Circling back to Lenzy Pipkins’ 2018 Patriots meeting

Lenzy Pipkins has visited Gillette Stadium before.

And the 26-year-old cornerback, signed by the New England Patriots as a street free agent last week, did so as a member of the Indianapolis Colts on Oct. 4, 2018.

The end result that Thursday night would be a 38-24 win for New England. But Pipkins would be involved for Indianapolis.

Here’s a glimpse back at the extent.

Second NFL start

Pipkins’ first meeting with New England marked his second career start. He had gotten the nod in the Green Bay Packers’ 2017 season finale as an undrafted rookie. And the next campaign, after being acquired in exchange for linebacker Antonio Morrison, Pipkins would get the nod again.

No. 37 had twice been promoted from the Indianapolis practice squad. The stop by Foxborough stood as Pipkins’ lone Colts appearance. Injuries left the AFC South visitors with an active roster of 44 for the opening kickoff.

The 6-foot, 196-pound Pipkins was one.

Seeing career-high 53 defensive snaps

With fellow corners Kenny Moore, Quincy Wilson and Nate Hairston not seeing the field against New England, Pipkins resided on the defensive side of the ball for 53 of 69 snaps. Alongside him at the position were Pierre Desir, Arthur Maulet and Chris Milton.

Pipkins would check in once on kickoff coverage and once on the punt-return unit. Though defensively, it remains his largest single-game sample size since entering the league.

The regular season prior in Green Bay, Pipkins logged 122 snaps in the secondary to go with 113 on special teams.

Coverage targeted on five occasions

From the slot versus New England, Pipkins was the nearest defender on five targets and five completions. Those passes netted 41 yards and two first downs.

Combining for 17 yards were then-Patriots wide receivers Cordarrelle Patterson and Chris Hogan on a screen and flat pattern, respectively. Tight end Rob Gronkowski collected 15 yards on a diving out route behind Pipkins’ shallow drop. And in a game in which James White caught 10 passes, the running back swung and slipped out for nine yards on a pair opposite Pipkins.

Pipkins briefly crossed paths with Julian Edelman in the wideout’s return from a torn ACL and four-game suspension, pushing him out of bounds.

Colts-leading six solo tackles

Pipkins would have a hand in nine combined tackles. A Colts-high six of those tackles were of the solo variety. Both tallies stand tops for Pipkins through his 15 career games.

The product of Louisiana-Monroe and Oklahoma State would be claimed by general manager Bob Quinn and head coach Matt Patricia’s Detroit Lions five days after facing New England. Pipkins finished 2018 on the Cleveland Browns’ practice squad and was waived during last August’s roster deadline.

A free-agent workout with the Patriots followed in the fall.