FOXBOROUGH -- Wrapping things up from today at Gillette Stadium, here were two leftover nuggets:
1) Offensive linemen talk about picking up their game. The Patriots allowed 21 sacks all of last season. The team has surrendered 10 in the first three games. “We just obviously have to do more to help give Matt [Cassel] some time back there and let him make his decisions, and just keep it a little bit cleaner in the pocket,” said left tackle Matt Light. Added left guard Logan Mankins: "I think we have plenty of cohesion. I just don't think we're holding up quite as long as we need to. On certain plays, we're getting beat, and they're getting to Matt and we're not giving him as much time as we need to."
2) Early look at the 49ers. With no game scheduled for this weekend, the Patriots did not go 100 percent into preparations for their next opponent, the 49ers. Still, Bill Belichick touched on some of the things he's seen from them. "It’s really been impressive watching them on film," he said. "They’re fast on defense. They have an experienced secondary. They can move the ball. They can score points. They’ve got a good return game with [Allen] Rossum. They have had two big wins and played competitively against Arizona in the opener. It’s a good football team and certainly a lot of changes out there from offensively what we saw in the off-season to what Mike Martz has brought to their team. Defensively, Mike [Nolan's] always been a good defensive coach and the 49ers are playing good defense on that side of the ball as well too."
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I recall when Drew Beldsoe was the quarterback that the offensive line was a source of concern, then Tom Brady took over and almost overnight the offenisve line was one of the top in the league. The most common explanation, of course, was Brady's quick release and knack of sensing or reading when defensive pressure was coming.
The present play of the offensive line reminds me of the pre-Brady era. Dante S. has always been a favorite coach and has been given much credit (by the press) for helping to develop three (or four, depending on who you listen to) pro-bowl caliber players. Is this another attribute that is lost with Brady gone, is the offensive line losing their effectiveness due to diminishing skills, or as a unit are they banged up? Cassel would look much beter if they played up to their past performance.