Pats Pulpit
One week after suffering their first major in-season injury — running back and kickoff returner Antonio Gibson tearing his ACL — the New England Patriots seemingly flirted with disaster again. However, when all was said and done it appeared that they were able to leave New Orleans without any obviously significant issues.
Let’s assess the damage after rewatching the Patriots’ 25-19 win over the Saints.
ED Harold Landry III: The Patriots already entered Sunday down two members of their usual four-player edge rotation, and they appeared to take another hit when Landry remained on the ground with 8:42 left in the first quarter. The veteran was trying to stop running back Kendre Miller from behind when he was taken out by teammate Khyiris Tonga coming in low; Tonga’s tackle attempt forced Landry’s right knee to twist at an awkward ankle. He gingerly walked off under his own power but after heading to the medical tent returned to the sideline. By the final play of the first period, and after having missed just five defensive snaps, he was back on the field.
CB Carlton Davis III: If it feels like Davis has become a regular on this list, it’s because he has. For a third straight game, the starting cornerback required medical assistance. This week, he was shaken up on a third quarter tackle against Saints RB Alvin Kamara. Davis initially tried to get up, but eventually remained down on one knee while being tended to by member of the training staff. He too went into the blue tent for a checkup but emerged shortly thereafter and returned to the bench. After a four-play absence, he was back in the lineup.
CB Marcus Jones: The drive that saw Carlton Davis get banged up ended with another starting cornerback remain on the ground. Jones was all over Chris Olave on a 3rd-and-17, contributing to a pass breakup by teammate/Davis replacement Charles Woods (that could have been ruled a fumble). In the process, however, Jones came down hard but managed to walk off under his own power. He sat up the subsequent Saints punt, but was back on the field for the next series without showing any limitations or discomfort.
The Patriots defense seems to have avoided disaster in Week 6, especially in regards to Landry’s injury.
With Keion White and Anfernee Jennings already nursing ailments of their own, the outside linebacker depth had been tested entering the game in New Orleans — to a point where New England made undrafted rookie Elijah Ponder active and brought Truman Jones up from the practice squad. Under normal circumstances, neither of the two would see any defensive action, which shows just how bad the situation was and what the trickle-down effect of a potential Landry injury would have been.
However, it seems as if the captain escaped without any major problem, something that also appears to be true for Carlton Davis and...
