Get ready for a thrilling Monday Night Football matchup as the Patriots gear up for their first appearance since the 2022 season! But here's the catch: several key players are carrying injury concerns into this highly anticipated game against the Giants.
The Patriots have ruled out two players, G Jared Wilson (ankle) and Brenden Schooler (ankle), a special teams ace. And that's not all; OLB Harold Landry III (knee) and DT Khyiris Tonga (chest) are listed as questionable for Monday night. On the Giants' side, QB Jaxson Dart has been cleared from concussion protocol and will start for New York, but they've also ruled out OLT Kayvon Thibodeaux (shoulder).
Let's talk offense. New England is preparing to start its third different offensive line combination of the season against the Giants. Rookie LT Will Campbell (knee) and G Jared Wilson (ankle) sustained injuries during the Patriots' win over the Bengals last week, with Campbell placed on injured reserve, meaning he'll be out for at least four games. Wilson, on the other hand, is dealing with a high-ankle sprain, but he remains on the active roster. It's unclear when the Patriots will have their rookie linemen back, so they're facing a challenge with two new starters against a formidable Giants defense.
Head coach Mike Vrabel confirmed that OT Vederian Lowe will step in for Campbell at left tackle. Lowe has NFL experience, having started 13 games at left tackle for the Patriots last season. At left guard, top interior backup Ben Brown is expected to fill in for Wilson. Brown was the next man up in Cincinnati when Wilson got injured early in the game.
Despite their struggles last season, Brown and Lowe are joining a much-improved Patriots team with a 10-2 record. The coaching staff, led by offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and offensive line coach Doug Marrone, has a solid reputation for aiding the offensive line with strategic moves like chips and extra protectors to double-team bigger threats. Additionally, QB Drake Maye will have his full arsenal of weapons to work with. While the O-Line is banged up, Maye and the skill players will need to step up and provide support.
This could lead to more max-protection schemes where the Patriots send fewer receivers into the pattern. The Giants' run defense is ranked last in yards per carry (5.9) and EPA per rush (+0.19). If New England can establish a strong run game and use play-action to push the ball downfield, they could exploit a weakness in the Giants' defense and keep Maye protected with a solid blocking unit.
The Patriots' rookie linemen have been a significant reason for the offensive line's improvement this season. The team has shown marked progress, moving up to 20th in pass-blocking win rate and 15th in run-blocking win rate compared to their 2024 rankings of 31st and 32nd in ESPN's win rate metrics. Brown and Lowe will need to step up, and it will be interesting to see how McDaniels and the coaching staff adapt their strategies with two backups on the left side.
Now, let's shift our focus to the Patriots' defense. Landry III (knee) and Tonga (chest) are two crucial pieces on the defensive front whose availability for Monday night's game is uncertain.
Landry III has been managing a knee injury for a few weeks now, and he's listed as questionable for the second consecutive game. His recent dip in production could be attributed to playing through this injury. In the first five games, he logged impressive stats with 3.5 sacks and 22 total pressures, but his numbers have dropped in the last six games, with only two sacks and 14 total pressures. This split also coincides with an injury scare in New Orleans (Week 6). Despite the injury, Landry III is showing his toughness, but the late bye week might provide some much-needed rest for the veteran.
As for Tonga, his absence was felt in the win over the Bengals, where the Patriots allowed their first 100-yard rusher of the season (Cincy RB Chase Brown). New England's rush defense is significantly better when Tonga is on the field, with a -0.10 EPA per rush compared to a +0.02 rush EPA when he's not. Tonga also plays a vital role on offense as a short-yardage lead blocker, and his absence affects the Pats' run defense and goal-line offense, which struggled in Cincinnati last week.
In addition to their injured nose tackle, standout DT Milton Williams (ankle) is also on injured reserve, missing his second of at least four games on Monday night. The Patriots relied on defensive tackles Cory Durden, practice-squad elevation Jeremiah Pharms Jr., and DT Eric Gregory against the Bengals, and a similar rotation is expected against the Giants, hopefully with Tonga available.
Lastly, special teams captain Brenden Schooler will miss only his second game due to an ankle injury. Replacing his impact on kick and punt coverage will be a challenge, especially as he's a part of five different special teams units. It will be interesting to see how the Patriots manage without their leading tackler and best gunner on special teams.
The Patriots will now turn their attention to practice squad elevations, which can be made official on Monday afternoon. It's likely that Pharms will be elevated for the second week in a row, and another spot could go to a special teams contributor to fill the gap left by Schooler. The stage is set for an exciting Monday Night Football game at Gillette Stadium, with the Patriots hosting the Giants at 8:15 p.m. ET.
