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New England Patriots veteran running back James White went down with a hip injury during the second quarter against the New Orleans Saints in Week 3.
The 29-year-old was carted off the field and ruled out for the remainder of the game.
White was injured on a six-yard run that resulted in a first down. Unfortunately, White’s knee was driven into the ground, which appeared to cause the injury to his right hip. Take a look at the play and former NFL doctor David J. Chao gave his expert take, which sounds pretty serious.
The sense and feeling on the field seemed to be that the injury could be a serious one as well. Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available.
What Will Patriots Do If White Misses Extended Time?
Immediately after White went down, the Patriots turned to veteran running back Brandon Bolden to take the available snaps. Damien Harris will likely remain the primary option, but the Patriots will need a player who can be the receiver out of the backfield that White is to work as Mac Jones’ safety valve.
Second-year RB J.J. Taylor would appear to be the best option, but he didn’t see as many opportunities as you might have expected. He got some run in the second half, but Bolden is primarily a special teamer. He lacks the sort of explosiveness that the Patriots would get with White or Taylor. Rookie Rhamondre Stevenson is seemingly a solid option for New England, but he was inactive for the Week 3 game against the Saints.
Stevenson has been banished from the rotation since he had a nightmarish Week 1 performance that featured a fumble lost and a blown blocking assignment. Bill Belichick notoriously has a short leash on rookie running backs, but he may be forced to rethink his position at this point.
The Patriots will likely hope Stevenson can deliver in what would be a second chance to make an impact.
Injuries Piling up Through Week 2
The injuries in the NFL continue to stack like unfortunate layers to the league story this season. White’s injury joined a list of the growing walking wounded.
There are some pretty big names on this list, and it was only compiled midway through Sunday’s early games.
Heading into a mammoth Week 4 battle with Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Patriots aren’t in the best shape from a physical or win-loss record standpoint.
Jones has been drilled in each of the first three weeks of the season, and the Patriots need as many players as possible who can take pressure off their rookie quarterback.
The initial help needs to come from the offensive line, which isn’t happening considering Jones was hit double-digit times against the Saints, but versatile weapons don’t hurt.
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