When it comes to slivers of good news, the New England Patriots will take whatever they can get.
New England (2-10) reached a couple of marks of dubiousness on Sunday afternoon: a 6-0 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers produced the Patriots' first loss where the opponent didn't score a touchdown since 2020, and their first 10-loss season since head coach Bill Belichick's dreary debut 23 years ago.
The Patriots didn't even have the comfort of their offensive MVPs to keep them company: rookie Demario Douglas missed Sunday's game with a concussion while third-year rusher Rhamondre Stevenson was in the locker room by the end of the first quarter, maimed by a hip-drop tackle from blitzing Charger Tuli Tuipulotu. The Patriots' leading rusher needed assistance to get off the field and did not return.
A small bit of good news worked its way into the somber New England locker room after the game: per Jeff Howe of The Athletic, Stevenson's x-rays came back negative. He left the game without being able to put much weight onto his right leg, but apparently avoid a major structural injury.
Caution will likely be exercised as the team works through a short week, as this cursed season moves onto Pittsburgh on Thursday night (8:15 p.m. ET, Amazon Prime Video).
"(We're) just thinking about him," Stevenson's fellow rusher Ezekiel Elliott said, per Mike Kadlick of WEEI. "Hoping for the best."
Hip-drop tackles have been a lingering talking point in the NFL, particularly after one such hit ended the season of Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews during a Thursday night game against Cincinnati. These hits often attack the lower body and the league has considered outright banning them.
Unlike the clothesline hit that knocked Douglas out of last week's loss to the New York Giants, New Englanders did not hold any ill will toward Tuipulotu in the immediate aftermath.
“It’s the defense’s job to tackle guys,” center David Andrews said in Howe's report. “I don’t think (defenders) are doing it with malicious intent.”
“It’s football," cornerback Jabrill Peppers added in the same listing. "However you can get a guy on the ground that’s legal, you do it.”
Stevenson (9 carries, 40 yards) lost a fumble to Tuipulotu on the play but there was no doubt his departure caused an already meandering New England offense to further sputter. the fumble occurred on the Los Angeles 31 and only two plays occurred closer to the Chargers' end zone ... and Bailey Zappe was sacked on both.
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