CSNNE.com's Patriots Insider Tom E. Curran checked in to discuss why Andre Carter has been so successful and if Patrick Chung or Dane Fletcher are close to returning to the team.
Carter has 47 tackles this season and is 9th in the league in sacks.
"I think (he's been so successful) because he has a specific role here, and so often the Patriots have brought in guys, whether it's Jermaine Cunningham or other defensive end guys, and they've tried to give them multiple things. Andre Carter has one role and one role only, that's to get up the field and challenge the tackles.
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"You can't say enough about the professionalism he's brought and to be an 11th year guy in the league and to be at the physical level that he is is pretty remarkable.
Chung, who has been dealing with a foot injury, has played in just seven games this season. He has been out since the Pats' Nov. 6 loss to the New York Jets.
"(I) saw Patrick Chung at the beginning of the locker room period and you have to respect that these guys can't go into too much depth about what their injuries are, so I said, 'what can you tell me?' He said, 'I'm happy. I'm feeling okay. And I'm looking forward to things.' So, really, he's not tipping his hand, but he had his pads on, he had his uniform pants on for practice, he was ready to go and give it a run out there, so I would say that it looks pretty good for him.
Fletcher has been out since October with a thumb injury.
"With Dane Fletcher, still a pretty significant cast on his right thumb, so I think it might be an uphill fight to see him."