Christian Barmore is becoming one of the NFL's best defensive linemen, and we're now approaching the point where an All-Pro selection is a realistic target for him.
The New England Patriots defensive tackle absolutely dominated the Broncos offensive line during Sunday night's Week 16 matchup in Denver. The Patriots escaped with a 26-23 victory, and Barmore was arguably the MVP of the game.
Barmore made his presence felt early, helping stuff Broncos running back Javonte Williams on a fourth-and-goal play in the first quarter. The Patriots turned the ball over on their first possession but the defense didn't allow the mistake to result in points for Denver.
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Barmore led the Patriots with eight tackles (two for a loss), three sacks and four QB hits. He also tallied a forced fumble and drew a holding penalty.
The Patriots outscored the Broncos 20-0 in the third quarter, and one of the reasons why Denver's offense couldn't generate anything going was because Barmore kept getting into the backfield. He sacked Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson three times in the quarter. His 8.5 sacks lead the Patriots through 15 games.
Just how dominant was Barmore against the Broncos? Consider this: The last defensive tackle to have three or more sacks, eight or more combined tackles and five or more solo tackles in a game was future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald in 2018, per Boston Sports Info.
Barmore's performance drew plenty of reaction on social media, including from former Patriots safety Devin McCourty and current linebacker Mack Wilson Sr.
Barmore had a tremendous rookie campaign in 2021, but progress was a little hard to come by in Year 2, mostly because of an injury. He took the offseason as an opportunity to improve every facet of his skill set, including his conditioning.
"I had a little injury last year that slowed me down," Barmore said in his postgame press conference. "So I said to myself I don't want to go through that again, so I gotta work 10 times harder. I took the offseason really seriously, trained every day, talked to my (position) coach (Demarcus Covington). He was always contacting me, 'You doing your thing?' 'Yes sir.' Just focusing on being the best player I can be for my team."
Patriots head coach Bill Belichick praised Barmore's dedication in the offseason, especially toward improving his conditioning.
"It was by far his best offseason," Belichick said in his postgame press conference. "He's continued to train really hard, which has, I think, kept him a little healthier. He's played a lot of football, but he's been able to maintain that health and conditioning. I think the offseason training has really helped him with his conditioning and his explosive power. The experience has helped him. He did a good job tonight. We set up a few things that worked well and he was able to take advantage of. I thought overall, our pass rush was disciplined."
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It remains to be seen whether Barmore will earn All-Pro recognition or a trip to the Pro Bowl. But he should definitely be in the mix for both given the impressive season he's having through 15 games.
Barmore also is eligible for an extension in the offseason, and the Patriots should do everything possible to keep him around long term. You could make a strong case that Barmore is the team's best player right now. He's that good.
"I just (try) to be the best the player I can be for my team and help the team win," Barmore said. "Make my defense proud, make my coaches proud. They tell me, 'Dominate,' and I say, 'Yes sir.'"