The New England Patriots returned to the win column in Week 14, beating the Arizona Cardinals on Monday Night Football. But while the 27-13 end result was a positive one, not all went well for the team of head coach Bill Belichick.
One of the biggest issues coming out of it was injuries: several important contributors either left the game or were otherwise shaken up. So, let’s take a look at who was either announced as injured during the game or caught our eye after re-watching the contest.
Injury analysis
CB Jack Jones: Jones played a key role for the Patriots early on in the game, but he exited the contest in the first quarter because of a knee injury. He went into the blue medical tent on the sidelines, emerged to ride a stationary bike and was announced as questionable to return. However, he never did and instead walked into the locker room before being ruled out for the remainder of the game in the second period.
WR DeVante Parker: One of the most controversial moments of Monday’s game saw Parker get up wobbly after a 10-yard catch in the first period. Nonetheless, the unaffiliated neurotrauma consultant did not immediately stop play; it took an Arizona challenge flag to accomplish that. Parker eventually left the contest and later walked into the locker room. He was ruled out alongside Jones in the second quarter because of a head injury.
RB Rhamondre Stevenson: The Patriots’ lead running back remained down after a short run in the first quarter, getting rolled up on his left ankle. He walked to the locker room under his own power, before returning to the sideline in second period to test out the ankle. Stevenson indeed returned to the game later that quarter, but was forced to leave a second time a short time later. He was eventually ruled out after having played just 13 total snaps.
S Devin McCourty: McCourty collided with teammate Deatrich Wise Jr. in the fourth quarter and was subsequently removed from the game as well under apparent suspicion of a head injury. He went into the medical tent and while never officially ruled out did not reenter the contest.
S Brenden Schooler: While the rookie special teamer did not suffer an obvious injury during the game and ended it tied for the team-lead with 21 kicking game snaps, he was spotted wearing a brace on his left wrist in locker room after the game.
What this means for the Patriots
While both Brenden Schooler and Devin McCourty — who later blamed his situation on his age rather than anything else — should be fine moving forward, the situations surrounding Jack Jones and especially DeVante Parker and Rhamondre Stevenson are not all that clear.
Jones is probably the safest bet out of the three to be able to return to the field for this week’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders. Not only did he claim that he “should be good” in the locker room after the contest, he also shared an encouraging-sounding update on social media:
Nothing to serious I’ll be alright appreciate the love and support fr ! ❤️
— Jack Jones ♂️ (@presidentjacc) December 13, 2022
Ultimately, though, this week’s practices at the University of Arizona in Tempe will decide Jones’ outlook. The same is true for Parker and Stevenson, who appear to have suffered more serious injuries.
Despite his ankle issue, Stevenson is reportedly “hopeful” to play on Sunday. He was spotted by NBC Sports’ Phil Perry after the game not sporting a boot or using any crutches to serve as support for his injured leg.
As for Parker, the expectation is that he has been moved to the NFL concussion protocol. While that would not necessarily rule him out for the game in Las Vegas, the quicker-than-usual turnaround does not help his case.
We should be able to get more information about his and all other statuses on Wednesday afternoon after New England has released its first injury report of the week.
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