The New England Patriots’ 10-7 victory over the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship may not have been the best game of the NFL season, but it doesn’t matter. A win is a win, and this allows the Patriots to return to the Super Bowl after a six-year absence.
A win isn’t the only thing the team can feel good about coming out of Sunday. The Patriots also seem to be avoiding any major injuries along the way — or are they? After all, there was speculation online following the game that starting quarterback Drake Maye may have suffered a right shoulder injury.
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Let’s assess both his and the team’s overall injury status after re-watching the game and based on the information we have available from Tuesday morning.
Patriots injury analysis: AFC Championship Game
LB Robert Spillane: The Patriots’ defensive signal-caller sat down after he made a short run with 3:37 left in the first quarter, and hit his helmet in frustration afterward. He eventually made it off the field under his own power, but headed to the green medical tent for more tests. Spillane ended up going to the locker room and was declared doubtful to return to the tournament due to an ankle injury. However, he got up again in the second half and tried his ankle on the side. However, in the end he did not participate in the game again.
QB Drake Maye: New England’s starting quarterback found himself under a lot of pressure against the Broncos’ top-tier pass rush, and ended up racking up five sacks, seven hits, and a tackle. In one of these, a presumed shoulder injury occurred: with 3:46 left in the third quarter, Maye broke through the middle and was brought down by safety Talanoa Hufanga. He went down to his right, and his hand went up to it immediately; he may have just been adjusting his shoulder blades, because he did the same on the left after that. That’s all speculation, of course. What we know is that Maye stayed in the game and did not show any discomfort that they did not expect even though he hit another one and repeated it in the game. He also completed a 31-yard pass just two plays after the game in question.
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What does this mean for the Patriots
The two weeks leading up to the Super Bowl are often filled with speculation, rumors and stories that may not be relevant to the outcome of the game. Drake Maye’s injury, which is said to be injured in the shoulder, is the one that will enter all of these categories.
Obviously, time will tell what exactly happened and whether there is cause for concern. The 23-year-old, however, did not sound overly concerned during his post-game press release.
“I have bumps and bruises, but, hey, that’s what it takes,” she said. “I think a lot of those guys in that locker room are fighting, and I think at the same time the best thing about it is that we get another chance at it. Another chance to be healthy — two weeks and we’re going to get into good weather, hit the woodwork. We’ll see. But a chance to win a Super Bowl. I mean, that’s what it is. That’s great.”
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As for Robert Spillane, he previously missed four games due to an ankle injury, which means his condition needs to be looked at as well. However, his permission to return to work and the possibility of returning to the game if the situation demands it can be interpreted as a good sign.
However, in the end we will have to wait for more information to come out. Others may come Tuesday for head coach Mike Vrabel; others may arrive on Thursday when the team returns to practice.
The first injury report for Super Bowl LX against the Seattle Seahawks, meanwhile, will be released next Wednesday.
