Patriots' Demario Clears Concussion Protocol: Status vs. Chiefs?

Unfortunately, Douglas' production has bene stunted by injury — specifically those of a cranial nature. He missed New England's Week 6 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders due to a concussion, before being sidelined for the team's Week 13 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers and their Week 14 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. With New England sitting at 3-10 —not only last place in both the division and the conference, but also eliminated from playoff contention — Douglas' history with head injuries may give the Pats pause when deciding to insert him into the lineup against the defending Super Bowl champions. 

Still, the Patriots' coaching staff must recognize that Douglas' shiftiness and speed make him one of the most explosive playmakers on the roster. As such, he can offer a significant upgrade to their gameplan on offense. Despite his 5-8, 180-pound frame, he is most effective out of the slot in short yardage. In order to compensate for the usual height differential with his opponent, he has developed a knack of anticipating defenders attacking him — a strategy which has served him well to date. However, he also has the skill set to evades tacklers when he has the ball in his hands in open space. As a result, the rookie's acceleration and speed may be essential to helping Bailey Zappe and the Pats offense put the Chiefs on their heels early —especially if their defense mistakenly plays him in soft coverage. With KC's defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo's penchant for deploying the blitz, Douglas has both the quickness and precision to be a productive target for Zappe in Week 15.