WEBVTT - Patriots Playbook 11/20: Colts Recap, Bye Week, Looking Into the Future 0:00:30.425 --> 0:00:33.945 Patriots Catch twenty two. We'll join Evan Lazar and Alex 0:00:33.985 --> 0:00:36.544 Bart every Thursday as they take a deep dive into 0:00:36.585 --> 0:00:39.265 the ex of the o's trends and latest New England 0:00:39.265 --> 0:00:40.385 Patriots roster moves. 0:00:40.465 --> 0:00:43.824 And I'm usually into the numbers. Okay, we do this. 0:00:44.105 --> 0:00:45.585 I'm into the tangible numbers. 0:00:45.585 --> 0:00:47.265 There's there's tame here. Just give me. 0:00:47.504 --> 0:00:49.944 There's the advantage fact you haven't know how to work it. 0:00:50.025 --> 0:00:52.785 I'm surprised an old man over here. I thought maybe 0:00:52.784 --> 0:00:54.945 I'd have to show you, like a pictorial or something. 0:00:55.065 --> 0:00:57.665 How am I old man? Search for Patriots Catch twenty two? 0:00:57.705 --> 0:00:59.705 Anywhere you get your podcast. 0:01:07.145 --> 0:01:13.985 I'm Patriots Playbook where Legends are barn John Roop brings 0:01:13.985 --> 0:01:20.024 the heat, rain or storm from Brady's Throast to New Stars. 0:01:20.145 --> 0:01:23.785 Razin the playbook Soap and it's so Maya's Morazin into the. 0:01:23.705 --> 0:01:25.465 Playbook Patriots Playbook. 0:01:25.505 --> 0:01:29.625 Here's your host, John Rook, legend voice of the Patriots. 0:01:29.825 --> 0:01:44.544 First. No, it's it's bye week, which means, of course 0:01:44.545 --> 0:01:47.184 there's no game to talk about. But that doesn't mean 0:01:47.185 --> 0:01:48.945 we don't have playbook. That doesn't mean that we're not 0:01:48.985 --> 0:01:51.265 doing stuff in here today. And we are doing stuff 0:01:51.305 --> 0:01:53.025 in here today we walk you here into the program. 0:01:53.265 --> 0:01:56.385 I am John Rook that that version's growing on me. Marine, 0:01:57.185 --> 0:01:59.385 It's grown on me a little bit. Did I have 0:01:59.425 --> 0:02:01.305 a little I don't know. I don't. I'm not really 0:02:01.345 --> 0:02:04.544 good with my country in western uh stars. But does 0:02:04.585 --> 0:02:08.825 that have a little Jason Aldean to it? I don't know. 0:02:08.465 --> 0:02:10.905 Do you know, Evan? I like Johnny Cash. I guess 0:02:10.985 --> 0:02:14.305 Johnny Cash got at it. It's got a little twang. 0:02:14.345 --> 0:02:16.385 But I'm just like, I'm not a country guy either. 0:02:16.425 --> 0:02:18.345 I just bought my Kendrick Lamar tickets earlier. 0:02:19.025 --> 0:02:19.945 Did you really? Oh? 0:02:19.985 --> 0:02:22.105 Yeah, as soon as they went on sale. Didn't even 0:02:22.105 --> 0:02:24.025 ask the missus. I texted her. I was like, I 0:02:24.025 --> 0:02:29.144 bought tickets tickets, didn't even ask. That wasn't this is 0:02:29.185 --> 0:02:30.704 a non negotiable. 0:02:30.825 --> 0:02:33.705 Not well, at least you recognize that. Yeah, and so 0:02:33.745 --> 0:02:36.545 you earn an a for recognition in that regard. 0:02:36.665 --> 0:02:38.785 Yeah, there's a few artists that if they come here, 0:02:38.785 --> 0:02:40.545 it's not negotiable on the list. 0:02:40.945 --> 0:02:43.305 Well, I was that way with the Rolling Stones this summer. 0:02:43.385 --> 0:02:43.785 That's fair. 0:02:44.025 --> 0:02:46.585 Yeah, I mean, you know, I mean far be from 0:02:46.625 --> 0:02:48.105 me to want to watch you know, three eighty year 0:02:48.145 --> 0:02:51.345 Olds get up on stage in rock. But they were dynamic. 0:02:51.505 --> 0:02:53.665 Yeah, no, I've heard them. I've never been to one 0:02:53.705 --> 0:02:56.345 of their concerts, but we are lucky that we sometimes 0:02:56.425 --> 0:02:57.185 get to hear the sound. 0:02:57.305 --> 0:02:57.985 Yeah yeah. 0:02:58.025 --> 0:03:00.185 And I was like, wow, these guys they still. 