INDIANAPOLIS — The New England Patriots are the best team in the NFL, undefeated and just beat their biggest rivals. Yet, something didn’t look quite right Sunday night.
The Patriots’ front seven couldn’t stop the Colts’ rushing attack, which averaged 5.5 yards per carry, and they couldn’t get consistent pressure on Andrew Luck to force mistakes. Dion Lewis, who has been one of the Patriots’ biggest weapons, received just seven touches in the 34-27 victory. Tom Brady was sacked just twice, but he was constantly readjusting in the pocket, scrambling and rolling out more than usual.
It’s obvious injuries are starting to affect the Patriots, who should have steamrolled the Colts. Instead, it took the Colts sabotaging themselves for the Patriots to finally put away the home team.
The Patriots were without starting linebacker Dont’a Hightower, who’s dealing with a rib injury. Starting left tackle Nate Solder and cornerback Tarell Brown were placed on injured reserve this week and won’t be back this season. Marcus Cannon, who filled in for Solder at left tackle to begin the game Sunday, was injured early with a toe ailment. Starting running back Dion Lewis obviously wasn’t himself because of an abdominal ailment and defensive end Jabaal Sheard went down in the second half with an ankle injury. Special-teams ace Matthew Slater also had to be helped off the field late with a knee injury.
The Patriots missed Hightower most. Jerod Mayo and reserve Jonathan Freeny aren’t as versatile, explosive or consistent as Hightower, and Jamie Collins wasn’t able to be himself without his fellow starter. Hightower’s absence was overlooked because Sunday night’s game wasn’t supposed to be close, but it wound up nearly costing the Patriots the game. The Patriots trailed 21-20 at halftime.
Sebastian Vollmer slid from right tackle to left tackle when Cannon went down, and Cameron Fleming filled in admirably on the right side, but the Patriots’ offensive line consisted of a left tackle playing out of position, rookie guards Shaq Mason and Tre’ Jackson, a right tackle just called off the practice squad, and Josh Kline, who has to rotate between left and right guard.
“Yeah, that was a big challenge,” Brady said Sunday night about losing Cannon. “That’s a part of the NFL. We had a great situation with three great tackles and then Nate went down, and then we brought Cam up. Then, I think, one series into the game, Cam is in there. He did a good job, competed really hard. He was on the team last year and did a good job for us, so we’ll need to count on him. It’s just a few moving parts there. We’ll need time to settle in and see if we can settle those positions down and all make improvements.”
The Patriots’ secondary — the unit fans were most concerned with coming into Sunday’s game — actually fared OK against Andrew Luck and the Colts’ passing attack without Brown. The Patriots played most of Sunday’s game with two cornerback and three safeties, with Devin McCourty in a hybrid-cornerback role along side Malcolm Butler and Logan Ryan.
Hightower, Lewis, Cannon and Sheard should be back to full health later in the season, but it might not be smooth sailing until they’re 100 percent. The Patriots will get back wide receiver Brandon LaFell, defensive tackle Chris Jones and linebacker Dane Fletcher, all of whom are on PUP, and center Bryan Stork, who’s on short-term injured reserve, to increase their depth, so the Patriots’ ship should be righted by the end of the season.
It’s a positive sign the Patriots won in their weakest performance of the season, but the Colts shot themselves in the foot, and New England might not be so lucky next time.
Thumbnail photo via Thomas J. Russo/USA TODAY Sports
