The Patriots (10-2) may have escaped Cincinnati (3-8) with a 26-20 win, but it came at the cost of some of their most important players suffering injuries that will sideline them for multiple weeks, at minimum.
After head coach Mike Vrabel told The Greg Hill Show on Monday that rookie left tackle Will Campbell would probably miss “more than a week or two” with a knee injury he suffered in the third quarter that resulted in the LSU-product being carted to the locker room, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Campbell "is believed to have suffered an MCL sprain and will have an MRI on his knee." He went on to say that sources tell him Campbell is "a candidate for Injured Reserve, with the hope he returns when it counts the most."
Campbell going down was the second loss New England suffered on the left side of their offensive line, as rookie left guard Jared Wilson was injured on the third play of the game. Reports came down from Rapoport Monday morning saying Wilson suffered a high-ankle sprain, and that the Patriots consider him week-to-week. He went on to say in his post on X, “While most high-ankle sprains are 4-6 weeks, the hope is this is on the shorter side.”
Add in the fact that New England is already a man down on their defensive line with standout D-tackle Milton Williams being added to the IR after an injury in Week 11 against the Jets, along with important depth piece Khyiris Tonga ultimately having to exit Sunday’s game with a chest injury, and the entire complexion of the Patriots’ bulk up front on both sides of the football is set to be challenged in a real way in the coming weeks.
Week 13’s opponent brings along a challenge that, on its surface, probably doesn’t look all that difficult. But with the Giants (2-10) sporting one of the more athletic pass rushes in the NFL, whichever combination of offensive linemen the Patriots decide to use on Monday Night Football will have their hands full.
And after a much-needed bye in Week 14, the Patriots will have consecutive games against James Cook and the Bills (7-4) and Derrick Henry, Lamar Jackson and the Ravens (6-5). We’re going to know pretty quickly what this defensive line is really made of sans Williams with those formidable running games on tap. And with Bengals running back Chase Brown tearing up the Pats’ defense for 107 yards on 19 carries on Sunday, we might already have all the evidence we need to definitively prove Williams’ value to the front seven.
In steps NBC Sports Boston’s Tom E. Curran, who joined Jones and Keefe on Tuesday to discuss some of the challenges the Patriots could be up against given the way their injury report is looking headed into Thanksgiving week.
“You don't want to, but the likelihood is that they could - I [would not] be surprised if they lose three in a row,” said Curran. “I don't expect them to, but I would not be surprised.
“I would not be surprised if they lost to the Giants. Again, I don’t expect it, so when whatever friend of mine retweets that, aggregates it, ‘Curran: Pats will lose to Giants.’”
This might sound like a hot take from Curran, but when you consider the Giants are bringing Brian Burns, Abdul Carter and Dexter Lawrence to the table. MVP candidate Drake Maye could be in for a long day without Campbell and Wilson protecting his blindside. And with Kayvon Thibodeaux potentially returning from a shoulder injury in Week 13, it only makes guys like Ben Brown, Vederian Lowe and Marcus Bryant’s lives that much more difficult.
You see three names listed above for the Patriots as possible replacements, because as of publishing, the group that Vrabel will be using to backfill Campbell and Wilson’s absences is still unclear.
“I don't know if I would have an accurate answer for you right now,” Vrabel told the media on Monday when asked if Lowe or Bryant would be the answer at left tackle. “Just where we're at, we’ll probably go through the week of practice.
“I thought Vederian had a couple good plays. And, again, he hasn't had to go in there for us, but I think everybody just has to be ready for their opportunity, and I thought he was for the most part. Some things we'll have to continue to work on and clean up, but right now it's probably a little too soon to figure out what the lineup's going to look like.”
Not exactly a vote of confidence for the 69th ranked left tackle in football in 2024 by PFF.
To be concerned with Lowe being “the guy” in Campbell’s absence is completely warranted. And with Bryant mostly working at right tackle throughout training camp, as well as in relief duty at times (including Sunday) for Morgan Moses, it would be a lot to ask the rookie from Missouri to take on that type of responsibility midseason.
They might have to, but it might not look pretty.
Curran’s concerns for the Patriots over the next three games are more than warranted, and yet FanDuel still lists New England as a 7.5-point favorite over the G-Men. You can get the Pats on the moneyline at -400, and the total is set at 46.5.
Tune in each and every Monday throughout the football season to Patriots Monday on WEEI. Head coach Mike Vrabel joins The Greg Hill Show at 6:30 a.m. ET, and quarterback Drake Maye joins WEEI Afternoons.