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What Patriots’ Will Campbell thinks about Nik Bonitto matchup after playoff struggles
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- What Patriots’ Will Campbell thinks about Nik Bonitto matchup after playoff struggles
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New England Patriots left tackle Will Campbell is making sure to give Denver Broncos star edge rusher Nik Bonitto his flowers ahead of Sunday's AFC Championship Game.
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Campbell gave Bonitto, and the rest of the Broncos' defense, some high praise as he prepares to try to stop and the tremendous edge rusher.
"He's a good player," Campbell told reporters on Wednesday. "They got a bunch of good players across the front, back end, linebackers. It's a good defense. There's not really any bad things about any team that's left this late in the season."
Bonitto emerged as one of the game's top pass rushers this season. He finished fifth in the league in sacks with 14. His 76 pressures were also the eighth-most in the league, per Pro Football Focus, and his 24% pass rush win rate was the second-best mark in the league.
But the Broncos' defense has stars and standouts beyond Bonitto. Fellow defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers had 7.5 sacks this season. Defensive tackle Zach Allen had seven sacks, while defensive tackles D.J. Jones and Malcolm Roach were considered to be among the top interior run stoppers this season.
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Behind them, linebacker Alex Singleton was among the league's leading tacklers with 136 total tackles in 16 games. Of course, reigning Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain II is still playing at a high level as he earned a second-team All-Pro nod this season. Safety Talanoa Hufanga has also been key to the Broncos' defense, joining Surtain as a second-team All-Pro this season.
So, it's no surprise that Campbell made a big declaration about Broncos' defense, even after facing the No. 1 defense in the NFL last week in the Houston Texans .
"This will be the biggest challenge yet," Campbell said. "Go in there, playoff atmosphere, No. 1 seed. They're a talented team, so we've gotta be on it this week."
Certainly, Campbell's remark could be challenged. The Texans were not only first in total defense, but they were also second in scoring defense this season. The Los Angeles Chargers had an impressive defense as well. They ranked fifth in total defense and ninth in scoring defense.
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Still, the Broncos' defense might have those units beat, especially when you consider that they'll be playing in Denver on Sunday. They've allowed less than 20 points in five of their games this season.
Campbell might only be a rookie, but he knows that chances like the one he'll get on Sunday might be a rarity.
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