Tag: Shaun Wade

Studs and duds in Patriots’ ugly 10-6 loss to Colts in Germany

Studs and duds from the Patriots’ Week 10 loss in Germany.

The New England Patriots packed up their offensive problems and brought them along for the ride in Sunday’s head-to-head clash with the Indianapolis Colts in Germany.

A hopeful field goal drive to start the game devolved into one of the worst offensive performances of the season for the Patriots. They only mustered two field goals against a Colts defense that ranked as the third-worst in the NFL in points allowed heading into the game.

Meanwhile, on the defensive side of the ball, the unit somehow managed to overcome missing team captain and linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley, along with other star playmakers, to hold the Colts’ top-10 scoring offense to only 10 points.

Here are the studs and duds from the game on Sunday:

Patriots’ top 10 defensive players in Week 6, per PFF grades

Here are the Patriots’ top defensive players in Week 6, per PFF grades.

Defense has been the saving grace for the New England Patriots at a time when there isn’t much to feel good about with the team. That continued to be the case in Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders.

The unit held the Raiders’ rushing attack, including Josh Jacobs, to under 100 yards. They also shut down All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams, who finished the game with only two receptions for 29 yards.

Even with all of the injuries on the roster, the Patriots defense still stood up to the road challenge and gave the team a chance to win. But it still wasn’t good enough.

Linebacker Jahlani Tavai had another big game after snagging a pop-up interception on Raiders quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. He also tied Jabrill Peppers, who delivered the vicious hit that caused the initial pop-up interception, in total tackles.

Christian Barmore was also a big-time disruptor along the defensive front in swatting down passes, clogging up running lanes and generating pressure up the middle.

Here are the top-10 Patriots defensive players in Week 6, per Pro Football Focus grades.

Patriots’ top 10 defensive players in Week 5, per PFF grades

These were the Patriots’ top-10 defensive players in Week 5, per PFF grades

Defense is about the only hope the New England Patriots have left this season, and that couldn’t have been more evident than Sunday’s 34-0 blowout loss to the New Orleans Saints.

It was another afternoon of horrific turnovers for the offense with one being a pick-six after a poor throwing decision from quarterback Mac Jones. The Saints dominated the battle of field position and time of possession by a 39:34-20:26 margin.

The defense didn’t really have much of a chance in the game.

Keep in mind, it’s also a defense that lost two of its best players, cornerback Christian Gonzalez and linebacker Matthew Judon, to injuries in the previous week. The good news is the unit continued to fight valiantly, even when clearly facing an uphill battle.

There was still tremendous effort on display for a team that currently looks like one of the worst in the NFL. Unfortunately for the Patriots, defensive effort alone doesn’t win football games. At some point, the offense has to find ways to execute and put points on the board.

Let’s take a look at the top-10 defensive players from Sunday’s game, per Pro Football Focus grades.

Patriots Week 5 injury report: 10 players listed as questionable vs Saints

10 Patriots players listed as questionable to play on Sunday

The injury report is long for the New England Patriots heading into what feels like a must-win game against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.

Many of the same names throughout the week stuck around on the injury report with offensive tackle Trent Brown being the newest addition. The team listed the veteran blindside protector as questionable to suit up in Week 5 with a chest injury.

Not having Brown on the field could yield devastating results against a Saints team preparing to unleash a slew of pass-rushers on quarterback Mac Jones, including eight-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Cam Jordan.

The Patriots listed a total of 10 players as questionable to play in the game, while ruling out cornerback Christian Gonzalez and Matthew Judon. Here’s the complete list of players on the injury report ahead of the team’s Week 5 meeting with the Saints.

Patriots Week 5 injury report: Who returned from IR/PUP?

It was a long injury list for the Patriots on Thursday, but there’s hope at least two players could be close to coming off the IR/PUP lists.

For a second straight day, the New England Patriots’ had a long list of limited participants on the practice field. However, there’s hope that many of those players will be ready to play on Sunday.

Perhaps the most noteworthy names on Thursday’s list are offensive lineman Riley Reiff and special teamer Cody Davis. Reiff has been on injured reserve dealing with a knee injury, while Davis has been working his way back from the physically unable to perform list with a knee injury as well.

Both are eligible to return this week if ready. There are at least five Patriots players that could potentially return this week.

J.C. Jackson was on the practice field for the first time, catching up with owner Robert Kraft. Given the long list of injuries, particularly at the cornerback position, Jackson will be expected to step in and contribute right away for the team.

Here’s every Patriots player listed on Thursday’s injury report:

Patriots list 10 players as limited participants in first Week 5 injury report

10 players were limited for the Patriots at Wednesday’s practice

The New England Patriots had a longer injury report than normal at Wednesday’s practice, ahead of their Week 5 showdown with the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.

