Three injured stars for the New England Patriots will be gametime decisions for Sunday’s game with the Baltimore Ravens.
That’s not a particularly surprising development for wide receiver Wes Welker or defensive tackle Vince Wilfork, since each of them have been closely monitored all week. Linebacker Jarod Mayo made a surprising appearance at practice on Friday, raising hopes that he’d be able to play after initial reports indicated he’d be out for as long as six weeks with a sprained MCL in his right knee suffered in the season opener.
Coach Bill Belichick lauded Mayo’s work ethic before taking his customarily cloudy position on what his return to the practice field meant for Sunday’s game.
“I think we had a few guys that’ll probably be closer to game-time
decisions,” Belichick said. “Guys that maybe didn’t practice one of
the days earlier in the week, or maybe both of them. Then, if they go
out there [tomorrow] and that’s good, then we’ll see where they are and
make a call on that on Sunday.”
“Sometimes after they go out and do something today they kind of realize
tomorrow or Sunday that it doesn’t really improve much,” Belichick
said. “Other guys, it’s kind of the start of a couple more days of
further healing and then by Sunday they are ready to go.”
Mayo is listed as doubtful on the team’s injury report, while both Welker and Wilfork are listed as questionable.
okay Josh I read the quotes and it looks like he is speaking english and I understood what he was saying so the only thing I see as “partly cloudy” is between your ears. what the frig do you want him to tell you? it’s pretty clear that after fridays practice that he doesnt know. do you want him to predict the friggin future and say “okay 2 days from now this one can play and this one cant”. josh you are dopey.
so what exactly is cloudy bout that? huh?
This is what is known as Belispeak. Just keep on winning and say nothing that an opponent could use as info.
Well guys, writing about the NFL is just a game of citing cliches, like Farve plays with “childlike enthusiasm” and Bill Belichick doesn’t give details on injuries.
Nice! Sounds like MAyo will be back for next week anyway. Goota like that.
Just what the Patriots need, their most atheltic, explosive LB rushing back from a knee injury. This better be another example (the Spygate rule “interpretation,” Tom Brady’s shoulder) of Belichick being overly literal, with Mayo going from out to doubtful to questionable to probably over the course of several weeks.