It has been an up-and-down first half for the Patriots, as they host the LA Chargers in their first playoff game since the 2021 season. Although there isn't much pressure to win, considering nobody anticipated they would have a winning record, never mind make it to the playoffs, the Patriots are more than capable of continuing their Super Bowl path and proving they are a legitimate contender this year.
The defense has done its job so far, and a crucial first series tackle by cornerback Carlton Davis III set up a fourth-down stoppage for what has been one of the worst red zone defenses in the league in 2025.
And Davis has been spot on in coverage during the first half, only to suffer a toe injury and head to the locker room before halftime.
.@Patriots Injury Update: CB Carlton Davis III (toe) is questionable to return. pic.twitter.com/rdDXvjcGTF
— Patriots Communications (@PatriotsComms) January 12, 2026
It's far from an ideal situation for a team that needs all their best players on the field to give them a shot at walking out the winners. Davis has played stellar football over the past month, and that continued into tonight's game, so losing him could be costly.
Carlton Davis suffering an injury in the first half is bad news for the Patriots' defense
The Patriots went into this game at nearly their healthiest all season, and it couldn't have happened at a better time. That meant some of their biggest stars returned to the field for this game, including Harold Landry III and Robert Spillane, but now Davis might be joining the injured list.
He has suffered an apparent toe injury and has been ruled questionable to return. Because his injury wasn't made evident when it happened, it's difficult to imagine it's anything too serious, but we'll have to wait for updates.
Fortunately, he left the field not long before halftime, and the defense was able to force a punt in his absence.
If Davis is unable to return, the other cornerbacks will need to step up to help fill the void, especially since they already ruled out Alex Austin ahead of the game. So their depth is scarce, and they'll have to depend on who they have, and hopefully, that will be enough.
UPDATE:
He has returned to the game in the second half, and unfortunately, got hit with a makeup defensive pass interference call.