Why is the Pats o-line underperforming? Curran and Perry weigh in

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Phil Perry, Tom Curran and Tom Giles discuss the state of the Patriots’ offensive line, and why they are underperforming from preseason expectations.

The New England Patriots have won their last two games in spite of their offense.

Second-year quarterback Mac Jones has thrown for only 341 yards and two touchdowns with one interception over the last two weeks. He has been sacked 10 times in that span and the run game has averaged fewer than 4.0 yards per carry.

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While some blame certainly can be placed on Jones and the coaches calling the plays, the primary culprit has been the lackluster performance of the offensive line. On Monday's Early Edition, Phil Perry and Tom E. Curran shared their thoughts on why the unit has been struggling so mightily.

"I don't think the preseason rankings anticipated that Isaiah Wynn would become a backup quality right tackle and backup caliber left guard. I think they thought he was a starting-caliber NFL player and it's turned out he's not," Perry said.

"Cole Strange, drafted in the first round, I think people assumed that would go well. It has not the last two weeks. He's been benched. He's been unplayable. I think he actually got back in the game because Isaiah Wynn got benched after replacing Cole Strange, who got benched early in the game. It's been that bad at that position. Right tackle they had to bring in Marcus Cannon off the street, so talent-wise they are deficient."

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Curran believes the o-line -- and the offense as a whole -- is feeling the absence of players who thrive in the Patriots' system.

"They're also a little handcuffed by the fact that they haven't employed enough guys who do things that the Patriots offense excelled at," Curran said. "Which were, I don't care what brand of football you're running, wide-zone, whatever, underneath throws that go to a back who can get open in short yardage and still, again, a slot receiver or waterbug type guy. J.J. Taylor could fill that bill.

"We're watching three verticals on third and five and (Mac Jones) doesn't have the time to process that, and there are no crossers. I'm not Amos Alonzo Stagg here, but you've got to have somebody shallow crossing to throw it to so that you could have a bail-out place for Mac to go."

The Patriots head into their bye week with plenty to figure out on the offensive side of the ball. When they return, they'll prepare for a rematch with the New York Jets, who they defeated in Week 8.

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