Patriots Fire Offensive Line Coach After Loss To The Broncos

While it may be a simplification of 60 minutes of football, the Denver Broncos’ defense was the key to defeating the New England Patriots on Saturday. Even while favoring a three man pass rush, Denver was still able to hit Tom Brady 23 times, throwing off his timing and making him uncomfortable in the pocket. On Monday, the Patriots parted ways with offensive line coach Dave DeGuglielmo according to ESPN.

DeGuglielmo held the position for two seasons; in his first, his offensive line only allowed 21 sacks as the Patriots won the Super Bowl. This season, however, was a different story as the unit, which was faced with constant injuries and the inclusion of three rookies, gave up 38 sacks. His hands were also somewhat tied as Bill Belichick doesn’t use high draft picks on offensive linemen.

The coach’s previous stops include the New York Giants, where he began as an assistant offensive line coach from 2004-2008. DeGuglielmo then served as the offensive line coach for the Miami Dolphins (2009-2011) and the New York Jets (2012).

Given the realities of the NFL, someone had to take the blame for this weekend’s loss. Based on the pressure that Brady faced, it had to be DeGuglielmo.

Photo: Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots tries to evade a tackle by Von Miller #58 of the Denver Broncos in the first half in the AFC Championship game at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on January 24, 2016 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)