Sports
Patriots Look to Fix Protection Issues Ahead of Seattle Rematch
By Mike Giardi
FOXBOROUGH - The cumulative effect of physical punishment on a young quarterback like Drake Maye can be difficult to measure, but the impact of pressure was on full display during the opening drive of last season's Super Bowl loss to the Seattle Seahawks. After the Patriots picked up two first downs thanks to Rhamondre Stevenson's work as a runner and receiver, offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels attempted to continue an early-game strategy built around vertical routes from outside receivers, while running backs, Hunter Henry and Pop Douglas operated underneath in short-to-intermediate areas.
That plan unraveled when center Jared Wilson's chip block meant to help left tackle Will Campbell instead freed Campbell's assignment, Derick Hall, who sacked Maye. On the very next play, facing a relatively clean pocket, Maye abandoned it prematurely, missing a wide-open Stefon Diggs running down the seam, as well as TreVeyon Henderson and Henry, both open underneath against linebackers. Maye scrambled for a short gain, but the sequence foreshadowed struggles to come for both quarterback and offense.
On the ensuing third down, Seahawks head coach and defensive play-caller Mike Macdonald dialed up a blitz from cornerback Devon Witherspoon that New England failed to account for, with both Campbell and Wilson blocking the same rusher. Witherspoon came through unblocked, forcing Maye to scramble right and throw the ball away.
Witherspoon later explained that Seattle had identified tendencies in how New England's offensive linemen set up before certain rushes. Speaking after the game, he said the Seahawks had picked up on how the guards and tackles would overset on specific pass-rush moves, allowing Seattle's defenders to anticipate and exploit those patterns.
The Patriots have not publicly acknowledged those tendencies were exposed. Offensive lineman Morgan Moses declined to address the matter this week, and offensive line coach Doug Marrone downplayed the idea as well. Marrone said the team closely monitors its own tendencies and tries to remain as consistent as possible, noting that certain game situations - such as being forced to pass while trailing, or operating in a two-minute drill without timeouts - naturally reveal a team's intentions to opponents. He emphasized that the goal is to avoid giving away information in situations where the outcome could otherwise go either way.
When asked directly about how Seattle exploited New England's pass protection and what lessons were learned, McDaniels took responsibility, saying the failure should be attributed to him. He credited the Seahawks for their rush design and their decision-making on when to blitz or drop into coverage. McDaniels added that the Patriots have since made adjustments, noting that this year's matchup features a different roster with new players on both sides. He expressed hope that the team has addressed the vulnerabilities that Seattle exploited last season ahead of their upcoming Wednesday night meeting.