Patriots’ Cole Strange ‘mad’ cart was brought out after brutal injury, per David Andrews

Cole Strange has impressed Patriots teammate David Andrews

Unfortunately for Strange, Sunday’s injury isn’t the first ailment he’s been dealt with this season. He missed time in training camp due to a knee injury, which forced him to miss the regular-season opener. Even though Strange played in Weeks 2 and 3, he missed the Patriots’ next three games as he continued to deal with the knee issue.

Strange has played in every game since he returned in Week 7, showing some form of resilience to Andrews.

“Look, I’ve had the years where you kind of battle some injuries, and he’s had his fair share this year,” Andrews said. “I appreciate his toughness. … It’s an unfortunate reality of playing this game.”

Strange has had a shaky Year 2 following an up-and-down rookie season. The starting left guard struggled in his first few games as he was in and out of the lineup due to the knee injury, allowing a sack and nine pressures over the first three games he played in this season.

But Strange began to show some signs of improvement in recent weeks. He only allowed a sack and three pressures in his last three games prior to Sunday as Pro Football Focus also graded him out well as a run blocker.

Now, it appears the remainder of Strange’s season is in doubt. If he can’t suit up again this season, rookie Atonio Mafi figures to replace him at left guard, like he did on Sunday.

Strange was just one of three Patriots offensive starters to leave Sunday’s game early. Left tackle Conor McDermott and tight end Hunter Henry suffered injuries as well on Sunday that caused them to leave the game. Patriots head coach Bill Belichick even admitted the injuries to all three starters affected his fourth-down decisions, opting to punt the ball twice down 17 on fourth-and-short around midfield.

“It was tough to lose [Strange],” Belichick said. “It’s tough to lose Conor. Tough to lose Hunter. At the end there, we were not — I would say we didn’t feel like we were able to do probably what we should have done in that situation.”

Belichick didn’t have any updates available for any of the three injured players following Sunday’s game as they turn their focus to the Denver Broncos.