Will Campbell’s post-injury form has the Patriots in a tough spot

The New England Patriots made it to their twelfth Super Bowl after defeating the Broncos by a score of 10-7 on Sunday. The defense has been nothing short of elite during their playoff run. They've notched 12 sacks, forced eight turnovers, and held opposing squads to just 8.7 PPG. They also have a touchdown.

The offense, however, has been an issue. The unit has scored just 15.7 PPG over its last three games, and its touchdown against the Broncos was the result of a fumble recovery inside the red zone. Drake Maye has looked off in all the playoffs. He's yet to have a game with a 60% completion rate, and he's averaged 177.7 yards per game, a far cry from his 248.5 YPG during the regular season.

The Patriots have admittedly faced a trio of elite defenses, but they shouldn't be able to keep the regular season's No. 2-ranked offense quiet for three straight games.

A major issue has been sacks. Maye's been sacked five times in each game, and while the line's improvement in the second half of the season was something to behold, they've taken a major step back.

When the Patriots allowed 4+ sacks during the regular season, they were 3-2 and averaged 20.6 PPG, a sharp drop off from their 32.1 PPG otherwise. A major reason for this drop-off in offensive line production has been the play of No. 4 overall pick Will Campbell.

Will Campbell is bringing down the rest of the offensive line in the playoffs

Campbell's drop-off in play is a major concern. While he's performed well against inferior competition, he struggled in a major way against star pass rushers. Maxx Crosby, Myles Garrett, and Atlanta's rookie duo of James Pearce and Jalon Walker gave him issues.

The playoffs have been difficult for Campbell. He allowed 3 sacks across his first two playoff games, and his nine pressures were the most across a two-game span this season. He didn't allow a sack against the Broncos and was better statistically than he was in his previous two matchups, but he was also flagged for the first time since Week 11.

The ex-Tiger has allowed a 10.7% pressure rate in his three playoff games compared to a 6.4% rate across the regular season. His PFF grades against Denver and Houston were the worst of his career, and his 16.5 pass blocking grade was the worst by a Patriot since Isaiah Wynn in 2022.

The Seahawks pass rush isn't as good as the Broncos', but it's still one of the best in the league. Demarcus Lawrence, Uchenna Nwosu, and Boye Mafe are all contributors on the edge, while Leonard Williams and Byron Murphy are one of the best defensive tackle duos in football.

No matter how you slice it, Campbell and the offensive line will need to play much better if they want to compete in the Super Bowl.