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Danny Amendola expected to miss rest of regular season

Danny Amendola has 23 receptions this year and was also returning punts.matthew j. lee/globe staff/file 2016/Globe Staff

The Patriots lost another pass catcher — at least for the rest of the regular season — as Danny Amendola suffered a high ankle sprain fielding a punt in Sunday’s 26-10 win over the Rams.

According to an NFL Network report, Amendola will miss the remainder of the regular-season slate (four games), and the hope is that he’ll be able to return for the postseason.

Amendola left the game late in the third quarter after his right ankle got caught underneath Los Angeles’s Michael Thomas and bent awkwardly as he was being tackled. He hobbled to the bench briefly before retreating to the locker room. He was seen leaving the facility in a walking boot and on crutches.

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The timetable for a return from a high ankle sprain is typically four to six weeks, depending on the severity, according to Kenneth Jung, a foot and ankle surgeon at the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic in Los Angeles.

If the Patriots secure a first-round bye, their first playoff game would be six weeks away.

The major difference in low and high ankle sprains is the ligaments involved. Jung said lower sprains are more “the run-of-the-mill ankle sprain,” affecting the outer part of the ankle. Higher ankle sprains affect “the next set of ligaments above the ankle.’’

Amendola, 31, had ankle and knee surgeries last offseason, and though his numbers are down, he is still among the team’s most clutch performers. Of his 23 receptions, 14 have gone for first downs, and he has a career-high four touchdowns.

The eighth-year veteran took over punt-returning duties against the Rams after rookie Cyrus Jones committed his fourth fumble of the season in the first quarter. Amendola has returned 18 punts this season for 121 yards.

“Anytime you lose a guy like Danny, who’s another big piece of this team, it’s terrible,’’ said fellow receiver Julian Edelman, himself an accomplished punt returner, after the game.

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The Patriots lost tight end Rob Gronkowski to back surgery last week.

In addition to Edelman, the Patriots have Chris Hogan and Malcolm Mitchell in their receiving corps. They also could promote Devin Lucien or DeAndrew White from the practice squad.

As for who assumes primary punt-returning duties, Jones and Edelman are the most likely candidates, though there are questions there. Edelman has been held off special teams, presumably to reduce the wear and tear on his body, and Jones, while showing some flashes, has had ball-security issues.

Sheard rebounded

Jabaal Sheard had his second straight strong performance, as the defensive end showed his value and versatility, helping to set the edge against the run, pressuring the pocket, and even dropping into coverage.

Sheard, who is just two weeks removed from being a healthy scratch against the 49ers, collected four tackles, a quarterback hit, and three passes defensed against the Rams. He clearly has put his benching in the rearview mirror.

“We know he can rush the passer, the coverage plays were pretty impressive,’’ coach Bill Belichick said Monday. “It could be a season for a defensive lineman with the number of balls he had his hands on. Very impressive awareness and getting depth into the passing lanes, playing the ball. It was great.

“When you drop defensive linemen into coverage, you generally don’t get a lot of production from them in coverage. They take up some space and kind of, I’d say, usually the quarterback doesn’t want to throw the ball in the area where somebody’s standing there.

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“But in terms of making plays on the ball, they don’t generally make a lot of them. So that was a great job by Jabaal.’’

Sheard also got his hand on Jared Goff’s arm on one pressure, and the rookie quarterback’s pass floated into the arms of linebacker Kyle Van Noy.

“[Jabaal] rushed well, he played the run well,’’ Belichick said. “He’s had a couple of good weeks here, so it’s good to see him string them together.’’

Lasting impression

Perhaps lost in the celebration of the 15th anniversary of the 2001 Patriots team that upset the Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI was an interesting quote from Belichick after Sunday’s win. “I still think it’s pretty interesting how the NFL schedule gave us a bye the last week of the season,” said Belichick. “Like, ‘You guys will be out of it, so you can go ahead and start your vacation early. Go ahead on home.’ I think that certainly surprised them, surprised the schedule makers. Of course, we ended up having to play because of the 9/11 game that got postponed with Carolina in Week 2. When the schedule came out, and we saw that our bye was the last week of the season — I’m sure we didn’t follow along to the script that they had written for us, but that’s all right.’’ . . . Patriots captain Devin McCourty will host a “Gifts from the Gridiron’’ shopping spree for 50 children in need Tuesday night at the Bass Pro Shops in Foxborough. More than a dozen Patriots players and alumni as well as Santa Claus will be on hand.

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Jim McBride can be reached at james.mcbride@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @globejimmcbride.