There were a total of 10 limited participants listed for the Patriots, while two other players did not participate at all. The latter was obviously rookie cornerback Christian Gonzalez and veteran linebacker Matthew Judon.

Both players went down with potentially season-ending injuries in the Week 4 loss to the Dallas Cowboys,

However, it wasn’t all bad news for the Patriots. Three players eligible to return from the PUP/IR list were on the field practicing for the first time this season. The Patriots have shifted to a next-man-up mentality after being devastated with injuries four weeks into the year.

Here’s the complete injury report for Wednesday:

Injury-riddled Patriots might have to get creative at cornerback

With Jonathan Jones ruled out and Shaun Wade listed as questionable, the Patriots might have to get creative at cornerback on Sunday.

Injuries at cornerback have the New England Patriots on the brink of desperation in the defensive backfield, ahead of a tough matchup with the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.

Marcus Jones and Jack Jones are both on injured reserve. Jonathan Jones was ruled out for the road trip on Saturday. Shaun Wade is expected to make the trip, but he’s listed as questionable to play with a shoulder injury.

That leaves the Patriots with rookie Christian Gonzalez and Myles Bryant as their primary healthy options.

So far, the team has been able to disguise the injuries with Gonzalez’s elite play, along with Bryant making legitimate strides of improvement. But it’s only a matter of time before the injuries catch up to the unit, and the wheels could potentially fall off without a great backup plan in Week 4.

The Patriots could call up Azizi Hearns or Breon Borders from their practice squad, or they could get even more creative and move converted safety Jalen Mills back to cornerback for the game.

Given the opponent and incredible depth they already have at safety, it might be smarter for the Patriots to do the latter. Keep in mind, this is all assuming Wade isn’t healthy enough to play.

The Patriots also have rookie Ameer Speed on the roster, but he’s mostly been involved with special teams. It could prove risky to match him up defensively against an elite football team with a plethora of receiving talent.

Even with all of the injuries, the defense hasn’t broken three weeks into the season. There’s reason to believe they can weather the storm just a little bit longer.

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Patriots Week 4 injury report: New player limited at Friday’s practice

Five Patriots players are listed as questionable to play against the Cowboys in Week 4

The New England Patriots are heading into Week 4 with five players listed as questionable to play in Sunday’s game against the Dallas Cowboys.

There’s a new name on that list at a position where the Patriots can’t afford anymore injury losses.

Let’s start with the good news, which is rookie offensive lineman Sidy Sow (concussion) no longer being listed on the injury report. A versatile lineman like Sow could see some work for a unit that has mostly been a revolving door of bodies.

The bad, however, is cornerback Shaun Wade appearing on the injury report for the first time with a shoulder injury.

New England is already missing Marcus Jones and Jack Jones, who are both currently on injured reserve. Meanwhile, Jonathan Jones has missed the last two games, and he’s questionable to play in this game as well with an ankle injury.

Rookie Christian Gonzalez, Myles Bryant and Wade have been the Patriots’ top-three healthy corners left. If Jonathan Jones isn’t able to return and Wade also misses, it could be a real problem for the Patriots.

Here are the five players that popped up on Friday’s injury report:

3 under-the-radar Patriots players to watch against Packers

More people should be talking about these three Patriots players.

The New England Patriots battled in Green Bay with a string of joint practices leading up to their Week 2 preseason matchup against the Packers on Saturday.

This next exhibition outing will be an important test for a lot of fringe players still fighting for a spot on the Patriots’ 53-man roster. Even if they don’t stick in New England, a strong showing could potentially land them a spot somewhere else.

As each week passes, it brings us closer to meaningful football games. With that being said, let’s look at some of the Patriots players you should be keeping a close eye on in the upcoming preseason matchup.

Madden 24 ratings for every Patriots cornerback

Did Madden get it right this year with the Patriots’ cornerbacks?

The New England Patriots are expected to enter the 2023 season with one of the NFL’s most versatile defensive backfields. But does EA Sports’ “Madden NFL 24” player ratings reflect it?

That was one of the biggest questions when the video game’s cornerback ratings were released.

To be fair, it’s no surprise that the Patriots’ defensive playmakers continue to fly under the radar, especially after the team finished with a losing record and missed the playoffs last season.

Jonathan Jones is one of the most underrated cornerbacks in the entire league, and Jack Jones is still relatively unknown in his second year. Meanwhile, rookie first-round draft pick Christian Gonzalez has yet to even take his first NFL snap.

The unit also has Marcus Jones, who earned a first-team All-Pro nod as a returner in 2022.

There is some high-level potential for coach Bill Belichick and the Patriots to tap into this season, even if it isn’t reflected in the recent ratings reveal. Here’s a look at the Madden 24 ratings for every Patriots cornerback: