Green Bay Packers at New England Patriots: 5 matchups to watch

5. Trey Flowers vs Lane Taylor & Byron Bell

Last week, the Packers guards had to match up against two of the NFL’s best interior defensive linemen in Aaron Donald and Ndamukong Suh. Luckily for them, they have one main focus this week rather than two. That focus is Trey Flowers who is playing the best football of his career this season. Per Pro Football Focus, he grades out as the best edge defender per Pro Football Focus.

After a successful transition from Josh Sitton, left guard Lane Taylor has fallen off some in the past season. Last week, he was thoroughly handled by Donald on a couple of occasions. Taylor’s guard mate, Byron Bell, has played decently since taking over for opening-day starter Justin McCray, but he still has room to grow his game better. Playing alongside one of the league’s best center’s in Corey Linsley should help these two.

The Packers running game has been coming along strong this season, and they ran very well against the Rams last weekend. Flowers’ strength this season has been in his run defense, but, if the guards can have a strong game against him, it will help the team in a multitude of ways. It can keep the defense on the sideline to rest, which keeps Brady on the sideline, and it opens up the play-action passing game.