Since it seems like everyone gets caught up in the NFL MVP race a mere few games into the season, and it is now like a daily thing, here's a wacky idea: How about giving it to the entire New England Patriots defense?

Yeah, I know, crazy. It'll never happen. It can't happen with the way voting works and all ... but that doesn't mean it shouldn't happen. Because what that entire unit is doing is actually quite staggering. It's impossible, really. At a time when scoring has gone bonkers and every rule change and point of emphasis is juicing up the yardage and scoring totals, the Patriots are basically on a different planet than the rest of the NFL when it comes to suppressing opponents.

We can quibble about the level of competition they are facing, and the ease of their schedule in regard to opposing quarterbacks, but, still, the numbers they are putting up just don't compute. And I recall Sam Darnold looking pretty good against Dallas in his first game back from mono and people being in a lather about how he can sling it. And what the Patriots did to him Monday night was historic. We won't forget that unmasking for a long time.

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The defense has been so triumphant that we don't even notice how constricted the scope of the offense has been due to injuries wiping out the offensive line and receivers; couple that with arguably the least impressive tight end collection in the NFL due to Rob Gronkowski's retirement, and you understand why the Patriots were pushing so hard to land more pass catchers (and traded a second-round pick for Mohamed Sanu). We aren't even talking about the fact that Tom Brady's passer rating is 15th in the league and his yards per attempt is 18th (in Flacco/Keenum territory) or how the Pats are 21st in yards per play and how Sony Michel is averaging just 3.28 per carry and how only Julian Edelman averages over 50 receiving yards and how only Edelman and situational running back James White have amassed more than 20 catches through seven games.

Because none of it matters when the defense is this dominant. What matters is New England's average margin of victory somehow being 25 points through nearly half a season (the NFL average is 11.5) and the Pats being one of only two unbeaten teams as October winds down. And they are doing it with defense.

Let's take a look at how the Patriots rank in a broad spectrum of key defensive metrics:

StatisticPatriots (rank)Next best teamNFL average

Opponent scoring drives allowed

5 (1st)

49ers: 11

26

Offensive points allowed

27 (1st)

49ers: 57

140

Opponent yards per play

3.96 (1st)

49ers: 4.22

5.56

Opponent passer rating

34.6 (1st)

49ers: 64.6

91.4

Opponent 3rd-down conversion rate

14.3% (1st)

Cowboys: 26.3%

38.1%

Opponent red zone scoring

16.7% (1st)

49ers: 23.1%

55.1%

Takeaways

22 (1st) 

Panthers: 15

10

Interceptions

18 (1st)

Panthers: 9

5

Opponent 1st down efficiency*

37.8% (1st)

Texans: 41.4%

48%

*Percent of plays gaining 4+ yards

How about that? Go back and re-read that list. They are lapping the field in most of these categories. But they are not infallible. One area where they are less than sterling (but still above league average) is yards per carry (4.15), where they rank just 18th in the NFL.

And their next two opponents can certainly move the ball on the ground. The Browns, coming off a bye, had best embrace jumbo packages and Nick Chubb on Sunday, because that secondary and Bill Belichick's scheming will spell trouble for Baker Mayfield, who's highly susceptible to giving the ball to the other team. The Ravens run the ball better than anyone in the NFL, and Lamar Jackson will pull out all of his tricks for that huge AFC matchup in Week 9 (the Ravens will also be coming off the bye, which should bode well for them).

Then the Patriots get their bye in Week 10 and face Carson Wentz, Dak Prescott, Deshaun Watson and Patrick Mahomes in successive weeks. If the stats for this defense resemble anything close to their current perch by then, in mid-December, we will be talking about an all-time historically significant defense, one that will be in the conversation for best ever.

They will not, however, be in the MVP race. But by now I think you get where I am coming from.