The New England Patriots got great news regarding Drake Maye this week as we inch closer to the Super Bowl. The star quarterback is reportedly feeling much better after his shoulder injury, and he should be completely ready to roll against the Seattle Seahawks.
Nevertheless, that might not be the case with Robert Spillane. While Spillane insists he'll be ready, he hasn't practiced yet, which is clearly an issue now that the game is just days away. According to Evan Lazar of Patriots.com, coach Mike Vrabel didn't sound too confident about his chances of playing in the Super Bowl.
Robert Spillane is Running Out of Time to Get Back on the Field
“We’ll see how it goes today," Vrabel said, via Lazar. "We have a few more practice days before we get there."
The star linebacker hurt his ankle during the first quarter of the AFC Championship Game against the Denver Broncos and didn't return. The fact that he has still been unable to practice after two weeks of rehabbing that ankle is a major concern.
The Patriots brought Spillane in from the Las Vegas Raiders as one of their most prominent free agent signings. He responded right out of the gate, leading the league with 97 total tackles (48 solo), to go along with five passes defensed, four tackles for loss, two picks, and one forced fumble. Per Pro Football Focus' grading system, he ranked 12th-best among 88 eligible linebackers this season.
Spillane is one of the team's best defenders against the run. And with Kenneth Walker coming off back-to-back signature playoff performances, not having him out there could spell disaster for Coach Vrabel and company.
Of course, Spillane still has a couple of days to get back on the gridiron, do some work, and be out there. He'll push until the very last second to take the field for the biggest game of his career, but the fans probably shouldn't get their hopes up.
Vrabel and the Patriots have held additional practices with no media access. So, he may have a couple of aces up his sleeve. As a defensive-minded head coach, Vrabel could have some alternatives in mind to try to mitigate Spillane's possible absence.
As things stand now, the team and the fans should probably prepare as if Spillane won't play and make peace with that thought. If he's able to get out there, even for limited snaps, it should be a plus. It'll take a collective effort to make up for such a sensitive loss against arguably the best team in all of football.