The New England Patriots offense put forth an uninspired performance in Super Bowl LX, leaving them forced to settle for a 29-13 loss to the Seattle Seahawks at Levi Stadium. The Patriots were unable to score until the fourth quarter and were unable to cut into the two-score deficit. The majority of the reason for New England’s offensive struggles was due to the offensive line, which is now a huge concern for the Patriots this offseason.
Although second-year quarterback Drake Maye didn’t play up to expectations, it was his offensive line that let him down, allowing Maye to be pressured more often than not throughout the game. The rookie left side of the offensive line struggled to hold their own against the elite pass rush of Seattle, with left tackle Will Campbell being responsible for 14 pressures alone in the Super Bowl, which is the most by any offensive lineman in a game this season. In addition to Campbell's struggles, left guard Jared Wilson also allowed a pressure to Maye’s blindside.
At the end of the game, the Seahawks defense had seven players hit Maye while four different players recorded a sack, totaling six sacks for a loss of 43 yards. Maye also threw two interceptions and he lost a fumble in the game. As I said, Maye didn’t play well, but he didn’t have the protection to allow him to be successful, either. New England averaged 3.2 yards per carry, as Seattle hit the ball carrier behind the line of scrimmage on 53.8 percent of run plays, per Next Gen Stats.
The struggling offensive line didn’t just suddenly appear in the Super Bowl, as it was a concern throughout the entire playoff run with Maye being sacked 21 times in four games during the postseason, the most for any quarterback in a single postseason run. That’s not exactly a common path to see the MVP runner-up navigate in the playoffs. Not to mention it was the first time in Super Bowl history that two rookies started on the offensive line and Maye, himself, is the second-youngest quarterback to start a Super Bowl.
The Patriots Need To Improve on Protecting Drake Maye Next Season
The playoffs as a whole, but specifically the Super Bowl, proved that New England needs to have a stronger protection scheme for Maye. It’s uncertain at this point if Campbell can be the premier left tackle moving forward, as he’s responsible for 25 pressures in four games during the playoffs. The same can be said for Wilson, who struggled during the playoffs as well. In many ways, the offensive line let down Maye and the rest of the offense.
With the way Campbell and Wilson were getting beat off the line of scrimmage, then manhandled and pushed back five yards into Maye, they would both benefit from getting stronger to hold their own against powerful defensive linemen that are lining up across from them. Although Campbell (319 lbs.) and Wilson (310 lbs.) are both heavier than some of Seattle's defensive linemen and edge rushers, they were overpowered by the pass rush, and it was noticeable throughout the game.
Now that the Patriots’ offseason is officially underway, the offensive line is a huge concern after the Super Bowl loss. One that needs to be addressed in multiple ways, along the entire line, moving forward for next season. In addition to concerns about both Campbell and Wilson, veteran tackle Morgan Moses will be 35 next season. There are many questions left to answer for the offensive line in the coming weeks and months.
It’s worth mentioning that New England’s success this season has been with a second-year quarterback working under head coach Mike Vrabel for the first time. Landing in the Super Bowl will carry weight when negotiations with free agents begin, as Maye's presence makes New England an appealing destination. If we learned anything from this season, adding veterans to the offensive line worked well for the Patriots. Perhaps they should target veteran free agent offensive linemen this offseason.