Patriots just dropped a subtle clue that could flip Ravens showdown

"Until the past month of the 2025 season, the Patriots have been fortunate on the injury front, avoiding superstar players having their seasons ended prematurely. That has been a problem for many other teams across the league, but it only recently impacted New England when they lost starting left tackle Will Campbell and defensive tackle Milton Williams. A few other players have become more absent at practice during the week, which was particularly concerning in the days leading up to Sunday's matchup with the Ravens, especially those missing from the defense."

"Their lackluster effort in the second half against the Bills made it even more crucial that the handful of starters who weren't present for Thursday's practice didn't miss the game, as the Patriots have a depth issue that would only make their chances to clinch a playoff berth even lower. Fortunately, despite the long list of players not participating in their latest practices, their decision not to elevate any players from the practice squad suggests that most, if not all, those who were labeled questionable for Sunday's game will be active once the game begins."

Late in the 2025 season the Patriots began to suffer significant injuries, most notably losing starting left tackle Will Campbell and defensive tackle Milton Williams. Several other players were increasingly absent from practice during the week, particularly on defense, raising concern ahead of the matchup with the Ravens. The Patriots' poor second-half performance against the Bills heightened the importance of having starters available, given roster depth issues that jeopardize playoff-clinching chances. The team did not elevate any practice-squad players by Saturday's deadline. That decision indicates that players labeled questionable are expected to be active, including Christian Barmore, Marcus Jones, and Harold Landry. A win would help maintain separation from Buffalo in the division.

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