The New England Patriots were able to get win No. 1 last week against the Miami Dolphins. Defensive tackle Milton Williams called game when he sacked Tua Tagovailoa with 48 seconds left on the clock in the fourth quarter.
Williams has been a great addition to this team through two games, and his comments ahead of Week 3 continue to illustrate that. He was asked about the importance of getting a home win and he said, "It's our house. We eventually have to start protecting it. That's starts on Sunday."
Milton Williams Has Been Everything Patriots Asked For
The Patriots opened up the season with a 20-13 loss at home to the Las Vegas Raiders. Being able to win on your home turf is the expectation for teams around the league. Like Williams said, they have to start protecting their turf, and they have a chance to do so against Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday.
Williams was brought in not only for his play on the field but also for the leadership he can bring off of it. Emphasizing the importance of being a good home team is ultra-important when flipping the culture and being a good team. Last season, New England went 2-6 at Gillette Stadium, and they need that trend to flip in the other direction this year.
The Pats have a golden opportunity to win their second straight, and the defense will play a role in that. The Steelers come into this game 27th in the NFL in total offense (269). This group has failed to record more than 271 total yards in a game in the first two weeks and is coming off two turnovers, while allowing three sacks.
That puts the number up to seven sacks that Pittsburgh has given up, and it is an area the Pats can exploit. New England leads the NFL in team sacks (9) thus far, and Williams could be in line for another big day.
In 2025, he has six tackles, three TFLs, and two sacks. According to PFF, Williams owns a 76.6 overall grade (13th among 159 graded defensive linemen), 80.5 pass-rush grade (6th among 159 graded defensive linemen), and 60.9 run defense grade (61st among 159 graded defensive linemen).
Creating pressure and putting Rodgers under duress will be a recipe for success in Week 3 and could help the Patriots secure their first home win of the year. Williams is ready to get that first victory at Gillette under his belt and make plays up front for this defense.