ATLANTA -- The second half of Super Bowl LIII began with a key injury for New England's defense.
Clinging to a 3-0 lead, the Patriots lost veteran Patrick Chung to an arm injury. After trainers and teammates huddled around the reliable safety, Chung walked off the field wearing an air cast over his right arm.
Chung was quickly ruled out of the game, leaving the Patriots to potentially lean on 28-year-old reserve safety Duron Harmon.
It's the lone down note for a Patriots defense that dominated the first half of Sunday's title showdown, holding the Rams to 57 total yards over the first two quarters and just nine-plus minutes of possession while making life difficult for Los Angeles quarterback Jared Goff.
Chung, though, is a central cog of New England's secondary. His absence will be felt down the stretch of Super Bowl LIII.
