Patriots-Titans Injury Report: Hogan, Van Noy Set To Play Against Titans
Here’s the final Patriots-Titans injury report ahead of Saturday’s AFC Divisional Playoff at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro. The big news is that Chris Hogan and Kyle Van Noy are removed and will return to the lineup.
Hogan missed seven of the Patriots’ final eight games with a shoulder injury suffered in Week 8. He briefly returned in Week 14 against the Miami Dolphins, playing 55 snaps (90 percent) but catching just one pass. He’s finally off the official injury report and should resume a regular role on Saturday.
Despite Tom Brady’s relative struggles down the stretch (81.6 passer rating in his final five games), his numbers actually improved without Hogan. In nine games in which Hogan played, Brady completed 230 of 352 passes (65.3 percent) for 2,774 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions for a 100.7 passer rating. In the other seven games, his passer rating went up to 105.9.
However, that’s mostly thanks to a blistering three-game stretch after Hogan’s injury in which Brady posted a passer rating of 128.1. Considering the lackluster recent performance of the Patriots’ outside receivers, Hogan’s return is certainly a welcome one.
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Van Noy, meanwhile, missed three straight games down the stretch with a calf injury. He returned to the lineup in Week 17 against the Jets, but played just 12 snaps. If fully healthy, Van Noy figures to play closer to 100 percent of the Patriots’ defensive snaps. He’ll be needed as much as anyone to slow down Titans running back Derrick Henry.
Six Patriots are “Questionable” for Saturday’s game. That includes running back James White (ankle) and defensive tackle Alan Branch (knee). But they both told the Boston Herald’s Jeff Howe that they’re both healthy enough to play. For the Titans, the big absence is running back DeMarco Murray, who is out with a knee injury.
Full Patriots-Titans Injury Report
Patriots
QUESTIONABLE:
LB Marquis Flowers (Illness)
RB Mike Gillislee (Knee)
DT Alan Branch (Knee)
RB Rex Burkhead (Knee)
WR Chris Hogan (Shoulder)
DL Eric Lee (Ankle/Finger)
LB Kyle Van Noy (Calf)
RB James White (Ankle)
Titans
OUT:
RB DeMarco Murray (Knee)
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