Hightower shows leadership as defensive play caller

Ann Heisenfelt/AP

When Mayo went down for the season in the Buffalo game the Patriots lost their leader on defense. Last year the defense was still able to compete when Mayo went down with a season ending injury and Hightower is doing everything he can to keep the defense dominant this year.

The first round selection in 2012 had not lived up to his hype until his leadership promotion in my opinion. He seemed ill-suited for the outside linebacker position due to his lack of quickness. When he was attempting to cover half backs he never seemed to be able to keep up. Now that he is in the middle linebacker position he appears to be in the right place.

The defense certainly did it's job against the Broncos only giving up 7 points in the first half and surrendering 14 points in the second when the game was seemingly out of reach. It also helps when you intercept the ball twice against one of the best that ever played the game.

People talk about the Brady vs. Manning story but opposing quarterbacks don't face each other on the field. The game was really Hightower vs. Manning and the former Crimson Tide linebacker had a heck of a game against one of the best quarterbacks of all time.

Patriots linebackers coach Patrick Graham sounded like a proud father when asked about the evolution of Hightower's game stating:

He understands the game, he understands what’s happening out there. He can decipher the different situations that come up... So with the experience he had last year, and the fact he’s a really smart, intellectual football player, that’s all come into play in guiding him to this point now where he’s really comfortable and I think you saw that Sunday. He had a good command of what was going on.

If Hightower continues to play this well in his new role it will pay off in dividends during the playoffs.

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