The 2015 New England Patriots are like one of those Jenga towers Tom Brady and Julian Edelman built on their summer trip to Montana.
With each week and another Patriots win, blocks are gradually removed. The tower isn’t swaying yet, but it’s time to start wondering whether the Patriots can make it to the end of the season with another Super Bowl victory before injuries force them to tumble to the ground.
The Patriots are, without question, the NFL’s best team even without three left tackles, a starting running back, their most explosive defender, their top situational pass rusher, another starting offensive lineman and a starting cornerback.
Let’s go through the full laundry list of injuries the Patriots faced Sunday against the Washington Redskins: Left tackle Nate Solder and cornerback Tarell Brown are out for the season. Offensive tackle Marcus Cannon and defensive end Jabaal Sheard have sat out since Week 6. Starting right guard Tre’ Jackson was held out with a knee injury. Linebacker Jamie Collins sat out after being added to the injury report Saturday afternoon with an illness. Offensive tackle Sebastian Vollmer and running back Dion Lewis were declared out midway through the game.
The Patriots still easily won 27-10.
The mood at Gillette Stadium changed after Lewis went down with an apparent knee injury. The running back has been a spark plug for the Patriots’ offense, and all of his best traits were on display early, as he juked around defenders on his way to 53 total yards on eight touches.
The Patriots’ game plan also changed. After Vollmer and Lewis suffered injuries, it appeared to be much more about getting out of Gillette in one piece than it was about piling up points. The Patriots had the win, so they could afford to sit Dont’a Hightower and his possibly still sore ribs.
Vollmer suffered a head injury, so it seems he should be back on the field before long. Lewis’ knee injury is much scarier, and the diagnosis reportedly could be grim. Lewis is part of what makes the Patriots’ offense so dangerous, because he can’t be covered by a linebacker. Take him away, and the offense becomes slightly more predictable.
The Patriots certainly are weakened by their piling injuries. Their offensive line is in tatters, and more and more pressure is being put on their makeshift secondary as pieces are taken away from what could be one of the NFL’s best pass rushes. But the Patriots’ next-man-up philosophy so far is working much better than anyone should expect. Bryan Stork and Cameron Fleming were thrust into positions they had never played in the NFL, and Brady wasn’t sacked. This team is deeper than past Patriots squads, and it’s showing every week.
The Patriots really only have two irreplaceable players: Brady and tight end Rob Gronkowski. They’re those two outside pieces on the bottom row of a Jenga tower. Until those are removed, the Patriots shouldn’t topple.
Thumbnail photo via Greg M. Cooper/USA TODAY Sports Images
