Patch Patriots Roundup: Latest On Fan Death, Jets Without Rodgers

FOXBOROUGH, MA — The upcoming Week 3 matchup between the New England Patriots and New York Jets was, like all games on the Jets schedule for the rest of the year, supposed to be a bit more exciting.

After the Week 1 injury to Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers, however, Patriots fans won't get to see the matchup between the future Hall of Famer and this stout Bill Belichick defense.

However, after an 0-2 start, maybe that's welcome news for Patriots fans.

The first two weeks of the year saw the Patriots play well despite a tough early season draw, having to face Super Bowl contenders from both the AFC and NFC. Worse yet, last week's loss against the Miami Dolphins was a divisional matchup, making this Week 3 game against another divisional opponent that much more crucial.

Both teams will be looking to bounce back from losses and get some positive momentum going. That's especially true for the Jets in this particular matchup, as they haven't beaten the Patriots in 14 games.

"I get what happened in the past, but looking at the past and dwelling on the past and what could have been, is just taking away from what we can do now," Jets head coach Robert Saleh said on Wednesday, according to NFL.com. "Yes, it's New England and it's a division game and the past is the past, but all our focus is on today, trying to be our best version of ourselves, so we can find a way to get this one on Sunday."

For the Patriots, the key is to continue searching for offensive progress to complement the strong defense. What that looks like on Sunday could mean the difference between 1-2 and 0-3.

Here's what else has been happening around the team this week:

Latest On Fan Death

A 53-year-old New Hampshire man, Dale Mooney, was taken to Sturdy Memorial Hospital on Sunday where he died.

It's been widely reported now that he was involved in an altercation inside the stadium, but the Norfolk County District Attorney's Office said autopsy results found nothing to suggest he suffered a traumatic injury.

The district attorney's office released the following statement:

"Our investigation has included numerous law enforcement interviews and the examination of multiple angles of video capturing the scuffle prior to Mr. Mooney’s collapse during the Sunday night game at Gillette Stadium.

"Preliminary autopsy results did not suggest traumatic injury, but did identify a medical issue. Cause and manner of death remain undetermined pending further testing.

"Our investigation remains open and ongoing. Any eye witness who has not already been interviewed by police, or anyone in possession of original video of the incident, is asked to contact the State Police Detective Unit – Norfolk DA’s Office at 781-830-4990."

The Associated Press quoted Joey Kilmartin in a story about the incident. Kilmartin was at the game and told the publication that he took a video of the altercation that he shared with law enforcement.

"As soon as he walked over, they started tussling," Kilmartin told the AP.

He continued:

“There were some people trying to pull them apart and, as they tried to pull them apart, a Dolphins fan punched Mr. Mooney,” he said. “That is when he fell back in the seat and was clearly unconscious. You could definitely tell there was more than a knock out. There was definitely a medical issue happening with his body.”

Mooney had been a Patriots season ticket holder for the past 30 years, according to officials.

Marcus Jones Goes On IR

The Patriots cornerback room suffered another hit this week as second-year corner and return man Marcus Jones was placed on injured reserve, NESN reports.

Jones left the Dolphins game on Sunday after suffering a torn labrum, which will see him miss multiple weeks.

The young corner will join his teammate Jack Jones on the sidelines for the Jets game, but it looks like veteran Jonathan Jones could be healthy enough to play on Sunday.

What Happened With The Practice Squad Quarterbacks?

Matt Corral is no longer signing with the Patriots practice squad after he cleared waivers this week, the Boston Herald reports.

Belichick described the second-year quarterback out of Mississippi being away from the team as a "personal matter" last week.

In what appears to be a corresponding move, the team has instead signed veteran backup Will Grier to the active roster. Grier has bounced around the league but was most recently on the Cincinnati Bengals practice squad after being released from the Dallas Cowboys after they traded for quarterback Trey Lance.

How To Watch, Listen

Kickoff: 1 p.m.

Network: CBS

Streaming: Paramount+

Radio: 98.5 The Sports Hub