Overview
- Milton Williams injured his ankle on the opening drive when Christian Barmore was blocked into him, prompting evaluations in the blue tent and locker room.
- He briefly returned early in the second quarter, logged eight snaps, then exited again and was later ruled out for the rest of the game.
- Mike Vrabel said Williams wanted to continue, but he chose to begin treatment to get ahead of the issue and assess the injury over the next few days.
- New England was already thin at defensive tackle with Joshua Farmer inactive, increasing snaps for Christian Barmore, Khyiris Tonga, Cory Durden and rookie Eric Gregory.
- The Patriots won 27-13 to extend their streak, and Williams’ status now looms large given his four-year, $104 million deal and key role in the NFL’s top run defense.