The New England Patriots have plenty to feel good about their win over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. The 33-27 victory was the first of Mike Vrabel’s tenure as head coach, broke a five-game losing streak at Hard Rock Stadium, and allowed the team to move up to second place in the AFC East standings.
To say that Week 2 went perfectly for them, however, would still be a stretch. Among multiple remaining issues — penalties, big plays, uneven special teams — the Patriots also saw six of their players get banged up.
Let’s assess the damage after re-watching the game.
Patriots injury analysis: Week 2
S Craig Woodson: The Patriots’ rookie safety was shaken up after a tackle in the third quarter, absorbing a helmet-to-helmet collision with Dolphins running back Malik Washington. He underwent a checkup in the blue medical tent on the sidelines, but was cleared to return and reentered the contest before the end of the third quarter. In total, Woodson missed four defensive snaps.
CB Carlton Davis III: Just three plays after Woodson’s departure, fellow starting defensive back Carlton Davis was shaken up as well. The veteran cornerback remained down on the sideline after forcing running back De’Von Achane out, and was tended to by members of New England’s support staff. He missed the subsequent third down stop but returned for the next series, ending the game with a 98 percent playing time share.
DT Christian Barmore: The very next snap after Davis’ injury saw Christian Barmore remain on the ground following a K’Lavon Chaisson sack. “Sack” might be the appropriate word to use here as well, because it looked like the defensive tackle experienced some unpleasant contact to his nether regions on the play. He did walk off under his own power and headed immediately for the bench rather than the medical tent. Barmore returned on the next drive in the early fourth period and did not show any limitations to finish the game.
LB Christian Elliss: The veteran linebacker had a rough game against Miami, missing three tackles and not being able to finish the contest on the field. He took his final snap with 4:03 left in the fourth quarter, and was later officially announced as questionable to return to the game because of dehydration.
LB Marte Mapu: Mapu ended up taking over for Elliss, but he also was not able to finish the game. Even though no injury was announced at the time, he exited the game midway through the final drive after an incomplete deep pass that he was not directly involved in; he was guarding the underneath area of the field from his off-ball linebacker spot. Dell Pettus was on the field in place off him for the game’s final three defensive snaps.
OT Morgan Moses: The Patriots’ starting right tackle entered the weekend questionable with a foot injury, but still ended up playing all 60 offensive snaps. He was flagged three times for false starts — a fact he would not blame on his injury situation — but otherwise performed well. However, after the game he was spotted in the locker room wearing a walking boot.
What this means for the Patriots
Most of the Patriots’ injuries sustained against the Dolphins on Sunday fall into the minor category. Craig Woodson, Carlton Davis and Christian Barmore were all able to finish the game, while Christian Elliss and Marte Mapu seemed to be alright as well after the contest.
The big question mark is Morgan Moses. He went wire-to-wire, but the walking boot is a potential concern given that he already entered the weekend nursing an injury. The Patriots’ return to practice on Wednesday and subsequent first injury report of Week 3 should help bring more clarity to the situation.
The Patriots will stay at home for their upcoming game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Kickoff at Gillette Stadium on Sunday is set for 1 p.m. ET.
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