Belichick assesses banged-up receiver corps
NFL
Patriots wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell has been out all season with an injured knee. At a position group that already has Julian Edelman sidelined for the season with a torn ACL and now Chris Hogan with a banged-up shoulder, a return to the fold from Mitchell would be greatly beneficial.
Bill Belichick was asked yesterday if there were a possibility that Mitchell could come off injured reserve this season.
“Yeah, I don’t know. We’ll have to see how it goes,” Belichick said. “There’s still a lot of football left. Guys that are eligible to come back — I mean, that could potentially be eligible to come back or working hard to trying to get better — they’re improving, so we’ll just see where all that takes us. I don’t know.”
Belichick also touched on the injuries to both Hogan and cornerback Stephon Gilmore (concussion). Gilmore’s absence Sunday was unexpected, but Belichick said the team followed its usual protocol.
“Well, we listed him on the injury report the way we always do,” Belichick said. “We make those designations on Friday and then based on where things are on Sunday, then we make the determination. I think, when he’s ready and able to play and able to do everything, then I’m sure he’ll be able to help us. We’re working towards that point. We’re getting closer and we’ll see when we get there.”
As for Hogan, Belichick said the Pats will update his status on the injury report “like we always do.”
Chiefs stop Broncos
Harrison Butker kicked five field goals, Marcus Peters returned a fumble 45 yards for a touchdown and the Chiefs beat the turnover-prone Denver Broncos, 29-19, last night in Kansas City, Mo.
Alex Smith threw for 202 yards and a touchdown, most of it going to tight end Travis Kelce, who hauled in seven balls for 133 yards and the score. The Chiefs (6-2) also intercepted Trevor Siemian three times and hopped on two fumbles to beat Denver (3-4) for the fourth straight time.
Siemian has now thrown eight picks and only three TD passes in the past five games. The Broncos have lost all but one of them.
Elliott suspension on
A federal judge cleared the way for the NFL to enforce a six-game suspension of Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott over domestic violence allegations. A U.S. District Judge yesterday denied a request for a preliminary injunction from the players’ union attorneys for Elliott. Elliott attended the roughly twohour hearing in New York.
Miller has surgery
Chicago Bears tight end Zach Miller had surgery to save his left leg after he tore an artery while dislocating his knee during Sunday’s loss at New Orleans. The team said the “urgent” operation Sunday to repair a torn artery was successful. Miller dislocated his knee when he landed in the end zone attempting to catch a 25-yard touchdown pass from Mitchell Trubisky.
Also, the NFL suspended injured Bears linebacker Jerrell Freeman 10 games for violating the league’s policy against performance-enhancing drugs.
Flacco may be ready
Joe Flacco is recovering from a concussion, and Ravens coach John Harbaugh says “there’s a good chance” the quarterback will play Sunday at Tennessee. Flacco sustained a concussion and a gash after absorbing a late, high hit from Miami linebacker Kiko Alonso in the 40-0 win Thursday night . . . .
Colts coach Chuck Pagano says quarterback Andrew Luck will miss his third consecutive week of practice with lingering soreness in his surgically repaired right shoulder . . . .
The Seattle Seahawks acquired veteran Pro Bowl left tackle Duane Brown from the Houston-Texans for cornerback Jeremy Lane and two draft picks.