FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Mohamed Sanu’s ankle injury didn’t stop him from finishing New England’s 17-10 win in Philadelphia last weekend.
But it should keep him from Sunday’s showdown against the Cowboys. Plus, NBC Sports Boston reports that Sanu may have a high ankle sprain and could miss multiple games.
Sanu sat out his second straight practice Thursday, according to the team’s practice report. He was the only non-participant, with fellow wideout Phillip Dorsett upgraded to limited participation after missing Wednesday’s session with a concussion. Dorsett was also injured against the Eagles.
No Patriot has played this season after missing two straight practices. Sanu was present for initial warmups and drills, a change from Wednesday when he was absent all together.
“You’d love to have everyone healthy but it’s not always the case this time of year,” Tom Brady said. “But, guys will fight through different things and we’ll see how it goes as the week goes on.”
Without Sanu, the Patriots must turn to at least one rookie receiver – N’Keal Harry or Jakobi Meyers. Harry made three catches for 18 yards in his NFL debut against Philadelphia, while Meyers hauled in one pass for seven yards. Meyers is the far more experienced, with Harry having missed the first half of the season on injured reserve.
However, in their one game played together, Harry saw 13 more snaps. Meyers has caught 15 passes on 19 targets this season.
“We’re just trying to figure out how we can do things consistently, with dependability, and guys are working hard at it,” Brady said. “Sometimes it comes together early, middle of the season, late in the season and, you know, the only thing that matters really is this week and trying to beat a really good football team. So, I don’t know what shape it’s going to take this particular week as the game unfolds, and you kind of see what the challenge is they’re presenting.”
THE NFL announced the leading vote-getters at every position for the 2020 Pro Bowl this week, and only two Patriots lead at their positions in the AFC.
Rookie punter Jake Bailey and special teamer Matthew Slater are ahead of the pack with more than 15,000 votes apiece. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson leads all players with more than 146,000 votes. Baltimore led all teams in total votes, followed by the 49ers, Packers, Cowboys and Vikings.
Several Pats defenders figure to be in contention for a Pro Bowl nod. Cornerback Stephon Gilmore, safety Devin McCourty and linebackers Kyle Van Noy and Jamie Collins are all on key statistical leaderboards for their positions. All but Van Noy have made the Pro Bowl before.
According to the NFL Network, Tom Brady is the ninth-leading vote-getter among quarterbacks. He currently ranks outside the top 15 in passing touchdowns, completion percentage and passer rating. Brady’s made 14 Pro Bowls in his career.
Pro Bowl fan voting will run through Dec. 12.
THE PATRIOTS signed defensive end/outside linebacker Tashawn Bower.
In his third year out of LSU, Bower spent his first two seasons in Minnesota, where he originally signed as a undrafted free agent in 2017. Bower totaled seven tackles and one sack over seven regular-season games. He started this season on the non-football injury list and was released on Oct. 15.
CHASE WINOVICH’S mom was in disbelief, then denial as she walked into the Mazda dealership with her son, New England’s rookie linebacker and recent buyer of a new car.
But the flashy new ride wasn’t for him. It was for his mother, Nina Winovich, who he surprised with a 2019 Mazda MX-5 Miata as a thank you for everything she’d done for him over the years.
“I can never repay you, but here’s a start. I love you mom,” the Patriots linebacker wrote on his social media posts documenting the experience.
In addition to the photo thanking his mother, Winovich also posted video of the moment she realized that she was getting a new car.
“I was getting a new windshield. That’s all I needed,” Nina Winovich said, breaking into tears as she embraced her son.
The Patriots rookie embraced his mom and said the car was a gift for “all those days when you would drive with a car that didn’t have a radio.”
“I’m not taking it,” Nina Winovich said stubbornly as she walked into the dealership in disbelief.
“It’s too late. It’s already paid for,” her son responded with a smile.
The linebacker’s purchase has been in the works for a while and has served as a motivating factor heading into his NFL career. Before the 2019 draft, the former Michigan star told reporters that his first big purchase he was going to make as a pro would be a new car for his mother, who would drive all the way out from Pittsburgh to home games in Ann Arbor with a car radio that didn’t work.
“She loves listening to audio books, but the car itself isn’t bad – it’s like a 2011 – but the computer system in her car is broke,” Winovich said. “Over the past year, I’ve been motivated by that.”
Winovich has been one of the Patriots’ most productive rookies in 2019. The Michigan product has logged 4.5 sacks in 10 career games.
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