New England Patriots Rumors: Danny Amendola, Julian Edelman Ruled Out For Patriots Vs. Jets Game
New England Patriots rumors have Danny Amendola and Julian Edelman ruled out for Week 16. The Patriots rumors about Edelman playing against the New York Jets always stated it was a longshot, but now it looks like he will officially miss this important game. A report from the Boston Herald on Saturday, December 26, states that the team will be missing more than two of its most important wide receivers.
Patriots safeties Devin McCourty (high ankle sprain) and Patrick Chung (foot) did not make the trip to New Jersey for this game. It could leave the roster a bit shorthanded in a game that the Patriots really want to win. As previously reported by the Inquisitr, if the Patriots can beat the Jets on Sunday, December 27, the team can clinch the No. 1 seed for the 2016 AFC Playoffs.
Julian Edelman is still unable to return from a broken foot, despite showing that he may be ready for the first-round of the NFL Playoffs. It’s also possible that Edelman could see some playing time in Week 17 just to get back to game speed before the postseason. Danny Amendola is dealing with a sprained knee, forcing the Patriots to dig even deeper when it comes to providing targets for quarterback Tom Brady to throw to.
There is some small good news from the latest New England Patriots rumors, as linebacker Dont’a Hightower and receiver Brandon LaFell did accompany the team on this trip. Hightower is dealing with a sprained MCL and has been listed as likely to appear in the game. LaFell is still working through a foot injury, but could become the primary receiver that Brady targets on Sunday. All Pro tight end Rob Gronkowski also appears on the injury report, but is expected to play and have a big impact against the Jets.
This game means much more to the Jets, as the team is trying to move into one of the AFC wild card spots. The Jets (9-5) are currently the No. 7 team in the conference, just behind the Kansas City Chiefs (9-5) and Pittsburgh Steelers (9-5). Though the Jets share the same record as the two wild card teams, they lose the tie-breakers when it comes down to several playoff scenarios. In order to pass one or both of the AFC wild card leaders, the Jets likely have to win in Week 16 and Week 17 as well as have one of the other teams lose.
These New England Patriots rumors underscore how tough it has been for former MVP Tom Brady to run the offense. He has had to deal with many injuries to the receiving corps as well as to running backs and offensive linemen. On the season, Danny Amendola has accounted for 63 catches, 631 receiving yards, and three touchdowns so far. Julian Edelman caught 61 passes for 692 yards and seven touchdowns on his own. Only one other player has more than 500 receiving yards, and that is tight end Rob Gronkowski with 66 catches, 1,072 yards, and 11 touchdowns to his credit.
Despite all the injuries, Brady is right in the race to win another NFL MVP Award. Through the first 14 games of the season, he has thrown for 4,405 yards and 35 touchdowns. Brady also has a quarterback rating of 103.8 that ranks him among the best in the league. If he can find a way to get the team to 14-2, it is possible that Brady will be placing another regular season trophy on his mantle. Fantasy football owners will need to consider these New England Patriots rumors as a possible reason to lean on Brandon LaFell, James White, and Rob Gronkowski against the New York Jets.
[Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images]
