New England Patriots: Young OL Faces Huge Test vs. Bills

By Dan Schmelzer | Sep 17, 2015

Perhaps the most pleasant surprise from the New England Patriots season opening win against the Pittsburgh Steelers was the performance of the offensive line. Even without starting center Bryan Stork and veteran guard Ryan Wendell, the Patriots were able to consistently protect Tom Brady and open up holes in the passing game.

With Nate Solder and Sebastian Vollmer holding down the fort, the Patriots are set up fairly well at the tackle position. The interior offensive line however, is a major question mark without Stork and Wendell in the line-up.

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That being said, against the Steelers, the Patriots received great play all-around from their interior offensive line. Undrafted rookie David Andrews was rock solid in the middle at center, while fellow rookies Tre Jackson and Shaq Mason impressed at guard. Even common 2014 whipping boy Josh Kline looked good filling it at guard.

The Patriots rotated Jackson, Mason and Kline at the guard positions from series to series, keeping all players relatively fresh and able to do the job better than was expected from the fan base. This was a great job of coaching by Bill Belichick and the Patriots’ coaching staff.

The interior offensive line was a major question mark heading into Week 1, but they left that Pittsburgh game with it possibly being a position of strength. The Patriots’ offensive line looks to have massive potential this season, but with all due respect to the Steelers, they were not exactly going up against the greatest competition.

This week however, we are going to see what this Patriots’ offensive line is made of as they head to upstate New York to take on the Buffalo Bills.

The Bills have arguably the best defensive unit in the entire NFL, and they were able to hold Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts to only 14 points last Sunday. The Colts are expected to be one of the best offenses in the entire NFL this season, and the Bills’ defense made them look bad. Even holding them scoreless until the final seconds of the third quarter.

As great as this Bills’ defense as a whole is, their real strength lies in their impressive depth and talent up front. Kyle Williams, Mario Williams and Jerry Hughes led the way up front for the Bills last week, and they helped form an incredibly consistent pass rush. This week, the Bills have arguably their best defensive player returning, with defensive tackle Marcell Dareus coming back from suspension.

Sep 13, 2015; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Kyle Williams (95) tackles Indianapolis Colts running back Frank Gore (23) during the second half at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Bills beat the Colts 27 to 14. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports

The Bills not only have the personnel to make life miserable for the Patriots’ offense on Sunday, head coach Rex Ryan knows Brady and the offense better than any coach in the NFL. While the Patriots have usually come away on top, Ryan has had Brady’s number in the past, dialing up multiple defensive schemes centered around blitz packages to keep Brady uncomfortable in the pocket.

Now, more than ever, Ryan has an incredible group of defensive players who he can place in many different positions across the field. This Bills’ defense is mean, nasty and versatile, and they will be ready for Brady and the Patriots’ offense on Sunday.

Brady is undoubtedly going to make it as easy as possible on his fresh-faced offensive line. He is a magician in the pocket, using quick throws that do not allow the defense to get pressure on him. However, the Bills’ secondary is legit as well, so Brady is going to need some time to allow his receivers to get open.

Between Solder and Vollmer, I think the Patriots should be fine on the outside. They will certainly have their hands full with Hughes, Williams and even Nigel Bradham, but the Patriots’ veteran tackles always seem to come through when they need them the most.

Sep 13, 2015; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills head coach Rex Ryan yells to players on the bench during the second half against the Indianapolis Colts at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Bills beat the Colts 27 to 14. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports

That being said, Ryan is undoubtedly going to try to put together some creative blitz packages to confuse the interior of the Patriots’ offensive line. If they are going to stand a chance to score against this incredible defense, the Patriots are going to need a strong effort from their interior offensive line. They showed up last week, and the team needs them to do the same in Week 2.

When it comes down to it, the play of Andrews, Jackson, Mason and Kline is probably the biggest key to this game. The Bills have the horses and scheme to make them look terrible, which would essentially ruin any opportunity the Patriots have of having a consistent offensive attack.

They were able to come together and play well last week, can they do it again this week? Once again, the biggest question for the Patriots is the play of the interior offensive line.

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