The New England Patriots Week 2 matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers proved costly for the defending AFC champions.
After dropping February’s Super Bowl and last week’s NFL season opener to the Seattle Seahawks, Mike Vrabel’s team lost five players to injury in the early going against the Steelers on Sunday in Foxborough.
While all appeared serious, right guard Mike Onwenu’s right ankle fracture was easily the most gruesome on Sunday. The veteran offensive lineman’s leg appeared to bend in the wrong direction as he fell over Pittsburgh’s TJ Watt at the end of one play.
Veteran guard Greg Van Roten, who was recently signed by the Patriots, stepped up for Onwenu on the right side.
Onwenu was hardly the only Patriots start to get hurt on Sunday, although he was the only player to be immediately removed from the game.
Edge rusher Dre’Mont Jones appeared to hurt his shoulder, rookie tight end Eli Raridon suffered a thigh injury and cornerback Marcus Jones went down with a leg issue before returning, while safety and special teams contributor Dell Pettus had an ankle issue.
New England Patriots defensive end Dre’Mont Jones (5) reacts after an apparent injury
New England Patriots offensive line Mike Onwenu (71) is carted off after an apparent injury
New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel watches as trainers check on Mike Onwenu
Although the Patriots recently added the experienced Van Roten, who has 105 career NFL starts, the 28-year-old Onwenu has been one of the team’s most consistent players since his arrival in 2020.
Drafted in the sixth round as a right tackle, Onwenu moved to guard last season with the addition of veteran bookend Morgan Moses.
New England did draft Utah right tackle Caleb Lomu in the first round of April’s draft, but the team is otherwise thin along the offensive line.
Despite the injuries, the Patriots jumped out to a 20-3 lead, thanks to a 39-yard touchdown run by Trevyon Henderson and a fumble recovery for at touchdown by Elijah Ponder.
