Against the Pittsburgh Steelers Dec. 9, they allowed Brady to attempt 46 passes and throw for 399 yards and four touchdowns with no sacks and nary a scratch. The next week they took the perpetual-motion, moving-parts defensive scheme of New York Jets coach Eric Mangini and perpetually moved it out of the way to the tune of 131 yards rushing.
Who knows what shape they'll take on Sunday against the San Diego Chargers in the AFC Championship game, but it will be whatever one the game plan calls for.
"They operate within the system and what the system is asking of them," said former NFL center and current NFL Network analyst Jamie Dukes. "This isn't like Alex Gibbs zone-blocking with 285-pound tackles. The system [in New England] is we do whatever we want to do. If we want to throw the ball 50 times that's what we do. We want to run it 50 times because we see something in the game plan, that's what we want to do."
Although, they'll never enjoy the matinee idol status of Brady or the awe-filled adoration of Moss, the offensive line has received its share of kudos this season.
Besides their Pro Bowl selections, Light, Koppen, and Mankins, who may be the team's most consistent every-down lineman, were all named All-Pro. Light was a first-team selection, while Koppen and Mankins earned second-team honors.
Koppen said it's nice for the line to be recognized, but individual accomplishments don't win football games. From Koppen's point of view, at the center of the offensive line - the ultimate team unit in the ultimate team game - that's the only stance you could take. It embodies what the line stands for - gridiron gestalt.
"I could find you a better player at every one of those positions around the league," said Dukes. "I could find you a better guy, but it's like the glove and the hand. Those five guys work well together and in synch."
Sometimes life imitates art and that was the case this season for Brady, who did a memorable Visa commercial with his linemen in 2005. He really did have "five layers of protection" this season, allowing him to throw an NFL-record 50 touchdown passes.
