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Mac Jones and Bill Belichick were pegged by many to finish last in the AFC East this season. Those still holding onto hope were dealt a blow on Thursday in the team's distinct loss to the Houston Texans.
Writing on Patriots Wire, NFL analyst Cam Garrity took a grisly tone in describing players who might serve as the difference between an offense stuck in the mud and one firing on all cylinders.
"The Patriots offensive line has been a work in progress all spring and throughout training camp. New line coach Adrian Klemm has been piecing together a banged-up unit to this point, but it hasn’t clicked. The Patriots’ depth looked outmatched against the backup Texans defensive line."
The Houston Texans, of course, outmatching anyone on this front is cause for concern, considering they're coming off a season in which they finished 30th in yards allowed per game last season. That said, since the comments were directed at the backups, there's a chance that the team won't see any of them this season.
However, in the majority of situations, offensive linemen seldom get through an entire season intact. Meaning, at least one of these backups will be in charge of clearing holes for Rhamondre Stevenson and giving Mac Jones time in the pocket to move the chains through the air.
Mac Jones suffers multiple setbacks in quest to extend Patriots career
Not only was it trouble on the offensive line for the quarterback, but his second backup quarterback was impressive last night as well. Malik Cunningham showed to be the most explosive player of the second half and might have caught Bill Belichick's eye with 34 yards and a touchdown on the ground, in addition to completing three of four passes for 19 yards.
If things turn sour for New England, even partially due to the backup offensive line depth issues, the head coach might have yet another lever to pull that isn't Mac Jones.
The Patriots will attempt to bounce back after losing 20-9 to the Texans with a showdown potentially against Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers. At least, fans hope to see a win as coaches notoriously don't value wins in the preseason.
