The offensive line is once again the problem area for the New England Patriots this NFL season. But now one of the long-standing and renowned top performers is also permanently unavailable.
PatriotsCoach Jerod Mayo announced Wednesday that David Andrews will undergo shoulder surgery and will miss the remainder of the season as a result.
“This is a heavy loss,” admitted the 38-year-old at the press conference. Andrews will be missed by the team simply because of his leadership. In order not to have to do without him completely, the center should from now on act as a kind of coach on the sidelines.
From the perspective of Patriots fans, Andrews would of course be better off on the field. In the last NFL game against the San Francisco 49ers However, the two-time Super Bowl winner injured his shoulder so badly after just nine snaps that he was replaced by Nick Leverett.
The backup took advantage of this opportunity and left a positive impression on his coach. “I think Nick stepped in quite well,” said Mayo. “Now that he’s getting more reps in training, you can expect him to get better every day.”
NFL: Patriots consider RB change
Rhamondre Stevenson, however, received a significantly worse job reference. The running back caused a fumble in each of the first four games of the season and therefore apparently has to fear for his job.
“We can’t preach that ball security means job security and still have him on the field most of the time,” Mayo said, confirming that he is considering starting Antonio Gibson in Week 5. “That’s definitely being considered.”
Stevenson, meanwhile, fully understands these considerations. “I’m super hard on myself. I’m more disappointed in myself than anyone could ever be. It’s quite simple – I just have to hold on to the ball and have the mindset to get to the ball every time. That is “It’s my job and I didn’t do it well,” the RB judged himself harshly on Wednesday.
