New England Patriots - NESN.com
The New England Patriots came away with a hard-fought victory over the Miami Dolphins in Week 2, with the final score settling in at 33-27. Making the win even more impressive was the fact that it came without one of their best players, cornerback Christian Gonzalez.
Early in training camp, Gonzalez suffered a hamstring injury, and he hasn’t taken the practice field for the Patriots since then. After missing the first two games of the season, fans are wondering when Gonzalez will be able to make his season debut for New England.
Head coach Mike Vrabel hinted at a potential return for Gonzalez in Week 3, but considering how he hasn’t practiced in well over a month, that may be pushing it. As he seemingly closes in on a return to the field, Gonzalez sent a strong four-word message on social media recently.
“New Week New Blessings,” Gonzalez said in a post on his Instagram story on Monday.
Getting Gonzalez back would be huge for the Patriots’ defense. While they ultimately ended up beating the Dolphins, it was hard to ignore how frequently Alex Austin was getting picked on while filling in for Gonzalez.
When Gonzalez returns, New England will have two top-tier man-to-man cornerbacks in him and Carlton Davis III, as both guys can go one-on-one with whoever they line up across from. This will free up the rest of the defense and allow the Patriots to shift away from the zone coverages they have struggled with to begin the year.
There’s no guarantee that Gonzalez will play in Week 3, but considering how the team has a Week 3 matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers on its schedule, it could certainly use him. All eyes will be on Gonzalez throughout the week to see if he can find his way back on the practice field for the Patriots.
