Alright, so the Patriots finally snagged their first win of the season on Sunday, a 20-3 victory. But get this: their starting right guard Mike Onwenu has a broken ankle. Seriously? You see a team finally get things going, and *boom*, a major injury hits. Onwenu was carted off the field, ruled out with an ankle injury, and now Mike Reiss from ESPN.com is reporting it’s a full-blown break. If that gets confirmed, and let’s be real, it sounds like it’s happening, we’re talking about a **long absence** from the lineup for a crucial piece of their offensive line. That’s a brutal pill to swallow, no matter how good that win felt in the moment.
The Gut Punch of Losing Your Anchor
Can you even imagine? They’re celebrating their first “W,” probably feeling a little bit of relief, and then the news drops that your starting right guard, a guy who made his 92nd career start, is out with a broken ankle. Ninety-two starts! That’s not some backup; that’s experience, communication, and a reliable anchor gone from the offensive front. An offensive line needs to be a cohesive unit, right? Losing someone like Onwenu, a guy with that kind of history, absolutely messes with the chemistry and protection up front. Greg Van Roten stepped in after the injury, and you gotta respect that next-man-up mentality, but there’s no way that doesn’t sting. Losing that kind of veteran presence, especially when you’re trying to build some momentum early in the season, is a massive blow to any team’s plans.
Injury Bug Bites Hard Before Jacksonville
And Onwenu isn’t the only one hurting. It seems like the injury bug decided to go on a rampage for the Patriots on Sunday. Defensive lineman Dre’Mont Jones is battling a shoulder injury. Both safeties, Craig Woodson and Dell Pettus, are dealing with shoulder and ankle issues respectively. Then you’ve got tight end Eli Raridon with a thigh problem. That’s a whole string of key players getting dinged up in one game! How are they supposed to keep this momentum going with half the team in the trainer’s room? They’re heading to Jacksonville next weekend, a road trip, and the status of all these guys is gonna be updated before then. Honestly, they’re going to need all hands on deck just to make that trip without looking like a MASH unit. Taking on Jacksonville short-handed is a tall order, and they’ll have to hope for some good news on a few of those injury fronts fast if they want to build on that first win.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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