New England Patriots - NESN.com
The New England Patriots took down the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 12, but this was easily the team’s most costly victory of the year. Several key players were forced out of this game due to injury, with the biggest loss being rookie left tackle Will Campbell.
In the third quarter, Campbell got rolled up on, and he eventually had to get carted back to the locker room, which is never a good sign. Despite the initial fears that Campbell could be done for the season, reports indicated that Campbell only suffered an MCL sprain, meaning he should be able to return to the field this year.
The problem is that Campbell is still facing a multi-week absence as a result of this injury. If you ask Patriots’ insider Mike Reiss of ESPN, he believes the team is going to have some trouble when it comes to replacing Campbell for however long he is forced to miss.
“The dropoff after Campbell is significant and that now becomes a top challenge for coordinator Josh McDaniels, who will have to devote resources to help four-year veteran Vederian Lowe (or rookie Marcus Bryant) in upcoming game-plans until Campbell potentially returns,” Reiss wrote in a post on X.
Vederian Lowe got the call to fill in for Campbell against the Bengals, and while he held up well during his limited action, it’s worth noting that the team’s defensive line was severely shorthanded for this game. Against more dangerous defensive fronts, Lowe’s play at left tackle could become a real issue.
With a potential playoff run on the horizon, the Patriots will obviously be hoping Campbell can get back on the field sooner rather than later. However, with a stint on injured reserve looking more than likely, New England could be forced to navigate its most important stretch of the season without one of its key players.
