Charles Woods makes third-down tackle to force punt

Three other Patriots cornerbacks were ruled out Thursday.

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated 52m1 min read

Charles Woods, powered by grape Jolly Ranchers, makes the physical tackle on third down to force a punt. Via @MikeReiss on X

What happened: Fueled by the grape Jolly Ranchers that Mike Vrabel keeps in his pockets for him, Charles Woods delivered a physical stop on third down to get the defense off the field. The third-year cornerback out of SMU (as of Sept. 29, 2026) had requested the halftime candy earlier in the week.

Why it matters: With New England's secondary depleted at Chicago, Woods has taken on expanded defensive snaps alongside Marcus Jones since a 20-3 win over Pittsburgh on Sept. 21. The stop follows his Oct. 18 leaping interception after he recorded 12 tackles across 15 games with the Patriots in 2025, per ESPN (as of Sept. 29, 2026).

By the numbers: Woods is in his third NFL season out of SMU as of Sept. 29, 2026, logging defensive snaps on Thursday night with three Patriots cornerbacks and starting guards Vera-Tucker and Brown ruled out at Chicago.

What to watch: Monitor Woods' defensive snap share through the remainder of Thursday night's matchup against the Bears as New England manages its cornerback depth.

Sources

@MikeReiss 2026-10-23T00:39:16.715006+00:00

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