Will Campbell has a candid response to critics after playoff debut

FOXBOROUGH — Will Campbell went by means of some anticipated rookie rising pains in his first playoff game with the Patriots on Sunday. 

The left deal with was a mauler on run performs whereas clearing a path for Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson. However Campbell additionally took his lumps at instances towards Chargers veteran edge rusher Odafe Oweh — as he was crushed clear by him within the third quarter en path to an eventual strip-sack towards Drake Maye.

“Clearly, I didn’t pitch a shutout,” Campbell mentioned Wednesday. “I had two or three performs that I want I might have again. However that’s $300 million in defensive ends and I’ve received a ton of respect for these dudes. It’s going to be like that each week within the playoffs.

“Like Coach [Mike] Vrabel mentioned, you’ve gotta be keen to spill slightly blood and violence. You’ve simply gotta hope you don’t spill greater than they do. That’s the secret.”

Campbell is effectively conscious of the enhancements he should make in his personal sport, particularly going into Sunday’s divisional-round matchup towards an elite Houston Texans protection. 

However the 22-year-old deal with additionally isn’t dwelling over the criticism that he’s obtained on-line or within the media amid the ups and downs that offered themselves towards Los Angeles. 

“I don’t give a [expletive] what anybody says, to be sincere with you,” Campbell mentioned. “It’s simple to sort behind a Twitter account that you recognize is pretend. I maintain myself to the best expectation of anyone. I need to be good, and it’s laborious for me to get advised that it’s going to be laborious to be good.”

Campbell may set excessive requirements for himself because the No. 4 choose within the 2025 NFL Draft, even when he received’t at all times be capable of shield Drake Maye’s blindside. 

However working with a brief reminiscence is crucial for any offensive lineman within the NFL — particularly with the gifted deal with set to tackle Houston’s prime edge rushers in Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter on Sunday. 

“It’s my job. It’s what they pay me to do.” Campbell mentioned of responding towards Houston. “I can take a look at it and be like, ‘Yeah, I want I had two performs again final week,’ however that’s losing power in the direction of this week. Any person advised me that and it’s very true. 

“I can’t be worrying about final week, as a result of fairly frankly, the second after it occurred, it doesn’t imply [expletive] anymore. There’s not something I can do about it, the folks within the stands can do about it, you simply have to maneuver on and preserve taking part in. You let can’t one play flip into 10.”

Campbell and New England’s complete O-line can have their work lower out for them on Sunday towards the likes of Anderson and Hunter — who’ve mixed for 27 sacks this previous season.

For these protecting tabs, the Patriots, as a workforce, recorded 35 sacks in the course of the common season. 

Campbell does have some expertise battling with Anderson, as he took on the previous All-American edge rusher as a real freshman in 2022 throughout an SEC battle between LSU and Alabama. 

“He’s a gifted participant,” Campbell mentioned of Anderson, who took dwelling First Crew All-Professional honors this season. “I performed him, Jared Verse, and Jalen Carter all my freshman 12 months at 18 years outdated. That’s three actually gifted gamers on this league. Nice studying expertise for me. He’s a extremely gifted participant.”

It’s to be anticipated for Houston’s protection to land a number of punches towards Maye and New England’s offense on Sunday. 

However the onus will fall on Campbell and New England’s massive our bodies up entrance to push again and stop the Texans from finishing dismantling the Patriots’ offensive operation. 

“It’s what you come to the NFL for,” Campbell mentioned. “It’s what you need – to be in a lot of these video games. It’s not going to be fairly. It’s not going to be simple, however you’ve received to discover a strategy to scratch and claw to come back out with a victory.”

 

Conor Ryan is a workers author masking the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Crimson Sox for Boston.com, a task he has held since 2023.