Injuries mount at running back for Patriots

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) The New England Patriots placed running back LeGarrette Blount on season-ending injured reserve Wednesday, and the defending Super Bowl

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) The New England Patriots placed running back LeGarrette Blount on season-ending injured reserve Wednesday, and the defending Super Bowl champions again are looking for replacements in the backfield.

Blount has 703 yards on 165 carries with six touchdowns this season. He left Sunday's game against Houston in the first half with a hip injury and did not return.

He joins Dion Lewis, who was injured against Washington on Nov. 8.

''It's kinda like deja vu,'' running back Brandon Bolden said. ''You see one brother go down and then you go and see another one go down, it's a real gut-wrenching feeling. You don't want to see that happen to anybody, but then when it happens to one of your teammates, one of the guys in your room, it kind of hits a special place.''

The Patriots added Montee Ball to the practice squad Tuesday, a week after bringing in Trey Williams, who has been signed, cut, signed and cut in nine days. Coach Bill Belichick wouldn't comment on Wednesday on reports that the team was looking at even Jackson, who has not played in the NFL this season.

Bolden said he's ready to handle any workload Belichick throws his way.

''Whatever coach asks me to do,'' Bolden said Wednesday.

On Sunday night in Houston, Bolden matched his career high with 16 carries, his first 16-carry game since 2012. Asked if he can go back to his college day at Mississippi and be a workhorse with Blount gone and likely headed for IR, Bolden - who has just 35 carries on the season - said, ''If need be I believe I'm ready.''

''He definitely did that in college,'' said Belichick. ''I'd say he's done that. Look, he's been a four-down player for us, so he's played the role of a big back, he's played the role of a sub back, and he's played well for us in the kicking game on fourth down.

''I think it would be hard to increase each role. It's possible, but I think it would be hard realistically to do that, but maybe that needs to be done. I don't know, we'll see.''

The turnover, Bolden says, has changed his status with the team. Only he and James White currently are on the roster as running backs.

''Like James was telling me earlier, `It's like you're the big brother of the group. You've just been around, you know what mom and dad expect,''' Bolden said. ''That's kind of what it is - helping Montee come in, even when LeGarrette got here and when he came back, it was like we have to get everybody caught up on this train. So that's what we're doing right now.

''For me, just thinking about a year ago that I was still the younger brother and now I'm kind of the oldest guy on the team now. It is kind of weird, but it's a role that kind of comes with the territory.''

NOTES: With safety Devin McCourty suffering an ankle injury, it appears Sunday's matchup will be missing both McCourtys. Titans DB Jason McCourty already is on IR. Wide receiver Danny Amendola on the spate of injuries: ''I'm not really focused on injuries. I'm trying to get ready for this week. You're going to play with what you got. That's all you can really focus on. If you're injured, you're injured.''

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