The New England Patriots celebrated a big victory over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, beating their division rivals with a score of 29-26 to improve their record to 2-2 and build some much-needed momentum after a rough start to the season. That was the biggest takeaway from the game, but not the only important development.
The Patriots, after all, also sustained several injuries along the way. That said, most of them looked like they were comparatively minor issues and should not have a serious impact
on the team moving forward.
With that said, here is our weekly injury analysis after rewatching the game.
Patriots injury analysis: NFL Week 4
FB Reggie Gilliam: The Patriots’ fullback, who was nursing a knee injury heading into the game, left the sideline for the locker room in the late first quarter. He was later announced as questionable to return with an ankle issue, but did make his way back onto the field in the second period and straight away helped clear a path on a Rhamondre Stevenson touchdown run.
ED Dre’Mont Jones: Making his comeback after a one-week absence due to a shoulder injury, Jones was slow to get up after an incompletion just inside the first-half two-minute warning. However, he stayed in the game and showed no signs of limitation down the stretch.
QB Drake Maye: Even though he was a full practice participant throughout the week, New England’s starting quarterback did appear on the injury report leading up to the Bills game. When he was a bit slow to get up and seemingly favoring his right elbow or shoulder after a pass to Romeo Doubs in the third quarter, the alarm bells naturally went off. However, there was no cause for concern. Not only did Maye stay in the game, he ended up playing his best football of the season to lead the Patriots to victory.
WR Mack Hollins: Again filling a starting role for the Patriots offense, Hollins suffered a non-contact calf injury on an incomplete pass to DeMario Douglas in the third period. He hopped to the sideline on one leg and later walked to the locker room under his own power. He was announced as questionable to return to the contest but despite not officially being ruled out at any point never actually reentered.
TE Eli Raridon: The rookie tight end had missed last week’s game with a thigh injury and hurt his ankle in his return to game action versus Buffalo. Despite receiving the “questionable to return” tag in the early fourth quarter, though, Raridon did not miss significant time: he was back on the field four offensive plays after the team’s injury announcement.
CB Charles Woods: Helping fill in for the injured Christian Gonzalez, Woods had to be tended to by members of the Patriots training staff after a tackle in the early fourth quarter. Visibly upset and favoring his right arm, he headed into the blue medical tent and was labeled questionable to return. However, he ended up missing only seven games due to what he later called a “stinger” before reentering the contest on the next defensive series.
RB Rhamondre Stevenson: The Patriots’ starting running back hobbled off after a stuffed run on the final drive of the game. He did not reenter the contest but was seen afterwards moving without any visible discomfort or any aids such as a walking boot or crutches.
What this means for the Patriots
The list of banged-up Patriots keeps growing, with the aforementioned seven players joining three who were already ruled out for the contest — DT Christian Barmore, CB Christian Gonzalez, CB Channing Canada — as well as several contributors on an injury list. That said, it’s not all doom and gloom either.
For starters, only one of the injuries sustained actually appeared to be of the serious kind. Mack Hollins was the lone player unable to finish the game whose status is now in question, something head coach Mike Vrabel also said on Monday. With A.J. Brown already out and not eligible to return until next week, Hollins’ calf injury puts even more pressure on a wide receiver group that already had to rely on fringe game-day contributor Efton Chism down the stretch versus the Bills.
Of course, Chism rose up to the occasion against Buffalo and had two big catches on the eventual game-winning drive — including a 23-yard touchdown. Should Hollins be limited or unavailable this week, the expectation is that the second-year wideout will see extended reps in practice and on game day.
As for the six others listed above, they all appear to have dodged bullets. That does not mean that they won’t be limited in practice after all, but that their respective ailments do not seem to be of the significant variety.
Add the fact that multiple players are now eligible to be activated off their respective injury lists — S Brenden Schooler (NFI), ED Harold Landry (PUP), OT Marcus Bryant (IR), LB Khalil Jacobs (IR), P Bryce Baringer (IR) — and you get a team that could be trending in a positive direction again, health-wise. That said, the first practice of the week on Wednesday and subsequent injury report will give us more clues.
The Patriots will host the Las Vegas Raiders at Gillette Stadium on Sunday.
