“It’ll take us years to contend”

[ViperGTS]

Here's the thing. Campbell is champing at the bit NOW and putting him on IR was more about protecting him from himself than when he will be able to actually get back on the field. This is not about whether Campbell will be ABLE to play, as Breer stated, it is about SHOULD he come back this year. It's all about the nature of MCL tears. There WILL be risk involved regardless of when he comes back,

It is true that Campbell WILL be able to play to a high level with the injury. The question is SHOULD he play and what will be the long-term consequences if he does. We will have up to 4 games to play in the playoffs. As I understand it, there will be no chance the tear will fully heal over the next 2 months. If he shuts down now, the tear will heal and he will have almost a full off season to train and get stronger (he is JUST 21) and more skilled for next season. If he plays and the tear gets worse, he will spend most of the off season rehabbing the knee rather than fully training to be better.

In my view, we take that risk. We have a real opportunity to play for a championship here. Those don't come along very often. You cannot just think "well next year we be in a better position to make a run". Just look at the Commanders, they were at the NFCCG last season, and now they are out of the playoff run with 5 games left to play. You just don't know how a season will run with injuries and the like. EVERY season is different, and you cannot just assume the great locker room we have now will be there next year. There are going to be 15-20 new players in that locker room, and the team will have to find ITS own identity that will be unique to them.

So yes, play Campbell and take that risk. Have him back practicing lightly for the Jets game, then either play him 10 snaps to give him a feel, or not and then have him ready for the playoffs. If we have a bye, all the better, but if we don't it is what it is. But regardless, it is a championship opportunity we cannot pass up.

There is no risk if he plays, next to none at least. Mankins played on a torn ACL. It's football, MCLs even if the need surgery isn't as long as an ACL. It is a 4-6 week injury.

 

[stcjones]

I’m trying to be very realistic this season, especially in the sense that we have played one the easiest schedules in NFL history this year… with that having been said, I am extremely impressed and excited with the way the team has rebounded from last year with a real coach and a huge step forward from last season by Drake Maye . Buffalo will be a big test next week and then the real crap hits the fan as we get into playoffs so we will really see where this team is at that point and hopefully they are healthy obviously… But I just think that we are on a tremendous path for the future, which is the most important thing no matter what happens this year… This year has been exciting and amazing considering what a dumpster fire last year was. GO PATS!

 

[stcjones]

Right now I'm dreaming that the Pats play the Rams and win in the SB.

On the last second field goal by Borregales….at night in a blizzard?!?! That win against the raiders will always be one of my favorite Pats moments too….

 

[stcjones]

There is no risk if he plays, next to none at least. Mankins played on a torn ACL. It's football, MCLs even if the need surgery isn't as long as an ACL. It is a 4-6 week injury.

Actually more like 6-12 after surgery but it is faster recovery for sure

 

[Wozzy]

Prepare and play like one, sure. But don't label your team "champions," before you win one.

There's a reason BB's pressers were boring like hell. He didn't want to give anyone any ammo.

I don’t think Mike was calling his team champions, I think Mike was saying that’s how champions would approach things.

 

[PP2]

I don’t think Mike was calling his team champions, I think Mike was saying that’s how champions would approach things.

Which is exactly what I said in my previous post: a "champion mindset."

But I think if he could do it again, he would have probably rephrased it a little differently.

 

[n1997y]

Which is exactly what I said in my previous post: a "champion mindset."

But I think if he could do it again, he would have probably rephrased it a little differently.

I don’t.

I think he said exactly what he thinks his audience inside that room needs to hear, and doesn’t care how anyone outside the room reacts to it.

 

[Thelonious]

I’m much too familiar with knee problems first hand, but not the MCL. So my question is, what’s the prognosis is Campbell plays on his partially healed MCL and does further damage?

Does it just mean he spends the summer recovering instead of running around on it? Surgery becomes inevitable? Or does it mean that no matter what, even with surgery, it will never fully recover and he’ll have residual impairment and increased susceptibility for future injury?

Is he really risking his long term future by playing on it? Or just risking a more sucky summer this year?

It seems to me (And I was for an entire year a pre-med student once upon a time, so there) that given this degree of injury is an actual tear, further tearing, even rupture, must be a possibility. Then you are looking at surgery to reattach the thing, a more extended recovery, and the prospect (I would think, again speaking in my capacity as a former pre-med student) of greater permanent limitations. I probably feel this way mostly not because of my impressive medical expertise (I have none, after all) but because I want the team at thsispoint in a rebuild to give significant emphasis to the longer term. I kinda think all this emphasis on our prospects of winning the championship this year is pretty premature, whether we have Campbell back or not.