The New England Patriots are coming off a comeback victory against the Miami Dolphins in Week 2, 33-27. That evened their record at 1-1, following a season-opening loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Patriots’ defense was expected to be a strength of the team this year. But injuries have marred the start of the season on that side of the ball, particularly with cornerback Christian Gonzalez missing both games.
But New England fans might finally get a chance to see their defense at full strength in Week 3 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Gonzalez returned to practice this week and has officially been given a ‘questionable’ tag for Sunday’s game. He joins linebacker Keion White and fullback/tight end Jack Westover with that designation.
White missed practice on Wednesday, dealing with an illness. However, he returned to practice on Thursday, logging a full session. It stands to reason that he will be active.
The Patriots signed Mike Vrabel as their new head coach this offseason. He has built a reputation for being a hard-nosed coach whose teams always play defense well. New England had a slightly better-than-average defense last season.
They then went out and signed several playmakers on defense in the offseason: Most notably, defensive end Milton Williams, Harold Landry III, and Carlton Davis.
But Gonzalez is the key to this defense.
He earned second team All-Pro honors last season after amassing 59 tackles, two interceptions, and a fumble recovery.
If Gonzalez suits up against the Steelers, he will likely be very busy. Pittsburgh is among the worst rushing offense in the NFL this season. Meanwhile, the Patriots’ defensive front has proven to be stout, allowing just 58.5 yards per game on the ground. That ranks third in the NFL.
It stands to reason that Aaron Rodgers will be throwing a lot on Sunday. But he also might be running for his life. The Patriots have also racked up nine sacks in two games. Rodgers has already been sacked seven times behind a lackluster offensive line.
New England is 1.5 point home underdogs against Pittsburgh, with kickoff slated for 1:00 pm ET.
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