When Christian Gonzalez signed a four-year, $135 million contract with the Patriots before the season, it was a new record for a cornerback. On Sunday, Gonzalez set a very different record.
According to Next generation statisticswhich uses player tracking to determine which defensive back is covered on each pass thrown in each game, Gonzalez had a bad game against two Packers receivers that was unlike anything seen before.
Gonzalez allowed seven catches for 105 yards to Packers receiver Matthew Golden, and three catches for 82 yards to Packers receiver Christian Watson. Gonzalez is the only defender as far as Next Gen stats go (since at least 2018) to allow 80+ receiving yards in coverage to two different players in the same game.
Head coach Mike Vrabel said that Patriots expect better from Gonzalezand he expects better of himself. The Patriots need to be better Sunday, when they face a Lions offense that also focuses its passing game around two big-play receivers, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams. They must be licking their lips watching Gonzalez’s film this week.
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