Patriots Rookie Will Campbell Speaks Out About Myles Garrett Nightmare
e was credited with giving up three of the five sacks logged by Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett, so rookie left tackle Will Campbell was understandably philosophical about the schooling he received during an otherwise dominant 32-13 win for the New England Patriots in Week 8.
Speaking to reporters after the game at Gillette Stadium on Sunday, October 26, Campbell conceded Garrett’s “a really good player. He beat me a few times, and that is just part of the game. He gets paid a lot of money, and he got me a couple times. I just had to keep coming back and keep fighting, which is why we got the win,” per Patriots.com Staff Writer Evan Lazar.
Acknowledging Garrett’s talent is one thing, but there’s no hiding this was a rough outing for Campbell. The Patriots used the fourth pick in the 2025 NFL draft to take Campbell to handle the league’s best pass-rushers, including Garrett.
Campbell getting dominated so thoroughly is at least mild cause for concern. Especially when the Patriots giving the former LSU stud help did nothing to slow Garrett down.
Will Campbell, Patriots Had No Answers for Myles Garrett
Nothing the Patriots did impacted 2023 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Garrett. Not even using tight ends to chip the dynamic edge-rusher.
That strategy didn’t work when Hunter Henry tried to slow Garrett on 3rd-and-goal in the first quarter. Garrett simply shrugged off the block, before bending around Campbell and sacking Drake Maye.
As Lazar put it, Garrett consistently “skirted around TE Hunter Henry’s chip blocks and then burst past Campbell with speed-dip rushes that caused the rookie left tackle to play with a short corner.”
This was a wake-up call of sorts for the first-year blindside protector who “had only allowed 1.5 sacks in his first seven games,” according to Lazar. Campbell generated a sense of panic during training camp, before concerns about his arm length were alleviated somewhat during most of the Pats’ five-game winning run.
Some of those concerns might return after Campbell was bossed by Garrett. The latter is an elite force as a six-time Pro Bowler and four-time first-team All-Pro, but the Pats drafted Campbell to protect Maye from the most fearsome pass-rushers.
It didn’t happen against the Browns, but Maye still delivered, earning Garrett’s respect in the process.
Myles Garrett Delivers Strong Verdict on Drake Maye
Maye took a beating, but he also completed three touchdown passes and rushed for 50 yards. Garrett was suitably impressed, admitting, “I think he is a great human being. I think he is a good quarterback who is soon to be a great quarterback. I like how he’s grown. It’s nice to be a part of his journey. Hate to be on this end of it, but it’s nice to see how he’s leading his team. He’s helped them rebuild into what they are now. In a way, I’m proud of him, and I’m happy to see his success,” per the Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed.
That’s high praise from an excellent authority on what makes a great quarterback. Maye’s a special athlete with genuine dual-threat skills, but resilience is proving to be one of his best qualities.
He recovered from a sluggish start against the Browns, a start influenced by Garrett’s dominance of Campbell and the overall line of scrimmage. Numbers from ESPN’s Mike Reiss, citing ESPN Research, credited Garrett “with 6 QB pressures in the first half, tied with 3 others for most in a half this season (Brian Burns, DeForest Buckner, Aidan Hutchinson). Drake Maye was 2-for-3 with an INT, 3 sacks and a fumble (recovered by NE) on those 6 dropbacks.”
Those aren’t sustainable numbers for the Patriots and their franchise QB1, even though Maye is currently proving tough enough and efficient enough to overcome the punishment. The bigger issue is how Campbell will fare against some of the other bluechip edge defenders on the schedule.
A three-game stretch of matchups against New York Giants edge Brian Burns, Cincinnati Bengals DE Trey Hendrickson and All-Pro Buffalo Bills pass-rusher Joey Bosa, starting in Week 12, will determine Campbell’s progress.
Broncos Disclose Playing Status On Ex 3rd Round Pick, Week 8 Inactives
The Denver Broncos face the Dallas Cowboys in week 8, as they look to consolidate their lead atop the AFC West. A lead that they will relinquish if they cannot get past the
But the Broncos got some good injury news with regards to the availability of one their more important backup/role players, just prior to the game, as Jonah Ellis was made active by the team, and will play against the Cowboys on Sunday afternoon in week 8.
With #Broncos OLB Jonah Elliss back after missing two games with shoulder injury, rookie OLB Que Robinson is inactive after having played in his first two NFL games when Elliss was out. Plus all the inactive for today’s game vs. Cowboys.
“With Broncos OLB Jonah Elliss back after missing two games with shoulder injury,” the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson reports, “rookie OLB Que Robinson is inactive after having played in his first two
Alongside Que Robinson, other inactives per the team’s website, include running back Jaleel McLaughlin
Broncos Get Jonah Elliss Boost In Week 8
Whilst Eliss is not technically a starter on the Broncos defense, he remains an important part of their rotation when healthy, since arriving in the league just over a year ago.
Over the first five weeks of the season, the 2024 third round pick played around 40% of defensive snaps per game, compared to the 60-70% managed by starters Jonathan Cooper and
Ellis had an unexpectedly strong rookie season, generating 38 tackles, 5 sacks and 2 passes defended, whilst playing in all 17 games. With many expecting Ellis to take another step in year two, the Utah alum has not quite managed to get to that next level, producing 1 sack and 11 tackles in his first five games of the season.
Even so, his return will no doubt be a boost to a Denver defense whose ceiling is right at the top of the league.
What Is The State Of The Denver Defense Ahead Of Week 8?
The Broncos’ defense are in a position that many expected them to be heading into the season, coming in as the #3 total defense, behind only the Atlanta Falcons and the
Perhaps even more importantly, Denver has both a top 10 passing and rushing defense, at #6 and #9 respectively, demonstrating strong capabilities defending both aspects of opposing offenses.
The team will also be without inside linebacker, Dre Greenlaw, who was suspended following an altercation with one of the officials in week 7 against the New York Giants
But beyond that one major miss – although they have been sans Greenlaw for the majority of the season so far, so they are no stranger to playing well without him – the Broncos’ defense has been mercifully healthy and managed to stay on the field by and large.
If they can stay fit and stay in form, there is no question they can remain an elite unit for the remainder of 2025, and keep Denver competitive come the postseason.
