FOXBORO — Mike Vrabel motioned for Will Campbell to pick his chin up.
Campbell’s frustrations were clear, after all. Not only as the Patriots left tackle walked off the field at Gillette Stadium following New England’s 28-16 victory in the AFC Divisional Round against the Houston Texans, but also in front of reporters who gathered around him in the locker room.
“I hold myself to a higher standard than what I put out tonight,” Campbell said Sunday after he allowed four pressures and two sacks on quarterback Drake Maye.
It was the second consecutive game in which Campbell came up short of the expectations he set for himself. That expectation, Campbell explained, is to be perfect: to pitch a shutout and keep Maye spotless every single rep.
It’s a tough task, of course. But it’s an even tougher assignment when your playoff debut comes against Chargers pass-rushers Khalil Mack and Odafe Oweh. And it only gets more difficult when Texans First Team All-Pro Will Anderson Jr. and Second Team All-Pro Danielle Hunter line up across from you the following week.
Given the first-rounder’s frustration, veteran teammates including center Garrett Bradbury and right guard Michael Onwenu have offered messages of encouragement as the Patriots prepare for the Broncos in the AFC Championship Game.
“It’s the NFL. Here we are. This is the best of the best,” Bradbury told NBC Sports Boston inside the Patriots locker room on Wednesday. “He played probably the best duo of pass-rushers in the NFL. And he had some good plays, and there were some plays that you’d want back, but that’s every player in the NFL. We’re in the AFC Championship.
“So, I told him, ‘Listen, whatever you’re feeling, throw those hands and take it out this week. We’ve got another opportunity.'”
According to Next Gen Stats, Campbell allowed 10 pressures and four sacks in his first playoff two games. Anderson beat Campbell for two strip-sacks on Maye, which resulted in the Patriots losing a third-quarter fumble in what was then a one-possession game.
Bradbury and Onwenu, like all offensive linemen, understand the rookie’s disappointment. They’ve had games where the opponent got the best of them, and games where they’ve made mistakes.
“I mean, obviously, it’s his first year in the NFL,” Onwenu told NBC Sports Boston. “It’s one of those things where you see different people each week. Obviously, you’re game-planning each week, but different guys bring different challenges. I’m sure those guys (Anderson and Hunter) were probably the longest rushers that he’s seen this year, especially just both of them.
“It’s one of those things where you have to go on to the next play. When you have a negative play, you’re down on that. But our job is just to roll on, keep on and go on to the next play on the drive.”
Campbell himself has noted the importance of playing with a short memory. Allowing frustration from one play to bleed into the next won’t do him any good, Campbell said after the AFC Wild Card Game.
“I’ve seen it throughout the whole year,” Onwenu said of Campbell’s bounce-back mentality.
Things won’t get any easier for Campbell when New England travels to Denver with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line. Campbell likely will go up against Pro Bowl outside linebacker Nik Bonitto, who has 15 sacks in 18 games this season. Pro Football Focus graded Bonitto its 10th-best pass-rusher during the regular season, though the 2022 second-round pick didn’t finish as high as Anderson (No. 4) or Hunter (No. 5).
Denver led the NFL with 68 sacks during the regular season.
“They’ve got a bunch of good players across the front, on the back end, linebackers,” Campbell said Wednesday. “They’ve created a lot of chaos for teams this season.”
Campbell’s teammates are confident in the rookie putting his best foot forward in the biggest game of the season.
“I have total confidence in Will,” Bradbury said. “He’s an unbelievable talent. He’s a young player that I’m sure is going to have his best week of practice coming up.”
