3 Storylines To Know Ahead Of Week 18: Patch Patriots Roundup

FOXBOROUGH, MA — The Patriots are aiming to finish the regular season strong by getting a home victory against a plucky division opponent.

The 7-9 Miami Dolphins are headed up north to frigid Foxborough to take on the 13-3 Patriots at Gillette Stadium this Sunday afternoon.

Here are three storylines to know ahead of the game:

Will Legal Troubles Be A Distraction?

The team has made headlines for all the wrong reasons this week, with two of its most prominent players facing criminal charges. Wide Receiver Stefon Diggs and Defensive Tackle Christian Barmore have both been accused of assault, with arraignments scheduled for Jan. 23 and Feb. 3 respectively. Head Coach Mike Vrabel and players have expressed that the situation will not distract the team from its goal of winning a championship this season, and that they will support their players while the legal process plays out.

“We’ve taken the allegations very seriously,” Vrabel said in a press conference earlier this week. “What comes of that then I think we will have another discussion. But I don’t think we have to jump to any sort of conclusions right now.”

Vrabel said both players are expected to play in Sunday’s game, however Barmore was reportedly dealing with an illness this week.

“He means a lot to this team,” Quarterback Drake Maye said about Diggs in a press conference this week. “He’s breaking the huddle down before practice today, he’s chirping at me on the sideline to get him the rock, he’s pumping up the young guys when they make big plays… he gives off the persona of one of those guys you want to be teammates with.”

Diggs spoke to the media for the first time since the allegations on Friday, and said he could not directly comment on the charges against him.

Both players are at risk of being placed on the commissioner’s exempt list, which would put them on paid leave for a duration to be decided by the Commissioner Roger Goodell. NFL League Office employee Brian McCarthy said that they may only be placed on the list once formally arraigned in court, but it is still ultimately at hte commissioner’s discretion.

Two Big Returns Giving Both Sides of the Ball A Boost

Arguably two of the squad’s best players are slated to return to the field for the first time in more than a month on Sunday, as they and the team are trying to ramp up for a postseason run. Left Tackle Will Campbell and Defensive Tackle Milton Williams were both listed as full participants in the team’s injury report on Friday, meaning they are finally injury-free after stints on injured reserve. Williams has not seen the field since Nov. 13, while Campbell has been out since Nov. 23. While backup Vederian Lowe has filled in admirably in his absence, Campbell’s return proves even more valuable as left guard Jared Wilson remains in concussion protocol and has been ruled out for a second straight game. As for Williams, the team hopes his return will shore up a run defense that has seen a decline in production while Williams has been sidelined. New England has allowed nearly 150 rushing yards per game in its last five contests without big number 97 in the middle. Williams’s presence could also help pass rushers like Harold Landry and K’Lavon Chaisson in the long-term as he draws more attention from opposing offensive lines.

Sit-downs May Have Squashed The 1 Seed

The Patriots are still eligible for a first-round playoff bye week and the top AFC seed. However, a decision by an AFC rival may have virtually ended the team’s chances. The Patriots can get the top spot with a victory and a loss by the Denver Broncos, who are playing the Los Angeles Chargers. However, the Chargers are not playing Quarterback Justin Herbert and other starting players as they are locked into a wild card spot. The decision comes on the heels of a Chargers loss to the Houston Texans last Saturday that had they won would be playing the Broncos for a division title and would likely not have sat their star signal-caller. Denver however is not going to be “calling off the dogs” this week as a victory will ensure they are the AFC’s top seed.

The Pats will clinch the two seed with a victory, but with a loss and a Jacksonville Jaguar win could see them fall to the third spot in the playoff bracket.

How To Watch The Game

Kickoff: 4:25 p.m.

Network: Fox

Radio: 98.5 The Sports Hub