The New England Patriots left Tampa Bay in Week 10 with a win, but their depth was heavily tested in the game, and it will be moving forward after injuries started to pile up against the Buccaneers. With a short week ahead of them as they host the New York Jets on Thursday Night Football, it's clear that the Pats will need their depth contributors to step up more than ever.
Patriots' Offense Playing Shorthanded
On offense, New England entered Week 10 without starting running back Rhamondre Stevenson and wide receiver Kayshon Boutte, which forced an opening for running back TreVeyon Henderson and wide receiver Kyle Williams to show what they can bring to the table. Needless to say, the rookie pair delivered.
Henderson finished the game on Sunday with 14 carries for 147 yards and scored two touchdowns on explosive plays of 55 yards and 69 yards as the lead back. He also stepped up in pass protection to allow quarterback Drake Maye more time to make a play.
It’s worth mentioning that backup running back Terrell Jennings, who was recently signed from the practice squad, left the game with a knee injury and was unable to return. This caused New England to call up veteran D’Ernest Johnson from the practice squad, who had one rushing attempt and was used on special teams.
Without Stevenson for the last two weeks, the Patriots were already running thin at the position with only Henderson and Jennings. Calling up Johnson is a nice option to have for a third-string running back, but he’ll eventually need to be added to the 53-man roster if this ensemble is to continue further.
As far as wide receiver, the rookie Williams offered a similar quality to the offense that Boutte provides as a deep threat, field-stretching option. It only took 10 weeks for the first-year playmaker to become a contributor in a game, but he was ready for the opportunity when it presented itself. He’s played in every game, but this was the first game of the season that he was able to contribute to the team. Although he only made one catch, it went for 72 yards and showed his speed.
Patriots' Defensive Depth Must Step Up
The Patriots' defense is managing a handful of injuries and roster depth concerns that were put to the test in Week 10 and will be moving forward to Week 11 after four of their players on defense went down with injury on Sunday.
The Patriots were already starting backup their linebacker Jack Gibbens with Christian Elliss ruled out for Week 10, and along the way they also saw cornerback Marcus Jones, safety Jaylinn Hawkins, linebacker Marte Mapu, and defensive tackle Christian Barmore all leave the game in the second half with an injury. Although they were able to return to the game, it really tested their depth on that side of the ball.
There’s a regular rotation in place for the defensive line this season, with rookie Joshua Farmer and Cory Durden spelling Barmore and Milton Williams throughout the course of a game. However, backup defensive back Dell Pettus was deployed in place of Hawkins. It was the first meaningful defensive snap for Pettus since Week 4, but he’s primarily been used on special teams this season.
The Patriots have more defensive players in their pipeline through the practice squad than they do for offense. The depth is going to be more concerning when it comes to offensive talent if more essential players start to go down. With the Patriots hosting the Jets on a short week on Thursday, it would be wise for them to consider leaning on their depth to allow some of their more essential players not to rush back.
Not to discredit any of the teams in the NFL, but the 2-7 Jets aren’t a real threat to the Patriots right now, and the last thing head coach Mike Vrabel's team needs is to suffer an avoidable injury.
The most important thing for the Patriots right now is their health moving forward. If they’re able to fix some built-in rest days, New England should take advantage of the opportunity if it’s needed. Besides, a depth-fueled win over the Jets could leave the Pats feeling even more confident once their injured key contributors are healthy again.