This season, the New England Patriots have been hit with the injury bug on all three phases. The trend continued leading up to the team’s matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, as the team had a laundry list of starters on its final injury list.
The result was a resounding 45-17 victory over the Raiders and plenty of players stepping up when their numbers were called.
During his Monday morning appearance on WEEI, Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel spoke on the depth of his team and his players’ ability to step up when it mattered most.
“I just love the fact that guys take advantage of opportunities, and it’s really what this league is about,” said Vrabel. “They played hard, and it was great to see those efforts yesterday.
Secondary Stepped Up
Down its top two cornerbacks, Christian Gonzalez and Carlton Davis III, as well as two backups in Channing Canada and Karon Prunty, New England elevated Elliott Davison and Kindle Vildor from the practice squad.
The pair of defensive backs combined for six tackles and two passes defended, and helped New England’s secondary limit the Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins to a 67.9 QBR.
A Pair of Offensive Injuries
Over the span of three plays during the second quarter on Sunday, New England lost running back TreVeyon Henderson (ankle) and left tackle Will Campbell (knee). Even though neither player returned, their backups Corey Kiner and Caleb Lomu allowed the offense to not skip a beat.
Kiner had an efficient day on the ground with six rushes for 52 yards. He also caught his lone target for a gain of seven yards.
Lomu played a career-high 47 snaps and only allowed one pressure and zero sacks to quarterback Drake Maye‘s blind side.
The rookie tackle also received praise from his head coach post-game. “[He] was able to anchor at times on some power and allowed Drake to be able to transfer up into the pocket, and thought that worked well with [Alijah Vera-Tucker] when they got in there,” said Vrabel.
Back in August, Mike Vrabel said his team’s roster was “not a very deep team.” Week 5 showed that New England not only has a deep team, but is filled with players who, when given the opportunity, know how to help the team win.