0:03:00.065 --> 0:03:02.825 Rockill got it, Yeah, they still so. I was really 0:03:02.865 --> 0:03:05.425 thrilled with that. I thought that was actually money will spend, 0:03:05.505 --> 0:03:08.585 especially since their quote unquote farewell tour and anybody that 0:03:08.625 --> 0:03:11.785 says it's a farewell tour I'm doing. I did Electric 0:03:11.865 --> 0:03:15.225 Live Orchestra ELO at the TD Garden in the fall 0:03:15.585 --> 0:03:19.385 back in September. It was magnificent. Yeah, magnificent. Of course. 0:03:19.865 --> 0:03:22.265 You know, now we're you know, definitely aging myself here 0:03:22.265 --> 0:03:24.385 because they were big when I was in high school 0:03:24.385 --> 0:03:28.785 back in the seventies. And but jeff Lynn, you know, 0:03:29.305 --> 0:03:31.305 traveling Willbury, you know, for those of you might be 0:03:31.425 --> 0:03:33.385 a little later generation. He was a part of that group, 0:03:33.545 --> 0:03:35.385 you know, when the nineties, but everybody started, you know, 0:03:35.465 --> 0:03:39.905 passing away. But he was fabulous, absolutely fair. I mean, 0:03:40.225 --> 0:03:42.305 first of all, they didn'tven look like he he am 0:03:42.425 --> 0:03:44.305 gray hair. I don't know if he I couldn't tell 0:03:44.305 --> 0:03:46.225 from where I was sitting if it was hair dye 0:03:46.385 --> 0:03:49.145 or he just takes care of himself well, you know, 0:03:49.225 --> 0:03:51.385 which is sort of an anomaly I think for most 0:03:51.465 --> 0:03:54.745 rock stars, unless, of course, you're Keith Richards, who clearly 0:03:54.945 --> 0:03:57.705 has a deal with the devil one or the other. Right. 0:03:58.185 --> 0:04:02.145 Yeah, my father is a really big Beg's fan, like massive, 0:04:02.505 --> 0:04:05.265 and so we went and saw Barry Gibb still performs. 0:04:05.385 --> 0:04:07.985 Oh wow, now I would have done that. I would 0:04:08.025 --> 0:04:08.905 have totally done that. 0:04:09.025 --> 0:04:11.505 Yeah, so my whole family went for his birthday because 0:04:11.505 --> 0:04:14.665 he's just the biggest Beg's fan on the planet, and 0:04:15.065 --> 0:04:19.745 Barry Gibb brought the house down. I believe it too. 0:04:19.945 --> 0:04:21.745 Well, I'm not gonna lie. I think that's cool. Yeah, 0:04:22.065 --> 0:04:25.224 it is cool. It's totally cool. Besides, when the Beg's 0:04:25.225 --> 0:04:28.585 were spot were popular in the seventies, Oh man, chicks 0:04:28.625 --> 0:04:32.344 dug the Beg's, So if you know, wanted to date 0:04:33.745 --> 0:04:36.585 then other things, you had to be on the dance 0:04:36.625 --> 0:04:38.985 floor with a VJs. Am I lying to anybody here? 0:04:39.305 --> 0:04:42.585 No, I'm I. You know, I can't be my father's 0:04:42.625 --> 0:04:44.864 son and say I'm not a Beg's fan. So okay, 0:04:45.025 --> 0:04:46.625 I know a lot of their songs just from being 0:04:46.705 --> 0:04:48.344 in the car with him, you know, as a kid. 0:04:48.424 --> 0:04:50.145 So absolutely a great concert. 0:04:50.305 --> 0:04:51.745 Yeah, I think that's fabulous. 0:04:51.784 --> 0:04:51.984 Yeah. 0:04:52.025 --> 0:04:53.945 So anytime I get a chance to hear a group 0:04:53.984 --> 0:04:56.985 from that era seventies, eighties and even a little bit 0:04:57.025 --> 0:05:00.104 into the nineties, I gotta go. I mean I have 0:05:00.185 --> 0:05:02.265 to go. I have to admit that, you know, I 0:05:02.305 --> 0:05:04.784 know we're completely starting off, you know, the tangent here. 0:05:04.825 --> 0:05:07.545 But at the same time, it's bye week, Okay, so 0:05:07.705 --> 0:05:09.865 give us a break here for just a second. Then 0:05:09.904 --> 0:05:13.825 we'll talk into all stuff that. 0:05:14.104 --> 0:05:14.665 It's football. 0:05:14.904 --> 0:05:19.105 Yeah, I know it's football. It's still football season probably now. See, 0:05:19.145 --> 0:05:20.785 now I've had a senior moment. I forgot what the 0:05:20.825 --> 0:05:24.385 hell I was gonna say something about concerts, something about concerts. 