As is always the case in a team sport, there are several reasons why the Patriots are hosting their first home playoff game since the 2019 season on Sunday night vs. the Chargers.

New England has a head coach who is a top candidate for Coach of the Year and a quarterback who is on the shortlist of candidates for the NFL's Most Valuable Player. Understandably, head coach Mike Vrabel and QB Drake Maye are getting heaped with praise. However, an underrated aspect of New England's turnaround on offense is the play in the trenches, which is contributing to the second-ranked scoring offense in the NFL (28.8 PPG).

With three offensive line coaches and four new starters, the Patriots offensive line improved significantly, a driving force to their 14-win campaign. This season, the Patriots rank in the top half of the league in run-blocking win rate (ninth) and pass-blocking win rate (14th). After ranking last in the metric in 2024, the Patriots offensive line is 12th in Pro Football Network's OL Impact score this season.

While he was building out his staff last January, Vrabel tabbed veteran coach Doug Marrone as the Patriots head offensive line coach. Vrabel also brought in experienced line coach Jason Houghtaling, who was on Vrabel's staff in Tennessee. Additionally, Vrabel retained assistant Robert Kugler, who joined the Patriots organization last season. Between the three coaches, the Patriots have nearly 20 years of NFL coaching experience on the offensive line and the setup allows them to divide responsibilities to give players individual attention to work on their craft in preparation for games.

"That's a good group in there. Doug's in charge, but Jason Houghtaling – Hoss – and Kugs [Robert Kugler], I think we're lucky. I think those guys really do a good job. Like I said when I talked about the staff, they can all take a group and coach them. Pre-practice, individual. So, you see a lot of that is split up, and guys are getting work and reps, so there's a lot of confidence there," Vrabel said earlier this season.​

"It's probably the best situation I've been in personally as a coach. You have three coaches who can pretty much coach every position [on the offensive line]. I think it's helped our players that we can give them individual attention at times," said Marrone. "Everyone is involved. There's so much experience, so many people that have been to so many places and then understanding what our system is and being able to give suggestions of what to do."

As Vrabel is quick to say, the players deserve the most credit for their on-field performance. However, the Patriots brainpower, which includes Vrabel and OC Josh McDaniels' input in the offensive line room, has paid huge dividends.

Four New Starters and Improved Continuity

Although the coaching infrastructure had a huge hand in the turnaround, at the end of the day, the players deserve the most credit for their performance in the Patriots 14-win regular-season.

During the offseason, EVP of Player Personnel Eliot Wolf and VP of Player Personnel Ryan Cowden worked with Vrabel on overhauling the offensive line. The Patriots signed veteran RT Morgan Moses and C Garrett Bradbury to elevate the talent floor and bring leadership. Then, the biggest piece was selecting LT Will Campbell with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, while the team later added G/C Jared Wilson in the third round. Overall, their major offseason acquisitions have been huge hits.

Moses, who is in his 12th NFL season, has been arguably the Patriots most consistent offensive lineman, while starting all 17 regular-season games at age 34. According to Pro Football Focus, Moses ranks 27th out of 89 qualified tackles with a 74.0 overall grade. As for Bradbury, the veteran center has also started all 17 games and played every snap this season before New England began pulling its starters late in blowouts in the final two weeks of the regular season. After allowing four sacks in his final season in Minnesota, Bradbury has had a bounce-back season with zero sacks allowed in pass protection in 2025.​

"This is probably the closest group I've been around since I've been in the NFL. Good leaders, Morgan [Moses] and Garrett [Bradbury], they do a good job with the young guys. Whether it's their dinners or in the [meeting] room. They do a really good job as a unit and Doug [Marrone]'s been awesome. Doug provides steady leadership," Kugler said. "They've done a great job coming together. Before the season, I don't think anybody expected them to perform the way they have and they've gone out there and competed."

The Patriots rookies have also contributed in a positive way, with Campbell showing flashes of being a franchise left tackle in his 13 starts. New England's first-round pick leads all rookie tackles in PFF pass-blocking grade (76.1) and has been just what the doctor ordered as a plug-and-play blindside protector for Maye. Wilson also has starter potential, either at center or guard, depending on where the Patriots want to play the Georgia product long term.

"You want a player to go out to practice and have a goal in mind of something he's going to concentrate on to get better. Every day you walk out there to practice, you want him to focus on something to get better at and I thought that's what I saw from the moment we drafted him all the way through. He knew every day he was going to work on something to get better at and that's all you can ask for," Houghtaling said of Campbell.

As the lone holdover starter from the 2024 season, RG Mike Onwenu explained what the newcomers have brought to the Patriots offensive line this season.​

"It's been really fun working with Morgan [Moses]. We both play on the same level and feed off of each other. During games, I don't really think twice about it and just go out there and play. I think we both see defenses through the same viewpoint," Onwenu said of his wingman. "We got a different group of guys. We have a great group right now, a great group of coaches, and just a system that's working well for us."

