FOXBORO — It’s truthful to surprise what precisely took so lengthy for the Patriots to lastly transfer Mike Onwenu to proper deal with.
The swap seemingly shored up the Patriots’ offensive line towards a group that head coach Bill Belichick deemed the “best pass rush in the league” earlier this week.
Quarterback Mac Jones had noticeably extra time to throw in Sunday’s 29-25 comeback win over the Bills wherein he was sacked simply as soon as and hit three further occasions.
“The offensive line play today really stood out to me,” Jones stated. “They made everything work, run game, passing game. I had a couple plays where I dropped my eyes, and that’s not on them, that’s on me.”
Jones performed his finest sport of the season with the improved safety.
“It was just putting everything together,” rookie offensive lineman Sidy Sow stated after the sport. “And just playing downhill, physical. I feel like sometimes it takes a little while for offensive linemen, five guys to figure out how to play, but today I think we put it all together, and we had a good game.”
Onwenu, who began 4 video games at proper guard earlier than being energetic in an emergency setting final week, was moved to proper deal with, the place he has thrived up to now however hadn’t performed in a sport since 2021. Sow began instead of Onwenu at proper guard, and 2022 first-round decide Cole Strange returned from damage to play left guard. Trent Brown stayed at left deal with, and David Andrews began at heart.
The Patriots have been hesitant to maneuver Onwenu from proper guard, partially as a result of he missed many of the summer season with an ankle damage. They felt it could be placing an excessive amount of on his plate to maneuver him to his second-best place as he returned from an damage. But determined occasions name for determined measures.
Riley Reiff, who was seemingly signed in free company to start out at proper deal with this offseason, was positioned on injured reserve this week after enjoying only one sport at guard. Calvin Anderson, additionally signed in free company, was benched after two video games. Vederian Lowe, who was acquired through commerce earlier than the season, struggled in his 4 begins at proper deal with. Sow was moved again to his faculty place of guard, and Tyrone Wheatley Jr., additionally acquired through commerce earlier than the season, can also be on injured reserve. The Patriots signed Conor McDermott again to the observe squad this week, however he wasn’t elevated earlier than the sport.
Belichick didn’t deal with why he moved Onwenu to proper deal with, and he was noncommittal if he would keep on the sting.
“We’ll see,” Belichick stated. “I’ll talk to Mike about it and see how it goes.”
Onwenu stated after the sport, “wherever I’m needed, I’m good.”
It’s clearly a collaborative resolution between Onwenu and the group the place he performs.
“Our first padded practice, I was asked if I felt comfortable enough,” Onwenu stated. “I practiced it throughout the week, and they made the final decision.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com