The New England Patriots entered their Week 16 game against the Denver Broncos facing significant personnel uncertainty in all three phases of the game. Among the most prominent questions were how to replace left guard Cole Strange, tight end Hunter Henry, and safety Jabrill Peppers — three of the team’s most valuable players.
When it comes to Strange, who suffered a season-ending knee injury the previous week versus the Kansas City Chiefs, the expectation was that rookie Atonio Mafi would be the next man up. He did indeed get the bulk of the work, playing 54 of 58 offensive snaps (93.