Patriots QB Tom Brady absorbing too many hits

FOXBOUROUGH, Mass., - Quarterback Tom Brady has been hit a total of 36 times in the last three weeks according to NFL press box statistics, including 13 times in each of the losses to the Broncos and Eagles.

Brady has been sacked at least three times - including four by Philadelphia in Sunday's stunning upset in Foxborough - and his 29 sacks on the season are already past the 21 times he was taken down a year ago.

With left tackle Nate Solder on injured reserve, Sebastian Vollmer has struggled to fill in on that side while Marcus Cannon has been suspect on the right side. Brady is getting hit more than anyone in New England would like and it has clearly adversely affected his play as he's notched his four lowest completion percentages of the season in the last four weeks - three of which were in the 50s for the first time all year.

Brady has also thrown four interceptions in the last month, after throwing just two in the first eight games.

"When they get to the quarterback, it makes our job a lot easier," Eagles cornerback Byron Maxwell said of Philadelphia's Fletcher Cox-led front getting to Brady. "He started getting happy feet back there. Tom Brady is the best of all time, but even when he gets hit a couple of times, he's going to try and get the ball out earlier."

--Running back James White was one of the few bright spots for the Patriots in Sunday's loss to the Eagles. The second-year passing back notched his first career 100-yard receiving game, hauling in 10 of the 13 passes thrown his way for 115 yards, including a 4-yard touchdown on New England's opening score of the day.

The 2014 fourth-round pick has now scored touchdowns in each of the last three games and should see an increased role moving forward as the offense works through the late season injuries and transition.

"He did a great job," Tom Brady said of White. "He really came up big for us when we needed it a few times on fourth down tonight, made some big plays in the pass-game, was good in protection. He's done a great job for us. He's got a significant role. We'll need him all the way down the stretch here."

--Safety Nate Ebner has always been a core member of the Patriots special teams units, but he took that role to a new level in the loss to Philadelphia. Ebner, who is a former rugby player, was curiously called upon for a dropkick-style, onside kick attempt with the Patriots holding a 14-0 lead in the second quarter. The Eagles easily recovered the strange kick attempt and took advantage of the field position to drive to their first touchdown of the day.

Later, Ebner handled a more traditional onside kickoff attempt, rather than All-Pro kicker Stephen Gostkowski, a kick that ended up out of bounds giving position to the Eagles.

"Because we thought that was the best thing to do," Bill Belichick said of having Ebner handling two kickoffs, going on to not really explain why he called for the dropkick attempt holding a two-score lead. "I think everything we did, we're trying to do what we think is best."

Ebner credited the Eagles' talented special teams units for being ready for everything New England threw at them.

"I just tried to put it into space and make it an element of surprise, but they were prepared for what we threw at them and credit to the Eagles for reacting so quickly to that one," he said of the dropkick. "I mean that's just kind of how we decided to go about it and we just didn't execute. Like I said, give all the credit to the Eagles. They were prepared for everything we threw at them."

--Linebacker Jamie Collins missed more than a month of practice and four games with an illness that reportedly caused him to lose weight and strength.

He returned to the field with the starting nod against the Eagles and played 54 of 61 total defensive snaps. He led New England with eight tackles, adding a quarterback hit, a pass defensed and a forced fumble in an impressive return.

Collins' forced fumble came as Philadelphia was trying to run the clock out (although the Eagles probably should have just taken a knee) with barely a minute left to play. Collins ripped the ball free and Malcom Brown's recovery gave Brady and the offense a last-ditch attempt at a comeback that would eventually come up short.

Belichick said there were no real limitations on Collins heading into the game after a week-plus on the practice field for the linebacker.

"Jamie had a pretty good week of practice. So, he didn't play all the plays but he played a good chunk of them," Belichick said. "Some of that was a little bit of feedback from him as to how he was doing. But he was doing fine.

"When you play a team like Philadelphia that runs the up-tempo and that type of thing you have to have a little bit of awareness for that. But he competed well. Obviously that was a big play he made at the end of the game to get us the ball back. I'm sure that with another week of practice and another week of being out there that it will continue to improve. But he worked hard to get back and I'm glad we had him yesterday."

NOTES: Tight end Rob Gronkowski (right knee) did not play against Philadelphia, missing his first game of the season after getting carted off the field a week earlier in Denver. Gronkowski and the team have described the tight end as "week to week." ... Wide receiver Julian Edelman (foot) missed his third straight game following surgery to repair an injury that's expected to keep him out at least 6-to-8 weeks. ... Linebacker Dont'a Hightower (knee) was inactive against the Eagles, missing his second game of the season after suffering a reported MCL injury a week earlier in Denver that saw him sit out the second half of that contest. ... Cornerback Justin Coleman (hand) missed his third straight game after once again missing practice all last week. ... Defensive lineman Dominique Easley (ankle) missed his second game of the season, this to a new injury that forced him to miss practice last week. ... Guard Josh Kline (right shoulder) left the second half of Sunday's loss to the Eagles and did not return. The veteran guard appeared to be in significant pain while holding his right arm rather gingerly. ... Special teams ace Matthew Slater (shoulder) was attended to by trainers during Sunday's loss, although the veteran Pro Bowler returned to his kicking game duties shortly afterwards. The special teams captain has been battling minor injuries all season, though he's yet to miss a game.