Losing ‘backbone’ Matthew Judon will cause Patriots to have ‘confidence check’ (Podcast)

The Patriots were delivered a big blow in their Week 4 loss to the Dallas Cowboys when Matthew Judon left early with what ended up being a biceps tendon tear. The linebacker will undergo surgery and is in danger of missing the entire season.

Judon, arguably the Patriots’ most talented player this season, leaves a huge void not just on the field, but in the locker room.

In the latest episode of “Eye On Foxborough,” three-time Super Bowl champion Ted Johnson joined MassLive Patriots reporter Karen Guregian and discussed the importance of Judon, and what his absence will mean for the team going forward.

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“It’s tough. I used to sit in defensive meetings sometimes and I would just look around the defensive meeting. And I would get so much of my confidence by just looking back at my secondary that would sit in the back,” Johnson said. “And I’d see Ty Law, Rodney Harrison back there, Asante Samuel. I feel pretty good about our secondary. And then I look at our linebackers and I’d see Willie McGinest, Roman Phifer and (Mike) Vrabel, (Tedy) Bruschi. And I’d go, ‘Woof. We got some good linebackers.’ And then I looked at my D-line and I would see Ted Washington and Richard Seymour and Ty Warren and I’d just be like, ‘What a defensive line.’

“If I’m a defensive player and I’m in that meeting room, I’m looking around (and) I’m going, ‘Oh, man.’ Their identity is now going to be gone because I think Matthew Judon kind of held up that defense as far as leadership and giving that unit confidence,” he continued. “… I think he was the spokesman for the entire team. And now that that’s gone, there’s gonna be a little bit of a confidence check. They’re gonna be unsure of themselves because I think Matthew Judon was the backbone of that collective confidence on that side. And now that he’s gone, who’s gonna step up? Who are the leaders besides Matthew Judon? I mean, honestly, I don’t know. Kyle Dugger? Great player. I don’t know, is that his role? I’m not so sure. I don’t know who on that side of the ball is going to step up and be that leader. And the guy that steps up has to be a damn good player, right?

“I mean, when you lose a guy like Matthew Judon, not only is he a vocal leader, and your emotional, spiritual leader. He’s a damn good player. And so that’s a huge void there’s going to be on that side of the ball,” Johnson concluded. “It’s going to be interesting to see how they respond because I just think their vocal leader and their flag carrier on that side — and really the whole team — is now done probably for the season.”

The Patriots were already thin on defense. And Christian Gonzalez was also lost in Week 4 with a shoulder injury. It’s unclear when the rookie will return, but with Marcus Jones, Jack Jones and Jonathan Jones also sidelined, Judon’s loss only adds to New England’s woes.

Now without their vocal leader, the Patriots go into Week 5 against the 2-2 New Orleans Saints in hopes to get back in the win column and get their season back on track.