New England Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia has admitted that his side face a massive challenge when they come up against Cincinnati Bengals tight ends Jermaine Gresham and Tyler Eifert.
The duo, established this season following the drafting of Eifert in the first round of the 2013 Draft, have the potential to cause mismatches with their height and speed against any defense in the NFL, something of which Patricia is aware.
He told reporters: "They're out on the field a lot, whether they're together or individually out there in their different packages, but they certainly definitely create a challenge for any defense to try to match up against
"[It's hard] really try to handle the combination of their size, athleticism, their speed, and just the ability for them to get on the edge and block.
"So certainly another huge challenge for us this weekend, and something we're working hard to try to get ready for."
The Patriots' defense will be without All-Pro defensive tackle Vince Wilfork for the rest of the season, as he tore his Achilles tendon.