Patriots vs Bills game day roster: Week 17 Pass protection major concern

Patriots offensive line faces instability with Trent Brown ruled out for Week 17 game against the Bills. Pass protection is a concern.

The New England Patriots' offensive line has been struggling to find stability, and this issue will be even more pronounced in the Week 17 game against the Buffalo Bills. Starting left tackle Trent Brown has been ruled out of the game despite being removed from the injury report on Friday. This means that the left side of the Patriots' O-line will be manned by Vederian Lowe and Atonio Mafi. Both of these players have had issues with pass protection this season, with Lowe giving up a team-high 29 quarterback pressures and Mafi ranked second on that list with 26. The Bills' defense ranks third in the NFL with 50 sacks, so the Patriots need Lowe and Mafi to elevate their play to avoid a field day for the Bills' pass rush.

Looking at the Patriots' 48-man roster for Week 17, it's clear that the team is facing challenges beyond just the offensive line. The running back group has seen changes, with JaMycal Hasty being deactivated for the game against Buffalo, leaving Kevin Harris as the lone backup behind Ezekiel Elliott. The Patriots have also made recent roster additions, with Marco Wilson and Joshuah Bledsoe seeing action as the fifth cornerback and depth at safety, respectively.

The Patriots' game day roster has an average age of 26.1 years, and game day inactives include several key players such as Trent Brown, Hunter Henry, and Jabrill Peppers. The team's practice squad and injured reserve lists have also seen changes, with Rhamondre Stevenson and JuJu Smith-Schuster being moved to injured reserve, ending their seasons.

The Week 17 game against the Bills will be a challenging one for the Patriots, and it will be kicked off at 1 p.m. ET at Highmark Stadium. The team will need to overcome the absence of key players and find a way to secure a win against a tough opponent.

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