Getty New England Patriots, David Andrews
The New England Patriots David Andrews missed two weeks of action after being concussed from the effects of an illegal blindside block from the Chicago Bears’ Mike Pennel. Patriots veteran special-teamer Matthew Slater called Pennel’s “block” a “dirty hit.”
Andrews broke his silence on the hit as he prepares to return to action following the bye week.
According to Andrews, who spoke with the media on Thursday for the first time since the injury, Pennel never reached out to apologize for injuring him on the play.
“It is what it is. It’s a violent game,” Andrews told MassLive. “He decided to do what he wanted to do, so it is what it is.”
Andrews was noticeably woozy
after the hit and had to be helped to the sideline. Pennel was ejected and fined just under $7,000 for the infraction. If you haven’t seen the hit, here is a look at it.
Here’s the hit that knocked David Andrews out of last night’s game.
Mike Pennel was penalized and ejected. Andrews was evaluated for a head injury. Puts his availability for Sunday in question with a short week.
It looks as if the worst part of the hit was the way the impact forced Andrews’ head to bounce off the turf. While Andrews missed games due to hand injuries and blood clots in 2019, this was a different experience for him.
“I’ve never had one. It was new to me. The symptoms stuff was new to me,” Andrews said. “Our concussion doctor went to Georgia, though so he’s a good guy in my book. It’s different because it’s sometimes hard to tell how you feel versus a shoulder, ankle or knee (issue). It was just very different.”
If the Patriots didn’t have a bye this week, it’s a wonder whether Andrews would have been cleared to play. The Patriots return to action in Week 11 against the New York Jets.
New England’s offensive line desperately needs Andrews’ talent, experience, and leadership. Rookie Cole Strange has faltered without him, finding himself benched the last two games.
The hope is that Andrews’ return can bring back a semblance of stability upfront.
Around the NFL: Are the Falcons Moving Toward a QB Controversy?
On Thursday Night Football, the Carolina Panthers pulled out an important 25-15 win over the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons’ offense sputtered with Marcus Mariota at quarterback and we’re beginning to hear some whispers about head coach Arthur Smith potentially turning to rookie Desmond Ridder to start.
However, according to ESPN’s Cameron Wolfe, Smith says he never considered making the change to the rookie on Thursday night, despite Atlanta’s struggles to move the ball and score points.
Falcons HC Arthur Smith says “no” he never considered putting Desmond Ridder in to replace Marcus Mariota. He later noted “it’s not just about the QB play.”
While Smith may not have thought about going to Ridder on Thursday night, you can rest assured Ridder is likely moving closer to being in the mix than not.
Around the NFL: The Carolina Panthers Seem to Be Flourishing in the Post-McCaffrey Era
While the evening was frustrating for the Falcons, the Panthers are experiencing a resurgence following the trade of Christian McCaffrey to the San Francisco 49ers.
NFL GameDay posted the eye-popping comparison to the Panthers’ record and stats with McCaffrey and without.
Post-CMC era👀
D’Onta Foreman ran the ball 31 times against the Falcons for 130 yards and a rushing TD. Most importantly for the Panthers, they came out on top. Can they sustain this level of play–especially on offense–for the rest of the season?
It’ll be worth watching in the imperfect but exciting NFC East race.
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Injured Patriots Veteran Breaks Silence on ‘Dirty Hit’