FOXBOROUGH - The rash of injuries that has ravaged the Patriots this season has spread to the linebacking corps, as the team lost yet another key player, outside linebacker Adalius Thomas, for the foreseeable future.
According to an NFL source, Thomas suffered a broken forearm during Sunday's 20-10 victory over the Buffalo Bills and will have surgery tomorrow. Thomas will not play Thursday night against the New York Jets and is likely done for the season, according to the source.
If so, he would join quarterback Tom Brady (left knee), safety Rodney Harrison (right quadriceps), and running back Laurence Maroney (shoulder) as Patriots starters who have been lost for the season.
"It's extremely tough," said cornerback Ellis Hobbs. "Any time you lose a player, especially an impact player like [Thomas], it hurts. But he'll tell you himself, the machine can't stop. It has to keep on rolling and continue to roll."
Thomas, who was tied with Richard Seymour for the team lead in sacks with five and was credited with 34 tackles, will not be an easy player for the Patriots to replace. He was a valuable and versatile part of the defense and rarely came off the field.
The 6-foot-2-inch, 270-pound Thomas played outside linebacker in the team's base 3-4 defense, but lined up at inside linebacker in the various nickel and dime packages and also was used as a down lineman at times in those packages.
"I think it will be difficult," said Mike Vrabel, who lined up opposite Thomas at outside linebacker. "He's a guy that certainly, like a lot of guys here, plays a lot of different positions and plays them pretty well, so it will be tough. He was a leader. He was a veteran guy that played well, and we'll just have to find guys to step up."
First up is likely to be third-year outside linebacker Pierre Woods, who could make his first career start Thursday. When Thomas left during the second quarter Sunday, he was replaced by Woods. Woods, who had two tackles, said he just came in and tried to do his job, a familiar refrain in the Patriots locker room. That's his plan moving forward as a replacement.
"You're supposed to do your job," he said. "That's what you're here for. That's what you get paid for, so you definitely go in and just know what you're doing. It's just like the preseason. I was out there and playing when Mike was out and [Thomas] was out. You just try to pick up where they left off at."