Patriots could be in real trouble after star suffers injury before halftime

"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."

"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."

The Patriots entered their first playoff game since 2021 with a roller-coaster first half of the season and unexpectedly earned a postseason berth. The defense has mostly performed well, highlighted by a crucial first-series tackle by Carlton Davis III that helped force a fourth-down stoppage. Davis played strong coverage in the first half but suffered an apparent toe injury and left for the locker room before halftime, later being listed as questionable to return. The team entered the game unusually healthy with key returns, but Davis's potential absence will force other cornerbacks to step up while updates are awaited.

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