Anderson could help cause
FOXBORO — Two tight ends could make their season debuts Sunday at Gillette Stadium.
PATRIOTS NOTEBOOK
You’ve likely heard plenty about the first, Hunter Henry. A third-year veteran for the Chargers, Henry is attempting to return from an ACL tear suffered in late May. He’s a well-established threat in the red zone, as evidenced by his 12 touchdowns during his first two years in the league. The other tight end in line for a debut is Stephen Anderson, who was promoted from the Patriots practice squad to the active roster earlier this week. Like Henry, Anderson has prior NFL experience, although he’s not a household name. Anderson spent two seasons with the Texans to begin his career, then was cut as Houston trimmed its roster to 53 players this summer. He latched on with the Patriots practice squad in September and waited the entire season for the opportunity to suit up for a game. The Pats finally made the move on Tuesday, sending Jacob Hollister to injured reserve and replacing him with Anderson. Expectations should be tempered for a player who didn’t see a single snap in 2018, but Anderson possesses an intriguing skill set. “I think I’m a true hybrid,” Anderson said. “I’m probably not going to move a D-tackle, but I’ll be able to get in there. I feel like blocking is just half attitude, and then the other half is technique.” He added: “Running routes, I’m pretty confident against linebackers, and safeties and corners, I think I can get open against them, too. So (I’m) just a true hybrid. My dad used to use the term when I was younger, ‘Swiss army knife,’ so I can do a little bit of everything.” The 6-foot-2, 230-pound Anderson said he’s watched plenty of Aaron Hernandez film this season. He mentioned Hernandez as one of the tight ends he tries to mimic stylistically. “I could tell you that (Eric) Ebron at the top of the route, he’s something at the top of the route,” Anderson said. “Aaron Hernandez off the line. I think a lot of the great tight ends, like even Jordan Reed, he kind incorporates basketball with that. So I’ve been trying to use that and just learning. That’s the whole thing I’ve been gaining this season — I’ve been learning a lot.” The Patriots utilized a one running back, two tight-end set on just 6.2 percent of their offensive snaps this season. That’s partially because they rarely had two tight ends healthy; Rob Gronkowski, Dwayne Allen and Hollister have all dealt with injuries. Allen is almost exclusively a blocking tight end. When he’s on the field with Gronkowski, it’s often for running plays. Anderson brings a different element to the table. He’s been practicing with the Patriots since September, and perhaps he’s ready to provide a boost — even if it’s a minor one — to Tom Brady’s passing attack.
Bounce-back game?
Rather than make any splash signings in the offseason, the Patriots brought in three veterans at relatively affordable rates. Adrian Clayborn, Danny Shelto, and Jason McCourty were each expected to compete for starting jobs. McCourty has been a reliable player in the secondary, but Clayborn and Shelton have been inconsistent. Shelton, a 335-pound runstuffer, was a healthy scratch from Weeks 13-15. He returned to the lineup for the final two games and helped upgrade New England’s porous run defense. Clayborn, a speed rusher off the edge, was a surprise healthy scratch in Weeks 16 and 17. “It is what it is,” Clayborn said this week at his locker. “I don’t want to get into it. I’m looking forward to the playoffs.” He added: “Just got to get my skills sharpened and be ready to go when my number’s called.” Clayborn’s deactivation versus the Bills and Jets was likely matchup-related. Clayborn had difficulty containing athletic quarterbacks this season, sometimes rushing too far upfield and creating a running lane. Buffalo’s Josh Allen and New York’s Sam Darnold both possess scrambling ability (Darnold to a lesser extent). This weekend, the Pats face one of the game’s least mobile quarterbacks in Philip Rivers. That means Clayborn could be back in action. “You’ve got to get to (Rivers) as fast as possible,” Clayborn said. “You can’t really rush upfield, can’t go too low. Just got to try to get him off the spot. He controls the whole offense. Lots of audibles at the line of scrimmage so you’ve really got to be on your stuff.”