Patriots vs Chargers injury analysis: New England leaves Week 8 virtually unscathed

The New England Patriots have a lot to feel good about after their 27-24 win over the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday. Not only are they back at .500 now for the first time since early September, they also have beaten a quality opponent on the road. On top of it all, the Patriots also did not appear to suffer any prominent injuries.

With that said, let’s take a closer look at who got hurt, and what it might mean in the grand scheme of things.

Injury analysis

OT Isaiah Wynn: The Patriots’ left tackle, who had missed time earlier in October on the Covid-19 reserve list, left the field midway through the team’s opening drive of the third quarter. During an injury timeout for Chargers defensive back Asante Samuel Jr, Justin Herron took Wynn’s spot in the lineup. He was seen jogging into the locker room a short time later, but was back on the field on the next New England possession.

QB Mac Jones: New England’s starting quarterback played all 77 offensive snaps, but he suffered a cut on his chin at one point. While some blood visibly stained his white jersey, the rookie passer did not appear to be limited in any way.

LB Matthew Judon: Judon was flagged for running into Chargers punter Ty Long in the early third quarter, and it appears that he also hurt his hand along the way. Long stepped onto Judon’s right hand when he came down, with the Patriots’ standout linebacker immediately grabbing it. However, he was back on the field for the next defensive play and registered a tackle and half a sack after the injury scare.

What this means for the Patriots

The Patriots headed into the weekend with 15 players listed on their injury report, but it does not look like the list will see any major additions coming out of the game against the Chargers. New England, after all, left Los Angeles virtually unscathed.

No injuries were announced during the game, with the three players listed above all able to finish the game. Isaiah Wynn’s short-term absence remains a mystery but it should not be of any consequence; the injuries suffered by Mac Jones and Matthew Judon fall into the same category.

The Patriots’ first injury report of the week will give us more clarity about the team’s status, though. It will be released on Wednesday afternoon, with New England set to take on the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.