The New England Patriots dropped to 4-3 after their Thursday night loss to the Chicago Bears, falling out of the current AFC playoff picture. Ouch. But hold up, because for an injury-ravaged squad, this Week 7 slugfest brought some genuinely good news on the health front. In fact, after rewatching the contest, there were only two noticeable injuries. Talk about a much-needed reprieve.
Byard’s Bulletproof Return
S Kevin Byard III scared everyone early in the second quarter. The veteran safety had to be checked out by trainers on the field due to an apparent left shoulder injury. You know that pit in your stomach when a key player goes down, especially when your team is already fighting an uphill battle with health. But Byard, tough as nails, jogged right off, hit the medical tent for a brief evaluation, and was back in the game after just four snaps. Dude barely missed a beat, ending the game with a 94% playing time share and not missing any other reps down the stretch. That’s a huge sigh of relief right there, no doubt.
Barmore’s Big Play, Bigger Relief
Christian Barmore gave us a heart-stopper in the late fourth quarter. He made what could have been one of the biggest plays of the game, sacking Caleb Williams for a massive 10-yard loss. That’s the kind of momentum swing you need! Unfortunately, the play didn’t end up mattering after kicker Cairo Santos uncorked a career-long field goal to effectively ice the game for the Bears. Even worse, Barmore landed awkwardly on his right hand on that play and needed medical assistance, walking off the field and not getting an opportunity to reenter the game.
But here’s the kicker: Head Coach Mike Vrabel came out Monday saying about Barmore, “he’ll be fine.” Both Barmore and Byard were present at practice on Monday, concrete proof that these aren’t long-term issues. And get this: Guard Ben Brown, sidelined with a knee injury, was also back on the practice fields Monday. This team has been losing starters or key reserves to injury in almost every game this season, so getting out of a Thursday night game with no major new additions to the injured list and guys actually *returning* to practice? That’s a huge shift in momentum, people.
They’re heading into a Week 8 contest against the Miami Dolphins after a mini-bye, and suddenly, the injury outlook is trending way up. The first injury report drops Wednesday, and it could provide even more good news on the current state of the team. Kickoff against the Dolphins at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium is set for 4:25 p.m. ET on Sunday. Could a healthier squad be what finally turns this ship around and gets them back in the AFC playoff hunt? You gotta think so.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pats Pulpit.
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