rookie ups and downs, Dennard has overall done a solid job filling in for Devin McCourty, who has moved to safety the last two games because of injuries to starters Patrick Chung and Steve Gregory. … A scaled-back workload for DT Vince Wilfork, who was battling illness 24 hours before kickoff. … Something to keep on the radar: LB Jerod Mayo and LB Brandon Spikes were examined after the game after they were banged up on the final drive. Mayo still held a news conference. … Other injuries – CB Kyle Arrington (head), slot CB Marquice Cole (hamstring), DT Ron Brace (back). None of those players finished the game. … Brace was fourth on the depth chart, with Brandon Deaderick playing over him in the first half. … Rookie DE Justin Francis is starting to show up more in sub packages, with seven snaps vs. the Jets last week and a season-high 19 vs. the Rams. He was part of an all-DE package with Chandler Jones, Rob Ninkovich and Jermaine Cunningham. … All of rookie DE Jake Bequette’s 12 snaps came on the final two drives when the Patriots were pulling starters. … Rookie safety Nate Ebner played 10 of his 15 snaps on the final two drives when the Patriots were pulling starters. He was utilized earlier in the dime, in a linebacker-type role after being bumped up the defensive back depth chart when Kyle Arrington was sidelined with a head injury.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Looking at the snaps played by Patriots defenders in Sunday’s 29-26 overtime win over the Jets, and analyzing what it means (small margin for error):

DE Chandler Jones – 84 of 84
S Devin McCourty – 84 of 84
S Tavon Wilson – 84 of 84
CB Kyle Arrington – 82 of 84
CB Alfonzo Dennard – 82 of 84
LB Jerod Mayo – 79 of 84
DL Vince Wilfork – 74 of 84
LB Brandon Spikes – 71 of 84
DE/LB Rob Ninkovich – 65 of 84
DL Kyle Love – 61 of 84
DE/DT Jermaine Cunningham -- 40 of 84
LB Dont’a Hightower – 36 of 84
DL Brandon Deaderick – 29 of 84
CB Ras-I Dowling – 22 of 84
CB Sterling Moore – 18 of 84
DE Justin Francis – 7 of 84
S Nate Ebner – 5 of 84

(Includes penalties. Snaps are one shy, which accounts for the Patriots having 10 men on the field on the Jets’ first touchdown.)

ANALYSIS: The 84 snaps, with seven coming in overtime, were a season high. The previous high was 73, against the Ravens. It’s no wonder defensive lineman Vince Wilfork stayed on the ground following the final play – he was exhausted. ... It's also a credit to Rob Ninkovich and his conditioning that he could still generate an explosive rush on his 65th snap. Professional effort. ... Jermaine Cunningham’s final rush might have been aided by fresh legs, as he had played just 11 of 43 second-half snaps before the game-sealing play. … Bill Belichick said after the game that “the deep part of the field was more secure than it’s been” and a big part of that could be tied to the consistency of having Devin McCourty play exclusively at safety alongside Tavon Wilson. All of McCourty’s 84 snaps came at safety, as this now becomes a storyline to follow – perhaps McCourty’s best fit on defense, given the current state of health/personnel, is at safety. … Chandler Jones was quiet for most of the game, with one of his highlights coming when he drew a holding penalty on his 53^rd snap. He never left the field at any point, which reflects his value in the eyes of the coaching staff. … Ras-I Dowling played a few different roles – linebacker “money” spot in the dime and outside cornerback in the nickel before leaving in the fourth quarter with injury. … The two snaps that Alfonzo Dennard and Kyle Arrington didn’t play came in the goal-line/short-yardage package.