Who is going to play corner for Patriots in must-win matchup with Dolphins?
FOXBORO -- The Patriots need to win Sunday to keep their playoff hopes alive. To win, the Patriots will need to keep explosive Miami receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle in check.
That is no easy task, even with a fully healthy collection of skilled cornerbacks. And that is not a luxury the Patriots will have on Sunday.
Rookies Marcus Jones (concussion) and Jack Jones (knee) and veteran Jalen Mills (groin) haven't practiced all week. Safety Adrian Phillips (illness) was added to the DNP list on Thursday. For good measure, Jonathan Jones has been limited with a chest injury.
Are there any healthy corners on the New England roster? They would be Myles Bryant and Shaun Wade, who are not the most ideal corners to throw out against one of the most talented wide receiver duos in the NFL. Bryant has struggled against fast receivers this season, and Wade has barely played. Wade saw one snap last Saturday, and was immediately targeted and gave up a touchdown in New England's loss to the Bengals.
It's very likely that the Patriots will have to roll with a corner group led by a hobbled Jonathan Jones and the struggling Bryant against Hill and Waddle, who are threats to break open a game on any down. They're not the biggest pass-catchers in the NFL, which is good news for the Patriots. But they are lightning quick and crafty as anyone, which is bad news for the Patriots.
Reinforcements are... not on the way, either. Unless you are ready to hang the season on practice squad corners Quandre Mosely (a rookie signed three weeks ago) or Tae Hayes (who was just signed on Tuesday). Bill Belichick and his defensive coaches are going to have to get a bit creative on Sunday.
Linebacker Matthew Judon has made a career of getting after the quarterback, but joked Thursday that he'll be ready to put a receiver on an island if asked.
"I'm not going to tell you all what I'm doing this week. but don't be surprised if it's me vs. Waddle out there on an island," Judon joked. "We have guys that will step up in those positions and they'll play well. They've got to play well."
Whoever gets the nod on Sunday, Judon said that the veteran players on the defense are sending them a very clear message this week.
"They ain't filling in. This is an opportunity for them to start and play a lot. It's not filling in or just because. They're here for a reason; they have a jersey for a reason and a helmet for a reason," he said. "This is their chance, their opportunity."
Tune in to Patriots-Dolphins this Sunday on WBZ-TV -- the television station of the New England Patriots! Coverage continues Friday night at 7 p.m. with Patriots All Access, and begins Sunday at 11:30 a.m. with Patriots GameDay. The Pats and the Dolphins are set to kick off at 1 p.m., and after the game, switch to TV38 for full reaction and analysis on Patriots 5th Quarter!
