Patriots’ Christian Gonzalez Locks Down Bengals Star In Strong Return

Christian Gonzalez saw his fair share of top wideouts in his limited rookie season for the New England Patriots.

He held his own last season against Philadelphia Eagles wideouts A.J. Brown and Devonta Smith, Miami Dolphins receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, as well as New York Jets receiver Garrett Wilson. His potential crashed in Week 4 when a torn labrum brought his season to a close for the Patriots.

He's expected to resume his rise to stardom in 2024 and got a Week 1 test against Cincinnati Bengals star Ja'Marr Chase, who did indeed play after a contract hold-in that still isn't totally resolved.

So, how did the Patriots young cornerback meet the challenge?

Gonzalez allowed just three catches for 14 yards when he was the primary defender against Chase, per Scoutd on X. The Patriots defense as a whole made a statement in the 16-10 win over the Bengals on Sunday afternoon.

"Yes, that was the plan," Gonzalez told reporters, per The Boston Globe's Christopher Price. "They wanted me to go with him. We talked about it earlier this week... That's what you want off of being a corner. That's the dream. Being able to do that is fun."

Gonzalez gets another test in Week 2 when the Patriots host DK Metcalf the Seattle Seahawks in the home opener at Gillette Stadium.