Mike Dussault

If [Mike Reiss] had to choose an unsung hero award for the Patriots through 11 games, fifth-year offensive guard Donald Thomas would be the choice. At times in training camp, there was reason to wonder if he’d be on the roster, but all he’s done is start six games (with significant reps as a fill-in guard in others) and log 61.6 percent of the overall offensive snaps. He’s played well as guards Logan Mankins and Dan Connolly have missed time. And here’s a behind-the-scenes story that Patriots followers can appreciate about Thomas: After Thursday’s 49-19 win over the Jets, the first thing he said to a reporter was how he was disappointed with the way he started the game (giving up a pressure). Talk about holding yourself accountable, even after a resounding win.