This Could Be How So Many Patriots Got Sick…

Heading into Sunday’s matchup with the Houston Texans, the Patriots have 9 players listed on the injury report with an illness designation. Although not much has been made of how so many Patriots came down with what’s being reported as the flu, there’s an easy conclusion to come to when looking back to last week’s game against the Cowboys.

‪Last Friday, there was only one Patriots player listed on the injury report with an illness: Marcus Cannon. Cannon was so sick, in fact, that Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said he didn’t expect Cannon to play last week. Cannon decided at the last minute to suit up anyway, despite being ill. In his postgame press conference, Belichick made sure to give high praise to Cannon for his efforts.

As it turns out, Cannon playing may have caused a more negative impact on the team than a positive one. It can’t be said for certain that Cannon is the sole reason that so many Patriots were sick this week, but the evidence on the injury report is hard to ignore.

​RT Marcus Cannon, S Patrick Chung, LB Jamie Collins, OL Jermaine Eluemunor, CB Stephon Gilmore, LB Dont’a Hightower, LB Kyle Van Noy, CB Joejuan Williams and LT Isaiah Wynn are all listed as questionable for Sunday’s game with an illness. TE Ryan Izzo hasn’t already been deemed too sick to play and is out for Sunday’s game in Houston.

Photo: (Matt Stone – Boston Herald)