Updated

Updated · Yahoo Sports · Nov 15

Mike Pereira Defends Tackle That Injured Drake Maye, as 1 Sack Sparks Hip-Drop Debate

Updated

Updated · Yahoo Sports · Nov 15

Mike Pereira Defends Tackle That Injured Drake Maye, as 1 Sack Sparks Hip-Drop Debate

Q: With Drake Maye sidelined and the Patriots at 5-5, can Tommy DeVito miraculously save New England's fading playoff hopes?

Probably not — at least not by himself. New England’s playoff hopes were already slipping after the 35-10 loss to Detroit dropped the Patriots to 5-5 and, at least temporarily, out of the AFC playoff field at No. 8. If Drake Maye’s ankle injury is the mild high-ankle sprain some observers suspect, he could miss more than one game even with the bye week arriving at a helpful time. That makes Tommy DeVito important, but expecting a rescue act is a stretch. The evidence is thin. DeVito had barely played meaningful snaps before replacing Maye, with only limited mop-up work this season and modest production. After the Lions loss, he said the offense needed to sustain drives, which underscored the larger issue: New England’s problems are not just at quarterback. The roster depth has been questioned, the offense has been inconsistent, and the upcoming schedule is difficult, with games against the Chargers and Bills immediately after the bye and tougher tests still ahead. What DeVito can do is keep the season from collapsing if Maye’s absence is short. The Patriots do not need him to become a star; they need him to avoid turnovers, manage the game, and give a defense and running game a chance to carry them. At 5-5, that could be enough to keep them in the wild-card race briefly. But if Maye misses multiple games, DeVito is far more likely to serve as a bridge than a savior. New England’s realistic playoff path still depends on Maye getting healthy quickly.

Q: Did Aidan Hutchinson's sack celebration just cost the Detroit Lions their star defender to a devastating knee injury?

Yes — the available reporting indicates Hutchinson’s injury happened during the celebration, not on the sack itself, and early signs suggested it could be serious. On the play in Munich, Hutchinson sacked Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, then jumped in celebration, pumped his right arm, landed awkwardly and immediately grabbed his right knee. He later went to the medical tent, then the locker room, and the Lions ruled him out with a knee injury. Multiple reports said Detroit feared a significant injury. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo reported the early prognosis was not encouraging and that there was concern Hutchinson might not return this season. The Athletic also reported fear within the organization that the injury was significant. Former NFL doctor David Chao, reviewing video only and without examining Hutchinson, said the mechanism raised concern for a possible right ACL tear. That remains unofficial. What is confirmed is narrower: the Lions announced only a knee injury during the game, and coach Dan Campbell said afterward that the team needed more testing back in the United States. No final diagnosis was publicly confirmed in the material provided. So the short answer is that Hutchinson’s sack celebration appears to have led directly to the knee injury, and early reporting suggested it could be devastating. But until imaging and team confirmation were complete, any specific diagnosis such as an ACL tear remained speculation rather than established fact.

3 articles · Updated · Yahoo Sports · Nov 15

Drake Maye left the Patriots' game in Munich after Aidan Hutchinson sacked him on New England's opening drive, injuring the quarterback's ankle and knocking him out for the rest of the game.
Mike Pereira said on the FOX broadcast the play was not a hip-drop tackle, arguing it lacked the three required elements — unweighting, swiveling around the back and landing on the legs below the knee.
Greg Olsen had suggested the unflagged hit looked like a hip-drop that could still draw a fine, while Pereira said it was closer to a dangerous pull-down from behind but not a horse-collar either.
David Chao, a former NFL doctor reviewing video, said Maye appeared to suffer a mild high-ankle sprain — a tentative assessment that, if accurate, would be a best-case outcome for a Patriots team already struggling.