Oftentimes, a tough week of practice doesn't translate to a challenging game. The exotic schemes that Minnesota defensive coordinator Brian Flores threw at the Patriots during the teams' joint practices often had Will Campbell losing most of his one-on-one battles.
There were questions throughout the week as to how Campbell and the Patriots would be able to handle the Vikings' pass rush in their preseason game on Saturday.
Things turned out to be just fine for Campbell and his linemates, as the Patriots again controlled the line of scrimmage throughout the game, a 20-12 victory that saw Campbell and the starting offense score a touchdown on the second of their two series.
Campbell's stats were even more impressive, as the rookie left tackle didn't allow any sacks or pressures in the 17 snaps that he played, doing a remarkable job of finishing blocks and giving Drake Maye plenty of time to throw.
Performance in Minnesota a strong trend in Will Campbell's development
Campbell's prowess shined on two particular plays on New England's first touchdown drive, both coming on runs from fellow rookie TreVeyon Henderson, as Campbell helped open a large hole for Henderson on a third and 10 on which Henderson picked up 11 yards, and finished off his man to allow Henderson to evade tacklers on his touchdown run.
Saturday marked Campbell's second consecutive strong preseason outing, both coming in the wake of joint practices against a quality defensive front. The Patriots invested heavily in Campbell in selecting him fourth overall in last spring's draft, so the pressure on him to step right in at left tackle and protect Maye's blindside was somewhat high.
While New England's offensive line is still trying to find the right combination with just a few weeks remaining until the regular-season opener, the fact that Campbell and the Patriots have controlled the line of scrimmage and been the more physical team in both their preseason games has been a welcome sign.
Even though Campbell had a rough week of practice in Minnesota, it didn't translate to the game, which is a sign that perhaps his development is accelerating faster than the Patriots expected. In Maye's two series, he had clean pockets, and the only time he had some sort of pressure on him was thanks to good coverage down the field, and even then, Maye was able to easily get out of the pocket and throw the ball away.
Campbell clearly is wise beyond his years after applying what he learned in the joint practices to the game.