The New England Patriots can't catch a break right now. If injuries keep piling up, they might want to host open tryouts outside of Gillette Stadium to find someone crazy enough to suit up and play on the offensive line.
The Patriots lost a myriad of players in the divisional win over the New York Jets, and they're extremely thin up front. To make matters worse, they'll face the Chicago Bears on the road in a short week.
Mike Vrabel's team lost starting guard Alijah Vera-Tucker to a hamstring injury, backup IOL Ben Brown to a knee injury, and starting right tackle Morgan Moses to an ankle injury. That's why even Jared Wilson said what all Patriots fans were thinking about the string of injuries.
The banged-up Patriots can't make up excuses for their season
“It's my second year in the NFL. I played college and I played high school. I've never, in my life, seen this, even just watching football,” Wilson said, per the Boston Herald.
This is a big problem, obviously, but this is the National Football League. The Patriots can't afford to dwell on their injuries; the next man must step up and hold down the fort while they get some of their soldiers back.
Everybody's banged up right now. In fact, the Bears will likely host the Patriots down three starters on the defensive line and their backup running back. That's just how contact sports work.
The Bears' defense has been better than expected, but it's still more vulnerable than some of the units the Patriots have faced to date. Drake Maye is finding his groove, and this has the makings of a high-scoring affair.
As for the Patriots, they must get to the bottom of this. Is there a new electrical substation in Foxborough that no one warned them about? Is it their diet? Does the medical staff have something to do with that? Or maybe Mike Vrabel is wearing them out in practice?
This just isn't normal, and it's definitely not sustainable.
At least the Patriots will have a long week to recover and return to the field when they visit the Miami Dolphins in Week 8. However, they still have to push through and wait until Week 11 for their bye week, even after playing an overseas game first.
Mike Vrabel expressed concerns about the thin roster earlier in the season, and it looks like he'll have to go easier on his guys for the next month or so. Guys are dropping like flies, and they can't limp through the rest of the regular season.
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