Patriots Player Profile: Patrick Chung
BOSTON (CBS) – Safety Patrick Chung, who turned 24 on Friday, has been impressive in his brief career with the New England Patriots. But the team will rely on him heavily in 2011, and after a great season marred by a huge mishap, is he ready to take over in the young secondary?
2010 Stats: 14 games, 96 tackles, 72 solo tackles, 3 INT, 2 blocked kicks
In his second season in the NFL, and after starting just one game his rookie year, the hard-hitting safety became a full-time starter for the Patriots. Chung responded with a career-high 16 tackles in a Week 1 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. The 23-year-old had a career game in Week 4 in Miami, blocking both a field goal and punt (which led to New England touchdowns) and returning an interception 51-yards for another score. The only thing that slowed Chung down in 2010 was a knee injury that kept him out two weeks in the middle of the season. He finished second on the team with 96 tackles trailing only linebacker Jerod Mayo, who led the NFL.
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But there was some controversy surrounding Chung and it came at the worst possible time. In New England's AFC Divisional Playoff game against the Jets, with the Patriots down 7-3 just before the half, they lined up for a punt on fourth and four at their own 38 yard line. The punt never happened. Instead, Chung fumbled a fake punt and could not do much before he was taken down. The Jets took over at the Patriots 37, and four plays later, Mark Sanchez hit Braylon Edwards in the end zone to put New York up 14-3 in their eventual 28-21 victory.
While Belichick was questioned about the play in his postgame presser, calling it "a bad mistake," Chung fessed up the next day that he was the one who called for the play. "I take full responsibility. I saw the look we had. I made the call. It didn't work out for us," he said as the Patriots cleaned out their lockers for the offseason.
2011 Outlook: Chung had a great 2010 season, overshadowed by one bad play in the end. He spoke later in the week after the playoff loss, and said the play was already behind him and he was ready to move on. In the preseason thus far, it looks like the mishap is indeed in his rear view mirror.
Read/Watch: Chung Talks Botched Fake Punt
With the injury of veteran James Sanders, Chung is the only sure-thing the Patriots have at safety right now. He will have to elevate his game even more this season, with Brandon Meriweather having a very disappointing camp and uncertainty around second-year player Sergio Brown. Safeties are seen as the quarterbacks of the secondary, and Chung has grasped the playbook well thus far. Whether he can possibly step in for Sanders and take over those duties remain to be seen, but the 2010 second round pick looks like the real deal so far in his young career.