Milton Williams Is Making the Patriots Look Smart - and They’ll Need Him Again vs. Texans
FOXBORO - When the Patriots handed Milton Williams a four-year, $104 million deal this offseason, it raised some eyebrows. Not because Williams lacked talent - he’d just helped the Eagles win a Super Bowl, after all - but because New England was stepping outside its usual comfort zone.
This wasn’t a player with ties to the coaching staff or someone they’d worked with before. It was a big swing based on scouting, projection, and trust in their pre-draft evaluations.
So far? That bet is paying off in a big way.
Head coach Mike Vrabel said the team dug deep into their homework on Williams before making the move, and what they saw then is exactly what they’re getting now.
“His consistency has been really good, his leadership, and he certainly has come up in big moments,” Vrabel said.
That’s not coach-speak - it’s been on full display. Williams was a game-wrecker in Sunday night’s wild-card win over the Chargers, racking up two sacks, including the game-sealer on Justin Herbert with two minutes left on a do-or-die fourth-and-9.
But his impact started earlier. Late in the second quarter, he got to Herbert again, this time on second-and-9, helping set up a field goal that gave the Patriots a 6-3 lead heading into halftime.
Big plays, big moments - exactly what you want from your high-priced defensive anchor.
“Man, I just feel like they brought me here for a reason, and I try to show them why,” Williams said postgame. “I feel like I did that, feel like I done that, but I want to show it more.”
That mindset is resonating throughout the locker room. Vrabel even used Williams as an example this week when talking to his team.
He asked the room how many players were practicing at this point last year. Only one hand went up - Williams’.
That moment stuck with rookie quarterback Drake Maye.
“It was just eye-opening to see, man, there’s eight teams left,” Maye said. “It’s a chance and an opportunity that we have to play a home football game and a home playoff game that matters, at times when it matters most.”
Williams knows what that looks like. This weekend will mark his 11th career playoff game, but this time he’s not just a rotational piece like he was in Philly. He’s a tone-setter, a leader, and one of the Patriots’ most impactful players on either side of the ball.
His message to teammates heading into the divisional round against the Texans? Keep it simple.
“Doing the same thing we did last week, being consistent,” Williams said. “Be where you’re supposed to be. Go play for your teammates.”
That’s been his approach all season - even when adversity hit. Williams played the first 11 games before an ankle injury landed him on injured reserve.
Without him, the Patriots’ run defense fell apart. With him back in the lineup last week, they held Chargers running backs to just 30 yards on 12 carries.
That’s not a coincidence.
He’s also been a disruptive force in the pass game. Even if the box score doesn’t explode off the page, the advanced metrics tell the story.
Williams finished the regular season with 29 tackles, 3.5 sacks, eight tackles for loss, and eight QB hits. He was Pro Football Focus’ 17th-highest graded pass-rushing interior lineman, ranked 20th in total pressures (40), and cracked the top three in pass-rush productivity.
That’s elite territory, especially considering he missed five games.
“He’s a leader by example,” said interim defensive coordinator Zak Kuhr. “And when he does speak up, everybody listens.
He’s been to the spot that we all want to be at, as far as team goals. He knows what it looks like, and obviously, his play out there excites the guys and just adds some extra energy and juice to our defense.”
That juice is going to be critical this weekend. The Patriots are about to face a Texans team with one of the league’s most aggressive, athletic defenses - and a quarterback in C.J.
Stroud who’s shown he can handle the moment. If New England wants to punch its ticket to the AFC Championship Game, they’ll need another big-time performance from Williams.
He’s already proven he can deliver when it matters most. Now, it’s time to do it again.