Analyzing the Patriots’ injury situation after their 32-16 loss to the Jaguars in Week 7.
The New England Patriots’ third ever trip to London was one to forget. The team of first-year head coach Jerod Mayo was blown out by the Jacksonville Jaguars, losing its sixth straight game with a final score of 32-16. To make matters worse, injuries again were a concern especially on the offensive side of the ball.
With that said, let’s take a look at the damage sustained versus Jacksonville after re-watching the contest.
Injury analysis
RB Antonio Gibson: The Patriots’ nominal No. 2 running back remained down after a catch-and-run screen play with 11:09 left in the first quarter. He did jog off under his own power and returned on the very next drive, but ultimately ended the game playing a season-low 10 offensive snaps. The exact nature of the injury was not announced by the team.
RG Layden Robinson: Following a short run by Gibson in the late first quarter, Robinson remained on the ground holding his right ankle. He was able to walk off the field without assistance, but had to be replaced in the starting lineup by fellow guard Sidy Sow. Robinson was later announced as questionable to return before ultimately being ruled out at the half.
WR DeMario Douglas: Douglas saw a lot of action early on in the game, but in the third quarter was suddenly replaced in the lineup by K.J. Osborn. He eventually was announced as questionable to return due to an illness. The sophomore pass catcher was back on the field in the fourth period, and ended the game playing just 20 offensive snaps (33%). Douglas later took to social media to reveal that he had been dealing with food poisoning.
WR Ja’Lynn Polk: The second-round wide receiver had a forgettable day, and it found its premature end in the fourth quarter when the Patriots announced he was questionable to return with a head injury. His final play was an unsuccessful two-point try with 8:27 left in the game, that saw him slip and fall to the ground out of his break on a whip route. Polk did get up and jog off the field without showing any visible limitation following that play, but he was not spotted again.
What this means for the Patriots
Injuries have been an issue for the Patriots all season long, and Sunday was no exception. How this will impact the team moving forward remains to be seen, however.
Antonio Gibson and DeMario Douglas were both in and out of the lineup due to their respective ailments, which suggests that they should no be of a long-term concern. However, they could still impact their availability in practice this week.
The same is true for Layden Robinson and Ja’Lynn Polk, whose statuses are more unclear after neither was able to finish the game against Jacksonville.
Robinson, of course, would likely move back into a backup role anyway once left tackle Vederian Lowe returns from his own ankle injury; Lowe’s presence would likely lead to another shakeup resulting in Robinson returning to the bench. Still, his absence would put pressure on the team’s interior O-line depth and make Sidy Sow the next man up as he was Sunday.
As far as Polk is concerned, he had his issues turning targets into receptions lately. As a consequence of that and other factors — Kendrick Bourne’s return, Kayshon Boutte’s emergency at the X — his role was likely to become more specialized anyway. Still, head injuries are treated as the serious business they are in the NFL. The rookie might therefore be forced to spend some time on the sidelines.
As always, the first practice of the week will bring clarity. New England will return to the fields behind Gillette Stadium on Wednesday, with a subsequent injury report set to be released later that day.
The Patriots will host the New York Jets at Gillette Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 27, at 1 p.m. ET.