Sportsnaut
The New England Patriots are gearing up to take on the New Orleans Saints in Week 6. The Patriots enter this matchup on the heels of two straight wins and are looking to keep piling up victories as they challenge for the AFC East crown.
On paper, the Patriots are clearly better than the Saints. The Saints are sitting at 1-4 entering Week 6, and they’ve struggled to find any consistency on either side of the ball. Young quarterback Spencer Rattler has shown flashes of excellence, though, and the Patriots cannot afford to overlook anybody.
Unfortunately, the Patriots will not be at full health for the contest. On Friday, Mike Vrabel officially ruled out veteran defenders Keion White, Jaylinn Hawkins, and Keion White. Hawkins is dealing with a hamstring injury, while White is dealing with an elbow and Jennings with an ankle. None of those three were able to practice on Thursday, so it’s not surprising to see them ruled out.
Additionally, cornerbacks Christian Gonzalez and Charles Woods, alongside linebacker Marte Mapu, are all listed as questionable. This means the defense could potentially be very thin for the Week 6 contest.
Of the three defenders ruled out, Hawkins will be the biggest loss. The veteran defensive back has collected 23 tackles, one pass deflection, one interception, two tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks. Without Hawkins, Kyle Dugger will likely start against the Saints.
White and Jennings being out means the Patriots’ pass-rush is super thin. Harold Landry III and Elijah Ponder are the only healthy pass-rushers on the roster, as K’Lavon Chaisson has been dealing with an injury this week as well.
It will be interesting to see if Bradyn Swinson or Darius Harris are elevated for this game due to the injuries. The same could be said for Kobee Minor and Miles Battle, especially if Gonzalez and/or Woods can’t play.
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