New England Patriots offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt didn’t need many descriptive words to share his opinion of 49ers All-Pro defensive end Nick Bosa.
“Nightmare,” Van Pelt said on Thursday, when speaking with media members about the matchup on Sunday.
It’ll be Van Pelt’s struggling offense against the Bosa-led 49ers defense. So far, the former NFL Defensive Player of the Year has two sacks and five quarterback hits.
He’ll be looking to feast on a shaky Patriots offensive line that gave up seven sacks and 15 quarterback hits to the New York Jets last week.
This will be one of those games where the Patriots will need to lean on their running game and the quarterback to get the ball out quicker.
OC Alex Van Pelt describes this as a “get the ball out of your hands” week based on the 49ers pass rush and “nightmare” presence of DE Nick Bosa. pic.twitter.com/lIZ4COzA4O
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) September 26, 2024
Even incompletions can be considered positive plays against the 49ers defense. The primary goal for the Patriots should be to avoid going backward and setting up too many third-and-long situations.
If they can keep Bosa from wrecking the game, they’ll have a fighting chance against the 49ers. Of course, that’s easier said than done for a road team with one of the worst offensive lines in the league.