Trevor Lawrence and the wide receiver ruled out of Jaguars game with injury
Trevor Lawrence cleared concussion protocol in time for the Jaguars’ Week 16 game, but ended up leaving early due to a shoulder injury. In the fourth quarter, the quarterback made a dive for a first down and landed on his shoulder.
Jacksonville originally ruled Lawrence as questionable, but ruled him out shortly after the injury. With the Jags down 30-6 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the time of the injury, C.J. Beathard took over at quarterback.
Even though Lawrence threw for 211 yards and a touchdown, he struggled with two interceptions. He also fumbled after a sack by linebacker Yaya Diaby in the third quarter.
The Jaguars were in a three-way tie for the AFC South Division with the Houston Texans and. the Indianapolis Colts ahead of Week 16. The Colts fell to the Atlanta Falcons, 29-10, and the Texans also lost their Christmas Eve matchup to the Cleveland Browns.
The Jags also lost, falling 30-6 to the Bucs.
It’s unclear if keeping Lawrence out was precautionary or if the shoulder injury will keep him sidelined for any amount of time.
The New England Patriots will be without their best special teams player and one of their captains Sunday night for the first time in six years.
Special teams ace Matthew Slater is inactive for the Patriots’ Week 16 game against the Broncos in Denver. Slater was listed as questionable with a hamstring issue on Friday’s injury report. He suffered the injury in last week’s loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
It will be the first game Slater has missed since 2017, and just the 18th game he’s missed during his 16-year career. This absence snaps Slater’s streak of 100 consecutive games played.
The loss of Slater is particularly tough for the Patriots in this matchup because Broncos wide receiver Marvin Mims is one of the league’s top kick returners.
It’s been a brutal season of injuries for the Patriots.
In addition to Slater, they also will be without running back Rhamondre Stevenson and veteran tight end Hunter Henry on Sunday. It will be the first game Henry has missed since he joined the Patriots as a free agent in March of 2021.
The Patriots will have left tackle Trent Brown tonight.
Brown, who was questionable with hand and ankle injuries, is not among the team’ s seven inactives.
The Patriots will not have core special teams player Matthew Slater, who is inactive with a hamstring injury. He had three limited practices this week and was listed as questionable.
He will miss his first game since 2017.
The Patriots’ other inactives are tight end Hunter Henry (knee), safety Jabrill Peppers (hamstring), defensive tackle Sam Roberts, quarterback Nathan Rourke, receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster (ankle) and running back Rhamondre Stevenson (ankle). Rourke will serve as the emergency, third quarterback.
The Broncos’ inactives are outside linebacker Nik Bonitto (knee), quarterback Ben DiNucci, safety JL SKinner, tight end Nate Adkins, outside linebacker Thomas Incoom, center Alex Forsyth and defensive lineman Elijah Garcia. DiNucci will serve as the emergency, third quarterback.
