Tight ends in focus on injury report

The New England Patriots' tight end tandem of Rob Gronkowski and Zach Sudfeld have been upgraded on this weeks injury report, and while it seems certain that Sudfeld will suit up and play against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Gillette Stadium this Sunday, Gronkowski's status is still in doubt.

As is the status of wide receiver Danny Amendola, though it's easy to look at him gimping around during practice warm ups and realize that it would be close a miracle if he actually dressed and played.

But depending on who you talk to, Gronkowski has anywhere from a 25% to 50% chance of being active for the contest, which is 100% cow cookies, because no one knows for sure - and it would seem that coach Bill Belichick is having a bit of fun with the media because of it.

"We haven't practiced today. We've just been sitting in a meeting" Belichick said in response to the day to day question that the media lays on him in regard to Gronkowski's status on Wednesday, then deadpanned, "He looks great sitting in a meeting."

And sitting in a meeting is a long ways from being on the football field, both literally and figuratively, so everyone had to wait for Friday's always vague-by-nature injury report that would tell us absolutely nothing, and allow the media and fans to read between the lines to make it mean anything they need it to mean.

So Gronkowski being upgraded to "Questionable" after being listed as "Doubtful" the first two weeks is progress, if only for making him a 50/50 proposition for suiting up against the Bucs - stirring both press and fan alike with a big non-commital stick...

...as opposed to Sudfeld being upgraded from "Questionable" to "Probable", which in National Football League jargon means just what it says, Sudfeld will probably dress and play - while special team's ace Matthew Slater has officially been ruled out for Sunday's game with a fractured wrist.

Everyone else on the injury report is "Questionable" and will probably find themselves inactive, and by everyone it is meant to mean the usual cast of characters that have become a weekly fixture on the thing: Running back Brandon Bolden, safety Nate Ebner, swing tackle Will Svitek and running back Leon Washington...

...joined on the list by newcomer Dan Connolly with a finger issue.  The Patriots would be well served if Bolden, Ebner or Washington could man up on special teams in the absence of Slater, but if not there are a couple of options on the practice squad.

As always, none of us will know anything for sure until about an hour and a half before kickoff on Sunday, but if it were up to Belichick, no one would know until kickoff...

Out

Matthew Slater - RB - Fractured Wrist

Doubtful

Danny Amendola - WR- Groin

Questionable

Brandon Bolden - RB - Knee
Will Svitek - OT- Knee
Leon Washington - RB - Thigh
Rob Gronkowski - TE - Forearm / Back
Nate Ebner - S - Ankle
Dan Connolly - OG - Finger

Probable

Zach Sudfeld - TE - Hamstring