New England Patriots vs Atlanta Falcons: 6 players to watch for

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HOUSTON, TX – FEBRUARY 05: Trey Flowers #98 of the New England Patriots reacts after a play in the fourth quarter against Matt Ryan #2 of the Atlanta Falcons during Super Bowl 51 at NRG Stadium on February 5, 2017 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /

Patriots Defensive End, Trey Flowers

The easiest way to slow down a passing attack is by getting pressure on the quarterback. Making a quarterback speed up his decision-making process could cause some mistakes, such as poor throws and turnovers.

The pass rush has been inconsistent for the Patriots this season. They are in the middle of the league in sacks, recording 14 through six games. One player who has stood out as a pass rusher thus far is Trey Flowers.

Flowers is tied for the team lead in sacks with linebacker Kevin Van Noy; both have 3.5 so far. However, Flowers is the epitome of the Patriots pass rush this season. He has recorded a sack in every other game thus far this season. If that trend continues, Flowers is due to get to the Matt Ryan this weekend.

The Falcons offensive line has struggled at times, namely, tackle Jake Matthews. He could be someone the Patriots look to exploit with their pass rush to try and disrupt Ryan and the Falcons offense. Flowers will be relied upon to provide that pressure.

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