The New England Patriots face off against the LA Chargers in the Wild Card round of the NFL playoffs. Suggestions have been made that the Chargers preferred to play the Patriots. They will wish they hadn't. The game is in Foxborough, and exceptional, rookie starting left tackle Will Campbell is exhorting the Patriot Nation crowd to be a force at Gillette Stadium. Expect them to be just that.
Campbell has recently returned to play after missing four games due to injury. He played in the blowout win against the Dolphins at home and is now encouraging the Foxborough Faithful to be the Patriots' 12th, 13th, and 14th persons against the Chargers.
Patriot Nation has little incentive not to be a force in this first playoff game at home since 2019. Then, Mike Vrabel's Titans knocked the Patriots out of the playoffs and ended Tom Brady's illustrious career in Foxborough with a thud.
Fortunately, the tables have turned. Vrabel, one of, if not THE best, Head Coaches in the NFL, coaches the Patriots, and he has an MVP-level quarterback to boot.
Will Campbell wants to hear Patriots fans on Sunday night, and he will
Rookie left tackle Will Campbell has started from Day One of his NFL career. Except for an injury that cost him time out, he would have been the NFL's All-Rookie first or second team left tackle. He was blanked in that totally. He'll have great incentive to prove those misguided evaluators wrong.
And Campbell wants to have the full support of the Foxborough crowd for his team when they take on the Chargers. Campbell can expect it. There's no doubt it will be there. WCVB Channel 5's Peter Eliopoulos quoted Campbell's expectations,
"Patriots rookie left tackle Will Campbell echoed similar sentiments. 'I expect it to be the loudest it's been all year,' he said."
The Patriots will hear the roar of the crowd and beat the Chargers
Will Campbell has asked, and now, it's up to the Gillette crowd to deliver. Stay out of the inside comfort areas when play is on, and give this team what it deserves. That's complete and undivided attention and support. If any Gillette fans have been bellyaching about the pitiful play of recent teams, then don't let this terrific, AFC East-winning team down against the Chargers.
The Chargers, according to Devin McCourty, preferred to play the Patriots in the Wild Card game. That "preference" will cost them. They and their coach, John Harbaugh, who presumably directed the decision to tank the game against the Broncos last week to give them the "opportunity" to play the Patriots, will have a rude awakening Sunday.
Harbaugh evidently discounts the possibility that the Patriots have an NFL MVP and a certain All-Pro quarterback in Drake Maye. He'll also face off against a better coach in Mike Vrabel. The Foxborough crowd that Campbell asked to show up can enhance the Patriots' chances. The Chargers wanted to play the Patriots at Gillette Stadium.
They will, but the admonition is this: "Be careful what you wish for". They'll be flying home to pack their bags and depart for the off-season on Sunday night.