Patriots punter Ryan Allen undergoing MRI on injured shoulder
By Josh Sanchez
New England Patriots rookie punter Ryan Allen got a rude awakening to the NFL playoffs on Saturday night. In the first half against the Indianapolis Colts, Allen watched a snap sail over his head and towards the endzone. That is when he panicked.
Rather than simply kicking the ball out of the back of the endzone for a safety, Allen scooped it up and attempted to make a play for his team.
Instead, he got sandwiched by two Colts defenders and the ball still ended up going out of the endzone for a safety. However, Allen put himself at an unnecessary risk of injury when he scooped up the ball and he paid the price.
Allen ended up injuring his shoulder during the play and was forced to leave the game. Now, Allen will undergo an MRI.
From Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network:
#Patriots P Ryan Allen, knocked out vs. Colts with a shoulder injury, has an MRI scheduled this morning. Doesn’t appear anything broken tho
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 12, 2014
If Allen is able to avoid a significant injury, then he could return to his punting duties for the AFC Championship game. If not, the Patriots will need to sign a punter or have kicker Stephen Gostkowski fill in the role.