Patriots vs. Rams snap counts: Christian Barmore comeback a feel

On the eve of their Week 11 game against the Los Angeles Rams , the New England Patriots made a move almost four months in the making. Even though he had been diagnosed with blood clots in late July, defensive tackle Christian Barmore was activated from the non-football injury list to the 53-man roster.

That was not the end of it, either. Less than 24 hours after the move was made official, Barmore was on the field to take his first snaps of the season.

He ended up playing a smaller than usual role, but his comeback was still a feel-good story coming out of the Patriots' 28-22 loss to the Rams.

"It was good just to see him back out there," said head coach Jerod Mayo after the game. "It was good to have him out there, and first and foremost player safety is important. I know he was excited about it."

Typically a three-down player along the Patriots interior defensive line, Barmore ended up playing 21 of 52 possible snaps. He also registered a pair of tackles along the way. Although his production and final snap count was not up to his usual standard, and his team lost its eighth game of the season, the 25-year-old was happy to finally have gotten over the medical hump.

"I was really excited. I was anxious. I couldn't go to sleep because I was so excited," Barmore said about learning that he had been cleared to return and play in Sunday's game.

As for the game itself, both Barmore and Mayo acknowledged that there would be definitive room for growth over the coming weeks. Taking the field against the Rams was a first and important step, though.

"I felt good. Felt good," Barmore said. Still trying to get in game shape, but I felt real good. I really just have to keep grinding, man. Just keep doing extra work. Stuff is out of my lungs now, thank God. I just have to keep grinding, but I feel really good. I feel really good."

Here is our full snap count report from the Patriots' loss to the Rams.

Total snaps: 76 | Time on the field: 36:43

QB Drake Maye* (76; 100%), LT/TE Vederian Lowe* (76; 100%), C Ben Brown* (76; 100%), RG Michael Onwenu* (76; 100%), RT Demontrey Jacobs* (76; 100%), LG Michael Jordan* (73; 96%), WR Kayshon Boutte* (73; 96%), TE Hunter Henry* (67; 88%), RB Rhamondre Stevenson* (58; 76%), WR DeMario Douglas* (43; 57%), TE Austin Hooper (39; 51%), WR Kendrick Bourne* (36; 47%), WR Ja'Lynn Polk (31; 41%), RB Antonio Gibson (13; 17%), LG/TE/FB Sidy Sow (7; 9%), RB JaMycal Hasty (5; 7%), WR Javon Baker (5; 7%), TE Jaheim Bell (4; 5%), CB/WR Marcus Jones (2; 3%)

*denotes starter

There were a few noticeable changes for the Patriots offense against the Rams, starting with Kendrick Bourne returning to the lineup. A healthy scratch the previous week in Chicago, he was back to serve as a rotational Z-receiver. Sharing the role with rookie Ja'Lynn Polk, he was on the field for 47 percent of snaps and finished with five catches for a team-high 70 yards as well as a touchdown.

Another new wrinkle was the addition of Marcus Jones to the offense. The hyper-versatile defensive back was on the field for a pair of snaps, first carrying the ball for a gain of 5 yards and later serving as a decoy on a 9-yard screen pass to Rhamondre Stevenson.

Outside of those two personnel choices, the offense operated business as usual. That was a welcome change for a unit that had struggled with stability, especially along the offensive line.

On Sunday, the team started the same group for a second straight game — a first this season — and had almost all of its members go wire-to-wire. The lone exception was Michael Jordan getting shaken up on a blocked extra point in the fourth quarter, leading to Sidy Sow playing three snaps at left guard on top of his other action as a jumbo blocker.

Total snaps: 52 | Time on the field: 21:48

S Kyle Dugger* (52; 100%), CB Christian Gonzalez* (52; 100%), ED Anfernee Jennings* (52; 100%), CB Marcus Jones* (44; 85%), DE/ED Keion White (42; 81%), LB Jahlani Tavai* (42; 81%), LB Christian Elliss* (36; 39%), S Dell Pettus (34; 65%), DT Daniel Ekuale* (33; 63%), CB Jonathan Jones* (33; 63%), DT Jeremiah Pharms Jr.* (31; 60%), DT Davon Godchaux* (30; 58%), S Jaylinn Hawkins (23; 44%), DT Christian Barmore (21; 40%), LB Sione Takitaki (18; 35%), ED Yannick Ngakoue (14; 27%), CB Marco Wilson (9; 17%), LB Curtis Jacobs* (4; 8%), DT Eric Johnson (2; 4%)

*denotes starter

Christian Barmore was not the only new face the Patriots defense incorporated against Los Angeles. Outside linebacker Yannick Ngakoue, a former Pro Bowler and recent waiver wire pickup, also made his debut. Neither his role nor his impact were as big as Barmore's though, and he finished with no statistics in his 14 defensive snaps.

