New England Patriots Provide Injury Updates Ahead Of AFC Championship Game
The road to the Super Bowl is rarely paved with asphalt; it’s usually paved with ice packs, athletic tape, and heartbreak. For the New England Patriots, that road just got significantly rockier.
In a piece of news that fans were dreading but perhaps silently expecting, the team has officially ruled out linebacker and pass-rushing menace Harold Landry III for Sunday’s AFC Championship Game against the Denver Broncos. If you’ve been watching the snap counts dwindle over the last month, the writing wasn’t just on the wall. How will the squad fare without him?
The Human Side Of the Patriots’ Loss
We often look at injury reports like they are stock market tickers—buy, sell, hold. But Head Coach Mike Vrabel reminded everyone on Friday that behind the jersey number is a guy who just wants to play. Vrabel, who isn’t exactly known for wearing his heart on his sleeve, got visibly real about Landry’s situation.
“I am disappointed for people I care about when they are frustrated or don’t feel great,” Vrabel said. “I would always feel for any of our players who put a lot into and aren’t able to perform.”
That’s the brutal reality of January football. Landry was the Patriots’ sack leader this season with 8.5 takedowns. He was brought in to be a cornerstone, voted a captain, and was a favorite of Vrabel’s from their days in Tennessee. To grind through 18 weeks of physical punishment only to be sidelined for the game that sends you to the Super Bowl? That’s a tough pill to swallow.
Reading the Tea Leaves: A Month Of Decline
If you look at the data, Landry’s knee has been barking for a while. He was an iron man early in the season, but his recent usage looked like a countdown timer ticking toward zero.
- Wild Card Round vs. Chargers: 26 snaps.
- Divisional Round vs. Texans: 11 snaps.
By the time the Patriots were celebrating their snowy win over Houston, Landry was barely seeing the field. He missed three straight practices this week, which in NFL terms is usually the kiss of death for availability. Now, the defense has to figure out how to generate pressure without their top dog.
Expect to see a heavy dose of K’Lavon Chaisson, Elijah Ponder, and Anfernee Jennings. Are they Landry? No. But in the AFC Championship, you don’t need to be a superstar; you just need to be the guy who doesn’t miss the tackle.
The Stidham Factor: A Lucky Break?
If there is a silver lining for the Patriots’ defense, it’s standing on the other sideline. While New England is down a premier pass rusher, the Broncos are down their starting quarterback. Bo Nix is out, meaning the Pats will be hunting a familiar face: Jarrett Stidham.
It’s a strange twist of fate. Losing Landry would be catastrophic against a mobile, elite quarterback. Against a backup? It’s still bad, but it’s survivable. The defensive game plan likely shifts from “chaos and sacks” to “containment and confusion.” If the pass rush can’t get home as quickly without Landry, the secondary is going to have to stick to receivers like glue for an extra half-second.
The Patriots’ Walking Wounded
Landry isn’t the only name keeping the medical staff busy in Foxborough. The injury report reads a bit like a MASH unit script.
Cornerback Carlton Davis III is officially questionable, though there is optimism. He finally shed the red non-contact jersey on Friday, which is usually the universal sign for “I’m ready to hit someone.” Having him back to lock down the perimeter would go a long way in mitigating the loss of pressure up front.
Then there’s the unsung hero, Marte Mapu. You probably don’t buy a Marte Mapu jersey unless you’re related to him, but the guy is the quarterback of the punt team. He’s listed as questionable with a hip injury. Special Teams Coordinator Jeremy Springer couldn’t stop praising him, noting that Mapu makes all the calls. In a game that could be decided by field position, losing your personal protector is the kind of quiet disaster that ruins a season.
Wide Receiver Mack Hollins is also questionable with an abdomen issue. He’s still technically on Injured Reserve, so the Patriots would need to make a roster move to get him on the field.
Sunday Scaries
Sunday is going to be a battle of attrition. The Broncos are banged up; the Patriots are missing a captain. It’s not going to be pretty. It’s going to be cold, it’s going to be gritty, and it’s going to come down to depth.
Landry won’t be suiting up, and that hurts. But if this season has taught Patriots fans anything, it’s that this team finds weird, ugly ways to win. They’ll just have to do it one more time.
