The Patriots have just announced that the only player on the injury report that has been downgraded for tomorrow's game against the Denver Broncos is safety James Sanders, who has been switched from questionable to out because of a shoulder injury. That means that linebacker Jerod Mayo, who was listed as questionable, made the trip with the team to Denver and could potentially play tomorrow against the Broncos. Mayo has not played since he suffered a sprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee during the first quarter of the Patriots' season-opener against the Buffalo Bills on Sept. 14. Source: Boston Herald
McGowan will be playing in Sanders spot like he has been the past couple of games and he has done pretty well. As far as Mayo goes, they don't really "need" him right now, the defense with Gary Guyton has been pretty decent. So I wouldn't rush putting him back in and may just give him another week.