Offensive line takes step in right direction vs. Jets

For the Patriots offensive line, Sunday’s 24-17 win over the Jets represented a mostly positive outing, particularly when compared to the first five games of the season..

Against New York, the New England offensive line yielded the fewest sacks and fewest quarterback hits all season. The Jets didn’t sack Tom Brady once all afternoon, and were limited to four quarterback hits.


The quarterback got smooshed a few times on the afternoon at MetLife, but all in all, the damage was far less than it has been over the first five games of the season. Consider the protection stats over the first six contests for the offensive line.

vs. Chiefs — 3 sacks, 6 QB hits
vs. Saints — 2 sacks, 5 QB hits
vs. Texans — 5 sacks, 8 QB hits
vs. Panthers — 3 sacks, 7 QB hits
vs. Bucs — 3 sacks, 6 QB hits
vs. Jets — 0 sacks, 4 QB hits

While every week is different and every opponent has different strengths and weaknesses, that represents an improvement. Against the Jets, Brady wasn’t razor sharp all afternoon — he was 20-for-38 for 247 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. But for the most part, the protection was good. Patriots coach Bill Belichick said Monday the times they were beat, it was more about scheme than personnel.

Translation? That’s more of a coaching issue than a player issue.

“I don't think we had a lot of major issues in pass protection,” Belichick said on a conference call the day after the win. “I think, overall, our passing game wasn't particularly efficient. We had a couple plays (where) they got us on a couple of pressures where they schemed up a look and then had a little variation off it. They beat the protection, so they did a good job coaching-wise setting up a couple things. That's not really a player issue. That's more of a scheme issue for us. They hit us a couple times. You always want the protection to be a little bit better.”

Belichick ladled out plenty of compliments to the New England running game, which had 25 carries for 118 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the win and managed to keep the New York pass rush on its toes.

“We took a little bit of the edge off the pass rush by being able to have some productive runs, which is always a good thing," Belichick said. “Our ability to get open and create some separation a couple of the third-down plays was good, so we didn't have to stay down there and hold the ball and we got it out of (there).”