That was a beatdown.
The Patriots looked overmatched last night, particularly against the Seattle defense. There was plenty of chatter leading up to this game about New England’s cakewalk schedule during the regular season and their good fortune during the playoffs, and all of their weaknesses were exposed last night.
Drake Maye was terrible. Of course he was under pressure all night long, but he was also missing open receivers. Now, we all know he’s been hurt, so many will chalk this up to a sore shoulder. But this game must have been tough to watch for anyone who was banging the drum on Maye being the MVP.
As for the line, everyone is talking about Will Campbell this morning. The kid had a terrible night and could seem to block anyone, and we saw a flood of comments on social media from fans and draft experts with their “I told you so’s.”
Campbell is a fascinating case study as many questioned whether he was worth the #4 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. There was the question about his arm length and whether he could really be a left tackle in the NFL. In hindsight, Armand Membou would have been a much better pick, which many suggested at the time.
It also raises the issue of reaching for need when drafting in the top ten of the NFL draft. You should be looking at the next ten years, not a need for the next season, when you’re have a shot to get a true blue chip talent.
The other complication is Campbell’s health. He may not have been 100% after a knee injury, which led to the debacle in the Super Bowl.
The video above offers a fair review of some of the plays from the game. The kid clearly has issues, as he was getting pushed around on bull rushes as well which has nothing to do with arm length. Many are taking their shots at him, but I prefer seeing film study that actually tried to assess the performance fairly.
In any event, the Patriots had a hell of a run, but this team may be due for some serious regression next season.
May and Campbell are both young, so they both have a chance to learn from this and improve. But with Campbell, the Patriots will need to take a hard look as to whether he’s really a left tackle.