Backup tackle Vederian Lowe, who started four games at left tackle while Campbell was injured, also offered his two cents about the changes he has seen from last year to this year.

"It's just a different mentality. I just feel like it's a different feel and the tightness of the group definitely plays a huge part," Lowe said. "We all work really hard day in and day out to put our best foot forward. We go out there every day knowing that we are going to perform. We have confidence throughout the week and the coaches put out a good game plan."

​Although the Patriots rookies have had some injuries lately, Kugler also pointed to better continuity this year. In 2024, New England started 11 different offensive line combinations, with its most steady group starting only five of its 17 games. This season, the Patriots have only started four different combinations, with their best five in their regular-season opener starting 11 of their 17 regular-season games.

"They've been really bought into what we're doing in there and it's been good to have continuity. I mean, you remember how that went last year. It felt like it was every week we had a new lineup. So, the continuity has been really good," Kugler added.

Due to personnel additions in the offseason, the talent level of the Patriots offensive line has improved significantly, and their continuity has allowed the on-field product to gel.

​Breaking Down the Advantages of Having Three Offensive Line Coaches

The Patriots setup of having three dedicated offensive line coaches might be unique, but it should really be more commonplace for the biggest position group on most NFL rosters.

New England currently has 10 offensive linemen on its active roster as it heads into the playoffs and having three coaches allows them to divide and conquer. Although all three coaches have a hand in things, Houghtaling typically works closely with the offensive tackles while Kugler and Marrone focus more on the interior line. Houghtaling explained how the Patriots divvy up practice reps to give each player individual coaching.

"A lot of times Doug and Kugs will take the inside three and I'll take the tackles. It gives us a chance to divide up and not have as many guys in one area. Then we'll come together to focus on the big picture stuff. We'll do some half-line stuff with the guards and the centers, you know, guard-center, guard-tackle, whether it's the right side or left side, to kind of go piece-by-piece. You break it down to the individual block and then you bring the individual block into the whole offensive line," Houghtaling explained​

"I think the biggest thing is how Doug [Marrone] handles the room. He involves all three of us in pretty much everything we do on a daily basis," Houghtaling continued. "At the end of the day, we're just trying to get the message that Vrabes and Josh [McDaniels] want. If you talk to the guys, hopefully they're getting the message and it's a clear, concise message.​

Veteran leader Moses says it all contributes to an ego-less mindset.

"Just to see them work together as one and nobody's bigger than the other, it allows us to see that that's how our room is. We got older guys, we got younger guys. We all keep each other accountable. Nobody's bigger than the other, whether you're a first-round draft pick or the last pick in the draft. We all have the same standards. When you have coaches in your room that share that same value, it trickles down.

"I always say, when you think of a Fortune 500 company, the good ones are the ones that are good at the top and it trickles down. That's the same thing for us. We have great coaches in our room and we respect them. They work hard and they work well together, so that's the standard for us," Moses said.

Again, all the credit goes to the players on the field. However, the steady play the Patriots got from G/C Ben Brown and Lowe when Campbell and Wilson went down with injuries speaks to the foundation the coaching staff built on the offensive line. In recent years, injuries have derailed the unit as opposed tothe old days of Patriots Hall of Famer Dante Scarnecchia's offensive lines not missing a beat when New England plugged in backups. With the two of them starting four games each, Brown and Lowe's play is reminiscent of those times.

While playing through a torn labrum in his shoulder for half the season, Lowe only allowed one sack with a 4.2% quick pressure rate (under 2.5 seconds). In 2024, Lowe allowed 25 "quick" pressures at a rate of 5.5%. He also cut down on the penalties, with only two penalties called compared to a league-high 13 called penalties last season. Earlier this season, Brown signed a two-year contract extension with the team to continue as a super-sub on the interior O-Line, as both holdover linemen have shown signs of improvement under the new coaching staff.​

"They bought into what we're doing. It's been awesome to see Ben develop and those other guys have been doing great," Kugler said.

McDaniels and Vrabel's Influence on the Patriots Offensive Line

Along with their three offensive line coaches, the Patriots also have trusted resources in Vrabel and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, both of whom bring their knowledge to the table.

According to Marrone, McDaniels is one of the best coordinators he has been around at protecting the offensive line with different schematic tricks. McDaniels often gives his tackles chip help on extended drop-backs, while understanding his personnel's strengths and weaknesses, so they aren't tasked with executing blocks that go against their skill sets.

"One thing I learned coming here was that the chips aren't just to help the offensive tackles, it helps everyone. When you have that aspect of learning and get to know what he stands for, not just as an offensive coordinator, but also as a man outside of the facility, those are things that stand out," Moses said of McDaniels.

As for Vrabel, the former linebacker brings his perspective from the defensive side of the ball.

