Faulk, Price, Ellis Among Patriots Inactives vs. Giants

The Patriots have announced their inactives for their 4:15 PM ET game against the New York Giants:

Kevin Faulk, RB

Jermaine Cunningham, DE

Dane Fletcher, LB

Taylor Price, WR

Ryan Mallett, QB

Donald Thomas, OL

Shaun Ellis, DE

A few thoughts on the inactives:

• Kevin Faulk and Taylor Price are both somewhat a surprise. There was a lot of talk this week that Price would be used in a much larger role, but a late-week hamstring injury set him back.  Faulk was the Patriots primary running back last week against the Steelers, but was listed questionable with a knee injury this time around, and apparently was too sore to play.
• Jermaine Cunningham is a healthy scratch for the second straight week.
• Linebacker Jerod Mayo and tackle Sebastian Vollmer are both playing for the second straight week despite both being listed as questionable.
• The Patriots will take a hit with the absence of Shaun Ellis, who has a ribs injury. Ellis was finally playing well last week before coming up hurt.
• Today's game will also mark the return of safety Josh Barrett.  Barrett started the year as the team's starting safeties but went down with injury week four against Oakland.
• Wes Welker, who took a dirty hit from the Steelers' Troy Polamalu last week and was questionable with a neck injury, will also be in action for the Patriots.