Mark Daniels

Sunday

Dec 30, 2018 at 8:41 AM


FOXBORO – The Patriots will be without one of their most dynamic offensive weapons this afternoon against the New York Jets.


Cordarrelle Patterson won’t suit up for the Patriots after suffering a knee injury last weekend against the Buffalo Bills. Patterson practiced this week, but was limited in all three sessions. This marks the first game Patterson will miss this season. In fact, this marks the first time the receiver/returner will miss a game in his entire career. [...]

FOXBORO – The Patriots will be without one of their most dynamic offensive weapons this afternoon against the New York Jets.

Cordarrelle Patterson won’t suit up for the Patriots after suffering a knee injury last weekend against the Buffalo Bills. Patterson practiced this week, but was limited in all three sessions. This marks the first game Patterson will miss this season. In fact, this marks the first time the receiver/returner will miss a game in his entire career.

Coming into this week, Patterson had never missed a game, playing in 95-straight contests. That was the second longest streak among all NFL wide receivers behind Demaryius Thomas (122).

Patterson has become the Patriots jack-of-all trades this season. He’s started at both running back and wide receiver. He’s also the team’s best kickoff returner. Patterson had a career-high 63 touches this year. He finishes the regular season with 21 catches for 247 receiving yards and three touchdowns. He also finishes with a career-high 42 carries for a career-high 228 rushing yards and a touchdown.

Patterson entered this week averaging 28.8 yards per kickoff return, which is second in the NFL.

Also inactive for the Patriots is Adrian Clayborn, Duke Dawson, Obi Melifonwu, Keionta Davis, James Ferentz and Jacob Hollister (hamstring).

Dawson will not play in a single game this rookie season. He’s the first second-round pick under Bill Belichick to be on the 53-man roster and not play in a game during his rookie year.

Clayborn is a healthy scratch for the second-straight game. It’s been a surprising turn for the veteran defensive end. He’s inactive while Derek Rivers is active for the first time in the last four games.

Welcome to Gillette Stadium

Welcome to Gillette Stadium where the Patriots will on the New York Jets in their Week 17 regular-season finale

There’s a lot on the line for the Patriots today. Although they’ve clinched a spot in the playoffs with their tenth-consecutive AFC East division title, the AFC’s playoff seeding has yet to be determined. With a win, the Patriots will clinch a bye and at least one home game at Gillette Stadium.

There are several scenarios that could play out on this day, depending on the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers.

If the Patriots win and the Chargers lose to the Denver Broncos and the Chiefs lose to the Oakland Raiders, the Patriots would clinch the AFC's No. 1 seed. That would mean home field advantage through the 2018 NFL playoffs. In that scenario, of course, the Patriots would need two upsets.

If the Patriots lose on Sunday, they’d be in danger of losing the AFC’s No. 2 seed. In the event that the Jets prevail this afternoon and the Houston Texans win, Houston would get the No. 2 seed. That would mean the Pats play next weekend in the wildcard round. That’s the worst-case scenario for today.

The Patriots are relatively healthy today. The team ruled out backup tight end Jacob Hollister (hamstring) on Friday. Dwayne Allen (knee), Cordarrelle Patterson (knee), Brandon King (knee) and LaAdrian Waddle (illness) all finished the week limited and questionable for today’s game.

Welcome to Gillette Stadium

With a win over the AFC East rival Jets today, the Patriots will earn a first-round playoff bye and making their path to another Super Bowl appearance a little easier. Join The Journal's team on Twitter today from Gillette Stadium for all the action. 

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