The New England Patriots cannot afford any more injuries. After losing Dion Lewis for the season and Julian Edelman until at least the postseason, the Patriots are running thin on healthy bodies. That is why most fans held their breath as both Aaron Dobson and Danny Amendola limped off the field Monday night against the Buffalo Bills. With a big matchup against the Denver Broncos approaching, will either player be healthy by the time kick off happens?
According to Mike Reiss of ESPN.com, Amendola was diagnosed with a knee sprain and is not expected to miss an extended amount of time. According to Tom Curran of CSN New England, Amendola could return to practice this week on a limited basis. The Patriots are playing on a short week which could be a factor into whether or not the receiver is cleared to play for Sunday night. Amendola led receivers in Monday's win over the Bills as he filled in for Edelman. The Patriots are hopeful they will not be without him against the Broncos.
Dobson might not be as lucky as Amendola. The receiver limped off the field in the first quarter after making a catch with an apparent ankle injury. According to Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald, X-rays were negative on the injury, but the team is not hopeful that Dobson gets on the field Sunday night. The receiver is now getting an MRI to determine the severity of the issue.
If both players were to miss the game on Sunday, the Patriots would be left with Brandon LaFell, Chris Harper and Matthew Slater as the lone healthy bodies. Keshawn Martin could be an option, but he missed Monday's game with a hamstring injury and his health is not known right now. That would really test the value of Tom Brady as he continues to try and make something out of nothing happen for the Patriots.
"It's real difficult," LaFell said, via ESPN.com. "It's just like chess out here with us, once one guy goes down, you have to move to another spot, and this guy goes over here, and things like that. So guys can never get comfortable in the situation."
The Patriots did get a lot of help from the run game in Week 11 which could be a spotlight moving forward. LeGarrett Blount put up 56 yards off 16 carries against a tough defensive front while James White was the real star with two touchdowns along with 14 yards rushing and another 32 receiving. He made the most of his limited time on the field which could now increase after he proved himself as a reliable replacement to Lewis.
"James has been a dependable player for us," head coach Bill Belichick said, via NFL.com. "He came through with a couple big plays last week against the Giants and had them today. We need everybody every week, and he made some plays for us today."
LaFell and White could be very important against the Broncos. The Patriots are hopeful that at least Amendola is back in the lineup. However, there are no guarantees and other players will need to step up.