New England Patriots defensive line is key to victory vs Ravens
The New England Patriots find themselves at Gillette Stadium for the first time this Sunday. They are 1-1 going into this Sunday afternoon’s contest against Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens.
There are many things that the fans are talking about going into the game. Can the offensive line hold up to give quarterback Mac Jones time to throw? Will the running attack continue to be proficient like it was in the Pittsburgh win?
But one area maybe being overlooked going into Sunday is the defensive line. Honestly, the defensive line could be a huge key to a Patriots upset victory on Sunday and here are a few reasons why.
The New England Patriots D-Line needs to get pressure on Lamar Jackson
This sounds like the game-plan every week when you’re going up against Lamar Jackson.
Jackson is a huge key to the success of the Ravens, particularly with his ability to scramble away from defensive pressure.
So how can the Patriots stop Lamar Jackson? This is where the defensive line has to come into play in this game. We know that it is unlikely that the Patriots completely stop Lamar Jackson.
But if you can slow him down enough, you have a chance to win the game. That’s why the Patriots need guys like Matthew Judon, Josh Uche, and Ja’Whaun Bentley to get in on Jackson Sunday afternoon.
There will be a couple times where Jackson makes something out of nothing and we see the talent of his scrambling abilities. But there will be times where the New England Patriots can force Jackson to make a mistake with his arm.
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Remember the Sunday night game in 2020 against this same Ravens team? In horrific weather? Lamar Jackson threw a key interception in that game, toward the end of the first half to J.C. Jackson. Why? Because Lamar was pressured and couldn’t scramble!
If the Patriots expect to have any success Sunday, they need the D-line to bring the pressure up front. Especially when the Ravens have a key part of their offensive line in Ronnie Stanley out!
The New England Patriots D-Line needs to shut down the run game all together
Besides Jackson, the Ravens have a very efficient running game as well. J.K. Dobbins is a guy that the Patriots could see returning to action on Sunday, after battling through an injury. Dobbins is a tough, down-field runner that could give the Patriots a lot of problems.
Mike Davis is also a threat to the Patriots as he is a big back that can also receive out of the backfield. So if Lamar gets in trouble and Davis is open as a check-down option, that can be a problem for this New England Patriots team.
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Bottom line is that the Patriots need to bring the pressure to the Ravens offense. That starts with the pressure of the D-Line. They looked pretty good against the Dolphins and made Mitch Trubisky look extremely uncomfortable at times against the Steelers last week. Now it’s time to do the same thing to this Ravens offense, especially in the home opener.