There are only two games left on the Patriots 2024 schedule, both of which are home games, and the first team to come to town is the LA Chargers. The AFC West team is still competing for a spot in the playoffs, adding to their motivation to take down the Patriots on their home turf in a Saturday standalone game.
They're coming off a close victory over their divisional rival (the Broncos) and hope to push themselves further ahead of them to secure a wildcard spot in the postseason. They can accomplish that by beating the 3-12 Patriots, which they are favored to do. But it might not be as simple as they thought because of how New England fared against the Bills last week.
It was projected to be a blowout due to Josh Allen's MVP-caliber season, but the Patriots kept it within reach until the very end. That's not what the Chargers want to see, especially since they have historically had trouble playing at Gillette Stadium.
That helps the Patriots (slightly) on top of the desire to finish the year on a high note, which could happen this week with a much-improved injury report at the end of the year.
Full Inactives List for the New England Patriots
PLAYER NAME | POSITION |
|---|---|
Ben Brown | C |
Marcus Jones | CB |
Jabrill Peppers | S |
Joe Milton III | QB |
Terrell Jennings | RB |
Sidy Sow | G |
Tyrese Robinson | G |
Ben Brown | C |
Key Absences and Their Impact
Offensive impact
Since signing Ben Brown from the Raiders practice squad earlier this season, the Patriots have had a stable piece on the offensive line that looked questionable after David Andrews' season ending injury.
Brown has been consistently one of the best players of the group despite having limited experience with the team and was a starter just days after joining. Because he is dealing with a concussion, he has already been ruled out for their Week 17 matchup with the Chargers, meaning Cole Strange will likely be taking over at center until he can return.
While finally having Strange back on the field is a good thing, having him lined up in a position he hasn't played yet during his NFL career is a bit unnerving. He's the best alternative, but hopefully, he has been given enough time to practice to keep Drake Maye upright and avoid mistakes this week.
Special teams impact
The Patriots unexpectedly placed cornerback and return specialist Marcus Jones on injured reserve on Friday, officially ending his season with just two games left to play. It's a massive blow to the secondary, as Jones has been one of the more productive cornerbacks beyond Christian Gonzalez, but more importantly he's a bigger loss on special teams than anything else.
Since becoming the go-to punt returner, Jones has created a lot of issues for opponents with his speed and ability to give the Patriots offense great positioning.
The team has struggled to find an adequate replacement for when Jones is unable to suit up, which creates a bit of uncertainty for this week's game.
Full Inactives List for the Los Angeles Chargers
PLAYER NAME | POSITION |
|---|---|
Denzel Perryman | LB |
Trey Pipkins | T |
Gus Edwards | RB |
Easton Stick | QB |
Jordan McFadden | G |
Hayden Hurst | TE |
Justin Eboigbe | DE |