“If you ask God to feed you, you can't complain about what's on your plate.”
That didn’t come from the Book of Proverbs. That came directly from the mouth of Milton Williams. I spoke with the Patriots defensive tackle shortly after he held court with a large media contingent in front of his locker Thursday afternoon. We discussed how often he was double-teamed this season, and while that is a sign of respect, it also brings frustration.
“100%,” he said. “100%. But getting to this point, to, you know, getting the recognition I'm getting is what you want as an interior lineman - to finally get to that point. But now you can't complain about getting more attention and getting doubled. You've got to figure out a way to make something happen.”
That’s where Williams went all philosophical on me. He's worked hard to go from playing at a small school and being a role player on the Eagles to becoming a Super Bowl hero. That got him paid by the Pats, and after a terrific first year in New England, he’s now the focal point for opposing offensive coordinators. They look at Williams and see the engine that drives that defensive line. Hence a double-team rate that is flirting with 40%. That’s not quite in the Jeffery Simmons category, but that’s about on par with what Aaron Donald sees in LA.
“I watch all them guys,” Williams told me, referring not only to those two, but to Chris Jones as well. “I’m not like Dexter Lawrence. He’s huge (Lawrence is at least 340 lbs; Williams around 290-300). I can’t do that. But someone like Donald, we are built alike, so I study how he’s finding ways to win.”
So far, Williams hasn’t found the answers. He’s tried getting to the center first, or going at the guard and reacting faster than the center can assist. He’s split a couple of these doubles, but the Pats need more, not just from him but from running mate Christian Barmore (who remains inconsistent).
“Yeah, we need more,” Mike Vrabel said. “Those guys know that; they understand that. We have to have more impact. Again, we want to be able to create a new line of scrimmage. We want to be disruptive. We also have to have a responsibility to the defense to make sure that we're where we need to be. I know that those guys are going to work extremely hard, starting today, moving forward.
“Again, we're not chasing plays; we're chasing wins. Terrell [Williams] has always said, since I met him in 2018, 'You can make the play without making the tackle.' And that means that those guys are doing their job. They're creating a new line of scrimmage, keeping the guys behind them free, making the runner cut back, maybe before they want to. A lot of different ways to be able to affect the game without necessarily getting a statistic.”
Ideally, like the aforementioned trio of Simmons, Donald, and Jones, you do the little things and get the stats. Williams talent and approach tell me he can get there, too. But for now, as he grows in this role, he’ll need Barmore and company to take advantage of the opportunities created when he’s occupying that second blocker. If they can do that consistently, Williams may find himself in a few more one-on-ones.
“I worked hard to get here,” he said. “I’m not about to stop.”
MCCARTHY MOVED
"I believe that organizations fail young quarterbacks before young quarterbacks fail organizations."
That wasn’t the only notable quote from Kevin O’Connell’s appearance on the ‘Rich Eisen Show’ before the 2024 draft: “You’re still drafting players off of potential” should be attached to, or closely follow, that line. However, it was a rare admission from an important football mind still very much in the machine, reminding us that not all the blame falls on a failed prospect.
O’Connell had to relive those statements earlier this week after the Vikings traded a player, J.J. McCarthy, whom he once called their “franchise quarterback.” The return: a 5th-round pick from the Giants.
“A lot has happened since then,” O’Connell said.
I’ll say. McCarthy struggled to stay healthy, tearing his meniscus and missing all of his rookie season. An ankle injury cost him 7 games last year, followed by a concussion (another game) and a hand injury (removed mid-game). Between his health, lack of progress and even his odd penchant for referring to himself as his alter ego “Nine” (his uniform number), the organization’s faith in a player they traded two first-rounders to move up and select had eroded.
"I would say this. There was a lot of context to that quote, first and foremost. I think a lot of what we put into this and J.J. put into it, some of that context was involved in that, making sure we were doing everything that we could under the circumstances. Tried to do the best we could. There's always going to be reflection on that. I think that's important.
"But at the same time, I think sometimes things don't work out how you envisioned or how you planned or how you hoped. And that doesn't change the intent; that doesn't change the work that got put into it by J.J. himself and what he's meant within this building since the time we first got him. I believe in the collective work that went into it. I believe in J.J. and the intent and the work that he put in. This is just where we are today."
This offseason, the Vikings signed Kyler Murray in free agency and brought back veteran Carson Wentz. The idea was an open competition between Murray and McCarthy - spring and summer workouts were scheduled that way - but 2024’s 10th overall pick showed few signs of improvement - struggling to process, throw in rhythm, and with accuracy. O’Connell quickly named Murray the starter, Wentz the backup, and the die had been cast.
Of all the QBs selected in that draft who have started games, McCarthy has the lowest QB rating, even trailing Spencer Rattler. Of course, Drake Maye sits atop that group, but as we’ve seen, one great season doesn’t guarantee another (at least, not yet).
O’Connell wasn’t wrong to say what he said to Eisen, but this is a what have you done for me lately league, not just for the player, but the coaches (O’Connell hasn’t won a playoff game in 5 years) and the GM (the Vikings fired theirs this offseason). Patience may be preached, but even that has a shelf life.
AGAIN?
For a second straight season, one of the AFC favorites, the Houston Texans, have stumbled out of the gate, losing their first three games.
