The New England Patriots listed six players as inactive ahead of Sunday’s Week 16 matchup against the division rival Buffalo Bills.
Cornerback Marcus Jones was already ruled out on Friday, but the Patriots will also be without safety Jabrill Peppers. Those are two major losses in the secondary when facing MVP-worthy quarterback Josh Allen and the high-powered Bills offense.
It’s going to put tremendous pressure on the backend of the defense to hold up against Buffalo’s continued aerial assault.
The good news for the Patriots is that former first-round draft pick, offensive guard Cole Strange, will be making his long-awaited return to the field. He’s a welcome addition to an offensive line that has struggled in pass protection and run-blocking throughout the season.
Here’s the full list of inactives for both teams heading into Sunday’s game:
Patriots inactives. pic.twitter.com/MxcWFgdd50
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) December 22, 2024
Bills inactives. pic.twitter.com/cZvYa9PPsY
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) December 22, 2024
The Patriots don’t have a playoff spot to compete for in their last three games of the season, but they would love to play spoiler for the Bills on the road.
A major upset would go a long way in building confidence for a rebuilding team sitting at 3-11 and coming off four straight losses.
