Backfield still a bit limited
Burkhead hopes to play, but depth a concern
FOXBORO — After sitting out of team drills in Wednesday’s practice, Patriots running back Rex Burkhead was upgraded to limited participation yesterday.
The veteran running back is dealing with a concussion.
Burkhead carried the ball 18 times — the second highest output of his NFL career — for 64 yards in the opener against the Texans. It’s unclear when Burkhead suffered the concussion, but he did finish the game.
Burkhead’s limited participation is an encouraging sign. If he is able to play Sunday in Jacksonville, he’ll likely serve as the lead back for the Pats, who lost Jeremy Hill to a torn ACL in Week 1.
Rookie running back Sony Michel remained limited with a knee injury. Offensive tackle Marcus Cannon
(calf), tight end Jacob Hollister (hamstring) and safety Nate Ebner (knee) were also limited participants.
Entering the second week of the season, running back depth is a concern for the Pats. In the event that Burkhead and Michel miss the Jaguars game, the Patriots would be left with James White and the recently signed Kenjon Barner as the only halfbacks on the active roster. The club is carrying two running backs on the practice squad, undrafted rookie Ralph Webb
and second-year pro Kenneth Farrow.
Injuries in the backfield could affect the Jags as well. Leonard Fournette exited in the first half of their season-opening win over the Giants with a hamstring injury. Fournette has missed both days of practice this week.
If they’re without the 240-pound Fournette, the Jaguars will rely on a combination of T.J. Yeldon and Corey Grant, who caught three passes for a careerhigh 59 yards in the first half of last year’s AFC Championship Game.
New return man?
The Riley McCarron experiment ended after one week.
McCarron was promoted from the practice squad to the active roster and then released altogether within a span of five days.
His muffed punt against the Texans created some unnecessary drama for the Pats, who were cruising before the miscue gifted the Texans a trip to the red zone.
With McCarron out of the picture, the Patriots must now examine their options at punt returner. Barner, who signed earlier this week, has plenty of experience. He fielded 27 punts for the Eagles a season ago.
Another option? Strong safety Patrick Chung. He’s always part of the team’s punt return rotation in practice.
“We’ll just go out there and catch punts and some guys that aren’t punt returners go back and catch punts,” Chung said. “That’s not my decision. Coach tells me to go do this, I’m going to go do that and then if my name’s called, then I’ve got to be ready.”
Chung emphasized the importance of making good decisions as a returner.
“You don’t want to force it,” Chung said. “That’s kind of a general rule and if you are able to get the opportunity to try to make a play, make a play. Protect the ball, call it a day.”
In addition to Chung, Burkhead and wide receiver Chris Hogan spent time fielding punts this summer.
The Patriots are under no illusions as they head to Jacksonville this weekend.
They know this is a monumental game for the Jaguars.
“It is going to be intense,” said Patriots safety Devin McCourty. “You don’t leave that season after losing the AFC Championship Game to a team and not say, ‘We want another crack at them.’ We know to go on the road for their home opener they are going to be fired up and ready to go and I’m sure they circled this game in the offseason. This is a game they are going to be ready for so it’s important for us to get off to a good start and (be) ready to go. They are going to try and punch us in the mouth and we’ve got to come back and be able to counter.”
Jacksonville linebacker Myles Jack called this “the most important week of (my) life, for sure.
“We feel like we’re going to be in the playoffs, so we want so to gain home-field advantage,” Jack told reporters earlier this week. “We feel like if we can get a win on them, that would be huge.”