The New England Patriots are off to a rough start, currently holding a 1-3 record this season. The team so far has won just one game in which the Patriots maintained their historic record in the league. Their most recent game against the Dallas Cowboys ended in a devastating 38-3 loss. It brought back memories of a similar blowout back in 2001 when Head Coach Bill Belichick and his team faced a 30-10 loss to the Miami Dolphins.

The 71-year-old coach had then requested his team to symbolically bury the game ball at Foxborough as a way of moving on after that game. In the current situation, the team is facing a similar struggle, but they haven’t taken the same symbolic step of burying the game ball. Instead, they are carrying their loss records thoroughly in their minds. And right when it seemed like the shackles of losses might ease out a little, another setback occurred that could potentially lead to recurring defeats for the team.

Bill Belichick faces two more setbacks in this tough season

According to a report, the team of New England has received yet another unfortunate update this season. The Patriots’ stars, linebacker Matthew Judon and CB Christian Gonzalez, per the same, are expected to miss their next game against the New Orleans Saints this coming Sunday.

Recently, it was JPAFootball’s official Twitter page that tweeted about their exit from this year’s forthcoming game prevailing to injuries. The account credited Adam Schefter for the news update. The severity of the situation settled in for their health and the concern of the continued setbacks received by the in-trouble team.

During Sunday’s loss against the Cowboys, rookie cornerback Christian Gonzalez suffered a dislocated shoulder in the first quarter, and his availability for future games had remained uncertain instead of the pending further testing to determine the injury’s severity.

Meanwhile, Patriots’ star pass rusher Matthew Judon took a hit during the same game in the fourth quarter, forcing the veteran linebacker to exit in the fourth quarter. Initially, his injury was listed as an elbow injury, but he is now undergoing evaluation for a potential biceps tendon injury.

Read more: Looks Like There’s Only One Reason Why Bill Belichick’s Still Coaching New England Patriots

The conditions of both these players indicate that they could skip multiple future games, according to the tweet as well, creating a problematic situation for Bill Belichick and the company.

What will happen next with the Patriots?

Losing both Matthew Judon and Christian Gonzalez deals a significant blow to Bill Belichick and his defense. Their absence was felt during the game as they exited the field and didn’t return, likely contributing to the Patriots’ disappointing loss.

Gonzalez’s impact on stopping receivers and Judon’s vital role as the foundation of the defense’s pass rush cannot be overstated. As the game approached Sunday, Gonzalez had played 99.5% of the defense’s defensive snaps, showing both how much the team relied on him and the lack of depth at his position.

With Gonzalez sidelined, New England’s starting cornerbacks on the outside are Myles Bryant and Shaun Wade, with the possibility of Jalen Mills shifting to cornerback if necessary. However, the tough situation will require the Patriots to play out of their skin to achieve victory.

Watch this story: Bridget Moynahan finally reveals if Tom Brady’s son is really interested in following his dad’s legacy