The New England Patriots offensive line, once seen as a weak point, proved to be a liability on Thursday night against the New York Jets in a 24-3 defeat. The unit consistently allowed free rushers to get to the quarterbacks, putting them in a painful predicament.
Center David Andrews, who was dealing with a hip injury and had a rough game allowing four QB pressures and two sacks, didn’t mince words about the performance of the offensive line. “It’s not good,” Andrews bluntly stated. “It’s not good, and we have to be better up front. We’re gonna work, and we’re gonna try to do everything we can to be better. That’s not sustainable, and that’s not winning football.”
Patriots starting quarterback Jacoby Brissett bore the brunt of the pressure, getting sacked five times. Rookie Drake Maye was also not spared, taking two sacks in the final drive, including the game-ending one.
Brissett faced pressure on a staggering 56.5% of all dropbacks, the highest rate he’s faced in a game since 2018. Against the blitz, Brissett struggled, taking more sacks than completions, going 2 of 7 for 28 yards. The QB was under duress on 80.0% of dropbacks against five or more pass rushers.
The pressure mostly came from free rushers, indicating a breakdown in communication among the offensive line or a misread from the quarterback pre-snap. The inconsistent protection undoubtedly contributed to the struggles of the Patriots’ offense and the lopsided loss to the Jets.
