Will Campbell Watch

[TheRainMaker]

Exactly. The Pats had no answer for Freeney. Anderson is an all time great, he’s just too young to get that accolade yet.

In his first two years, they were able to slow down Freeney. But once the Pats started losing defensive players in 2005 (which Manning exposed) was when Freeney was able to tee off on Matt Light.

Anderson and Hunter are beasts. However, that window the Texans have with that defense isn't going to last long. Hunter is 31 and they will start losing players soon.

 

[AQPE]

I think Will isn't 100% healthy and has gotten into his own head a bit too. He is healthy enough to play, but his drop back isn't the same. But a lot of his issues are technique. He breaks technique and panics and tries to make up for it when its too late. He will be ok in the long run. He just needs to focus on technique.

Agree 100%, excellent post! I also think he is fatigued and not just a bit gimpy. 15 games is a lot for anyone in a rookie season and probably more so for a guy as intense as WC. I’ve seen this a bunch in my business career with young people who are super high achievers used to powering through. I’m concerned like a lot of us but long term I believe in this guy as an LT for quite a few years.

 

[Stu Pidassle]

I think Will isn't 100% healthy and has gotten into his own head a bit too. He is healthy enough to play, but his drop back isn't the same. But a lot of his issues are technique. He breaks technique and panics and tries to make up for it when its too late. He will be ok in the long run. He just needs to focus on technique.

Ted Johnson was pretty confident that Campbell's injured knee is what is causing the set back in play. Per the radio dialog the right leg that was injured is where the LT gets the power to fire out on outside rushers. That doesn't necessarily help this Sunday unless they can help with the gameplan.

 

[condon84]

Ted Johnson was pretty confident that Campbell's injured knee is what is causing the set back in play. Per the radio dialog the right leg that was injured is where the LT gets the power to fire out on outside rushers. That doesn't necessarily help this Sunday unless they can help with the gameplan.

If this is the case then they should get Lowe in there. He did a good job filling in for Will. Maye has fumbled 6 times and Will's inability to even slow down the rusher is the reason for 4(?) of those fumbles.

Sit the guy and let Lowe play. We've been lucky enough that the offenses we've played have been terrible. But I think even with Stidham, this Broncos offense is gonna be prepared and will execute if we give them a short field.

 

[PatsfanTN]

If Campbell has a bad game Sunday, look for the media and posters to push for him to be a G during the off-season.

Good thing they aren’t the ones that matter.

 

[Stu Pidassle]

If this is the case then they should get Lowe in there. He did a good job filling in for Will. Maye has fumbled 6 times and Will's inability to even slow down the rusher is the reason for 4(?) of those fumbles.

Sit the guy and let Lowe play. We've been lucky enough that the offenses we've played have been terrible. But I think even with Stidham, this Broncos offense is gonna be prepared and will execute if we give them a short field.

I agree that Campbell should not have started until he was healthy enough to be better than Lowe. I am not as sure that Lowe would have been much better against the two playoff defenses. Regardless of who is at LT, the team cannot afford to continue to fumble.

 

[imahobgoblin]

Ted Johnson was pretty confident that Campbell's injured knee is what is causing the set back in play. Per the radio dialog the right leg that was injured is where the LT gets the power to fire out on outside rushers. That doesn't necessarily help this Sunday unless they can help with the gameplan.

I agree with this. It just makes sense. We will know if he has a surgery after the season to clean up stuff.

 

[PlainOldEd]

Is he wearing a brace? I remember there being some talk that he might, but I never heard anything difinitive. Is a brace visible through the pants?

 

[Huckleberry1]

I don’t agree. Wilson is far more athletic. Some of these pressures have been on stunts where it’s more about recognition and coordination with the guys to your left and right. Brown is a good backup and good run blocker, we’re better off with Wilson for passing situations and hope that both he and Campbell are learning fast.

It's the same reason Henderson didn't play much early in the season. Henderson's blocking in college had people saying he was the best blocking RB to come out of college in years and years. And they were right, his blocking technique was perfect, but what he didn't understand was the complexity of pro defenses. The jump from college to pro is huge mentally, and learning all of the adjustments takes considerable time.