“Everybody talks about the expectations, right? I always say this: What type of expectations do we all have? Like everybody should have high expectations for themselves,’ DeMeco Ryans said. “We don't go into a season saying, 'Yeah, let's go 0 and 3 to start the season.’ Like having low expectations, I think that's a slap in the face to everyone here.
“We are where we are right now. Only people that can do something about it are us, the men in the locker room. We stick together and we keep punching at that door until it breaks down. And we're gonna keep battling. We're gonna keep working. Our process is right. The guys are working hard. … We just got to finish games better.”
The Texans defense, arguably the league’s best, hasn’t been on that level just yet, though there are signs it’s coming. The bigger issue - again - is the offense. Star wide receiver Nico Collins has been sidelined with a hamstring strain, which has basically taken explosive plays off the table, but it goes far beyond that. Once again, the offensive line GM Nick Caserio has cobbled together hasn’t been good enough to keep C.J. Stroud consistently clean or let the team establish any success on the ground.
Caserio traded for RB David Montgomery, but he’s run into a brick wall. He had 33 yards on 11 carries in the 19-17 loss to the Colts this past weekend, and the week before, the Texans finished with just 60 yards rushing in a 20-6 loss to the Bengals. Montgomery has been hit in the backfield on 68% (!) of his career and backup Woody Marks is at 59%. That is dreadful.
"We're looking at everything from an offensive standpoint of the running game; what can we do differently for us to make sure we can turn out some yards in a run game," Ryans said. “The guys have to keep working, have to keep trying to do some different things as well, schematically with our run game. We just keep pressing forward. But we're headed in the right direction. We just have to clean up a few things."
Ryans may be delusional. I guess we’ll see. But he’s not the only one. Stroud also thinks the worm is about to turn.
“I think for me, I have the utmost confidence,” he said. “You can call me crazy, I don't really care, but we've been here before. This is sadly something we can learn from what we did in the past and do even better than last time. That will be the goal."
Stroud is another interesting case study at the QB position. He was elite as a rookie, but has fallen off in each of the last two seasons. He still angled for a massive extension, but the two sides couldn’t reach a compromise and have tabled the discussions. A league source told me that Stroud and Ryans have a strained relationship, and the 4th-year pro is okay with letting this play out, even if it eventually means a change of address. Iin the meantime, the focus remains on digging out of this hole. Collins may return for the Cowboys game this weekend, and that would surely help.
"He's a heck of a talent,’ Stroud said. “He's a household name. He's earned his respect in this league and he was missed. Now to have him back would be very helpful. He can do everything that we ask him to do."
ALL IN
There's been a philosophical shift in Dallas over the last year or so, and it continued Thursday when the Cowboys swung a deal for disgruntled Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr.
Jerry Jones and company have now added four veteran defenders via trade during this stretch - Quinnen Williams, Kenny Clark, Rashan Gary and Porter - trying to a) revitalize a defense that had sunk to unacceptable levels over the previous couple of seasons and b) win a title with Dak Prescott in his prime (we can debate that at a later time).
“I think it’s a credit to Jerry and Stephen (Jones) and Will McClay (VP Player Personnel), the aggressiveness to add really great players,” Brian Schottenheimer said.
So far, that aggressiveness hasn’t translated into more wins. The Cowboys missed the playoffs last season and are off to a 1-2 start this year. But if right, Porter can help.
“A guy of that length and that size, and we love the physicality that he brings both as a coverage piece, but also a guy that can fill runs and tackle and crack replace and things like that,” added Schottenheimer. “It made a lot of sense."
"He fits well," said defensive coordinator Christian Parker. "He's a high-level coverage player, plays with great length. He has a lot of experience against a lot of high-level receivers, so we have evidence about how he does in that environment. Really excited about having him here."
Porter was engaged in a contract dispute with the Steelers that has simmered for months. The corner wanted a contract north of $30 million, but Pittsburgh was unwilling to go that high. Still, it appeared Porter was in line to play Thursday night against Cleveland, but he pulled himself out of practice with a “back injury.” The Steelers clearly didn't believe anything was wrong with Porter and had him out the door before morning.
Porter told Dallas reporters his back was “feeling better,” and he could play this weekend. His agent and the Cowboys agreed to table extension talks until after the season.
NERD NUMBERS
- For the third time in NFL history (excluding the 1920 inaugural NFL season), six head coaches in their first year with a team have won at least two of their team’s first three games of a season, joining 1925 (seven) and 2022 (seven). Buffalo’s Joe Brady (3-0) is one of those.
- Bills edge rusher Greg Rousseau leads the NFL with six sacks this season. He is the third player since 1982 to record two or more sacks in each of his team’s first three games of a season. He joins Mark Gastineau (1984 with the New York Jets) and Pro Football Hall of Famer Kevin Greene (1998 with Carolina). Sacks became an official stat in 1982.
- Per SumerSports, Bengals right tackle Amarius Mims has not allowed a pressure through three games. He was an unformed ball of clay when he was selected in the first round of the 2024 draft, but is now developing into one of the best pass protectors in all of football.
- The Jaguars' pass rush is 2nd in pressure rate and 2nd in quick pressure rate this season, no doubt aided by the poor performance from the right side of the Patriots OL this past weekend.
- Brock Purdy is 1st in EPA/dropback and has not taken a sack this year.
- I’ll have what he’s having: Kirk Cousins is 6th in EPA/play when pressured so far this season. For someone who has been a statue since the Achilles tear, that is unexpected.