New England Patriots coach Jerod Mayo did not hold back when talking about the play of the offensive line in Sunday’s loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
The Seahawks’ pass rush was able to get to quarterback Jacoby Brissett due to the offensive line struggles. The signal-caller was sacked three times and hit eight times in the game.
It made life difficult overall for the Patriots’ passing attack, which amassed only 149 passing yards. To put things into perspective, Patriots tight end Hunter Henry had 109 of those yards.
Mayo was blunt when asked about the play of the offensive line, a positional group that was expected to be an area of focus in the offseason. He elaborated on his thoughts on the unit, as transcribed by Boston.com’s Conor Ryan.
“I thought the pass protection was average at best,” Mayo said, when appearing on WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Show.” “They brought guys from different sides of the field. Even when they rushed four, they were able to get back there to Jacoby.
“It doesn’t have to be a sack to affect the passing game. Just bodies around the quarterback affect the passing game. We have to do a better job protecting Jacoby, and that’s on the offensive line, the running backs and the tight ends.”
The struggles of the offensive line could have a wider impact on the offense. It could present a difficult situation for rookie quarterback Drake Maye, should the Patriots elect to start him at any point this season.
Time will tell if the line play can improve. Sunday’s performance certainly left a lot to be desired.
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