Patriots QB Goes From Doubtful To Out + An Outside Medical Perspective?
Mac Jones was at Patriots practice on Friday; some may think that is a sign he will play. However, I have seen that Mac was present but not participating in the team drills. I didn’t think he would play, and this was recently confirmed that Mac is indeed out for Sunday.
Bill Belichick loves to try and play mind games with his opposing coaches, and to me, this was no different for him than trying to hide other players from the injury report to mess with the opponent’s game plan.
The Patriots Are Being Cagey, So I Found My Own Diagnosis
This feeds into the notion that the sprain was misread. So with all this uncertainty, I looked for my own medical answers. I am not a doctor, but fortunately for us, I have asked one, and here is what he had to say.
“Normally any high ankle sprains are caused by a rotational injury or twisting motion. The misinterpretation is the severity of the sprain itself. Mild sprains can feel better in 5-7 days with proper elevation, ice, and rest but won’t actually heal for 3-4 weeks. More severe high ankle sprains can take months to recover from especially if there is a significant amount of tearing of the ligaments.” Anonymous Source
In the best-case scenario, it was a mild sprain rather than a severe one, where Mac feels better but isn’t fully healed; playing him in this game is an unnecessary risk. It’s a great way to injure the future of your organization further. Wahington did it with RGIII. The most recent example was the horrible head injury Tua sustained during Thursday Night Football this past week. Different injuries, but the rush to get back on the field is the exact cause for further issues. The Patriots do not want to go down as one of these teams that put player safety behind something else.
It seems like no one in the Patriots is giving a straight answer on how long Mac should be out, so I decided to ask the same source about the TightRope surgery; this is the response I received.
“Now with tightrope surgery is basically a splint to stabilize the fibula and tibia. The splint itself is worn for 6-12 weeks, even after the splint is removed, normally a patient is then placed in a walking boot for an additional 2-3 weeks. After boot is removed sometimes additional physical therapy is needed, but normally not. In total it could take up to about 15 weeks before walking normal again. Normal without assistance. During that 6-12 weeks it is imperative that the patient does not bear any weight on the leg.” Anonymous Source
Even if Mac does get the TightRope surgery, he would be able to play sooner. However, he wouldn’t be 100% for weeks. This is not the season I want the Patriots to have; I’d rather have the team suck and play for next year than risk Mac getting injured even further. At least we can address our tackle position and get reliable protection for the kid so this doesn’t happen again.
Conclusion
Mac Jones will not play in this game (thank god). He shouldn’t get the surgery either. He should just wait it out and do all the rehab he needs with injections when needed. Again I am no doctor, but I did have a conversation with one to discuss this injury and what courses can be taken. I hope you read the article and formulate your own decision. Please comment on what you decide.
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