FOXBORO -- Lineman stats?
They're out there. And these stats, uncovered by a diligent Patriots
supporter who goes by the handle of Andy Johnson on
Patsfans.com, may surprise you.
According to numbers on Pro Football Weekly's web site, Patriots left
tackle Matt Light has allowed just two sacks in 10 games. Two? He used
to allow two on the Patriots' first possession in Miami.
As for some of the other left tackle luminaries around the league,
Jonathan Ogden of Baltimore has allowed 3.25. Bryant McKinnie of the
Vikings has allowed eight and Orlando Pace has given up 3.5.
Apprised of this yesterday, the third-year burlyman from Purdue said,
"Wow! That's very interesting."
Is it accurate?
"I don't know, man," Light said.
It would be accurate to say that Light is playing lights-out so far this
season. Not that he's letting it go to his thickly-maned head.
"There's always somebody barking about something I can't do right," he
said. "I don't get into all that 'What can a guy can do, what can't he
do.' As far as stats go, I don't get caught up in all that. There's been
plenty of good players who had their fair share of sacks and penalty
issues. I have had those, but I still go out and compete and try and
help my team win."
He's doing it by helping to protect the quarterback and in helping to
establish a running game. These stats, also uncovered by our man Johnson
on Pro Football Weekly's site, have the Pats running 78 times for 358
yards (4.5 per carry) and three touchdowns on Light's left side.
What it adds up to is this: In a very competitive division, Light is
blossoming into one of the game's better tackles. And he can feel it. He
knows how much he's improved.
"In 2001, that was really a learning season," Light explained. "It was
getting acclimated and learning the ins and outs of the NFL. Any time
you're thrown into a new environment it's a big step, especially for a
lineman because you're against some of the premier players on defense
every week. Particularly in the AFC East, where there's an abundance of
talent. There's (John Abraham of the Jets, Miami's Jason Taylor and
Buffalo's Aaron Schobel) and then the entourage of linebackers we have
in this division. Besides that, 2001 was an injury-plagued season. I
don't think I had more than four inches of skin without tape. I was held
together by strings."
And there were times, Light recalled, when he was tethered together by
frayed strings. Times when things start to unravel quickly.
"Certain things happen in the course of the game," he explained.
"There's always games where, early on, you go out and let things affect
you. Whether it's the crowd, or the guy you're going up against makes a
few plays on you and then they start attacking you with the with
defensive scheme. Those things surprise you. That's when you're out
there thinking, 'How'd I let it get to this point? Why is it like this?'
That hasn't happened much this year."
Not at all. Just check the numbers.
"Yeah," said Light, "for all those bad plays, hopefully there's a
handful of good ones that get you paid."
