AFC East's best one-on-one battles

09.03    

Foxborough, MA--12/30/2012 (4th quarter) New England Patriots Sebastian Vollmer lead blocks for Stevan Ridley as he blocks Miami Dolphins Cameron Wake during 4th quarter action at Gillette Stadium on Sunday December 30 2012. (Matthew J. Lee/Globe staff) Topic: patriotsdolpnins Reporter:Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff


By Erik Frenz / Going Deep Blog


Football is the ultimate team sport, but it's hard not to watch closely when two top players lock horns.


Whether it's that dynamic edge rusher up against the dominant offensive tackle or the speedy wide receiver threatening to go deep against a team's shutdown cornerback, the one-on-one matchups can sometimes have a tremendous impact on the outcome of a game.


An offensive line may then have to adjust for that pass-rusher constantly getting into the backfield by chipping him with a tight end. A secondary may have to roll coverage to a specific side of the field to account for a receiver's ability to get open and make big plays.


These are some of the games within the games, and one-on-one matchups that will put butts in seats this season.










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