With the return of Julian Edelman and Sebastian Vollmer for last Saturday's playoff matchup against the Chiefs, the Patriots offense was as healthy as it had been in some time. But the defense will be without one if its leaders for the rest of New England's Super Bowl defense; linebacker Jerod Mayo was placed on injured reserve Tuesday with a shoulder injury he suffered in the 27-20 victory over Kansas City.
Mayo, 29, played in all 16 regular-season games, but 2015 ended just like 2013 and 2014: on injured reserve. The 2008 first-round pick moved into a reserve role this season behind Dont'a Hightower and Jamie Collins. (He started just eight games in '15 after starting all but two games he appeared in from 2008-14.)
In addition to Mayo, Collins and defensive end Chandler Jones also left the Chiefs game with injuries, though coach Bill Belichick was in no mood to divulge anything before he needs to.
"When we're required to give them, we'll make sure you get them right away," Patriots coach Belichick said Monday, via the Providence Journal. "Again, we didn't practice [Sunday], we're not practicing today, so until we actually go out there and do those things I think there are a lot of players that we won't really know for sure where they're at until they go out there and try to practice and do things at the level or close to the level we'll need to do them on Sunday. Really that's kind of the way it is every week and the way it is with every guy.”
Put another way: While Mayo's fate has been determined, we'll know more about Collins and Jones on Wednesday. The Patriots will face the Broncos in the AFC Championship Game on Sunday.
