Week 6 wasn't an easy game for the New England Patriots, but they improved to 4-2 with a 26-19 victory over the New York Jets. Drake Maye led the way with three passing touchdowns, continuing his streak of strong games. A surprising element these past two weeks has been the play of Patriots first-round rookie tackle Caleb Lomu.
Lomu checked into the game last week after Will Campbell went down with an injury, and the same thing happened again this week when Morgan Moses got hurt in the second quarter with an ankle injury. During his stints in each game, Lomu has held his own and surprisingly looked solid at both tackle spots. When Lomu was drafted, it seemed likely that the plan was for him to predominantly sit behind Moses for his rookie season.
With how things went in the Jets game, though, the first-rounder will need to be ready for a bigger role going forward.
Injuries will force Caleb Lomu into bigger role with the Patriots
Moses wasn't the only offensive lineman that gut hurt against the Jets, as both of the Patriots' starting guards, Alijah Vera-Tucker and Ben Brown, left the game with injuries. Vera-Tucker left the game with a hamstring injury, while Brown exited with a knee injury; neither returned. Entering the game, New England could have been without Campbell, too, who suffered an MCL sprain in his right knee last week in a win over the Las Vegas Raiders.
What makes the injuries along the offensive line a bigger issue is that the Patriots are on a short week, with their next game being this Thursday. If Moses can't go on Thursday, Lomu will be set for his first start of this season. As solid as Lomu has looked, it will be different going from taking over for someone to being in the starting unit.
Lomu also won't be lining up many experienced players, depending on the health of the offensive line, as the injury bug has hit four of the regular starters (though Campbell should be likely to play Thursday since he suited up today). It will be key for Lomu to keep up his current play, given how many question marks along the o-line the Patriots will have.
Caleb Lomu can be Patriots' right tackle of the future
While things across the o-line have been worrisome given all the injuries, it has been great to see Lomu hold his own these past two weeks.
Even before the injury, New England was going to need to find a replacement for Moses sooner rather than later. If these past two games have shown anything, it is that the 21-year-old has looked like a good heir apparent at right tackle (while also showing his versatility by playing left tackle as well).
Week 7 will be a tough matchup for the Patriots given all the injuries piling up. New England next takes the field on Thursday, October 22, going on the road against the Chicago Bears. Similar to the Patriots, the Bears have dealt with injuries, getting starting quarterback Caleb Williams back in Week 6 from a hamstring injury.
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