The New England Patriots are rolling into Soldier Field for Thursday night’s battle against the Chicago Bears without *both* of their starting guards, Alijah Vera-Tucker and Ben Brown, in uniform. Head coach Mike Vrabel dropped the news in his final press conference of this short week, confirming what we all kinda feared after both guys were sidelined through practice due to Vera-Tucker’s hamstring and Brown’s knee issues.
O-Line Deja Vu: Who Steps Up (Again!)
This isn’t the first time the Pats have had to shuffle the deck up front, though. Vera-Tucker and Brown were also out last Sunday, a game where New England still managed a 26-19 win against the New York Jets. Pretty wild, right? Stepping into those critical interior spots were Matt Pryor, an October signing, and Walter Rouse, an August trade acquisition. Pryor played 46 offensive downs, Rouse took 14, and guess what? Zero sacks and zero penalties from that patchwork front five. That’s a huge stat for guys filling in on the fly! These two are now set to start again, playing over the shoulders of center Jared Wilson, and they’ll need to replicate that performance against the Bears’ D-line. It’s a massive challenge on a short week to keep that momentum going.
Secondary’s Short Handed, Plus Other Injury Headaches
But the O-line isn’t the only unit taking a hit. The Patriots’ secondary is also seriously depleted, with cornerbacks Carlton Davis III (neck), Karon Prunty (hamstring), and Channing Canada (hamstring) all ruled out for the trip to the Midwest. Davis, a veteran outside starter, has been dealing with a neck issue since September and has already missed two full weeks of practice, making Thursday his third consecutive game on the sidelines. This means Charles Woods, a 2025 waiver claim, and team captain Marcus Jones are on deck for expanded roles alongside the All-Pro Christian Gonzalez. On top of that, a pair of rookie corners who’ve combined for 76 special teams snaps are also out with hamstring issues. That’s a lot of depth gone in one position group!
It’s not just the starters, either. Four more active roster members are questionable for Thursday night. We’re talking about offensive tackle Morgan Moses (foot), who was the only Patriot not to practice in full on Wednesday and has been limited since the initial estimation. Plus, linebacker Christian Elliss (chest), safety Kevin Byard III (chest), and safety Craig Woodson (shoulder) are all listed as questionable. The Bears aren’t exactly unscathed themselves, with running back Kyle Monangai (thumb, toe) and linebacker Jack Sanborn (concussion) out, and linebacker T.J. Edwards (hamstring) doubtful despite being a partial participant Wednesday. Edwards is a big loss for them, with 16 tackles and an interception through five starts this fall. Chicago cornerback Tyrique Stevenson Sr. (hip) is also questionable.
It’s a huge test for this banged-up Patriots squad on a short week. Can those backup linemen keep the streak alive and protect center Jared Wilson? Will the patchwork secondary hold up against the Bears’ attack? We’ll find out when the lights come on at Soldier Field for that 8:15 p.m. ET kickoff. You won’t wanna miss it.
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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