Now what? Brady, Patriots are getting desperate for wide receivers
EPA
COMMENTARY
To illustrate just how dire the situation has become, consider this: Had Wes Welker not signed with the St. Louis Rams only two weeks ago, the former New England Patriots wide receiver might very well be in Foxborough this week for a tryout borne out of desperation.
While the popular creed of denial this season has been that the Patriots offense can survive any number of injuries as long as they’re not to quarterback Tom Brady or tight end Rob Gronkowski, the walls are seemingly closing in, leaving coordinator Josh McDaniels with a bruised brigade of weapons.
In three consecutive games, New England has lost an integral role player to injury. First, it was running back Dion Lewis, rupturing his ACL against the Washington Redskins. Done for the season.
Last week, it was wide receiver Julian Edelman, breaking a bone in his foot against the New York Giants. He’s hopeful to return for the postseason.
On Monday night, when Brady and the decimated Patriots already seemed in an offensive funk thanks to the subtractions, not to mention a stellar defensive game plan from Buffalo Bills head coach Rex Ryan, New England lost Danny Amendola late in the game to a knee injury. Fellow wide receiver Aaron Dobson, who appeared on the injury report prior to the game, also left the Patriots’ eventual 20-13 win with an ankle injury after making a pivotal catch.
Where does it end? And does the carnage indeed cease before it gets to (gulp) Gronkowski or Brady?
Amendola reportedly has a knee sprain and isn’t expected to miss any extended time, but he’s certainly in doubt for Week 12, while Dobson reportedly had an X-ray that revealed no broken bones. But to say the Pats are now thin at wide receiver, heading into Sunday night’s showdown in Denver against the Broncos, is an understatement. As it stands now, if Amendola and Dobson are both unable to go this weekend, Brandon LaFell would be Brady’s top wide receiver on the depth chart, followed by Chris Harper — signed off the practice squad last week — and Keshawn Martin, inactive for Monday’s game nursing his own injury (hamstring).
Woof.
“We’ve lost quite a few guys over the last three weeks,’’ Brady said after throwing for 277 yards, one touchdown, and one interception in the win. “I think we’ll just keep fighting and find a way to win. It’s good to win against a good defense. Whoever’s in there we’ve got to have confidence in what they’re doing.’’
“Whoever’s in there’’ being the key phrase.
If there’s any long-term prognosis on either Amendola or Dobson, Bill Belichick is going to be bringing in some bodies to fill some roles in time for New England’s post-Thanksgiving game against the Broncos, who will be giving the nod to quarterback Brock Osweiler for a second straight week in lieu of the struggling (and injured?) Peyton Manning. Josh Boyce, released by the team at the outset of training camp, seems a likely option. Randy Moss does not.
In his two games with the Rams, Welker, whom many figured, or at least hoped, to be retired after a long history of concussions, has caught five balls for 45 yards, easing his way into an offense with the Case Keenum controversy hovering over Jeff Fisher’s 4-6 team. Based on his familiarity with Brady and the Patriots’ offense, he might have been a clear option to run through the drills this week, even with his history attached.
Kenbrell Thompkins (Jets) isn’t walking through that tunnel. Austin Collie – also no stranger to concussions — just finished his comeback season in the Canadian Football League with British Columbia, scoring seven touchdowns for the Lions. Is there any part of McDaniels and Belichick that would be desperate enough to kick the tires on Reggie Wayne again? How about a 36-year-old Santana Moss?
Second-year player James White gave a glimpse of hope that he might be counted on to step in for the injured Lewis in the backfield, scoring a pair of touchdowns Monday night, and Harper also had a nice catch that was brought back after a holding penalty. Next man up and all, but replacing Edelman and Amendola, if it comes to it, is no easy task, particularly against the Broncos, who are allowing a league-best 190.6 passing yards per game this season.
No, the game doesn’t have the same cache that it did only a few weeks ago, when it appeared we were on course for a pair of 10-0 teams going at it in what would be Brady-Manning XVII. But that was all window dressing anyway. The magnitude of Pats-Broncos lies not only in the fact that New England (10-0) has an opportunity to clinch the AFC East next weekend, but that also the chance to further distance itself from Denver (8-2) for the right to home-field advantage in the playoffs.
On Monday (356 total yards), the Patriots hardly resembled that team.
“There were a lot of plays out there where we didn’t necessarily do our job well,’’ Brady said. “I think we can play better, and I think some of the things we didn’t do well has nothing to do with missing some other guys.’’
But they did.
Sooner or later, they had to.
“Guys just keep stepping up,’’ tight end Rob Gronkowski said. “Guys are hungry on our team.’’
But will there be enough bodies from this Thanksgiving week carnage to feast in Denver?
And what’s Brandon Lloyd doing these days anyway?
Contact Eric Wilbur at: [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter: @GlobeEricWilbur
Photos from the Patriots’ win over the Bills
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