The New England Patriots got hit with the injury bug in their Week 2 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, as five players were unable to finish the game.
Moving forward, the Patriots will turn elsewhere on the roster to help replace the injured starters. That especially rings true at the outside linebacker position.
With starting pass rusher Dre’Mont Jones sidelined with a shoulder injury and depth option Quintayvious Hutchins placed on injured reserve, Elijah Ponder and Gabe Jacas will see increased
opportunities moving forward.
That’s why in the latest SB Nation Reacts survey, 59% of participants were most looking forward to see what Jacas can do in an expanded role.
Some in the comment section agreed, while other brought new names into the mix:
KissBillsRings
Kyle Williams
Ricky Hot Pants
Chism. We need to find someone to get open…quickly.
HunterNuts
I’m excited to see what Jacas can do but I’m more interested in finding out if the team got even a remotely good return on the Boutte trade
Birds3
Jacas. By far the highest ceiling of the group.
Maye The Force Be With You
This is a difficult question. We will see a lot of Jaylen Reed and Jacas with the injuries and I’m excited for that. We will also see Van Roten, and I’m a bit nervous there and am hoping to see “bigger things” from him.
All in all, this week’s survey results look as follows:
While there is certainly room to grow, the first two weeks have been promising for Jacas, who has tallied his first career sack and interception.
“I think he just continues to improve,” head coach Mike Vrabel said. “He’s very coachable, he wants to do a great job, he wants to continue to improve. This is his third NFL game, and there’s going to be things that are new for him. But I think you could see things that we correct from one week to the next. I think that really shows up. That’s all you can ask for.”
Beyond Jacas, 28% of participants are interested to see safety Jaylen Reed in an expanded role. Reed, who already took over as the team’s big nickel last week, should draw the start on Sunday in place of the injured Craig Woodson (shoulder).
7% of participants then voted for Greg Van Roten, who will take Mike Onwenu’s place at right guard, with the remaining 6% opting for Cameron Latu. The tight end will serve as the No. 2 option behind Hunter Henry with Eli Raridon (thigh) inactive.
New England’s win over Pittsburgh last week has fan confidence trending in a positive direction. 70% of fans believe the team is headed in the right direction — up from 56% last week.
Entering Week 3, the Patriots are tied with the 10th best odds to win Super Bowl LXI on FanDuel Sportsbook — fifth best in the AFC.
