One of the most important things for the New England Patriots is to provide Tom Brady with excellent protection. If there is a formula to defeat the Patriots, it usually starts with getting pressure on Brady.
When Brady gets knocked around a bit, he does have the tenacity to get jumpy in the pocket. Most recently, the Patriots struggled to block the talented pass-rushers of the Denver Broncos in 2015.
Being unable to properly protect Brady resulted in the Patriots losing to the Broncos in the 2015 AFC Championship Game. Coming into 2016, the Patriots’ offensive line was certainly a question mark.