The New England Patriots are heading to the Super Bowl in the first year under head coach Mike Vrabel after defeating the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship Game. However, the Patriots won without two of their starting linebackers, veterans Harold Landry and Robert Spillane, leaving their statuses in question for the Super Bowl.
In the first quarter, Spillane stayed down on the field after he was involved in making a tackle. He took his helmet off and slammed it on the ground, knowing that he was injured. He was able to walk off the field and into the blue medical tent without assistance, but shortly thereafter, he went into the locker room for further evaluation. It was eventually announced that he had an ankle injury, but he wasn’t ruled out for the remainder of the game.
In fact, Spillane was back on the sidelines before the first half ended, but he didn’t play in the game after the injury. It’s worth mentioning that Spillane has been managing this injury since Week 13, when he played limited snaps before returning from their bye week in Week 15 still injured and unable to play for the remainder of the regular season.
Robert Spillane Gives Patriots Another LB Injury to Worry About
Although Spillane was able to return for the playoffs, it seems like he was still playing injured, which puts the team at risk, and that can’t happen this deep in the postseason. Backup linebacker Jack Gibbens stepped up in his place, as he had numerous times during the season, and he went on to call the defense in the AFC Championship Game.
Unfortunately, the Patriots' LB-related woes don't end there.
Although Landry was ruled out for this game with a knee injury, he didn’t practice all week. It’s worth noting that he missed the final two games of the regular season to help manage this knee injury, which he first received in Week 6 against the New Orleans Saints. He persevered and played in every game that followed before sitting out the final two weeks to be available for the playoffs.
Landry played in both the Wild Card and Divisional rounds, but he was unable to suit up for the AFC Championship Game due to his knee injury, leaving time to tell if he can straighten out his health before the Patriots take on the Seattle Seahawks with the Lombardi Trophy on the line.
With two weeks to prepare ahead of the Super Bowl, it gives Landry and Spillane additional time to recover and be available for the biggest game of their careers. Following their trend over recent weeks, both Spillane and Landry should be available to play in the Super Bowl with two weeks of rest before the game.
If the Patriots find themselves in a situation without Spillane or Landry for the Super Bowl, it will be Gibbens who wears the Green Dot to lead the defense. Fans can also expect to see contributions from Christian Elliss, Anfernee Jennings, and Elijah Ponder, as all hands on deck will be essential for the Patriots to end Vrabel's first year behind the bench in championship glory.