The New England Patriots survived a bruising matchup against the Houston Texans' hard-hitting defense. However, as much as the team has reasons to celebrate the win, they also need to continue improving if they want to get back to the Super Bowl.
If you were to ask head coach Mike Vrabel, the formula to get past the Denver Broncos is pretty simple, and it may have everything to do with rookie LT Will Campbell. As shared by Patriots beat reporter Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald, Vrabel sent a not-so-subtle message to the LSU product.
Mike Vrabel Wants Will Campbell to Step Up
"Patriots HC Mike Vrabel on WEEI's The Greg Hill Show when asked what the team needs to improve: 'Take care of the ball. Don't let the quarterback get hit,'" Kyed wrote on X.
The No. 4 overall pick had an up-and-down game, so to speak. While he did jump on two of Drake Maye's fumbles, he also struggled mightily to keep his quarterback out of harm's way. All in all, Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr. combined to sack Maye five times, all while forcing three fumbles.
Of course, the Texans feature the best pass-rushing duo in the league, with Anderson logging First Team All-Pro honors and Hunter being selected for the Second Team All-Pro. That being said, expectations were steep for the top-five selection, and the stakes have never been higher. If anything, the Patriots need to thank their defense, and C.J. Stroud's miscues, or all the turnovers by New England's offense, could've cost them their season.
Maye has now been sacked ten times through two postseason contests. He's faced some tough defenses, but that's still unacceptable, much more for a team that spent a first-round selection to protect their franchise player. With that in mind, even Campbell had to admit that he wasn't living up to the task:
“I need to play better,” Campbell said after the game, per NESN. “I hold myself to a higher standard than what I put out tonight.”
Campbell finished the regular season with a decent Pro Football Focus grade (72.6) and ranked 32nd among 89 eligible offensive tackles. His pass block grade (76.1) ranked even higher (23rd). However, there were some doubts about him and his seemingly short arms, leading to questions about whether he would be able to hold his own against bigger and stronger players in the pros. So far, the jury is still out on him, and his rookie season has been a bit of a mixed bag.