Jimmy Garoppolo injury update: Patriots QB ‘only out 1-2 weeks’
By David Rouben
New England Patriots quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is only expected to miss 1-2 weeks after his diagnosis revealed a sprained AC joint.
When it comes to the New England Patriots, we hardly ever think of them as a feel-good story. But that’s what Jimmy Garoppolo was. Watching him lead the short-handed Patriots to a win over the Arizona Cardinals, on the road no less, was exceptional to watch, as it proved that life after Tom Brady would be just fine for Pats fans.
He got off to a great start against the Miami Dolphins in Week 2, but it didn’t take long before he left the game, and the Pats resorted to their third-stringer. Many fans were concerned that Garoppolo’s injury could be long-term when the team already ruled him out for Thursday against the Houston Texans. But after going through a diagnosis, it appears that Garoppolo’s injury is less serious than it looked:
Good news for Garoppolo. His shoulder isn't as bad as initially believed. It's a sprained AC joint. Still out Thursday, per sources.
— Jeff Howe (@jeffphowe) September 19, 2016
Sprained AC joints are fairly common, and players can sometimes return in 1-2 weeks.
— Jeff Howe (@jeffphowe) September 19, 2016
No matter what, he won’t be playing against the Texans. But that was a Thursday night game, and it was a short turnaround, so protecting him is the wise move. However, combine Jacoby Brissett’s performance with Houston’s vaunted defense, and that game will likely result in a loss for the Patriots. While they’ve been fine so far without Rob Gronkowski and an offensive line, these injuries will eventually catch up to them.
If Garoppolo is only out one week, then he’ll return just in time for the Buffalo Bills, which is the last game before Tom Brady comes back. If he’s out two weeks, then Garoppolo probably won’t see the field again since Brady is expected to start Week 5 against the Cleveland Browns.
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It’s very likely that New England will go .500 by the time Brady comes back. But that’s probably what they prepared for at the start of the season. The best case scenario for New England is if Garoppolo does return in Week 4 and leads the Patriots to a 3-1 record before Brady’s return.