By admin 
On Sunday, the New England Patriots defense, thanks to linebacker Elijah Ponder, was able to put pressure on Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins and the Raiders’ offense.
Read more NFL Announces Punishment After Dallas Cowboys Incidents
In his second season, Ponder has made a name for himself along New England’s defensive line. The trend continued on Sunday during the Patriots’ resounding 45-17 victory as he did his best Maxx Crosby impression, totaling two sacks on Cousins and three quarterback hits.
In addition to his pass-rushing prowess, Ponder was a force in New England’s run defense as well, with two tackles for loss. The Raiders could not get anything going on the ground (38 yards on 18 carries), and Ponder was a big reason why.
Looking Ahead
As Ponder’s head coach Mike Vrabel said during his post-game press conference this afternoon, “Last week doesn’t matter. Today is not going to matter here in about 10 minutes. We’re going to have to focus on the Jets in the division here at home.”
New England’s pass rush room has been hampered by injuries.
The team’s most accomplished pass rusher, Harold Landry III, remains on PUP after undergoing offseason knee surgery.
Dre’Mont Jones, who had been dealing with a shoulder injury coming into the matchup with the Raiders, left the game with the Patriots up 45-17 with a shoulder injury and was ruled questionable to return.
Read more Special Teams Again a Problem for Bengals in Win Over Dolphins
New England’s seventh-round selection Quintayvious Hutchins is also on IR with a knee injury.
With a depleted pass rush, Elijah Ponder, along with second-round pick Gabe Jacas, have stepped up in a big way.
Ponder may be coming off a career-best performance, but his performance was no fluke. He has fared well in a featured role against some of the NFL’s most accomplished quarterbacks, including the Steelers‘ Aaron Rodgers, the Bills‘ Josh Allen, and Kirk Cousins today.
As New England continues its first-place schedule, it will need a consistent pass rush and a stout defensive front to make things difficult for the opposing team’s offense. Look for Elijah Ponder to continue to be a bright spot for New England’s defense and continue to apply constant pressure to the opposing team’s backfield.
Read more Deebo Samuel Injury Update: 49ers WR Hurt on the Same Play as His Fumble vs. Seahawks
Copyright 2026 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
This story was originally published October 11, 2026 at 3:45 PM.