 

[Huckleberry1]

If Campbell has a bad game Sunday, look for the media and posters to push for him to be a G during the off-season.

And look for Vrabel to ignore all of the morons and continue to build positions where they don't already have the long term answer.

 

[Huckleberry1]

You mean he won’t listen to the expert wanna be GMs here?

Nope. Left Tackle is fixed for the long term,

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

Campbell is 22 years old, started right away his rookie year, has faced the best DEs in the game and they are in the AFCCG. He will improve. I think Wilson's future is at center, what he played at Georgia. Definitely draft another tackle and guard next year.

 

[Thelonious]

Imagine if Boutte’s arms were a 1/3 inch shorter.

Does he make that TD catch?

Do the Texans rally and beat us?

Yep. The universe has dodged a bullet.

 

[PatsFanNM]

I just rewatched the first Patriots-Bills game. It was clear that Campbell was much more nimble on his feet, and he was stronger against a bull rush. He was up against Joey Bosa for most of that game, so not a nobody. He held up well.

He'll probably be limited against the Broncos, but I'm sure that Vrable has good reasons for not putting in Lowe, who isn't nimble under the best of circumstances, though he is large. But nimble is what you need against speedy guys, which is what I understand Denver has.

It will be interesting to see how McDaniels plans to counteract that kind of pass rush. In the Texans game, Campbell was frequently fine, including all of Maye's touchdown passes, and on some other plays as well. Just wasn't great all the time.

 

[TommyD4207]

I just rewatched the first Patriots-Bills game. It was clear that Campbell was much more nimble on his feet, and he was stronger against a bull rush. He was up against Joey Bosa for most of that game, so not a nobody. He held up well.

He'll probably be limited against the Broncos, but I'm sure that Vrable has good reasons for not putting in Lowe, who isn't nimble under the best of circumstances, though he is large. But nimble is what you need against speedy guys, which is what I understand Denver has.

It will be interesting to see how McDaniels plans to counteract that kind of pass rush. In the Texans game, Campbell was frequently fine, including all of Maye's touchdown passes, and on some other plays as well. Just wasn't great all the time.

Joey Bosa went off the juice this year, so he could have a healthy season.
He did and he was pretty mediocre.

 

[mgteich]

If Campbell has a bad game Sunday, look for the media and posters to push for him to be a G during the off-season.

so?

 

[mgteich]

I agree that Campbell should not have started until he was healthy enough to be better than Lowe. I am not as sure that Lowe would have been much better against the two playoff defenses. Regardless of who is at LT, the team cannot afford to continue to fumble.

Perhaps it was hoped that after a couple of weeks back, Campbell would be playing at a higher level than Lowe.

 

[VrabelJr]

Never ending debate about how a sure-thing Tackle is actually a Guard is giving me serious Marcus Cannon vibes. We're so back.

 

[OldEngland]

I dont know what injury exactly Campbell had in the end, so take this with a grain of salt. But a grade 2-3 MCL injury often takes a period for the ligament to heal, approx 6 weeks, but more weeks (8+) to fully get the proprioception, strength, balance and full function back. Its now over 8 weeks, the hope is he will continue to feel more confident in the knee this week against Denver and hopefully beyond.

Campbell is also 1) a rookie 2) with an injury significant enough to put him on IR 3) going against elite DLs and DEs 4) in playoff intensity games 5) with a LG with 1+4 playing beside him.

Add to that the offensive gameplan against an elite Texans D and front 7, with a superb DE lined up across from him, was to frequently leave Campbell on an island in the face of the true strength of the Texans D, so they could attack the weakness of the Texans D with slower developing deeper pass routes. Campbell, the oline, and Maye had a really tough assignment and it wasn't perfect and plays were made against them, but they got it done, kudos to them.

Also thankfully the Patriots D showed they are elite and took control of the game; and Diggs, Boutte, Douglas, Stevenson and Maye came up with incredible clutch plays to take advantage. The Pats have been such a great team this year.

 

[p8ryts]

Joey Bosa went off the juice this year, so he could have a healthy season.
He did and he was pretty mediocre.

I never thought he was anything special. Juice or no juice.