When it comes to impact players, the usual names pop out. Kyle Dugger, for example, played 100 percent of snaps in his return from an ankle injury that kept him out three weeks. He was one of three players to not leave the field alongside Christian Gonzalez and Anfernee Jennings not to leave the field. The latter played the first full game of his four-year career.

High snap counts for those players are expected; they are among the very best the Patriots have to offer and core members of the defense. Jeremiah Pharms Jr. and Dell Pettus, on the other hand, are under-the-radar contributors.

Coming off possibly the best game of his career, Pharms Jr. played a career-best 60 percent of snaps versus the Rams. Pettus, meanwhile, played a key role in replacing the injured Marte Mapu and ended up serving as the No. 2 safety ahead of veteran offseason signing Jaylinn Hawkins.

Special Teams Total snaps: 27 | Time on the field: 1:29

S Brenden Schooler (22; 81%), LB Joe Giles-Harris (22; 81%), CB Marcellas Dial Jr. (22; 81%), S Dell Pettus (19; 70%), ED Keshawn Banks (18; 67%), S Jaylinn Hawkins (17; 63%), TE Jaheim Bell (14; 52%), DE Keion White (13; 48%), LB Jahlani Tavai (13; 48%), LB Sione Takitaki (12; 44%), K Joey Slye (11; 41%), DT Jeremiah Pharms Jr. (10; 37%), LB Curtis Jacobs (10; 37%), RB/KR JaMycal Hasty (8; 30%), LB Christian Elliss (7; 26%), DT Daniel Ekuale (7; 26%), LS Joe Cardona (7; 26%), P/H Bryce Baringer (7; 26%), CB Isaiah Bolden (7; 26%), C Ben Brown (5; 19%), OT Demontrey Jacobs (5; 19%), G Michael Onwenu (5; 19%), G Michael Jordan (5; 19%), TE Austin Hooper (5; 19%), RB/KR Antonio Gibson (5; 19%), G Sidy Sow (5; 19%), OL Lecitus Smith (5; 19%), CB/PR Marcus Jones (3; 11%), CB Marco Wilson (3; 11%), WR/KR Javon Baker (2; 7%), WR/PR DeMario Douglas (1; 4%), DT Eric Johnson (1; 4%)

New England's special teams operation saw some in-game changes on Sunday. One was All-Pro punt returner Marcus Jones missing a snap due to injury, and briefly getting replaced by DeMario Douglas. The other was rookie Javon Baker getting benched despite taking the opening kickoff to the New England 45-yard line; the Patriots reinstalled JaMycal Hasty as the second deep man alongside Antonio Gibson in his place.

As for the coverage personnel, it relied heavily on a pair of practice squad call-ups. Joe Giles-Harris played 81 percent of snaps as a five-unit member, while Keshawn Banks played 67 as a four-unit contributor.

Given that Giles-Harris is out of standard elevations — he has been brought up a maximum of three times already — one has to wonder whether a roster move might be in the cards. He very much has taken over the core special teamer role previously held by since-released Raekwon McMillan.

Did not play QB Jacoby Brissett, OL Layden Robinson

No surprises among the DNPs. Jacoby Brissett and Layden Robinson are both emergency options at their positions at the current point in time.

WR K.J. Osborn, S Marte Mapu, QB Joe Milton III, ED Ochaun Mathis, OL Tyrese Robinson, DE Deatrich Wise Jr., DT Jaquelin Roy

Kendrick Bourne returning to the game day roster came at the expense of fellow wide receiver K.J. Osborn, who was named as one of the Patriots' four healthy scratches. Three players — Marte Mapu (neck), Deatrich Wise Jr. (foot) and Jaquelin Roy (neck) — were ruled out due to injury.