Patriots team isn't healthy..

[dannydyn]

Out of all the injuries, the ones on the O-line concern me the most. Especially since we’re about to face the 2 toughest front-7s in the next two weeks. We need to make sure Brady is kept upright or else it will be game over for them.

As for the rest of the injuries, I too, think they happened at the right times. Gronk will be back for the playoffs in a better shape than he was at before he got injured (he would have hopefully healed his hip and back by then). Bolden is eligible to play, Cunningham will have served his suspension, and Jones is good to go. The only wildcard is the O-line.

 

[Kontradiction]

And we are getting closer to playoffs...people should be getting healthy now..but it's the other way around this year

hopefully it doesn't hurt us..we need gronk for playoffs big time...why we need #2 seed!

"Gentlemen, it's time to spread the word. And the word is... panic."

 

[patsfan13]

That's what scare me...teams that win or go to SB are heathy at the right time...right now..that's not us. Not even close

Well there is a quarter of the season to go, IF Mankins, Connolly, Vollmer are healthy in 4 weeks we will be fine. The D is pretty healthy given the time of year.

The NFL is a war of attrition, the bye week would be very helpful.

 

[mayoclinic]

Out of all the injuries, the ones on the O-line concern me the most. Especially since we’re about to face the 2 toughest front-7s in the next two weeks. We need to make sure Brady is kept upright or else it will be game over for them.

The 3 question marks on the OL are Mankins, Vollmer and Connolly:

- Vollmer was back against Miami, which hopefully was a tuneup for huge matchups against Houston and San Francisco - the 2 games prior to the playoffs for which we need him the most.
- Connolly went out against Miami. We don't know his status yet. We'll find out more today as to whether he practices.
- Mankins has been the most severely injured of the 3. We don't know how close he was to being ready. The Pats haven't put him on IR, which is something. It's possible that they've been playing things cautiously with him and letting him get healthy for the stretch run. The team doesn't let anything out. Again, we'll know more if he practices and as the week progresses.

BB is pretty masterful about pacing his roster, and figuring out what is enough firepower to squeak by. I think BB had a sense he could win the past few games with what he had. It wouldn't surprise me to see Mankins and Connolly play the next 2 weeks and then get rested the last 2 weeks of the season. But I agree with you, it's going to be hard to go all the way without those guys playing. Gronk and Jones will be back, Edelman's gone, so it really comes down to the health of the OL, barring other injuries over the last quarter of the season (and there will be some, obviously).

 

[shmessy]

it shouldn't..but we had some injuries at the beginning of the year..Ahern..mankins, hightower ect. Most are better now..but more serious injuries are popping up

It's FOOTBALL, not the blackjack table at Foxwoods.

 

[patsfaninpa]

The 3 question marks on the OL are Mankins, Vollmer and Connolly:

- Vollmer was back against Miami, which hopefully was a tuneup for huge matchups against Houston and San Francisco - the 2 games prior to the playoffs for which we need him the most.
- Connolly went out against Miami. We don't know his status yet. We'll find out more today as to whether he practices.
- Mankins has been the most severely injured of the 3. We don't know how close he was to being ready. The Pats haven't put him on IR, which is something. It's possible that they've been playing things cautiously with him and letting him get healthy for the stretch run. The team doesn't let anything out. Again, we'll know more if he practices and as the week progresses.

BB is pretty masterful about pacing his roster, and figuring out what is enough firepower to squeak by. I think BB had a sense he could win the past few games with what he had. It wouldn't surprise me to see Mankins and Connolly play the next 2 weeks and then get rested the last 2 weeks of the season. But I agree with you, it's going to be hard to go all the way without those guys playing. Gronk and Jones will be back, Edelman's gone, so it really comes down to the health of the OL, barring other injuries over the last quarter of the season (and there will be some, obviously).

The OL injuries are the ones that concern me. They appear to be the nagging ones that aren't going to go away. Gronk will get healthy. Chandler Jones will get healthy. Vollmer sounds like he's touch and go for the rest of the year. Cutting Petrus this early in the week encourages me a little that Mankins and Connolly aren't seriously injured. Or, maybe that Petrus just isn't any good.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

We're in better shape than you realize IMO. Look at teams like Houston who have lost Cushing to IR and they're depleted at CB, Joseph has a hamstring issue and those are no guarantee to even go away by later in the season. Bmore is in shambles and Webb is definitely gone for the year, Suggs may or may not join him.

We should be thankful right now that the only player lost to IR has been Edelman. It's a blow but not a devastating one. As long as we avoid more IR's we'll be fine. Mankins has 5 or 6 weeks to get better and seeing how he's still on the active roster I doubt it's a season ending thing. Same with Vollmer's back issues, thanks to our OL depth and Scar we can afford to take our time with those 2. Gronk will easily be back in time for the playoffs. And Hernandez is getting better, shiftier by the week. By playoff time at the latest he should be back to full speed barring another injury.

Right now it seems to me the injuries/returns are setting up nicely for us. Though with Mankins' it's impossible to know.

 

[BrainTrust66]

The OL injuries are the ones that concern me. They appear to be the nagging ones that aren't going to go away.

I'll add my vote to this theme. Overall, I agree, every team has injuries and there's no use cryin' about them but of all the concerns, the O-Line is my biggest. Connelly didn't look good on the bench last week after he came out. He seemed visibly in pain, like he tried to give this thing a go and it just wasn't working out. Mankins has been out a while now so clearly his was more than a "tweak." As others have noted, neither one is on IR so hope remains constant.

At the end of the day it's about keeping #12 upright and healthy...in Dante We Trust!

Side note about Dante...when I was a freshman in college I met him at a trade show at the "old" Hynes Auditorium (before the the remodel). This was the fall of 1984. At that time, he was still a member of Ron Meyer's staff - the coach who hired him originally in 1982. I know he left for a couple of years but that is a lot of history with this team.

