Remember Carlton Davis III leaving Lumen Field early against our Seahawks last week? The veteran Patriots corner is officially sidelined, not participating in Wednesday’s practice for their upcoming game against the Pittsburgh Steelers due to a neck injury. It’s a real blow for a guy who, despite the team’s stumble, played 49 out of 50 defensive snaps just days ago. How will that impact their secondary in a tough matchup?
The Sideline Casualties: Key Pieces Missing After Our Showdown
Davis’s injury is a real gut punch for the Patriots, no doubt. We saw him go down in that Super Bowl LX rematch against our Emerald City squad, briefly exiting in the first quarter after halting a carry for no gain. Now he’s completely out of practice. A starting veteran corner missing significant time this early? That’s not ideal, especially when you’re trying to find your footing. And he’s not alone on the sidelines. Rookie offensive tackle Dametrious Crownover is also a no-go for Wednesday’s session, sidelined with a knee injury. Two guys completely out just adds to the early season headache for New England.
Glimmers of Hope Amidst the Early Season Limp
It’s not all doom and gloom for New England, but some key players are clearly still nursing wounds. Center Ben Brown, out since the preseason opener with a knee injury, was finally back on the field for a bonus practice earlier in the week and was a limited participant Wednesday. That’s gotta be a good sign for their O-line, right? On defense, linebacker Dre’Mont Jones, who snagged the first sack of the 2026 campaign in his Patriots debut, was also limited with a foot issue. And then there’s team captain Robert Spillane, still nursing a knee injury despite playing every single defensive snap in that 13-10 loss against our Hawks! It shows grit, but you can’t play hurt forever.
Is Henderson Finally Ready to Roll for Real?
Perhaps the biggest potential positive for the Patriots is running back TreVeyon Henderson, the number 38 overall pick from the 2025 NFL draft. He’s finally graduated to full participation after being sidelined since August with an ankle injury. Remember him? He traveled with the team but landed on the inactive list last week right here at Lumen Field. Head coach Mike Vrabel sounds genuinely optimistic, saying before Wednesday’s practice, “I think he’ll be able to do some more… so we’ll continue to evaluate that and see where he is. And hopefully, that continues to trend in the right direction.” If Henderson can truly get back to full speed and make a real impact, it could be a much-needed shot in the arm for their offense after their tough start.
So, the Patriots are gearing up to face the Pittsburgh Steelers this Sunday at 1 p.m. ET at Gillette Stadium. With veteran players like Davis sidelined and others still clearly banged up, how they manage these early season injuries will tell us a lot about their resilience this year. Can Henderson be the spark they need? Or will the injury bug continue to bite hard? We’ll be watching to see how it all shakes out.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pats Pulpit.
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