"He spends more time than I've ever seen a head coach spend in the O-Line room," Bradbury said. "In the spring, he came in and said, 'Hey, my son played this position. I know if this room's not worth anything, then this team's not.' He'll sit back there and he'll give us some nuggets like, 'Hey, this is what the defense is thinking on this play. This style of defense is trying to do this, so we need to attack this.' Schematically, he helps us, but more importantly, it's identity. There's an identity he wants this football team to play with and we have to make it come to life."

Houghtaling, who spent three seasons on Vrabel's staff in Tennessee, shared that the Patriots head coach has always taken a hands-on approach with the offensive line.​

"He was always in the room in Tennessee," Houghtaling said. "He just brings a cool perspective, obviously having played on the defensive side of the ball and with his son being an offensive lineman, he kind of learned the ins and outs of the position. Fundamentally, it's similar on both sides, so it's good for him to be able to deliver a message to our guys from a defensive player perspective and I think that carries a lot of weight. Since he was rushing the passer as a player, he's breaking down pass rush moves and all that."

One tagline that Vrabel shares with the offensive line is finishing with your man in the end zone when the Patriots run the football on the goal line. If the offensive line is finishing with their man in the end zone, they're likely scoring a touchdown. That resonated with rookie LG Jared Wilson, who was amped after executing a "pile push" touchdown in the Patriots Week 11 win over the Jets, where the offensive line pushing RB TreVeyon Henderson across the goal line got his head coach fired up.

Wilson also received some technique coaching from Vrabel, with the Pats head coach suggesting Wilson block primarily from a two-point stance rather than from a hand-in-the-dirt (three-point) stance. The Patriots rookie doesn't bend as well as some other linemen, so when he was in a three-point stance, he was getting overextended and falling off blocks. Vrabel suggested putting him in a two-point stance and it paid dividends for the third-rounder.

"Coach came in and said let's put him up there in a two-point stance and let's see how it goes. We did and it's something that has worked. Like I said before, there's a lot of experience on our staff of people who have worked with the offensive line. You welcome that," Marrone said.

Campbell offered glowing praise for his head coach following the Patriots win over the Dolphins in Week 18, with the rookie saying, "I don't ever want to play for anybody else.​

"I just feel like it's very rare to have a coach like him that can connect with so many different personalities on a team," Campbell continued.

Karma Sushi, Shirley Temples, and Celtics Games

As much as football is the main thing for Patriots players, building off-field chemistry can often translate to on-field success, which really rings true for New England's offensive line.

Dating back to the spring, Moses and the veterans emphasized spending time together outside of the facility, scheduling weekly dinners and other hangouts. Some of the favorite spots are multiple trips to Karma, an Asian fusion restaurant in Wellesley, Mass., where the sushi is a major hit for the players. The offensive line also attended a Celtics game recently, where Campbell went viral for drinking an adult beverage when the group was shown on the Jumbotron.

According to the Patriots rookie, he told his teammates that he would chug a beer if the group was shown on the Jumbotron. When they were put on the TD Garden video board, Campbell had to be a man of his word, committing fully to the bit by taking his shirt off while drinking his beverage.

"This is the most fun I've had playing football since high school," Campbell said. "All you hear about whenever you're going into the league as a rookie is it's not like college, enjoy college. You don't have that close bond with your team and your coaches. I feel like that's complete BS because this team has done nothing but prove that wrong."

Another tidbit from the O-Line dinners is that the group each has a Shirley Temple at dinner, a tradition started during the team's 10-game winning streak earlier this season. For the longest time, the players were tight-lipped about who started the Shirley Temple tradition, but recently they spilled the beans that it was rookie OT Marcus Bryant who ordered the first Shirley.​

"I always use this analogy of, when you think of all the good offensive lines, it's like a shoelace going through a sneaker, and you want that shoelace to go through the sneaker as smooth as possible. The number one thing is just building camaraderie, getting to know each other on and off the field. So, when you go to war with these guys, you don't have to second-guess what type of guy that person beside you is, you know, what he stands for," Moses said. "What we do is already hard enough. When you can create an atmosphere where you feel like it's not work when you come here, you're able to thrive as a football player."

There are several factors that contributed to the Patriots 10-win turnaround this season. However, having stable line play is the foundation of good offensive football. Without a steady line, extended drop-backs that produce the deep throws we all love and a productive run game that leads the NFL in expected points added over the last month wouldn't exist. Not to mention that the franchise, Drake Maye, needs to be protected to keep the MVP candidate upright.

Over the last few seasons, New England hasn't been able to supply that solid infrastructure for its quarterbacks. Thanks to successful personnel decisions and shrewd coaching, the Patriots offensive line is back to winning in the trenches.

DISCLAIMER: The views and thoughts expressed in this article are those of the writer and don't necessarily reflect those of the organization. Read Full Disclaimer