FOXBORO — One of the Patriots’ best defenders was conspicuously absent from the first quarter of Sunday’s 32-13 win over the Browns.
Defensive tackle Christian Barmore, typically a starter, stayed on the sideline for the entire first quarter. He didn’t enter the game until the Browns’ third drive, after which point he played his typical number of snaps.
“I had to make a decision,” head coach Mike Vrabel said after the game about Barmore’s benching. “My job is to protect the team, so when there’s actions that I don’t feel like are (in line) with what we want to do here, I’ve got to make a decision, and we move on.”
Barmore made an impact upon entering the contest. PFF charted him with a team-high six pressures in just 30 snaps.
The Browns scored a touchdown on their first drive when Barmore was not on the field. They didn’t score again until early in the fourth quarter when the game was already out of hand.
Barmore has returned to form this season after missing most of last year with blood clots. He signed a four-year, $84 million contract last offseason.
The 26-year-old defensive tackle declined to speak to reporters after the game.
