FOXBORO - The New England Patriots may be heading into Week 2 without another starter, and this one would hit the secondary hard.
Head coach Mike Vrabel said Friday that cornerback Carlton Davis will be listed as questionable for Sunday’s matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers because of a neck injury. Davis was not seen at any of the Patriots’ last three practices, but Vrabel stopped short of ruling him out.
"He'll be questionable," the Patriots head coach said Friday morning after their final practice of the week. "We'll have to see how he comes in here tomorrow. We'll continue to evaluate, and then if the designation changes, we'll update everybody."
That leaves New England with a real decision to make on the back end. Davis has been a regular starter at boundary corner since joining the Patriots in free agency last year, and his absence would force the defense to lean more heavily on its depth.
He started last week against the Seattle Seahawks and played all but one snap before getting banged up in the first quarter on a tackle and yielding to backup Charles Woods. But this week told a different story. Davis wasn’t on the field or in the locker room after returning from the team’s off day Tuesday.
If he can’t suit up, Marcus Jones and Charles Woods would be expected to carry more of the load in two-cornerback looks, according to position coach Justin Hamilton. The Patriots also have rookie corners Karon Prunty and Channing Canada on the active roster, along with veteran Kindle Vildor on the practice squad. Prunty was a healthy scratch against Seattle.
The challenge doesn’t get any smaller with Pittsburgh’s passing game coming to Foxboro. D.K. Metcalf, Michael Pittman Jr. and Roman Wilson give the Steelers a receiver group that can test a secondary in a hurry.
That’s why the Patriots are talking about the ball, not just the coverage.
"It's always been a next man up mentality," defensive coordinator Zak Kuhr said Thursday. "We got all the trust in the world in the next person up, whatever position it is - edge, inside, ILB (inside linebacker), DB, and I think those guys have bought into that and they all prepare as the starter as we always teach them. ... You hope we don't skip a beat."
The secondary will also be trying to clean up a Week 1 stat line that came up empty in the turnover department. Vrabel said Wednesday that the defense has to be more aggressive at the point of attack.
"We have to go attack the football," Vrabel said Wednesay. "Again, the easiest target is the quarterback, so you have to force the quarterback into mistakes."
Davis isn’t the only injury situation hanging over the Patriots’ home opener. Rookie offensive tackle Dametrious Crownover, who is dealing with a knee injury, was not spotted all week and was listed as a non-participant in practice. He was seen in the locker room with a sleeve on his left leg.
Crownover, a sixth-round pick out of Texas A&M, didn’t play any offensive snaps in Week 1, though he did log a few special teams reps. If he’s unavailable, New England’s tackle depth would be thin behind Greg Van Roten, Caleb Lomu, Ben Brown, and Walter Rouse.
Brown was limited this week with a knee injury, while Rouse was a healthy scratch last week. Lorenz Metz is the only tackle on the practice squad.
There was better news elsewhere on the report. Edge rusher Dre’Mont Jones (foot) and Brown (knee) were limited during the week, while linebacker Robert Spillane (knee) and running back TreVeyon Henderson (ankle) appear set to play after being listed.
In Other News...
Patriots Catch A Break As Steelers Passing Attack Suddenly Changes
Michael Pittman Jr. being ruled out for the Steelers matchup with the Patriots changes the shape of this game before it even kicks off. Pittman had led Pittsburgh in receiving yards in Week 1, so his absence trims a key part of the passing game and shifts more of the burden onto the rest of the receiving group.
For New England, the adjustment matters because it alters where the danger may come from, with DK Metcalf now carrying even more of the spotlight. The Steelers will still have options in Roman Wilson, Germie Bernard and Pat Freiermuth, but the Patriots can prepare knowing one of Pittsburghs most productive early-season targets wont be on the field. [Read more 🡒]
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For New England, the buzz is less about admiration than the uncomfortable possibility of watching a longtime rival chase history while the Patriots are left to react. There are still tests ahead for Buffalo, and the defense has already given up 31 points in each of the first two games, but the idea alone is enough to make the rest of the AFC East pay close attention. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Suddenly Face A Dangerous Problem In Steelers Matchup
Carlton Davis being ruled out for the Patriots home opener changes the tone of a matchup that already had some bite to it. A neck injury will keep the veteran corner from taking the field against the Steelers, leaving New England to sort through a secondary that now leans more heavily on less experienced options. The absence is especially notable because no practice squad elevations were made after the status change, so the Patriots will have to work with what they already have on hand.
It is a sudden complication for a defense that was counting on Davis to help steady things on the back end, even as the Steelers arrive with a key wide receiver also out. The Patriots still get the benefit of playing at home, but the missing corner creates an immediate stress test for a group that will have to hold up against a physical opponent without one of its more established pieces. [Read more 🡒]