Danny Amendola saves the day for New Engalnd Patriots while playing through a pulled groin
By Jason Marcum
When the New England Patriots chose to let longtime Pro Bowler Wes Welker depart this offseason, no one thought it was a smart decision by them. Not even Tom Brady wanted them to let his favorite target go, but alas, they let him depart to the Denvewr Broncos, and in his place they signed former St. Louis rams wideout Danny Amendola.
With three of his top four options from 2012 in Welker, Brandon Lloyd and Aaron Hernandez all being gone from the Patriots’ roster, Brady has been forced to develop the kind of chemistry this offseason with Amendola that takes many years to form.
Against the Buffalo Bills today, it looked just like the two had spent years together, as Amendola registered 10 critical catches while playing through a pulled groin to help the Pats rally to overcome the upstart Buffalo Bills, 23-21.
So how critical were Amendola’s plays:
Stat of the Day: Of Danny Amendola's 10 catches, 9 went for first downs, and 7 were third-down conversions. Wow.
— Ben Volin (@BenVolin) September 8, 2013
Only 3 players touched the ball on Pats' final drive: Brady (7 for 7, 36 yards), Amendola (4 catches, 26 yards) and Vereen (31 total yds)
— Ben Volin (@BenVolin) September 8, 2013
On the final drive, Stephen Gostkowski kicked a game-winning field goal with only 5 seconds remaining in the game to lift the Patriots to a 23-21 victory over the Bills.