FOXBOROUGH - Will Campbell wasn't a happy camper after the Patriots' 32-13 win over the Browns. The rookie left tackle had his hands full with Myles Garrett, and while not all five of his sacks came off the rookie left tackle, it was a day where Campbell probably should recollect the summer words of veteran Morgan Moses and "give himself some grace."
"He's a really good player," Campbell said after the game. "He beat me a few times. It's just part of the game. ... I'm just glad we got the win."
The Pats went into the game with a plan to get at least two sets of eyes and four hands on Garrett damn near every play. But on two of the three times the All-Pro raced by Campbell and sacked Drake Maye, the first-round pick had chip help from tight end Hunter Henry. Not every tackle loves that kind of assistance, as it can throw off their timing. But Campbell's issues on those plays seemed more about giving Garrett a little too much time and room to operate after Henry's initial slam.
"Yeah, probably we just need to close the space a little bit," Mike Vrabel said when I asked him about that Monday morning. "Close the space and know that everybody else is on their own. We have to commit two players to Myles, as opposed to maybe hanging in there a little bit.
"So, I think we will all learn from that, be able to improve, and understand. He's (Garrett) seen those all the time, so he knows when he's coming off that chip, that we have to probably close the distance and know that he's ready to make another move or another couple moves."
On the first one in particular, Campbell gave Garrett several yards of runway and barely got a piece of the 275-pounder. The move was outrageous.
"I think that it's always a challenge when you play Myles Garrett," Vrabel said. "It's hard to recreate that speed and that type of – what are we going to do on the show team? Who do we have? If we did, they wouldn't be on the show team.
"So, there were some good plays, good blocks, patience, closing the space and did a good job in the run game. Then some plays that, again, he would like to have back. I think that's what happens, but I think Will's going to keep practicing, improving, and continuing to help us."
The Pats still managed to record 442 yards of total offense despite Garrett taking advantage of Campbell and others - he also beat Jared Wilson and Moses for sacks.
STREAK CONTINUES
Another week, another stellar job by the run defense. They held Browns leading rusher Quinshon Judkins to 19 yards on 9 carries, by far his lowest total of the season (fewest prior was 36 yards). In doing so, the Pats extended their streak of not allowing any running back to break the 50-yard barrier to eight games.
"Our coach harps on it every day - since OTAs - just what we have to do in the up front, and that's set an edge, build a wall, and swarm," Khyiris Tonga told us Monday. "I feel like we've really done a good job as a defense. Obviously, there's still a lot of work we have to do, but overall, I think it's a good step that we're taking. We just got to keep getting better at it."
Tonga, who left the game with a knee injury but insists he's fine, has been a key cog in the Pats' ability to make opponents one-dimensional. As Milton Williams tells that group every week, do more and dominate. But there are other elements to the defense's success against ground attacks. For instance, after a rough first two weeks of the season, linebacker Robert Spillane has been a menace, with double-digit tackles in five of the last six games (he had 14 vs. the Browns).
"I think he's got good instincts," Vrabel noted. "I think that he stays square on contact. I think he plays with his hands, doesn't get tied up on too many blocks, and can kind of see things and fit things, whether that's a gap scheme, outside zone, inside zone, all the different run schemes."
"Yeah, we love Rob, man," Tonga added. "He's crazy - in a good way. Great vet. He knows the game so well, especially in the run, so he's always giving us alerts up front about what he feels is coming. So we're hearing that at the same time as we're watching the play develop. So it goes both ways. But he's a dog. Man, we love having him back there."
Crazy, how?
"Just on the field, he plays crazy," Tonga laughed. "Off the field, he's even crazier. Man, you just got to be there."
I'll take your word for it...
Meanwhile, the secondary isn't just the last layer of the defense against the run. They are asked to stick their nose in there, too, especially nickel corner Marcus Jones.
"There's going to be certain runs that they run to where they aim, literally for the corner blocking down and making sure that we make tackles and stuff like that,' Jones said. "So we took our we took pride in that, and made sure that we, you know, had those details and everything like that at practice."
All three levels should be tested again this weekend when Bijan Robinson and the Falcons come to town. However, if this year has taught us anything, the challenge will likely be greater for Atlanta than for New England.
