Patriots avoid flu disaster
Most sick players were active
HOUSTON — It had been a week like no other in the Bill Belichick era.
Then Sunday night came, and it ended like all the rest: with the Patriots putting themselves in position to win.
Excluding backup offensive lineman Jermaine Eluemunor, every flu-stricken Pats player listed as questionable was active against the Texans. A flu bug slammed the locker room earlier in the week, sidelining nine players for practice Wednesday and sending a handful home. On Friday, 15 Patriots were uncertain to play, including nine on Wednesday affected by illness.
Tight end Ryan Izzo was ruled out first after being sick all week and absent from every practice. Cornerback Jason McCourty (groin) and defensive tackle Byron Cowart (head) were next, left home when the team flew to Houston on Saturday.
Then, along with Eluemunor, quarterback Cody Kessler and rookie running back Damien Harris rounded out the team’s inactives list Sunday night. Harris did not make the final injury report, but he missed Wednesday’s practice because of illness. Kessler, the Pats’ thirdstring option behind Tom Brady and rookie Jarrett Stidham, has been inactive for every game he’s been on the roster.
Eluemunor snapped a streak of playing in six straight games, including several as an extra offensive lineman on running plays.
Left tackle Isaiah Wynn made the game-day roster despite sitting out the team’s first two practices with the flu. Linebackers Dont’a Hightower, Kyle Van Noy and Jamie Collins were all affected, as was All-Pro cornerback Stephon Gilmore. Until last week, the Pats had never had so many players miss practice due to illness. Right tackle Marcus Cannon was the first player afflicted 10 days ago, when he fought through it play during most of the Patriots’ 13-9 win over the Cowboys.
Pursuit closed
Back in June, the Texans’ failed pursuit of Patriots personnel executive Nick Caserio for their open general manager position made headlines after the Pats responded to a formal interview request by filing tampering charges with the league.
Eventually, because of a clause in Caserio’s contract that reportedly prohibited him taking an outside offer, the request and charges were both withdrawn. But intrigue lingered because Caserio’s contract expires after the season, when it was assumed Houston, which fired its GM days before pursuing Caserio, would come calling again.
That no longer appears to be the plan.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Texans do not intend to hire a general manager for the 2020 season. Since GM Brian Gaine was fired, Texans coach Bill O’Brien and former Pats character coach Jack Easterby, now an executive vice president in Houston, have split general manager responsibilities. Personnel executives Chris Olsen and Matt Bazirgan have also provided ancillary support, per Rapoport.
The setup is unique to Houston, which has given O’Brien, a former Patriots assistant, final say on chief football matters. Under O’Brien, the Texans have won the AFC South three of the past four seasons.
Travel separate
In a final health precaution Saturday, the Patriots split up and flew on two planes down to Houston.
The team separated its sick players from the healthy ones. A third of the Pats’ roster was listed on their final injury report Friday. Most were limited during earlier practices, and it wasn’t certain who would play until the final hours before kickoff Sunday.