#pass-protection

#pass-protection

The New England Patriots' offensive line has struggled in a major way across this playoff run. In each of their three games, they've allowed five sacks, something that happened just three times in their 17 regular-season games. Before the playoffs, they hadn't allowed five-plus sacks in a game since Week 9. While rookies Will Campbell and Jared Wilson have been inconsistent at best, right guard Mike Onwenu is playing his best football when it matters most.

When Rhamondre Stevenson went through his fumbling struggles early in the regular season, Mike Vrabel felt he had a responsibility to let the Patriots running back play his way out of those mistakes based on his previous work. In an interview with CBS Sports' Bill Cowher, Vrabel explained he had given Stevenson another chance because of the way Stevenson protected his teammates prior to the 2025 season.

A bonus was that they snatched him from Buffalo, where virtually every 2024 catch he made was either a first down or a touchdown. That hurt the Bills in a classic case of addition and subtraction. The big receiver continued his big-play ways for the Patriots in 2025. He notched 46 receptions for 550 yards, two touchdowns, and 28 first downs. He's also the Patriots' biggest wide receiver at 6'4" and 221 pounds. That creates matchup nightmares for any defensive back, especially shorter ones.

It feels as if we're back in 2022 and 2023, when the Jets' defense played well enough to win but they got nothing from the offense. In today's NFL, you can't go two games without a touchdown. It's remarkable and it's crippling. The Jets' defense allowed 13 points to Denver in London last week and 13 points Sunday. That should be good enough to win, but it's not when you produce five field goals in 23 drives.

What started as musical chairs is beginning to sound like a sad trombone. There's only so many times you can reshuffle an offensive line before it has a ripple effect on the entire football team. The Chargers are reminded of that now as they head into Sunday's game with the Washington Commanders hoping - as opposed to knowing - they can provide adequate protection for quarterback Justin Herbert.

Sunday was a day of frustrating defeats. Every NFL team gets upset about losing, of course, but Week 3 was full of dramatic collapses, bizarre endings and a shocking number of blocked field goal attempts. In a matter of minutes, there was a pair of block-scoop-and-score touchdowns, as Jordan Davis sealed up a comeback win for the Eagles while Will McDonald IV appeared to set one up for the Jets.