The expectation is now reality: Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez will not play in New England’s season opener against the Raiders.
Gonzalez has been sidelined since July 28 with a hamstring injury.
Missing your most talented defender isn’t the best way to start the season. Especially with “terrific” skill players on the other side of the ball, which is how Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel referred to the group led by First Team All-Pro tight end Brock Bowers, rookie running back Ashton Jeanty and wide receiver Jakobi Meyers.
“Everybody’s got to be ready to go,” Vrabel said at Gillette Stadium on Friday afternoon.
Vrabel name-dropped cornerback Alex Austin and captain Marcus Jones as two defenders he believes will see more snaps. Austin has started opposite outside cornerback Carlton Davis ever since Gonzalez was sidelined.
The Patriots feel comfortable with either Austin or Jones in the slot, first-year defensive coordinator Terrell Williams said. Whichever of those two is not in the slot likely will work opposite Davis, both Austin and Jones having outside-inside versatility. Depth cornerback DJ James, who got off to a hot start in training camp before cooling off, could be thrust into a larger role himself.
“We feel good about our secondary,” Williams said.
Well, it’ll be tested right out of the gate.
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The biggest question for New England’s defense is how it will match up with Bowers, as Patriots insider Phil Perry highlighted in his Week 1 matchups to watch. Bowers is viewed as a receiver in a tight end’s body.
The absence of Gonzalez makes a tough task even tougher.
“This is a big deal to me,” Perry said on Early Edition on Friday night. “To me, Christian Gonzalez is in some ways the engine that will make your defense go this year. If you want to play a lot of man-to-man, if you want to look at an opposing No. 1 receiver, whether it’s a receiver or this week it’s a tight end who plays like a receiver, you can just feel so much more confident when Christian Gonzalez is out there.”
That won’t be the case in Week 1, however.
The Patriots could use Davis on Bowers in obvious passing situations. It could hinder Las Vegas through the air as opposed to putting a linebacker or safety on the quicker Bowers, who recorded 112 receptions for nearly 1,200 yards as a rookie. The flip side, however, is Bowers (6-foot-4, 235 pounds) could have an advantage against Davis (6-foot-1, 206) or Austin (6-foot-1, 191) in the run game. Davis is a solid run-defending cornerback, but Bowers is more than capable of moving bodies in front of Jeanty.
Gonzalez likely would have covered Meyers — not Bowers — if he were healthy. It would have allowed the Patriots to go with single coverage against the surehanded 1,000-yard wide receiver, and not have to worry about Meyers beating them. Davis then could have benefited from some help on Bowers.
“It frees up the rest of your defense to get all kinds of exotic,” Perry said.
Now, if the Patriots shadow Bowers and leave Meyers 1-on-1 against Austin or Jones or James, they’re more vulnerable. That’s the trickle-down effect and a result of not having your shutdown corner.
