Patriots' Gillislee a healthy scratch for second straight game

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For the second straight week, Mike Gillislee is a healthy scratch as the Patriots prepare to play the Raiders in Mexico City. Because he doesn't contribute in the kicking game, and because he doesn't have as much situational versatility as Dion Lewis or Rex Burkhead, Gillislee finds himself on the outside looking in. 

Does this mean that if the Patriots running back group remains healthy for the rest of the year that Gillilslee will continue to sit? Not necessarily. That will change from week to week based on the matchup and the overall health of the rest of the roster. But for right now, he's not viewed as an essential game-day option the same way Lewis, Burkhead, James White and Brandon Bolden are. 

The Patriots will have seven linemen active, as they do most weeks, but this week they're without two of their starters -- Marcus Cannon and David Andrews -- so Cole Croston and Cameron Fleming will be in uniform against the Raiders. Both players are candidates to be healthy scratches when other linemen are healthy. For Croston, it will be his NFL debut. He's been on the active roster all season but has been a weekly scratch. 

Malcom Brown (ankle) and Eric Rowe (groin) practiced all week but will continue to miss time with their respective injuries. Matthew Slater (hamstring) left last week's game against the Broncos and will need more time to let his ailment heal. He missed the first four weeks of the season and most of training camp with a hamstring issue. 

Cassius Marsh, who was inactive last werek due to a shoulder injury, will be back in uniform to give the Patriots some depth on the edge. They need it; after Trey Flowers, Kyle Van Noy and Deatrich Wise, they were wafer thin at that spot in Denver. 

RB Mike Gillislee
C David Andrews
OL Marcus Cannon
WR Chris Hogan
WR Matthew Slater
DL Malcom Brown
CB Eric Rowe

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