“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