O-line faces top test from Bosa
‘One-man wrecking crew’ had three sacks vs. Buffalo Sunday
For all the offensive firepower the Chargers boast behind rookie quarterback Justin Herbert, the biggest problem the Patriots will face Sunday in Los Angeles plays the other side of the ball.
Defensive end Joey Bosa.
“One of the most disruptive players in the league, as good as anybody we play against,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick said of Bosa. “Run or pass, he’s got a great motor, very strong hands, good instincts. He’s just makes a lot of disruptive plays, Most of the time it’s him making the play, but a lot of time it’s him screwing the play up and forcing the ball to somebody else. So he’s definitely a guy to stop.”
Bosa, a two-time Pro Bowler, started the season by earning a sack in four of the Chargers’ first five games. He collected three more last Sunday at Buffalo, plus two QB hits and a pass deflection in a 27-17 Los
Angeles loss. No wonder Belichick later called him a “one-man wrecking crew.”
“I think he does everything well,” Belichick added. “If you just look at the Buffalo game, he made plays against the turn, he made plays on short-yardage, he rushed the passer in passing situations. He sacked the quarterback on play-action situation where he converted a run read into a play-action rush.
“So he’s very instinctive, he’s got tremendous motor. He plays hard, so he never gives up on a play. He makes a lot of play on effort.”
The Pats’ efforts to stop Bosa will fall mostly to offensive tackles Jermaine Eluemunor and Michael Onwenu. Eluemunor replaced starter Isaiah Wynn last week in a close home win over the Cardinals, after Wynn was placed on injured reserve with a knee injury the day before. Over the Patriots’ next two games, he’ll face two of the best defensive linemen on the team’s schedule: Bosa and the Rams’ Aaron Donald, a former Defensive Player of the Year.
As for Sunday, the Pats can be expected to help their linemen by chipping Bosa on the edge with running backs and providing the occasional double team with tight end Ryan Izzo. Together, they’ll attempt to snap Bosa’s streak of earning a QB hit in every game this season, one of the most impressive ongoing feats in the NFL; a streak not even Donald, the odds-on favorite to be named the next Defensive Player of the Year, can boast.
Keene returns to practice
Rookie tight end Dalton Keene returned to practice Wednesday and the Patriots designated him to return off injured reserve.
Keene must be added to the active roster in the next 21 days or he will miss the remainder of the season. The Virginia Tech product originally went on injured reserve with a knee injury on Nov. 10. He’s missed the Pats’ last four games.
Keene has played just once this season, logging 24 offensive snaps in the team’s home loss to the 49ers. He made one catch for eight yards. Even if Keene can’t be productive as a pass catcher, he could provide depth behind Ryan Izzo — the Patriots’ lone available tight end last month — if Izzo gets injured.
Another rookie tight end, Devin Asiasi, who was designated to return off IR a week ago, continues to practice, but has yet to be added to the active roster. Rookie linebacker Anfernee Jennings was the lone player missing at practice Wednesday.
UDFA Bryant impressing teammates
Pats rookie defensive back Myles Bryant logged 13 defensive snaps last Sunday against Arizona, a career high. He made three tackles, matching defensive captains Devin and Jason McCourty. He played both cornerback and safety.
All in all, a solid day, especially for an undrafted rookie.
According to teammates, Bryant’s performance was the culmination of several solid days he’s been stringing together behind the scenes; months after he stacked successful practices during a breakout performance in training camp.
“He’s a smart player, good speed, very tough,” Pats cornerback Stephon Gilmore said. “He learned all different positions, and I think he’s helping us out tremendously. He’s coming in when his name is called and making plays for us. He’s in the right position.”
Bryant, who played his college ball at Washington, revealed Wednesday he had a head start on the playbook, which can be a headache for young defensive backs. But instead, Bryant is now on track to be a headaches for quarterbacks, bouncing around one of the best defensive backfields in the NFL.
“I actually got lucky, since my (college) coaches actually shadowed here a couple springs,” he explained. “So they took a couple concepts and installed it in their defense. We might have had different terms, but it’s pretty much the same concepts. That experience has worked tremendously well for me, just being a quote-unquote Swiss Army knife.”
Newton limited
Patriots quarterback Cam Newton was limited in practice Wednesday with a new abdomen injury.
It was his first appearance on an injury report this season. The Pats practiced in full pads, and Newton led their initial team period. Newton is likely to play Sunday at the Chargers, according to a source.
He played every snap of the team’s 20-17 home win over the Cardinals Sunday. Newton absorbed a vicious blow on one of the Patriots’ final snaps, when he finished a 14-yard run out of bounds, where Arizona linebacker Isaiah Simmons leveled him into his own sideline at midfield. The Pats will release their final injury report Friday afternoon, when they are scheduled to leave for Los Angeles.