FOXBOROUGH - At long last, the Patriots have their sights squarely focused on Week 1.
The season opener with the Las Vegas Raiders is five days away.
Right on cue, there’s a speed bump. And a significant one.
Christian Gonzalez, arguably the team’s best player, once again did not practice on Monday.
He hasn’t practiced since suffering a hamstring injury July 28. Even if he manages to suit up Wednesday, can he turn it around that quickly to play in a game after five weeks on the shelf?
The bigger picture point is this: with a paper thin roster, the Patriots really can’t afford to lose any of their better players, especially at certain positions.