The New England Patriots notched a win against the Los Angeles Chargers in the Wild Card round. However, one of their key players suffered an injury during the game. Late in the game, cornerback Christian Gonzalez was slow to get up after making a play. Gonzalez was diagnosed with a concussion after the incident. Now, Mike Vrabel announced that the star cornerback is still in concussion protocol, per Ari Meirov.
Gonzalez suffered the injury in the fourth quarter of the game. The Patriots cornerback was lined up against Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston. Gonzalez made a play on Johnston's comeback route, nearly picking off the ball. However, he hit his head on the play. After a few seconds on the ground, Gonzalez gingerly got up and exited the game.
Gonzalez has arguably been the most important piece in the Patriots' defense. The star cornerback has been one of the best defenders in the NFL this season. His lockdown coverage is undeniable, allowing a 53.6% completion rate when he's targeted. While he missed out on an All-Pro selection this year, Gonzalez is still an elite cornerback and a focal point of their defense.
The Patriots still ended up winning the game against the Chargers 16-3. Tight end Hunter Henry caught the only touchdown of the day for New England, while the defense held the Justin Herbert-led offense to just three points. The Patriots also recorded six sacks on the day, wrecking havoc on their opponents.
The Patriots will take on the winner of the matchup between the Houston Texans and the Pittsburgh Steelers later today.
