The New England Patriots lost their second game in three weeks this past Sunday, putting on a train-wreck performance against the Packers in Week 9. Five Green Bay players had career days, four of them on offense.
Specifically, both Christian Watson and Matthew Golden diced New England's secondary, posting career-high receiving yards.
The Patriots are now 5-4 heading into an international game in Germany against the Lions, ahead of their bye week. Despite an average record, they currently hold the No. 7 seed in the AFC playoff picture, and only one of their four losses has been to a conference opponent.
In the AFC East, they're 3-0, and while they remain three games back from the Bills, a strong conference record will be key come December.
On one hand, their matchup against the Lions is international and against a strong and healthy NFC opponent. On the other hand, if the Patriots manage a win despite their injuries, they'd be 6-4 before the bye, with a cross-country trip to play the 0-8 Chargers in Week 12. A strong win before the bye and a potential get-right game after it would be huge for team morale.
Mack Hollins returned last week and caught a touchdown. Hunter Henry also contributed despite a foot injury. While having two pass-catchers back helps the offense, the alpha WR1 is still missing from the lineup.
A.J. Brown has missed the last two games due to a knee flare-up, and he's played only three games all season. In that time, he's managed just nine catches for 101 yards. While his production has been limited so far, he'd no doubt help the offense in some capacity.
The Patriots listed Brown as a limited participant in Wednesday's practice, and he traveled with the team to Germany. That doesn't mean that he'll play against the Lions, but it gives him a chance.
The question is whether the Patriots should even allow Brown to play with a bye week on deck.
Should the Patriots bring A.J. Brown back before the bye week?
As mentioned, the Patriots have been successful in the AFC so far but are 0-3 against NFC opponents. As of Tuesday, the Lions are favorites in Munich. If the sportsbooks are right, the Patriots would remain winless against the NFC and drop to 0-3 against NFC North opponents.
Aside from New England's plethora of injuries going into their matchup against Green Bay, they picked up a pair of key injuries on offense. Ben Brown, Alijah Vera-Tucker's replacement at left guard, went down with a knee injury in the first half. Walter Rouse replaced him and finished the game with a 15.9 PFF pass-blocking grade.
The more notable injury, however, was to Rhamondre Stevenson. It's been reported that he's set to miss the next few weeks with a knee injury of his own. This means he'll miss their Germany matchup, but will get the bye week to rest. Missing the matchup against the 0-8 Chargers following the bye is also a possibility.
Considering New England's lack of experienced contributors, bringing A.J. Brown back, though his production has been minimal, has merit. While winning as an underdog against a strong opponent would be an excellent morale boost before the bye, rushing Brown back isn't sensible.
As things stand, the Patriots are the seventh seed. Largely, that position is unopposed. The Texans have rebounded after a 0-4 start, while the AFC North features a trio of teams with playoff aspirations. Given their 29th-ranked offense, however, the Browns' efforts likely won't be enough for postseason play.
While not ideal, a loss to the Lions is far from the end of the world. Ticking the L column would see the Patriots drop to 5-5, and while disappointing, it would be a non-conference loss. If Brown manages to use the next two weeks to get closer to full strength after the bye, being weaker in the short term isn't the end of the world.
Furthermore, Brown himself hardly ensures a win. The Patriots are 1-2 with the former Eagle playing, and average just 20 points per game — 3.4 points fewer than their season average.
New England traded premium capital for Brown, and they expect him to perform like the alpha wide receiver he's been historically. To this point, he hasn't.
If a week or two of extra rest can help him get back to his best, allowing him to sit for the team's international matchup is the way to go.
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