Week 17 was a full-on success for the New England Patriots. Not only did they celebrate a 42-10 victory over the New York Jets that was very much uncontested, they also ended up clinching the AFC East
later on Sunday.
As the cherry on top, they also caught a much-needed break on the injury front. After sustaining some losses in recent weeks, there are no obvious concerns coming out of their latest game. Let’s assess the damage.
Patriots injury analysis: Week 17
QB Drake Maye: The Patriots’ starting quarterback being a bit slow to get up after taking a hit to the head in the second quarter, drawing a roughing the passer penalty and prompting head coach Mike Vrabel to sprint onto the field, could have been a scary moment. It ultimately wasn’t, because Maye looked fine right away and remained in the game without showing any limitations from the play. He went 8-of-9 for 97 yards and a pair of touchdowns from that point on, and overall played one of the most productive games in recent memory.
FB Jack Westover: New England’s fullback remained down after a kickoff with 14:51 left in the fourth quarter, but walked off under own power. After some time in the blue medical tent, he returned to the sideline trying to walk the injury off. Ultimately, Westover did not reenter the game after he was announced as questionable to return with an ankle ailment.
CB Charles Woods: The Patriots’ backup quarterback, who entered the contest questionable with a foot issue, showcased some apparent discomfort in his back after unsuccessfully trying to break up an 18-yard pass in the late fourth quarter. Woods remained in the game and no injury was announced.
What this means for the Patriots
The Patriots were down seven players heading into their game against the Jets, but that list growing ahead of the season finale seems unlikely: New England escaped without any obvious major injuries. The biggest question mark is Jack Westover, but head coach Mike Vrabel gave a positive update on his status on Monday.
“Sore, probably could have returned,” Vrabel said. “We’ll monitor him here in the next couple days. I don’t think it’s anything that is too significant, but we’ll just see how he progresses here when we get back to work.”
The Patriots will hold their first practice of the week on Wednesday, and will release an injury report later that day. They will host the Miami Dolphins in their regular season finale at 4:25 p.m. ET on Sunday, Jan. 4.
