Heading into Week 12, the New England Patriots find themselves facing a bit of a challenge on the injury front as they prepare to square off against the Miami Dolphins, a team with a high-octane offense eager to make a mark.

The Patriots were likely banking on deploying Christian Gonzalez, their standout cornerback, to help neutralize Miami’s aerial attack.

However, Gonzalez’s participation remains in doubt after a limited practice on Friday due to a hip issue, landing him on the team’s injury report as questionable for the upcoming clash.

Gonzalez isn’t the only concern for New England. He’s one of ten Patriots who find themselves in the limbo of questionable status.

Among others, defensive tackle Christian Barmore, dealing with non-injury-related issues, and safety Kyle Dugger, nursing an ankle, add to the list. The Patriots’ defense will also notably miss defensive tackle Jaquelin Roy, sidelined with a neck injury.

Here’s the rundown of Patriots’ players whose game status hangs in the balance:

Christian Barmore, DT: Not Injury Related – Other
Kyle Dugger, S: Ankle
Christian Gonzalez, CB: Hip
Vederian Lowe, T: Shoulder
Marte Mapu, S: Neck
Anfernee Jennings, LB: Knee
Cole Strange, OL: Knee
Sione Takitaki, LB: Knee
Keion White, LB: Knee
Deatrich Wise Jr., DE: Foot

Now, turning the spotlight on the Miami Dolphins, they seem to be entering this matchup in relatively better health.

Although they have confirmed that cornerback Kendall Fuller will be out due to a concussion, Miami’s injury list doesn’t stretch too far beyond that.

Four players have been marked as questionable, including offensive tackle Terron Armstead, who is dealing with a knee issue and didn’t practice on Friday, a likely red flag for the Dolphins’ line.

Others on the list include full back Alex Ingold (calf), safety Patrick McMorris (calf), and former Patriots offensive lineman Isaiah Wynn (quad/knee).

A bit of good news for Miami fans is that their star wideout Tyreek Hill has been removed from the injury report, indicating he’ll be ready to contribute at full strength.

For Patriots’ fans, though, the uncertainty surrounding crucial defensive players adds an extra layer of suspense to an already exciting divisional matchup.

Will the Patriots’ defense hold up against a formidable Dolphins’ offense, or will injuries tilt the scales in Miami’s favor? Only the weekend showdown will tell.