UPDATE - The Patriots have since put out an official injury report coming out of Friday's practice, where they list cornerback Christian Gonzalez as having no injury distinction ahead of Sunday's game.
On Friday, Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel met with the media for his regular post-practice press conference, where he shared where the injury report stood for Sunday:
QUESTIONABLE:
- CB Christian Gonzalez
- RB Terrell Jennings
- LB Harold Landry
OUT:
- N/A
Christian Gonzalez is questionable after entering the league’s concussion protocol on Sunday, where he suffered a head injury late in the second half that forced the third-year cornerback out of the game.
Despite the injury and the protocol, Gonzalez was back on the practice field on Wednesday as a limited participant, seen during the media portion of practice wearing the red non-contact jersey. He was a full participant on Thursday, where he was seen wearing his normal navy blue practice jersey, indicating he was OK for contact. And on Friday, he was out participating in stretch with his team, once again wearing his normal practice digs.
One player noticeably missing from Vrabel’s list was defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga, who has been out since suffering a foot injury in Week 16 against the Ravens. Before that injury, the defensive tackle had dealt with injuries to both his chest and knee. His chest injury occurred in Week 8 against the Browns. While it knocked him out for a few plays, he did not miss any time the following week. His knee injury occurred in Week 12 in Cincinnati - that one knocked him out of his team’s game the following week against the Giants.
The impact of a healthy Tonga, standing at 6-foot-2 and 335 pounds, is tangible.
The mix of him, Super Bowl champion Milton Williams and fifth-year pro Christian Barmore along the defensive line helped New England soar to the top of the league in run defense through 10 weeks, where they were allowing just 79.2 rushing yards a game.
Over the next eight games, Tonga, Williams, and linebacker Robert Spillane all missed time. And with that mix all in-and-out of the lineup, New England’s defense was allowing 133.85 rushing yards a game.
If Tonga can play at the level he did earlier this season before dealing with injuries, it would be a massive addition for the Patriots’ front seven.
The key word there is “if,” which Vrabel focused on when asked about Tonga’s return on Friday.
“We’ll find out on Sunday,” said Vrabel when asked how big Tonga’s impact would be on Sunday’s game. “I mean, it’s great to have him practice, but what matters is what it’s gonna be on Sunday at 3:00.
“And I would say, hopefully he can pick up where he left off in his production and what he was able to do and how he helped us inside there as an interior rotational player with Milt [Williams] and Christian [Barmore].”
Landry’s injury distinction comes as no surprise, as he’s been managing a knee injury the last few weeks of the season. The 29-year-old edge rusher missed the final two regular season games as he dealt with the injury before being activated ahead of Wild Card Weekend. If he were to miss Sunday’s contest against Houston, it would put even more pressure on players like Tonga to have a big game up front.
Jennings was added to the IR after suffering a concussion in Week 13 against the Giants. This week of practice was the first time Jennings has been back out there since dealing with the head injury in early December.
Stay locked in to WEEI and WEEI.com for all the latest on Gonzalez, Jennings and Landry’s status ahead of Sunday.
Tune in each and every Monday throughout the football season to Patriots Monday on WEEI. Head coach Mike Vrabel joins The Greg Hill Show at 6:30 a.m. ET, and quarterback Drake Maye joins WEEI Afternoons.