What happened: New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez will attempt to play through an illness ahead of kickoff, per Mike Reiss. Defensive tackle Joshua Farmer, third quarterback Behren Morton, and guard/center Ben Brown (knee) are on the Patriots' pregame inactive list. Cornerbacks Carlton Davis III (neck), Karon Prunty (hamstring), and Channing Canada (hamstring) are also inactive before the game starts.

Why it matters: Having Gonzalez available preserves a starter in the New England secondary with Davis, Prunty, and Canada all unavailable at cornerback. The simultaneous absences along the offensive and defensive fronts also trim the Patriots' active rotation at guard, center, and defensive tackle.

What to watch: With the game not started yet, focus shifts to kickoff and how New England manages its defensive backfield rotation alongside Gonzalez.