After a poor 1-2 start to the 2026 NFL season, the New England Patriots have turned things around as of late. After Week 6, they are 4-2 on the year, second in the AFC East division and have the conference’s No. 5 seed.
All the headlines early in the year were about the struggles of star quarterback Drake Maye, but he has silenced the criticisms in recent weeks. He has a 10:1 touchdown to interception ratio his last three games.
During the team’s most recent contest in Week 6 versus the New York Jets, new free agent wide receiver Romeo Doubs went down with an injury. He suffered it while falling in the endzone after a 42-yard touchdown reception.
Doubs left the game in the first quarter and did not return, with the injury being designated as a shoulder issue. At a Tuesday press conference, head coach Mike Vrabel told reporters that he does not have more information or a return timetable for the WR at this time.
The news is crushing as the team’s marquee offseason acquisition, that being fellow WR A.J. Brown, finally returned to the lineup after a four-game absence. New England may count on him even more heavily now with Doubs on injured reserve.
Brown’s first game back against New York did not inspire much confidence. The star wideout was targeted 10 times, but only hauled in three passes and dropped three as well. He finished with 27 yards.
The good takeaway from that is that he was targeted 10 times, with all 10 being occasions where he beat the defense and created space. If he can maintain that kind of separation, the hands are bound to follow.
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The Patriots will next travel to Soldier Field on a short week to face the Chicago Bears on Thursday Night Football. It will be the second time that Maye and 2024 draft class peer Caleb Williams will go head-to-head in their young careers.
That game is sure to have fireworks, but Doubs will not be a part of that. With him going on IR, the earliest the 26-year-old can return would be Week 12 against the Los Angeles Chargers.
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