{"id":41220,"date":"2026-01-08T02:55:58","date_gmt":"2026-01-08T02:55:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/breakingnews.azontree.com\/?p=41220"},"modified":"2026-01-08T02:55:58","modified_gmt":"2026-01-08T02:55:58","slug":"patriots-dealing-with-illness-spreading-in-locker-room-ahead-of-chargers-playoff-game","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/breakingnews.azontree.com\/?p=41220","title":{"rendered":"Patriots dealing with illness spreading in locker room ahead of Chargers playoff game"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n
<\/span><\/p>\n
\"Patriots
Morgan Moses missed Wednesday’s practice due to illness. AP Photo\/Greg M. Cooper<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/header>\n

FOXBOROUGH \u2014 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.<\/p>\n

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday afternoon, Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel said that three offensive linemen \u2014 right tackle Morgan Moses, center Garrett Bradbury, and backup tackle Vederian Lowe \u2014 along with linebacker Anfernee Jennings didn\u2019t practice on Wednesday due to illness.<\/p>\n

In total, New England had five players missing from practice on Wednesday, with defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga also sidelined with a foot injury.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Missing a practice on Wednesday doesn\u2019t necessarily signal that key cogs like Moses and Bradbury won\u2019t be cleared and healthy before Sunday night\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

With Moses unavailable on Wednesday, Thayer Munford and Marcus Bryant slotted in at right tackle, while Ben Brown was Bradbury\u2019s replacement in the middle of the offensive line.<\/p>\n

New England\u2019s offense will already have its hands full trying to counter a stingy Chargers defense that has made life miserable for opposing QBs.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

But, Los Angeles also boasts an imposing pass rush with 45.0 total sacks on the season.<\/p>\n

\u201cI mean, it\u2019ll be critical this week against a good front and a good defense,\u201d Vrabel said of the importance of his offensive line on Sunday. \u201cSo, that\u2019s what\u2019s going to matter. I think they\u2019ve continued to improve and helped us stay balanced.<\/p>\n

\u201cI mean, games where we didn\u2019t run the football as well as we would like, but then we had games where we really ran it really well. I think they\u2019re trying to do a good job of protecting Drake [Maye] and giving us opportunities.\u201d<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a look at the injury reports for both the Patriots and Chargers:<\/p>\n

PATRIOTS<\/strong><\/p>\n

DID NOT PARTICIPATE<\/strong><\/p>\n

C Garrett Bradbury \u2013 Illness
\nLB Anfernee Jennings \u2013 Illness
\nT Vederian Lowe \u2013 Illness
\nT Morgan Moses \u2013 Illness
\nDL Khyiris Tonga \u2013 Foot<\/p>\n

LIMITED PARTICIPATION<\/strong><\/p>\n

CB Alex Austin \u2013 Wrist
\nLB Jack Gibbens \u2013 Elbow
\nTE Hunter Henry \u2013 Not Injury Related \/ Rest
\nLB Harold Landry \u2013 Knee
\nT Thayer Munford Jr. \u2013 Knee
\nLB Robert Spillane \u2013 Ankle
\nG Jared Wilson \u2013 Concussion Protocol<\/p>\n

CHARGERS<\/strong><\/p>\n

DID NOT PARTICIPATE<\/strong><\/p>\n

WR Keenan Allen \u2013 Not Injury Related \/ Rest
\nT Austin Deculus \u2013 Oblique
\nOLB Bud Dupree \u2013 Hamstring
\nRB Omarion Hampton \u2013 Ankle
\nWR KeAndre Lambert-Smith \u2013 Hamstring
\nOLB Khalil Mack \u2013 Not Injury Related \/ Rest
\nLB Del\u2019Shawn Phillips \u2013 Hamstring
\nS Kendall Williamson \u2013 Ankle<\/p>\n

LIMITED PARTICIPATION<\/strong><\/p>\n

CB Donte Jackson \u2013 Ankle
\nDB Elijah Molden \u2013 Hamstring
\nOL Jamaree Salyer \u2013 Hamstring<\/p>\n

FULL PARTICIPATION<\/strong><\/p>\n

TE Tucker Fisk
\nQB Justin Herbert \u2013 Left Hand<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n<\/header>\n<\/article>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As the Patriots brace for a playoff game against the Chargers, an illness is spreading across New England’s locker room.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":41221,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-41220","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-new-england-patriots"],"yoast_head":"\nPatriots dealing with illness spreading in locker room ahead of Chargers playoff game - Breaking News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/breakingnews.azontree.com\/?p=41220\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Patriots dealing with illness spreading in locker room ahead of Chargers playoff game - 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