Report: Patriots' 'Hope' Is Dion Lewis Suffered MCL Sprain, Not Worse

The New England Patriots have reason to be optimistic.

Dion Lewis suffered a knee injury Sunday during the Patriots’ 27-10 win over the Washington Redskins at Gillette Stadium. It didn’t look good, as Lewis stayed on the ground for several moments before limping to the sideline under his own power, but the early evaluations reportedly paint a brighter picture.

Pats won't know full extent of Dion Lewis injury until his MRI, but the hope is it's an MCL sprain and not more severe after early checks

— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) November 8, 2015

It’s obviously difficult to put too much stock into this report from CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora because, as he mentioned, the running back still needs to undergo an MRI to determine the extent of his knee damage. But it’s encouraging news for the Patriots that Lewis hasn’t already been diagnosed with worse than an MCL sprain, so perhaps New England will avoid what initially looked like a very costly blow.

The Patriots remained undefeated with Sunday’s victory, but their injuries are beginning to mount, as offensive lineman Sebastian Vollmer also left the game with a head injury. Losing Lewis for an extended period certainly would hurt New England’s high-powered offense, as the 25-year-old is in the midst of a breakout season.

UPDATE (8:55 p.m. ET): ESPN’s Adam Schefter didn’t paint a rosy picture of Lewis’ situation.

Patriots RB Dion Lewis scheduled to undergo MRI on his knee. No swelling yet, a good sign. ACL loose, a bad sign. MRI to tell full story.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 8, 2015