 

[The Gr8est]

We're in better shape than you realize IMO. Look at teams like Houston who have lost Cushing to IR and they're depleted at CB, Joseph has a hamstring issue and those are no guarantee to even go away by later in the season. Bmore is in shambles and Webb is definitely gone for the year, Suggs may or may not join him.

We should be thankful right now that the only player lost to IR has been Edelman. It's a blow but not a devastating one. As long as we avoid more IR's we'll be fine. Mankins has 5 or 6 weeks to get better and seeing how he's still on the active roster I doubt it's a season ending thing. Same with Vollmer's back issues, thanks to our OL depth and Scar we can afford to take our time with those 2. Gronk will easily be back in time for the playoffs. And Hernandez is getting better, shiftier by the week. By playoff time at the latest he should be back to full speed barring another injury.

Right now it seems to me the injuries/returns are setting up nicely for us. Though with Mankins' it's impossible to know.

Marcus Zusevics was recently added to the active roster which cost us Greg Salas, and tangentially Matt Kopa, and they just cut Petrus.

He was fairly highly regarded pre-injury, so he may be a guy we can hope to see some good things from soon in a position of need.

 

[mayoclinic]

We're in better shape than you realize IMO. Look at teams like Houston who have lost Cushing to IR and they're depleted at CB, Joseph has a hamstring issue and those are no guarantee to even go away by later in the season. Bmore is in shambles and Webb is definitely gone for the year, Suggs may or may not join him.

Of the AFC teams, Denver seems to be in the best shape injury-wise. Baltimore, Houston and Pittsburgh are all pretty beat up. In the NFC, Atlanta seems to be in good shape, followed by the 49ers and Giants. Green Bay has been banged up a lot, and the Bears are falling apart injury-wise.

 

[dannydyn]

Of the AFC teams, Denver seems to be in the best shape injury-wise. Baltimore, Houston and Pittsburgh are all pretty beat up. In the NFC, Atlanta seems to be in good shape, followed by the 49ers and Giants. Green Bay has been banged up a lot, and the Bears are falling apart injury-wise.

...and that's the team that scares me the most

Looks like they've adjusted well without Willis McGahee

 

[dannydyn]

Just for 5hits and giggles, can you guys imagine what this team would look like if Gronk was in, the O-line was 100%, Edelman in, Jones 100%, Ahern 100%, and Bolden/Cunningham not suspended?!?!?! :singing:

 

[BananaRepublican]

I think Vereen can take some of the same snaps Edelman did

My thinking too. Vereen has such huge big play potential it would be nice to see more of him.

 

[BananaRepublican]

the Bears are falling apart injury-wise.

Ghastly OL, and older defense losing its big play ability as the season wears on.

 

[chumpchange]

It begs the theoretical question - should the Pats rest some players over the last 4 games. If so who and in which games?

I realize there's the matter of pride and playing to win always, but I truly have never seen the point of going full throttle after locking up a playoff spot. Why give the Texans everything we've got, when it would probably be strategically wiser to let them have the win, not reveal the playbook, let the banged up stars rest and recuperate and come out hungry and firing on all cylinders in the playoffs. I feel like we always give our all in the regular season--putting on the greatest show and compiling amazing stats--but if that means we're too thin and exhausted to get over the hump in the postseason, what's the point?

 

[The Gr8est]

I realize there's the matter of pride and playing to win always, but I truly have never seen the point of going full throttle after locking up a playoff spot. Why give the Texans everything we've got, when it would probably be strategically wiser to let them have the win, not reveal the playbook, let the banged up stars rest and recuperate and come out hungry and firing on all cylinders in the playoffs. I feel like we always give our all in the regular season--putting on the greatest show and compiling amazing stats--but if that means we're too thin and exhausted to get over the hump in the postseason, what's the point?

Potentially having to play Peyton Manning in Denver in the playoffs is one reason.

 

[borg]

Reiss reporting tham Jones, Mankins, and Connolly at today's walk through along with Stallworth and Bolden

 

[mayoclinic]

Potentially having to play Peyton Manning in Denver in the playoffs is one reason.

Playing Denver on the road is obviously not something I want. However, I do feel that Denver's record has been inflated by their schedule. They've beaten:

7-5 Pittsburgh
3-9 Oakland
4-8 San Diego
5-7 New Orleans
7-5 Cincinnati
3-9 Carolina
4-8 San Diego
2-10 Kansas City
6-6 Tampa Bay

The cumulative record of the 9 teams they've beaten is 41-67. Their remaining games are against 3-9 Oakland, 9-3 Baltimore, 4-8 Cleveland and 2-10 Kansas City, which have a cumulative record of 18-30. They've lost to the 3 really good teams they've played - Atlanta, Houston and New England.

 

[manxman2601]

Just for 5hits and giggles, can you guys imagine what this team would look like if Gronk was in, the O-line was 100%, Edelman in, Jones 100%, Ahern 100%, and Bolden/Cunningham not suspended?!?!?! :singing:

That's the team that lost to Seattle isn't it? Just for giggles

 

[Kid~Brady]

Mankins and Chandler Jones both back to practice.

Not sure how much stock to put in this since its was mostly walkthrough but its better than before.

http://www.bostonherald.com/blogs/s...handler-jones-present-for-todays-walkthrough/

Left guard Logan Mankins and defensive end Chandler Jones were present for today’s walkthrough inside the Dana-Farber Field House, which is sign of progression but not a direct indication that they’ll be available for Monday’s game against the Texans.

This was the first time Mankins has been spotted since leaving the Patriots’ Week 10 game in a walking boot with an ankle injury. Jones hasn’t been present for two weeks with an ankle injury.