LANDOVER, Md. — The field is in terrible condition for Sunday's game between the Patriots and Redskins, just a day after Navy beat Army at FedEx Field.
There are huge patches of dirt between the hash marks, and there are noticeable divots spread across the natural grass surface. Patriots head coach Bill Belichick examined the field about three hours before the game, and several players — including offensive linemen Nate Solder and Brian Waters — broke from their typical pregame routines to check the surface earlier than usual.
Three areas were re-sodded for Sunday's game, including a large square patch with the Redskins' logo at midfield. There were two other smaller patches with the NFL logo at each 25-yard line.
For what it's worth, there weren't any maintenance crews on the field at any point in the three hours leading up to kickoff. When the Patriots played on some less-than-desirable surfaces earlier this season — in Miami in Week 1 and Pittsburgh in Week 8 — there were crews working on the field before kickoff.
The concern, as always with a poor playing surface, is injuries, and the most notable instance came during the Patriots' 2009 regular-season finale in Houston, where wide receiver Wes Welker tore his ACL on the poor surface at Reliant Stadium.
Another interesting note: The Army and Navy letters were still painted in the end zones for Sunday's game, as the Redskins are honoring military personnel during the game.
Check out a photo of the field below.
Photo via Twitter/@jeffphowe
