Injuries and our roster - can we still win the Super Bowl?

[PromisedLand]

Assuming that when the season started, and before all the injuries we were a Super Bowl team, let's look at the team now that we have lost 3 of 5 and don't look anything like we looked after started the season 10-0. Here is the complete injury status - Football Injury News and Analysis - Rotoworld.com

The key is the people we will have available for the Division playoff round. So let's start by looking at the players who definitely WON'T Be there - the sixteen (16!) players we have placed on IR:

LaGarrette Blount
Dominique Easley
Tres Flowers
Aaron Dobson
Ryan Wendell
Dion Lewis
Tarell Brown
Nate Solder
Darrell Roberts
James Develin
Brian Tyms
Brandon Gibson
Tyler Gaffney
A J Derby
Dane Fletcher
Chris Jones
Rufus Johnson

While this is a very long list and I don't remember ever seeing so many players on IR, the key players here are Blount, Easley, Wendell, Lewis, and Solder. All the rest are backups, special teamers and J.A.G.s.

O-Line - Solder is a very good LT but has been adequately replaced by Sebastian Vollmer, who in turn has been replaced at RT by Marcus Cannon. Cannon is a pretty big drop off in my opinion but has been serviceable. Wendell was part of the starting 5 for our Super Bowl team but we have depth at interior O-line. So if Vollmer is close to 100% for the playoffs I think we can win with that group.

RB - Blount, Lewis. Blount's replacement, Steven Jackson in his prime would have been a major upgrade over Blount but he is 3 or 4 years past the magic 30-year running back "cliff", so it is a big question mark how much he has left. Lewis was a special player when he was healthy but James White is an adequate (if not equal) replacement.

DL - Easley was starting to "flash" from time to time but we have adequate depth at DT with Branch, Brown and Siliga.

So, despite the lengthy list of players on IR, looking at the details I don't think we have suffered any mortal wounds with these losses; IF the walking wounded can get back and play well in the playoffs we still have a good chance.

The key walking wounded are Edelman, Amendola, Vollmer, Hightower, Freeney, Collins, McCourty, Harmon, and Chung. These injuries are clustered at WR, LB and safety. All of these guys are possibly back and reasonably healthy for the playoffs, so it seems to me that the keys to our chances are (a) how many of them actually can return, and play well, and (b) how well replacements like Jackson, Cannon and White play.

 

[alvinnf]

Does Raggety Anne have cotton t!ts....

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Does a bear sh** in the woods??

 

[FourierSeries]

If Edelman, Amendola, Gronk, Hightower, Chung, McCourty, Vollmer, all play as expected (and stay healthy) then yes, without question.

 

[IcyPatriot]

....

 

[stcjones]

I might be the first person who says "Doubtful that we can overcome all the injuries at key positions and the multitude of holes on both O and D " this year.....going to be an extremely tough game

 

[RabidPatsFan]

If the Patriots can get everyone back from injury, they can win their 5th Lombardi trophy. No doubt in my mind. When healthy, the Pats are as good as anyone in the league.

 

[neuronet]

this Q needs a poll....

 

[SammyBlueCat]

We definitely need our two safeties and our two wide receivers back in action.
Those four kids are quick as cats!

 

[Ochmed Jones]

We can not win without our safeties and wide receivers healthy and moving well.

But most important, we need Hightower playing at as high a level as possible. He is so vital to our defense.

My biggest fear is we play the jets or chiefs in the second round and our walking wounded are not able to function adequately or get reinjured early.

 

[50-yard-line]

Does a bear sh** in the woods??

Not if it's a polar bear.

 

[The Brandon Five]

RB - Blount, Lewis. Blount's replacement, Steven Jackson in his prime would have been a major upgrade over Blount but he is 3 or 4 years past the magic 30-year running back "cliff", so it is a big question mark how much he has left. Lewis was a special player when he was healthy but James White is an adequate (if not equal) replacement.

Steven Jackson is 32 years old. Just sayin'.

 

[supafly]

I might be the first person who says "Doubtful that we can overcome all the injuries at key positions and the multitude of holes on both O and D " this year.....going to be an extremely tough game

I'm concerned as well. I could see it going both ways, as the overall team is quite similar to the years we've gone (2011, 2014) as well as the years we haven't (2010, 2012, 2013).

I certainly think we're just as capable as anyone else in the AFC, although it's probably going to be tough. I think we'll need some breaks and good matchups to fall our way.

 

[supafly]

Lewis was a special player when he was healthy but James White is an adequate (if not equal) replacement.

James White probably isn't even equal to Shane Vereen at this point in his career, let alone Dion Lewis.

How can you honestly compare the dynamic running/catching style of Lewis to the non-existent rushing of James White? If we still had Lewis out there, we'd be clear cut SB favorites, and it wouldn't even be close. This team has been very, very different since Lewis went down, and there's been very little in the running game.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Would you rather have every injury in the list, or a season ender for Gronkowski? I thought so. Let's stop bemoaning the quantity of injuries and realize that nearly all of our highest quality players look good to go for the postseason. Brady, Gronk, Edelman, Amendola, LaFell, Vollmer, Stork, Collins, Hightower, McCourty, Butler, Chung, Ryan, Jones, Sheard, Ninkovich, Slater, Gostkowski. These are all of our best players.

 

[LightSkinSmurf]

I think we can still make it there. Rather Ill be picking us to win if we make it there idk yet. I gotta see how we look come January. The team that we have seen over the last month or two no, I don't think they will win the SB. I'm still holding out hope we get some of our injuried guys back and become significantly better. Not sure how realistic that is but I'm still hoping nonetheless.

 

[VectorPrime]

The Cardinals are the only team that scares me and they lost their most dynamic player on their defense two weeks ago.

 

[Fencer]

I might be the first person who says "Doubtful that we can overcome all the injuries at key positions and the multitude of holes on both O and D " this year.....going to be an extremely tough game

The Super Bowl is usually a tough game. The Pats have, in franchise history, never won a Super Bowl by more than 4 points.

And a Super Bowl opponent is always, without exception, a team that has won 2 playoff games within the previous 3 weeks.

 

[DarrylS]

If we get back our D Backfield, the O line gets figured out and our skilled guys on the O side are reasonably healthy then we stand a real good chance..

The equalizer is BB and staff, not only for his football brilliance, but because of consistency and experience in the biggest show..

If the road to the SB comes through Foxboro, the odds increase slightly.. that is why we have to win on Sunday, not only that but if we lose we will have lost 4 out of the last 5.. not a real good omen.

 

[long distance]

to me develin is a key player - i miss him all year
he allows plays we don't see without him - like lewis in another way
blount is dependable - but replaceable
*
if any AFC survivals wins it - its gonna be considered a miracle