The Patriots' defense was a prime focus of Sunday's disappointing loss to the Raiders for a number of reasons, not all of which were positive. But there was a lot of hype coming out of the game surrounding the impressive showings by Harold Landry, who led the league in sacks with 2.5, and Milton Williams, who had one of the best pass rush win rates of all Week 1's slate of games.
It was a solid debut for both new Patriots and proved beyond any doubt that the new regime's decision to sign them in free agency was the right decision, especially since Williams received the richest contract in team history.
However, the secondary wasn't as effective, as they allowed six plays of 20+ yards throughout the game, enabling QB Geno Smith to complete 24 of 34 passes for 362 yards and a touchdown, in addition to four receivers finishing the game averaging 20+ yards per reception.
It was immediately apparent that they were missing the shutdown abilities of Christian Gonzalez, who appeared on the sideline during the game to support his teammates, so it seemed like he might be on his way back this week. But Mike Vrabel's latest update casts doubt on that happening.
It's not looking good for Christian Gonzalez to return to the Patriots for their Week 2 matchup
There was a lot of hope that Gonzalez would finally return to the practice field this week since he's been dealing with a hamstring injury for over a month. He hasn't practiced since July 28, so he'd need to be back with the team early in the week to ensure he had enough time to get back into the swing of things.
It looked like that was a good possibility when the Patriots released training camp standout cornerback DJ James on Tuesday, but Mike Vrabel told reporters that Gonzalez isn't expected at practice on Wednesday, which would be an indication that he won't be suited up against the Dolphins.
Mike Vrabel says that while he doesn’t believe we will see Christian Gonzalez out on the practice field, the All-Pro corner is “continuing to improve:”
— Tom Carroll (@yaboiTCfresh) September 10, 2025
“…Staying engaged, still preparing as a starter and asking questions in meetings and all those things. So that’s where we’re… pic.twitter.com/sHYYph6CJV
It's a brutal hit for a secondary that already didn't look too good against the Raiders, who don't have a receiving corps as talented as the Dolphins.
It might have been easier to slow down players like Jakobi Meyers and Tre Tucker, even though the defense clearly struggled, than it will be with Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. So that makes Gonzalez's continued absence that much more concerning.
It certainly doesn't help that they released safety Jabrill Peppers last week, and they're still not overly enthused with what Kyle Dugger is bringing to the table, making the secondary a far more vulnerable group altogether.
It would be beneficial if we could continue to see solid growth and strong play from players like Jaylinn Hawkins, who had some standout moments last week, and Craig Woodson, who has impressed since the summer despite being a rookie.
Time will tell and things can certainly change, but it's looking more and more like Gonzalez will miss another game.