As Chad Graff of The Athletic put it, "He's gone under the radar since he doesn't have a sack yet, but Joshua Uche is back to being a really good pass rusher for the Patriots. He ranks 5th in the NFL in pressure rate, 6th in pass-rush win rate, and 7th in PFF's win%."
While he's yet to log a sack in the new campaign, Uche's renewed ability to generate pressure is adding some oomph to a rebuilding New England pass rush. Uche is also forming a highly disruptive double act with roving, hybrid game-wrecker Keion White.
It's been more than a minute since Uche was a force against pass protection. His numbers dropped off considerably last season, when the 26-year-old recorded just three sacks.
Quarterback takedowns are still eluding Uche, but No. 55 is once again a major factor putting heat on the pocket. Uche has been credited by Pro Football Focus with six hurries and as many total pressures.
Those numbers are why Jack Gaffney of TDT Media believes the Patriots need Uche "more involved on pass rush downs imo. He's solely a pass rush specialist at this point, but he only got 15 pass rush snaps yesterday but showed some good burst off the line and ended up with a few pressures."
A lack of pass-rush snaps for Uche in Week 2 is one reason why quarterback Geno Smith was able to dissect the Patriots for 327 yards through the air. Those yards were key in helping the Seattle Seahawks win 23-20 at Gillette Stadium.
Keeping Uche in a situational role is a familiar tactic for the Patriots, but now it's hurting a pass rush ineffective beyond the outside linebacker and breakout star White.
The Patriots need new pass-rushers opponents will fear after Matthew Judon was traded to the Atlanta Falcons. Judon was a four-time Pro Bowler who drew most of the attention from opposing offensive lines.
That attention helped Uche thrive, but now the latter has a new running mate in the form of multi-faceted defensive lineman White. The second-year pro is winning from multiple gaps, but White is proving most effective off the edge, according to numbers from PFF NE Patriots.
Pairing Uche with White in the starting lineup would give the Patriots bookend bluechip pass-rushers. Their presence would make it tougher for quarterbacks like Smith to pick apart the secondary.
Saving Uche for obvious passing situations is a gamble when no other member of the front seven is even close to him and White when it comes to pressure rate, per Graff.
Consistent and sustained pressure is vital for the Patriots when QBs as good as Aaron Rodgers, Josh Allen, C.J. Stroud and Kyler Murray are still on the schedule. Uche has a bigger role to play if the Pats are going to successfully negotiate these challenges.