FOXBOROUGH — Just a few days away from their first playoff game since January 2022, the Patriots are currently fighting through a bug that is making its way through the locker room.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday afternoon, Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel said that three offensive linemen — right tackle Morgan Moses, center Garrett Bradbury, and backup tackle Vederian Lowe — along with linebacker Anfernee Jennings didn’t practice on Wednesday due to illness.
In total, New England had five players missing from practice on Wednesday, with defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga also sidelined with a foot injury.
This time on the NFL calendar routinely opens the risk of cold and flu bugs spreading across a team facility, with New England defensive tackle Chrisitan Barmore excused from practice last week due to an illness.
Missing a practice on Wednesday doesn’t necessarily signal that key cogs like Moses and Bradbury won’t be cleared and healthy before Sunday night’s postseason matchup against the Chargers. Still, New England needs to try and avoid losing more players closer to kick-off this weekend as this illness continues to spread.
With Moses unavailable on Wednesday, Thayer Munford and Marcus Bryant slotted in at right tackle, while Ben Brown was Bradbury’s replacement in the middle of the offensive line.
New England’s offense will already have its hands full trying to counter a stingy Chargers defense that has made life miserable for opposing QBs.
Entering Week 18, quarterbacks have recorded a league-worst 74.8 percent passer rating against the Chargers, and are completing just 60.79 percent of their throws against Los Angeles, the fifth-lowest mark in the league.
But, Los Angeles also boasts an imposing pass rush with 45.0 total sacks on the season.
“I mean, it’ll be critical this week against a good front and a good defense,” Vrabel said of the importance of his offensive line on Sunday. “So, that’s what’s going to matter. I think they’ve continued to improve and helped us stay balanced.
“I mean, games where we didn’t run the football as well as we would like, but then we had games where we really ran it really well. I think they’re trying to do a good job of protecting Drake [Maye] and giving us opportunities.”
On the West Coast, the Chargers are also missing a few key players of their own, with rookie running back Omarion Hampton sidelined with an ankle injury.
Here’s a look at the injury reports for both the Patriots and Chargers:
PATRIOTS
DID NOT PARTICIPATE
C Garrett Bradbury – Illness
LB Anfernee Jennings – Illness
T Vederian Lowe – Illness
T Morgan Moses – Illness
DL Khyiris Tonga – Foot
LIMITED PARTICIPATION
CB Alex Austin – Wrist
LB Jack Gibbens – Elbow
TE Hunter Henry – Not Injury Related / Rest
LB Harold Landry – Knee
T Thayer Munford Jr. – Knee
LB Robert Spillane – Ankle
G Jared Wilson – Concussion Protocol
CHARGERS
DID NOT PARTICIPATE
WR Keenan Allen – Not Injury Related / Rest
T Austin Deculus – Oblique
OLB Bud Dupree – Hamstring
RB Omarion Hampton – Ankle
WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith – Hamstring
OLB Khalil Mack – Not Injury Related / Rest
LB Del’Shawn Phillips – Hamstring
S Kendall Williamson – Ankle
LIMITED PARTICIPATION
CB Donte Jackson – Ankle
DB Elijah Molden – Hamstring
OL Jamaree Salyer – Hamstring
FULL PARTICIPATION
TE Tucker Fisk
QB Justin Herbert – Left Hand
