Stopping the run will be crucial to the New England Patriots’ defensive strategy against the Houston Texans in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs on Sunday, and they will have a key piece available.
Khyiris Tonga, who missed the previous three games with a foot injury, is officially back on the game day roster.
The 29-year-old nose tackle was not announced among the team’s inactives 90 minutes before kickoff. Tonga started the week as a limited practice participant but graduated to full participation on Thursday and Friday before ultimately getting taken off the injury report entirely.
Despite not carrying a designation into the weekend, however, head coach Mike Vrabel made sure to shift attention to. the ultimate goal of him being ready for game action.
“He’s great to have in practice, but what matters is what it’s going to be on Sunday at 3 p.m,” Vrabel said about Tonga during a press conference on Friday. “I would say that hopefully he could pick up where he left off in his production, what he was able to do and how he helped us inside there as an interior, rotational player with [Milton Williams] and Christian [Barmore], playing all those guys.”
The Patriots’ inactives, meanwhile, looks as follows.
Patriots inactives
- QB3 Tommy DeVito
- TE C.J. Dippre
- OT Marcus Bryant
- OL Caedan Wallace
- DT Eric Gregory
- ED Bradyn Swinson
- CB Kobee Minor
The Patriots entered the weekend with two players on their injury report, both deemed questionable. While running back Terrell Jennings will not play in the game and remains on injured reserve because of a concussion, starting outside linebacker Harold Landry will suit up against Houston.
The team captain was a limited practice participant on Wednesday and Thursday due to a knee injury before being absent on Friday. Landry previously missed the final two games of the regular season due to the ailment before returning against the Los Angeles Chargers in the wild card round.
As for the inactives themselves, all of them are healthy scratches. The most notable name is rookie cornerback Kobee Minor, whose spot on the active team went to recently-activated Alex Austin.
Texans inactives
- QB3 Graham Mertz
- RB Jawhar Jordan
- WR Nico Collins
- WR Justin Watson
- OT Trent Brown
- CB Alijah Huzzie
As was already announced on Friday, the Texans will be without their leading wide receiver, Nico Collins. The Pro Bowler was carted off during last week’s wild card win in Pittsburgh and remains in concussion protocol together with fellow wideout Justin Watson. Starting right tackle Trent Brown is also out after heading into Sunday as questionable with an ankle injury.
Kickoff between the Patriots and Texans at Gillette Stadium is set for 3 p.m. ET.
