{"id":8285,"date":"2016-09-27T12:00:39","date_gmt":"2016-09-27T16:00:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/?p=8285"},"modified":"2016-09-27T10:52:35","modified_gmt":"2016-09-27T14:52:35","slug":"patriots-offensive-line-better-in-2016","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/2016\/09\/27\/patriots-offensive-line-better-in-2016\/","title":{"rendered":"Patriots Offensive Line Has Been Excellent Thus Far in 2016"},"content":{"rendered":"

Solid Play, Return of Scarnecchia, Keys to Fast Start<\/h2>\n

The Patriots early season success can be attributed to a number of different factors. Not the least of which is the coaching of Bill Belichick, but the play of the offense line has to be considered one of the pleasant surprises thus far in 2016.<\/p>\n

With the suspension of Tom Brady, the biggest question this summer was, \u201cHow will the Patriots fare in the first quarter of the season?\u201d The answer thus far has been, just fine. The team is off to a 3-0 start and like many had envisioned prior to the start of the year, in no large part to the offense leaning on the running game.<\/p>\n

An even bigger question to me than how would the backup quarterbacks play this season, was how would the offensive line handle being tasked with handling the running game. Especially when the opponent knew the Patriots were going to run. The offensive line a year ago was injury ravaged, of that there is no doubt about that. But their level of play overall was poor and Brady was nearly decapitated at times out there a year ago.<\/p>\n

But the return of Dante Scarnecchia, the return to health of Nate Solder and the addition of Joe Thuney has been a panacea for the Patriots offensive line. Thru three games the Patriots lead the NFL in rushing and the play of the offensive has been markedly improved. The interior three of center David Andrews, and guards Shaq Mason and Thuney are perhaps the biggest pleasant surprise as they\u2019re playing very strong and get better as the game goes along.<\/p>\n

Joe Thuney wants to know “What are Pink Stripes?” Thuney (62) and David Andrews (60) have been solid this year.<\/p><\/div>\n

LeGarrette Blount leads the NFL in rushing attempts (75), rushing yards (298), rushing yards per game (99.3) & is tied for the lead in rush touchdowns (4).<\/p>\n

\u201cThere were a lot of plays \u2014 too many plays \u2014 last year where it didn\u2019t matter who the back was, we just couldn\u2019t get him started, couldn\u2019t get him into any kind of space, couldn\u2019t let the back build up any kind of momentum,\u201d Bill Belichick said in a conference call with the media after the Miami game.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think all our backs have the ability to make yards. They\u2019ve all been productive. We\u2019ve seen it in the preseason, we\u2019ve seen it through the years with some of these guys, depending on which guy you want to talk about, but we had to give him a chance,\u201d he added. \u201cYou\u2019ve got to give them a chance to have some type of opportunity to operate with some space or momentum, just something. No back can gain yardage when there\u2019s just no place to run. I don\u2019t care how good the guy is.\u201d<\/p>\n

Belichick\u2019s comments are telling because they go against the popular notion that Blount dances too much when he gets the ball. What is he, or any other back supposed to do when there is nowhere to run. We\u2019ve all seen, too often that the Patriots\u2019 backs getting hit as soon as they receive the handoff, often deep in the backfield. That isn\u2019t the running backs\u2019 fault.<\/p>\n

Blount is on pace for nearly 1600 yards rushing in 2016. While the offense will change once Brady returns from his league imposed vacation, one can\u2019t say enough about the performance and workload that was placed on his shoulders. And he\u2019s come through in the clutch for the team, especially in the fourth quarter as he\u2019s been a closer for the team.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve always had a lot of confidence in LeGarrette,\u201d Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels said. \u201cHe has had a lot of big games here for us and helped us win a lot of games, and he doesn\u2019t just carry the ball, he did some things in terms of protection. He helped us on the edge with some of their good pass rushers. LG is always ready to go, practices hard… prepares hard for each week, and whatever we ask of him he embraces his role on our team.\u201d<\/p>\n

Two other additions that can\u2019t be overlooked this season has been the play in the running game of Martellus Bennett and James Develin. Bennett has always been known as an excellent run blocking tight end, and it is an area that he has always prided himself in. He and Rob Gronkowski give the Patriots the option of nearly having two extra tackles in the running game. They can also go out on pass routes and threaten the seams. Once Gronkowski\u2019s hamstring is healthy, he and Bennett will be a tough duo to stop.<\/p>\n

Develin\u2019s value to the running game can\u2019t be overstated. He was really missed a year ago and he is a devastating blocker as a fullback as he leads the way for the backs to follow in the running game. A look at some of Blount\u2019s big runs this season usually entail him following Develin thru the hole and into the second level of the defense.<\/p>\n

The pass blocking of the offensive line has been better, not great but better this year. Granted they aren\u2019t passing on every down, which actually hurt their level of play when teams could just pin their ears back and come after Brady.<\/p>\n

They\u2019ll face another tough test in the Buffalo Bills defense this week. The Bills sacked Carson Palmer five times and picked him off four more on Sunday. But dedicating themselves to being able to run the ball and sticking with it has been a feather in the cap of Offensive Coordinator Josh McDaniels thus far this season. McDaniels creative play-calling and game planning has kept opposing defenses on their toes. And he\u2019s able to do that due to their ability to run the ball effectively in 2016.<\/p>\n

Check back with us later in the week as we\u2019ll break down the key matchups for the game right here on PatsFans.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Follow me on Twitter\u00a0<\/em>@SteveB7SFG<\/em><\/a>\u00a0or email me at\u00a0<\/em>stevebpatsfans@gmail.com<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

Listen to our\u00a0<\/em>Patriots 4th<\/sup>\u00a0and 2<\/em><\/a>\u00a0podcasts on blog talk radio as the writers Russ Goldman, Derek Havens and I from\u00a0<\/em>PatsFans.com<\/em><\/a>\u00a0discuss the latest Patriots news Wednesdays at 12 noon.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The play of the Patriots offense line has to be considered one of the pleasant surprises thus far in 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