Tom Curran and Phil Perry provide their Stock Watch picks after the Patriots’ Week 2 overtime loss to the Seahawks
The New England Patriots offensive line has not done a good job in pass protection through the first two weeks of the NFL season, and now there are more question marks at left tackle entering a pivotal Week 3 game versus the New York Jets on Thursday night.
Patriots left tackle Vederian Lowe left Sunday's Week 2 loss to the Seattle Seahawks in the second half due to a knee injury. Rookie Caedan Wallace took over for Lowe at left tackle and finished the game.
Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo didn't have much of an update on Lowe's status Monday morning.
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With Chukwuma Okorafor on the exempt/left-squad list, Wallace likely is the next-best solution at left tackle if Lowe is unable to play. Left tackle is not Wallace's natural position -- he mostly played right tackle at Penn State -- but the Patriots don't really have many options right now.
What is Mayo's confidence level in Wallace if Lowe can't play this week?
"We'll have to see. He's had some good snaps for us, and that's what it's all about," Mayo said. "It's next man up mentality. I know it sounds very cliché or very corny, but that's the world we live in. This is the roster that we have, and we're going to make do with it."
The Patriots offensive line has run blocked pretty well through two games. New England ran for 185 yards (5.1 carry) against Seattle, which is pretty impressive. The pass blocking was a different story. Starting quarterback Jacoby Brissett was sacked three times Sunday, and he faced constant pressure in the pocket throughout the afternoon. In fact, the Patriots have allowed the second-highest pressure rate (44.3 percent) in passing situations, per Next Gen Stats.
Through two games, per @NextGenStats, Jacoby Brissett has the second-highest pressure rate in the NFL (44.3 percent). Trails only Tennessee's Will Levis (53.4).
— Phil Perry (@PhilAPerry) September 16, 2024
Brissett is also 12th in EPA per dropback (-0.05) among QBs who've played two games.
Where does Mayo see the challenges on the offensive line?
"Let's start with the run game. The run game, we talked about being tough and physical up front. I think we've shown that in preseason and through these first couple of weeks of the regular season," Mayo said. "In the pass game, I would say there were spurts of clean pockets, but it needs to be more consistent.
"I would also say, as we got into the second half – I mean, I’m not telling you guys anything you didn’t see – but as it got to the second half, our pass-pro kind of broke down a little bit more. I still believe that we have a well-conditioned team, but I would say, on both sides of the ball yesterday, you saw a lot of hands on hips. You have to be able to push through that adversity, still be on the same page and ultimately execute."
The Patriots offensive line won't have much room for error Thursday against a very good Jets defense that has a front seven capable of pressuring the opposing quarterback at a high rate.
