Julian Edelman is the one player on offense aside from Tom Brady that the New England Patriots can least afford to lose, and his health heading into the final two games of the regular season must be a major concern for the team.
Edelman was listed on the Patriots’ injury report last week with knee and shoulder injuries, but he played in Sunday’s 34-13 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. He did not appear to be anywhere near 100 percent, however, catching just two passes for nine yards and not running the crisp routes we are accustomed to seeing from him. According to Michael Giardi of NFL Network, that is because Edelman has some tendon damage in his left knee.
Gutsy performance but not the production the #Patriots will need from their go to guy going forward #Patriots @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/UPiihKffo4
— Michael Giardi (@MikeGiardi) December 16, 2019
Giardi added that Edelman received treatment three times a day leading up to Sunday so he could play, and some Patriots players wondered during the game if it was a smart decision to play him.
Edelman has dealt with some significant injuries in the past, and he takes a beating over the middle of the field on a weekly basis. He has 92 catches for 1,019 yards on the season and has essentially been the lone bright spot in New England’s struggling offense.
The Patriots have an important game upcoming against the Buffalo Bills on Saturday night, and they could clinch the AFC East title with a win. They are still fighting for home field advantage in the playoffs, but they need to be smart with Edelman. Without him in the postseason, it would be difficult to envision the Patriots scoring enough points to win against quality opponents.
