Watch: NFL referee is even sick of the Patriots offensive line penalties

The Patriots' offensive line struggles are on full display in their preseason finale against the Commanders on Sunday Night Football, which isn't a great look with the roster cutdown just days away. It also doesn't bode well for the potential success of Drake Maye being named the starting quarterback, if that's what Jerod Mayo and Co. ultimately decide.

Despite the optimism from the coaching staff and even Eliot Wolf, the offensive line has been a problem all offseason. They made efforts to improve the group by signing players in free agency and double dipping in the draft, but it's clear enough work wasn't done to turn the group around.

They have consistently been the biggest weakness throughout the summer, and it's shown up frequently during their three preseason games.

It has become a particular problem against the Commanders despite most of their starters sitting out of the game, to the point that even the head referee of the game expressed some frustration over the constant penalties.

It was an offensive drive that saw multiple flags for false starts and illegal formations, with Chuks Okorafor being the biggest culprit. By halftime, he had racked up three flags for illegal formations, which prompted Shawn Huchuli's response when announcing the latest penalty.

You know it's a bad night when even a referee, who is supposed to be a neutral party and show no favoritism etc., is visibly and audibly annoyed with the same penalties throughout the night.

It would be great if this is the wake-up call the Patriots coaching staff needed to see just how poorly constructed the offensive line group is and has performed. Hopefully, they will address it head-on during the two weeks between now and the start of the regular season.

The success of their offense will hinge on it, no matter who is in at quarterback.

More Patriots news and analysis: