The weather the last few days in New England has been pretty miserable (cold and rainy) which feels fitting for the dark cloud that has been surrounding the Patriots (2-4) over the past few weeks during their three-game losing streak. This afternoon brought the revelation that the team's best wide receiver-Julian Edelman-is out for this Sunday's (1, CBS) must-win at Buffalo (5-2) and probably a few more weeks after he underwent a "precautionary knee procedure" this morning. With the NFL trade deadline coming up on Election Day (next Tuesday at 4 pm) this ensures that at least Edelman isn't going anywhere for the rest of the season.
Watching him in 2020, you knew that something was up with Edelman's health since after his career-high 179 yards in the Week 2 loss at Seattle, he has been a ghost. During this slide, he has a combined six catches for 56 yards which makes sense when you realize that New England has scored just 28 points in those three setbacks. Given his age (34), smallish size and with his BF Tom Brady thriving in Tampa Bay, you figured that this would be a rough campaign for Edelman. Whenever he retires, this is a guy that will be remembered as an all-time great Patriot who came out of nowhere (7th round pick and quarterback at Kent State) so it is particularly sad to see his NFL career circle the drain like this.
Early reports said that this shouldn't be a season-ending injury but if the Patriots keep losing, why would he rush back to join these bums?
Looking ahead to the first meeting of the season with the AFC East leading Bills, the Pats depth chart at wide receiver is straight up nightmare fuel. I don't expect N'Keal Harry to play either after he suffered a concussion in Sunday's loss to the Niners and so far this week, he hasn't practiced which is never a good sign for his availability. New England will have to elevate someone from the practice squad but as it stands, Cam Newton will be left with Damiere Byrd, Jakobi Meyers and Gunner Olszewski to throw to (no need to mention the Pats awful tight ends) not including the running backs. Given how badly the Patriots have played the last few weeks and the fact that the Bills are already a few games ahead of them, it feels like a changing of the guard is happening in the AFC East where the Pats have won the last 11 division crowns.
Patriots head coach/GM Bill Belichick is usually active around the NFL Trade Deadline (which frankly isn't the same event that it is in the NFL, NHL or MLB) so if they lose this weekend, it will undoubtedly be time for the team to move on from whatever veteran players have any real short-term value. It would have been a bummer to see Edelman in another uniform therefore in a weird way, this saves us from that gross possibility. Still, we need any reason to be happy about the Pats right now (especially with Brady looking fantastic in Tampa Bay) and this is yet another reason to weep while we watch some of our old Patriots Super Bowl DVDs trying to savor the good times.
UPDATE 10/30/2020: The Patriots confirmed what we all basically knew: Edelman (knee) & Harry (head) are both out on Sunday vs. Buffalo. Gulp.
UPDATE 10/31/2020: Oh hey, more bad news for the Pats going into tomorrow's game vs. the Bills. Cornerback Stephon Gilmore (knee) didn't make the trip so he will also be out along with Edelman (who went on IR today so he'll be out for at least the next 3 games) and Harry. Good grief!
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