A wave of injuries marked several NFL stars on Sunday.
Among the affected groups were two of the New England Patriots’ long-term opponents: the Denver Broncos (week 6) and the San Francisco 49ers (week 7).
We’ll start with the Niners, who were badly affected in their 24-3 visitor victory over the New York Jets.
San Francisco lost defensive superstar Nick Bosa to what head coach Kyle Shanahan thought: a torn anterior cruciate ligament, a defensive version of Solomon Thomas from a potentially serious knee injury, runner Raheem Mostert for an MCL sprain, and quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo for an ankle sprain.
Bosa is the biggest defeat for the 49ers, Garoppolo is the biggest call on that list from the Patriots’ point of view.
Garoppolo has not played against his former team since New England redeemed him to San Francisco in 2017. Matt Barrows of The Athletic has assumed that QB could miss the next 4 to six weeks, putting his prestige for the 49ers on October 25 at Gillette Stadium in doubt.
Nick Mullens is the next player from San Francisco. Shanahan has shown that it will begin in the middle of next week as opposed to the New York Giants.
It was a painful start to the season for NFC’s protective champions. Closed wing George Kittle, cornerer Richard Sherman and open receiver Deebo Samuel were inactive for Sunday’s game due to injuries.
The Broncos may also be without their initial quarterback when they arrive in Foxboro, Massachusetts, in three weeks.
Drew Lock came out of his team’s 26-21 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers with one shoulder and is expected to miss the next two to six weeks, according to reports by ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Jeff Legwold.
Denver replacement Jeff Driskel, a former Boston Red Sox draft recruit, finished 18 of 34 passes for 256 yards and two touchdowns with an interception in a failed comeback attempt.
Driskel, who had six catches in the game, is 1-7 in 8 openings.
The Patriots will look at 2-0 when they stop at the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday night.