New England Patriots star guard Alijah Vera-Tucker had a noteworthy performance in Week 5 against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Pro Football Focus gave Vera-Tucker the second-highest pass-blocking grade in the NFL with an 89.8 grade after his standout performance in the team’s 45-17 win over the Raiders.
Vera-Tucker did not allow a pressure, hit or sack on 41 pass-blocking snaps against Las Vegas. He was particularly effective in protecting quarterback Drake Maye’s blind side and helped New England’s offensive line limit sacks allowed to Maye, with only one permitted in the game. His work in the run game also helped the Patriots rush for 165 yards and two touchdowns with an average of 5.3 yards per carry.
Through five games, Vera-Tucker has allowed a sack
and 10 pressures, ranking among the league’s most reliable interior protectors. He has been credited with allowing only one quarterback hit all season and has only committed two penalties on the year.
Vera-Tucker’s consistency has been a major reason why Maye has been able to take more downfield shots of late. New England’s offensive line will face another challenging test in Week 6 when it hosts the visiting New York Jets.
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This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Overlooked Patriots OL gets top three pass-blocking grade for Week 5
