The New England Patriots are officially without their starting cornerback, Carlton Davis III, for Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, thanks to a neck injury. This news drops just days after our Seahawks handed them a 13-10 loss in Week 1. It’s rough out there for them, isn’t it? Davis, a veteran who helped the Patriots get to the Super Bowl just last season, recorded three total tackles in that loss to the Emerald City’s finest and hasn’t practiced all week.
Losing That Veteran Edge
Man, this is a big one for the Patriots’ secondary. Davis brings that championship experience and veteran presence, and now they’ll be scrambling to adjust their defensive plans for what sounds like a pivotal matchup. Not having your starting corner, especially one with a Super Bowl run under his belt, is a huge hit early in the season. You just know that defense is gonna feel his absence, especially when they need to stop a tricky Steelers offense.
Who Steps Up Now?
So, with Davis sidelined, what’s the plan? Charles Woods is lined up to soak up a bigger chunk of the outside cornerback workload, which is a big ask for Week 2. Marcus Jones is another name floating around, capable of playing both inside as the primary slot corner and sliding outside. That flexibility could be huge for them, giving New England some options against different offensive schemes Pittsburgh might throw their way. Plus, Kindle Vildor from the practice squad is an option if they need more depth or another outside corner, maybe even for special teams. It’s a lot of shuffling for a team that just lost its season opener.
The Patriots have to take on the Steelers this Sunday, and this injury just adds another layer to what’s already a tough situation after losing to our Hawks. Good luck out there, fellas. You’re gonna need it.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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