FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The banged-up New England Patriots saw three top players knocked out of Sunday's 33-16 win over the Tennessee Titans with injuries. Receiver Danny Amendola and linebacker Dont'a Hightower suffered knee injuries, and safety Patrick Chung injured his hip. The severity of their injuries wasn't immediately known after the game.
Amendola left late in the second quarter after a 22-yard punt return. He initially returned to the sideline with his teammates for the second half before turning back to the locker room for further evaluation.
Amendola had missed the team's 30-24 loss to the Denver Broncos on Nov. 29 with a left knee injury. His duties as the No. 3 receiver Sunday were filled by Leonard Hankerson, who was making his Patriots debut after being claimed off waivers Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Hightower, a starter who was returning after missing two games with a reported sprained left MCL, hobbled off early in the third quarter. Members of the athletic training staff were looking at his left knee on the sideline. Hightower walked to the locker room for further evaluation but returned to the sideline to watch the remainder of the game.
Eight-year veteran linebacker Jerod Mayo and fourth-year player Darius Fleming were bumped up the depth chart when Hightower was sidelined.
Finally, Chung appeared to take a helmet to the thigh/knee area in the fourth quarter and remained down as the athletic training and medical staff came to check on him. He got to his feet and attempted to jog it off before walking slowly to the sideline and locker room.
Chung, a starter, was spotted walking out of the stadium after the game without the aid of crutches. Rookie Jordan Richards and fourth-year players Tavon Wilson and Nate Ebner moved up the depth chart in his absence.
The Patriots have been hit hard by injuries, having placed 17 players on season-ending injured reserve this year, the second-highest total in the NFL behind the Baltimore Ravens' 18. That doesn't include players such as No. 1 receiver Julian Edelman, who has been sidelined since breaking a bone in his left foot Nov. 15.
With Sunday's win, the Patriots improved to 12-2 and are the AFC's top-seeded team with two games remaining in the regular season.
