Morris suffered an MCL injury in the Patriots' 59-0 thrashing of the Titans on Oct. 18 and hasn't played or practiced since. According to the report, he'll be out this weekend against Miami and next weekend in Indianapolis, but could be ready to return the following week for a home rematch against the Jets.
If he is able to return at full (or close to full) health, Morris will add a vital piece to a team that is currently without a tough inside runner. Morris proved that value in New England's win over Baltimore, picking up six first downs on 11 carries. One of those runs came on a fourth-and-1, and another came on a third-and-1. He also scored on a 12-yard scamper. On the season, he's averaging 3.6 yards per carry.
His combination of power and speed has him as one of Bill Belichick's favorite options to carry the ball, but his health has kept him off the field for much of his tenure in New England. He suffered a season-ending chest injury in Week 6 of the 2007 season, when he was averaging 4.5 yards per carry. He returned in 2008 and torched the Broncos' defense for 138 yards in the first half of a Week 7 matchup on Monday night, but he suffered a knee injury and missed the following three games.
The Patriots are currently ranked 14th in the league in rushing yards per game with an average of 115, and they're tied for 17th in yards per attempt at 4.1. Given the pass-first nature of the Patriots' offense, neither of those numbers is likely to rise much with the return of Morris. He would, however, provide the Patriots with a short-yardage back, which is an increasingly important role as the weather turns for the worse in New England.
