FOXBOROUGH — Whenever the greatest coach of all-time calls a player one of the best on the team everyone ought to pay attention, and that\u2019s exactly what happened with left guard Joe Thuney.<\/p>\n
\u201cJoe\u2019s done a great job for us. He\u2019s one of our best players, one of our most consistent players,\u201d Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said.<\/p>\n
This season, Thuney has built on a solid 2017 campaign to elevate his game to Pro Bowl caliber.<\/p>\n
Through the first 12 weeks, Thuney is ninth among guards with a 72.4 overall grade from Pro Football Focus and his pass blocking grade has improved dramatically.<\/p>\n
After allowing five sacks and receiving a 74.1 pass blocking grade a year ago, Thuney hasn\u2019t allowed a sack through 11 games this season and has an 88.0 grade on passing downs (third among guards).<\/p>\n
Thuney is also the only player on the team to be in on 100 percent of the Patriots’ snaps on either side of the ball.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a long season. Trying not to get too high or too low,\u201d Thuney said when asked about Belichick\u2019s high praise. \u201cKeep working. Just trying to keep working and there\u2019s always room to improve and get better. Obviously, it’s cool to hear, but it\u2019s a long season, and you gotta keep working to get better.\u201d<\/p>\n
A three-year starter at NC State, the Patriots selected the versatile Thuney in the third round of the 2016 draft.<\/p>\n
In college, Thuney lined up at all five spots on the Wolfpack offensive line at one point or another but finished his career as a left tackle his senior year.<\/p>\n
Although Thuney, now in his third season in the NFL, has fit in seamlessly at left guard (he\u2019s started every game of his career), the 26-year-old didn\u2019t know where he\u2019d play in the pros after constantly moving around the line in college.<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t really have too much of an idea,\u201d Thuney said at his locker on Friday. \u201cI knew I wasn\u2019t the tallest guy in the world, but wherever I could help a team out. I was willing to play whatever.\u201d<\/p>\n
As you\u2019d expect for a player with a tackle background, Thuney was one of the best athletes at his position at the 2016 scouting combine finishing in the 98th percentile in the 40-yard dash (4.95 seconds), the 91st percentile in the broad jump (110\u201d) and the 88th percentile in the three-cone drill (7.47 seconds).<\/p>\n
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Due to that athleticism, Thuney is a perfect fit on the interior for the Patriots, who frequently ask their linemen to play in space on screens and in the run game.<\/p>\n
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Plus, he has rare foot speed and length for a guard which explains his skill as a pass blocker.<\/p>\n
\u201cCertainly Shaq [Mason] and Joe [Thuney] both do a real good job of that, they both run well and have good balance and make good decisions. To be able to get out on screens and to pull and to reach block and play in space and that type of thing, those guys have been able to do that,\u201d Belichick said of his two starting guards.<\/p>\n
As Belichick said, the Patriots have a pair of terrific guards on the interior of the offensive line with both Thuney (ninth) and right guard Shaq Mason (first) ranking in the top ten of Pro Football Focus\u2019 grading at the position.<\/p>\n
And Thuney told me that communicating with Mason over the years has helped him immensely during his time with the Patriots.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are always talking,\u201d Thuney said. \u201cIn the stadium, our lockers are next to each other. We are always talking in meetings and on the field during games. We are constantly bouncing ideas off of each other, asking how we approach certain things. We talk a lot. It\u2019s a really good relationship.\u201d<\/p>\n
In general, Thuney has tried to improve his communication saying that\u2019s one area that\u2019s he has focused on this season.<\/p>\n
\u201cBeing more communicative because my rookie year Nate [Solder] helped a lot with the communication. Just trying to talk more and communicate more. I think everyone\u2019s talking, communicating, sharing throughout. Practice, games, plays all the time. Everyone\u2019s trying to be on the same page,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
From a technique standpoint, the only thing holding Thuney back from being an elite pass protector was some issues with handling power, but he has made strides in that area shoring up his main weakness.<\/p>\n
Thuney has also been a significant part of a resurgent running game featuring rookie running back Sony Michel.<\/p>\n
\nName a better O line then the patriots…… I\u2019ll wait ???? #Gopats<\/a><\/p>\n
— Sony Michel (@Flyguy2stackz) November 25, 2018<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n