Patriots have perfect attendance at Thursday practice

FOXBOROUGH — The Patriots are as healthy as they’ve been all season.

New England had perfect attendance at the start of practice on Thursday, and while the Patriots might not have everyone at 100 percent, it’s a good sign on both sides of the ball heading into Saturday’s divisional playoff game against the Titans.

The two players who had been missing earlier in the week — running back Mike Gillislee (knee) and linebacker Marquis Flowers (illness) — were both spotted at the start of Thursday’s workout.

BSJ analysis: What to expect from Gillislee?


Flowers' issue was not expect to be a long-term thing, so it wasn’t a surprise to see that he was back on the field on Thursday. When it comes to Gillislee, it’s debatable how much he'll have in the tank, as most players who have only practiced once all week rarely suit up for the game. But the sight of the veteran is a positive sign for a team that would welcome all the offensive depth possible heading into the playoffs. It’s also worth mentioning, in the context of this conversation, Tennessee is the worst team in the league when it comes to defending running backs in the passing game. Having a wide array of backs heading into this one will give the Patriots extra offensive options.

One other note: Malcolm Mitchell was also back on the field Thursday after missing two practices, which means that the door hasn't closed on the possibility of him returning for the playoffs.