Vince Wilfork Tears Achilles, Out For Season

The New England Patriots may have beaten the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday Night Football, but they lost defensive anchor Vince Wilfork for the rest of the season with a torn achilles.

The loss of Vince Wilfork will leave a gaping hole in the Patriots offensive line. And no, that’s not a joke at the expense of the 325 pound lineman. It’s a tribute to the fact that he stabilizes New England’s defense, even when the talent around him is not great.

Put Simply, with Vince Wilfork out, the Patriot’s defense will falter, and Tom Brady will have find a way to put up more points than he’s been able to all season. Good thing Danny Amendola and Rob Gronkowski will be coming back soon. Probably.

It’s also a good thing the Patriot’s started the season 4-0. They have a nice cushion to lose some games and still make the playoffs. Of course, it also gives the Miami Dolphins a great chance to claim the AFC East throne.

Vince Wilfork tore his achilles in the first quarter of the Patriot’s 30-23 Sunday night victory. He is the second longest tenured Patriot after Tom Brady. He is also the second most valuable.

Joe Vellano, an undrafted rookie, replaced Wilfork and recorded one sack; a promising sign for a team without much depth on the defensive line. Behind Vellano on are 10 year veteran Tommy Kelly, and Chris Jones.

Vince Wilfork’s torn achilles will be hard to persevere through, but the 2013 New England Patriots’ season so far has been defined by perseverance through injuries. New England is one of the best coached team’s in the NFL, and when your quarterback is Tom Brady, there’s always hope.

[image via Wikimedia Commons]