Patriots Sweat While They Wait For News On Head Injury Suffered By CB Carlton Davis

The New England Patriots earned a hard-fought 28–16 victory over the Houston Texans in snowy Foxborough during their divisional round matchup, but the win came at a cost. The physical game resulted in multiple injuries, most notably to veteran cornerback Carlton Davis, who was unable to finish the game.

Davis had a major impact early, setting the tone with two first-half interceptions of Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud. However, he exited the game in the fourth quarter after suffering a head injury. He was initially evaluated in the sideline medical tent before being taken inside Gillette Stadium for further examination. Though first listed as questionable, the Patriots later ruled him out with roughly two minutes remaining.

With Davis sidelined, fourth cornerback Charles Woods stepped in to fill his defensive role. Davis, who signed a three-year, $54 million free-agent deal with New England in March, has been a key part of the Patriots’ defense all season. He started all 17 regular-season games and both playoff contests, logging 1,041 defensive snaps, second-most on the team, along with 76 tackles, 14 pass breakups, and Sunday’s two interceptions.

Davis’ availability for the AFC Championship Game against the Denver Broncos remains uncertain. The Patriots are scheduled to hold their first practice of the week on Wednesday, which should provide more clarity on his status.