Breaking: The New England Patriots have ruled out four playersโค for Thursday night’s primetime matchup against the New York Jets at Gillette Stadium,withโ kickoff set for 8:15 p.m. ET.
Running backโ Rhamondre Stevenson is not yet ready to return from aโฃ toe injury, despite being limited inโ Tuesday’s practice โ- an advancement โfrom previous non-participation. โฃFellow running back JaMycal Hasty is โฃquestionable due to aโฃ knee injury โคsustained last week.
On the defensive โside, linebacker Jahlani Elliss will miss his second consecutive game โคwith a hip โinjury, โคand his replacement, Jack Gibbens, initiallyโข managed a hamstring injury but is nowโข cleared to play.
Wide receiver Kayshon Boutte is also out,having suffered a minor hamstring injury on a short week.
To address roster needs,โฃ the Patriots are considering elevating playersโฃ from the practice squad, โwith running back โคD’Ernest Johnson, tight end CJ Dippre, โand linebackerโฃ Dariusโ Harris as top candidates. Johnsonโ has been elevated for the past two games and this would be his final standard elevation.
The Patriots’ run defense, which allowed a season-high โข5.4 yards per carry and a 57.1% rushing success rate against Tampa Bay last week,โ will face the third-most explosive rush โoffense in the league this โขweek. โขLinebackers Marte Mapu and Jahlani Tavai are available for depth, with Tavai โขpotentially โคseeing action onโ early downs and run situations, and Mapu in passing game scenarios.
star defensive tackle โChristian Barmore, who was limited last weekโข due to a โฃbackโค injury, is โalso cleared toโข play,โ though he has โขnot been as disruptive recently, failing โคto record a quarterback pressure orโข run stuff in the โlast two โขweeks.
Following โขThursday’s game, the Patriots have a 10-day break before visiting the Cincinnati Bengals on November 23rd.
