The New England Patriots shocked the football world with Week 5’s 23-20 win over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday Night Football. Despite playing in enemy territory as the overwhelming underdog, head coach Mike Vrabel & Co. found a way to win, as the Patriots proved they ready to move out of the Bills’ shadow in the AFC East picture.
While there’s plenty to celebrate from Sunday’s momentum-shifting win, the Patriots’ effort wasn’t completely positive. A handful of players have failed to meet expectations so far this season, and that trend continued on Sunday night in what was another forgettable performance for linebacker Robert Spillane.
Signed to a three-year, $33 million contract in free agency, Spillane’s time in New England has been frustrating, to say the least, and his latest performance has left Pats fans to wonder just how much more they can take.
Robert Spillane Frustrates Despite Patriots’ Upset Win vs. Bills
Missing tackles have been a constant issue for Spillane this season, which is fairly concerning, given that he’s a linebacker. The former Western Michigan Bronco missed eight total tackles in his first two games, but fans felt optimistic that he had turned a corner after going without any misses in Weeks 3 and 4, culminating in back-to-back Pro Football Focus tackling grades of at least 83.6.
Unfortunately, Spillane didn’t get the memo that fans wanted to see more of the same in Week 5. The 6-foot-1, 229-pound LB missed two of his eight tackling attempts at Highmark Stadium on Sunday night, meaning he’s now missing a career-worst 20.0% of tackles this season. He’s on pace for a personal-worst 34 missed tackles after previously never finishing with only 10 in 17 games with the Las Vegas Raiders last season.
It doesn’t help that Spillane struggles in coverage, too, as Bills quarterback Josh Allen went 3-of-4 for 34 yards and a 100.0 passer rating when targeted by the Patriots linebacker. If he can’t cover his man, can’t tackle his targets, and struggles to pressure the passer, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to justify Spillane’s spot in the lineup, as well as the snaps he’s getting.
With his contract looking worse by the day, New England fans are starting to wonder when the Pats can wash their hands of the Spillane problem. Much to their dismay, though, a change may not happen until the offseason. Not only do the Patriots likely want to give Spillane a full season to prove himself, but a trade would only net $5.8 million in salary cap savings, per Spotrac, compared to the $9.5 million that can be saved after June 1, 2026.
Hopefully, Spillane figures out how to tackle consistently while improving his performance in coverage. The Patriots’ defense has played well this season, but the unit would look a lot better if the veteran linebacker were living up to the expectations that came with his $33 million price tag.
However, if he doesn’t turn things around, the Patriots will have to explore a way to turn the page sooner rather than later.
