Romeo Doubs delivered a touchdown on his only catch against the New York Jets. The landing cost the New England Patriots much more than the rest of his afternoon.
The receiver will miss Thursday night's Week 7 matchup against the Chicago Bears with a shoulder injury. His absence will extend beyond the short turnaround, leaving Drake Maye without a productive target as New England tries to keep its winning streak going.
Doubs injured his shoulder while making a diving 42-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter of New England's 26–19 victory on Oct. 18. He came down hard while completing the play and remained kneeling in the end zone afterward.
The Patriots initially listed him as questionable to return before ruling him out. On Monday, Oct. 19, the team placed Doubs on injured reserve, officially taking him out of the lineup for the upcoming trip to Chicago.
The touchdown offered a quick reminder of what New England will be missing. Through six games, Doubs has caught 14 passes for 261 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 18.6 yards per reception. Eleven of those catches have produced first downs.
His production has helped Maye establish a downfield passing threat. Even opposing coaches have noticed the change, with Jets coach Aaron Glenn discussing Maye's improvement and ability to attack deep before their matchup.
Maye enters Week 7 ranked No. 7 with an 82.7 grade in PFN's QB Impact rankings . Keeping that passing game moving now requires another adjustment to his receiving options.
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Doubs' injured-reserve designation requires him to miss at least four games. That rules him out against the Bears, Miami Dolphins, Green Bay Packers, and Detroit Lions. New England's Week 11 bye follows those four matchups, making Week 12 against the Los Angeles Chargers his earliest possible return.
There is some encouraging reporting about that timetable. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported that Doubs is hopeful of returning after the bye and is not expected to face a lengthy absence beyond that window. Still, eligibility to return does not guarantee he will be medically ready.
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For Thursday, New England must work with its remaining receivers. A.J. Brown returned from injured reserve against the Jets, while DeMario Douglas, Kyle Williams and Efton Chism III provide additional options. Mack Hollins is also on injured reserve with a calf injury.
Brown's return gives the Patriots a significant receiving option as Doubs begins his recovery. The timing is frustrating, though. Just as New England got one receiver back, another touchdown celebration ended with a player heading for treatment.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network .
