The Patriots are set to play their recreation of the season with none playoff rivalry on the road.
Officially eradicated from the playoffs Sunday, the Patriots are solely taking part in for draft positioning and delight at this level.
Head coach Bill Belichick will seemingly nonetheless preach doing what’s finest for the workforce within the closing 4 weeks of the season. At this level, that must be with a watch towards the longer term because the Patriots get a have a look at extra inexperienced gamers.
Here are 4 to look at this week in opposition to the Chiefs.
RB JaMycal Hasty
The veteran operating again has but to play this season since being claimed off waivers from the Jaguars final month, however logic says that ought to change this weekend.
With Rhamondre Stevenson nonetheless coping with a excessive ankle sprain, Hasty and Ezekiel Elliott are the one wholesome operating backs on the 53-man roster. After dropping a move and lacking a block resulting in a blocked punt, operating again/vast receiver Ty Montgomery was waived final week to make room for linebacker Christian Elliss.
The Patriots usually like to decorate a minimum of three operating backs, which suggests Elliott, Hasty and Kevin Harris, who’s presently on the apply squad, can be on the sport day roster.
So, what’s there to learn about Hasty? The 5-foot-8, 205-pound Baylor product went undrafted in 2020 earlier than signing with the 49ers. He has 101 profession carries for 410 yards with 4 touchdowns and has caught 50 passes on 65 targets for 316 yards and a landing. Hasty has additionally returned 16 kicks for 299 yards. Given his expertise on particular groups, he may tasked to duplicate Montgomery’s duties on Sundays.
It may also assist to spell Elliott with both Hasty or Harris, although the previous Cowboys operating again was efficient in final week’s 21-18 win over the Steelers.
WR Demario Douglas
Douglas missed final week’s recreation in concussion protocol. Fellow rookie Kayshon Boutte (shoulder) and veteran vast receiver DeVante Parker (knee) additionally have been inactive, resulting in a breakout recreation for offseason addition JuJu Smith-Schuster.
Douglas suffered his second concussion of the season within the Patriots’ Week 12 loss to the Giants. He missed contests in opposition to the Chargers and Steelers.
It must be useful for present Patriots quarterback Bailey Zappe to work with Douglas, the workforce’s high slot receiver. Zappe has additionally proven good rapport with Parker. Smith-Schuster’s 90-yard efficiency final Thursday was encouraging. And tight finish Hunter Henry caught two landing passes.
It’s quite a bit to ask for Zappe to maintain tempo with Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. But the extra weapons obtainable to Zappe, the higher in opposition to a workforce that must be one of many AFC’s finest.
LB Christian Elliss
The Patriots claimed Elliss off waivers from the Eagles final Thursday, however he wasn’t formally added to the roster till Friday for the reason that Patriots performed on Thursday evening final week.
Head coach Bill Belichick stated this week that Elliss has been on the Patriots’ radar for some time. He was a beginning defender in Week 13 and was a core particular groups participant for the Eagles.
Elliss is barely undersized at 6-foot-3, 231 kilos, however the Idaho product comes with spectacular athleticism. He ran a 4.58-second 40-yard sprint at his professional day in 2021 with a 35.5-inch vertical leap, 10-feet broad bounce, 4.29-second brief shuttle and 6.94-second 3-cone drill.
It appears unlikely that Elliss may discover a main function on protection at this level within the season, however the Patriots may use all the assist that they’ll get on particular groups. They presently rank thirty first in particular groups DVOA.
CB Alex Austin
Austin made his Patriots debut final week and received a particular shoutout from Belichick after the sport for his efficiency. The rookie performed 13 snaps and broke up a move on his solely goal.
Austin, 22, has best measurement for an out of doors cornerback at 6-foot-1, 191 kilos. He was chosen by the Bills within the seventh spherical of the 2023 NFL Draft and was waived at cutdowns. The Texans claimed him, waived him in October, added him to their apply squad after which launched him Nov. 1. The Patriots scooped him up onto their 53-man roster on Nov. 2, and he’s been there ever since.
Austin lastly dressed as a result of Shaun Wade was inactive with an sickness. He confirmed sufficient to get one other shot on the sport day roster.
Mahomes is actually a take a look at, however the Chiefs’ vast receivers are a principally inexperienced group.
Source: www.bostonherald.com