Every New England Patriots fan was screaming in excitement as the team beat the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, securing their first playoff victory since their last Super Bowl win. The joy, however, didn’t last too long, as the injury to Pro Bowl cornerback Christian Gonzalez was lingering in everyone’s mind.
After forcing the Chargers to punt early in the fourth quarter, Gonzalez was entered in the concussion protocol following hitting his head on the turf. Since then, Patriots fans were constantly refreshing their feed, waiting for any update on his availability for the team’s Divisional Round matchup against the Houston Texans.
The wait officially came to an end Wednesday afternoon, when Pats Pulpit writer Brian Hines shared a video of Gonzalez practicing in a red non-contact jersey. While this doesn’t necessarily guarantee that Gonzalez will play, as he’ll still have to clear the NFL’s return-to-participation protocol, it’s an indication that he’s trending in the right direction to play.
Christian Gonzalez's Injury Outlook Improving Before Pats vs. Texans
Outside of quarterback Drake Maye, Gonzalez is the most vital piece to the Patriots. In their three games without Gonzalez this season, the Patriots' secondary was ripped apart, allowing an average of 256.3 passing yards per game. Since Gonzalez’s Week 4 return, the Patriots have allowed an average of 176.1 passing yards across their last 15 games and have not allowed an opposing quarterback to throw for more than 300 yards since Week 1.
It cannot be overstated just how important Gonzalez is to the Patriots' defense, as few can do what he does. Gonzalez is routinely tasked with covering the opposing teams’ best receiver and is regarded as one of the premier players at his position because of his lockdown ability.
This season was no different for Gonzalez, allowing just 35 receptions on 80 targets for 357 yards and zero touchdowns across 15 games. Without him, the secondary isn’t nearly as great. Outside of Carlton Davis III and Marcus Jones, who are both solid in their respective roles, the Patriots are thin at quality cornerback depth.
While both Charles Woods and Kobee Minor have been serviceable in limited play, they haven’t proven to be dependable, and the playoffs aren’t the time to find that out. That’s why the Patriots must desperately hope Gonzalez will be good to go against the Texans.
Even if wideout Nico Collins plays, the Texans' offense isn't the major concern; it’s their defense that makes them a difficult challenge. The Texans' defense single-handedly won them their game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, posting four sacks, nine hurries, and allowing just six points.
With the Patriots' offense struggling against the Chargers, Sunday’s outcome could come down to which defense plays better. That makes Gonzalez’s status critical to the Patriots' chances. They’ll need him to replicate his performance from last week, allowing zero receptions on four targets.
A single player can't win a playoff game for his time, but it goes without saying that the Patriots will have a better shot of beating the Texans if Gonzalez is healthy and available to suit up.