Really great stuff from Nick Underhill, putting some hard numbers to the sacks this season.
A faster trigger would likely deter some of the sacks, but this aspect of the offense isn’t the chief culprit in this dilemma. After reviewing the 26 sacks, it appears that seven were the result of quality coverage from the defense and two were the result of Brady’s indecisiveness. The rest were either the result of a blitz or the result of spotty play by the offensive line. So, to a degree, Belichick is correct in his assessment that the letdowns can be traced back to all elements of the offense. But while facing a bunch of quality pass-rushing teams hasn’t helped, it appears Mankins was closer to the mark when stating that the offensive line needs to become more consistent.
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