The New England Patriots survived their Week 9 game against the Atlanta Falcons, holding off their opponent with a final score of 24-23. However, their sixth straight victory came at a cost: the team saw
several starter-level players get banged up in the process.
Let’s assess the damage after rewatching the game.
Patriots injury analysis: Week 9
WR Kayshon Boutte: The Patriots announced Boutte as questionable to return to the game late in the second quarter, and eventually ruled him out shortly after halftime. There was no obvious moment of him hurting his hamstring, but he was on the field for a majority of snaps during the team’s touchdown drive in the early second period as well as Stefon Diggs’ touchdown reception on the next possession. That snap was his final one of the day, even though he did not show any visible limitations.
LB Christian Elliss: The late first half was a disaster for the Patriots not just because they turned the ball over and promptly gave up a touchdown that reduced their lead to 21-14. To make matters worse, Christian Elliss went down on the ensuing extra point (to be quite accurate, he stayed down because he failed to make it out of his stance). He limped off the field and was later announced as questionable to return because of a hip ailment. Like Kayshon Boutte, he also was ruled out shortly thereafter.
OT Will Campbell: The Patriots’ rookie left tackle showed some discomfort after a TreVeyon Henderson run with 8:39 left to play in the third quarter, holding his left shoulder after being at the point of attack for the 3-yard carry. He stayed in the game, however, and finished with a 100% playing time share.
S Craig Woodson: While successfully tripping up Bijan Robinson to stop a 4-yard run, the Patriots’ rookie safety came down hard on his left shoulder. He was slow to get up but eventually got back to his position in the lineup and finished the game without any further issues. On the day, he played all but two of New England’s 56 defensive snaps.
CB Christian Gonzalez: The Patriots’ top cornerback played a good game against Drake London, but he was beaten out for a contested deep catch midway through the fourth quarter. In the process of Gonzalez trying to break up the pass, both players came down with London landing on top of the defender, who also hit his head on the turf. The All-Pro defender remained on the ground before slowly walking off the field with members of the medical staff. He headed into the blue medical tent on the sideline and later to the locker room, and was announced as questionable to return with a head injury. He never reentered the contest.
What this means for the Patriots
The Patriots saw five of their most valuable players get beaten up against the Falcons, but Boutte appears to be the primary concern at the moment. The third-year receiver is considered “day to day,” according to head coach Mike Vrabel, and unlikely to practice early in the week.
Boutte himself, meanwhile, took to Discord to give an update of his status and claimed that he “shouldn’t be down too long” after sustaining a Grade 1 hamstring sprain:
As for the other injuries, Gonzalez obviously is the biggest name on the entire list. However, the third-year cornerback reemerged from the locker room and later said that he could have entered the game again had it gone on longer. As for the injury, he confirmed he hit his head and underwent a concussion check, but that he was “good.”
Christian Elliss, meanwhile, also did not appear to have suffered a severe injury. Like Gonzalez, he participated in postgame handshakes and exchanged his jersey with his brother, Falcons linebacker Kaden Elliss.
As with Boutte and to a lesser degree Gonzalez, his status for the upcoming game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers still remains to be determined, though. The same is true for Will Campbell and Craig Woodson, even though neither rookie seems to have sustained major injuries on Sunday.
The Patriots will return to practice on Wednesday and release their first injury report of the week later that day. On Sunday at 1 p.m. ET, they will take on the Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium.