0:05:24.385 --> 0:05:26.664 What was I gonna say about concerts? Can you read 0:05:26.705 --> 0:05:30.825 my mind? Going back to Kendrick Lamar, Tell me what 0:05:30.865 --> 0:05:31.864 I'm thinking right now? 0:05:31.945 --> 0:05:34.704 Marine, Okay, you're thinking you want eminem here in twenty 0:05:34.745 --> 0:05:35.304 twenty six. 0:05:36.945 --> 0:05:40.424 No, there's people in this building, Marine, I won't name names, 0:05:40.664 --> 0:05:42.345 but every once in a while he comes in this 0:05:42.424 --> 0:05:45.104 studio and does a Madden sim with you. Every once 0:05:45.145 --> 0:05:48.904 in a while that thinks that Drake won. They're rappief 0:05:48.945 --> 0:05:53.104 between him and Kendrick Lamar, which is just that's a 0:05:53.145 --> 0:05:56.464 spicy hot take. What that's an incorrect take? 0:05:56.625 --> 0:05:57.744 Well, we work with idiots. 0:05:58.865 --> 0:05:59.825 I didn't call him that. 0:06:01.224 --> 0:06:03.705 All right, Okay, we'll move on. Hey, Patriots fans, you 0:06:03.705 --> 0:06:06.424 want to see Toyota's best offers, including those not seen 0:06:06.464 --> 0:06:08.825 on TV. Go to buy a Toyota dot Com is 0:06:08.865 --> 0:06:12.104 Toytot's official website for deals from the official vehicle of 0:06:12.104 --> 0:06:15.664 the New England Patriots, Toyota. Let's go places. Where are 0:06:15.664 --> 0:06:18.624 we gonna go today? Well, besides Evan of course being here. 0:06:18.825 --> 0:06:20.945 Russell Baxter will join us at the top of the 0:06:21.065 --> 0:06:23.544 or at the second half of the hour. Number two. 0:06:23.825 --> 0:06:28.585 Karen Grigian, who longtime Patriots writer and columnista now with 0:06:28.705 --> 0:06:32.385 Masslive dot com. She'll join us in about an hour. 0:06:32.625 --> 0:06:35.344 We're also gonna hear from Matt Saint Jean. He's one 0:06:35.344 --> 0:06:38.665 of the hosts of the Pats Nation podcast on CLNS, 0:06:38.865 --> 0:06:41.265 also a writer for Pat's Pulpit, so you've probably seen 0:06:41.305 --> 0:06:44.984 his work. I know Matt, good young kid. He's a 0:06:44.984 --> 0:06:47.304 Providence College graduate, so how bad can he be? Right? 0:06:47.784 --> 0:06:50.224 You know? But he is really up on his football. 0:06:50.544 --> 0:06:53.145 I think he's very engaging I enjoy his work, and 0:06:53.265 --> 0:06:54.985 we thought we'd also take a little bit of time 0:06:55.025 --> 0:06:57.344 here during the bye week to hear from some of 0:06:57.385 --> 0:07:00.265 the others that cover the team besides what we would 0:07:00.305 --> 0:07:02.665 call mainstream media, because I think there's a lot of 0:07:02.664 --> 0:07:04.544 good takes out there. And one of the things that 0:07:04.625 --> 0:07:07.224 I want to really ask everybody today, all right, is 0:07:07.424 --> 0:07:09.025 I want you to come up with three things at 0:07:09.025 --> 0:07:12.304 this juncture, because I know we're all disappointed. You can't 0:07:12.345 --> 0:07:15.945 not be a fan and not be disappointed. At three 0:07:16.025 --> 0:07:20.345 and ten, I thought this team was better than you know, 0:07:20.505 --> 0:07:23.064 four and thirteen a year ago. Looks like they're going 0:07:23.145 --> 0:07:25.825 to be really hard pressed to even reach four and thirteen, 0:07:26.145 --> 0:07:28.305 much less beat it. I thought this was a five 0:07:28.425 --> 0:07:31.345 or a six win team this year looks like I'm 0:07:31.345 --> 0:07:33.304 gonna miss that mark by just a little bit. So 0:07:33.865 --> 0:07:40.145 in light of not meeting even our lower end expectations. Okay, 0:07:40.505 --> 0:07:42.305 I want you, and I'll ask you about it in 0:07:42.345 --> 0:07:45.425 a second, but I want really uh listeners today to 0:07:45.705 --> 0:07:50.385 identify one good thing they're like, Okay, one good thing 0:07:50.425 --> 0:07:52.585 you like about the way this team is headed, uh, 0:07:52.905 --> 0:07:55.825 A player, a coach, whatever it might be. One good 0:07:55.825 --> 0:07:59.385 thing I want you to identify one bad thing. We're 0:07:59.425 --> 0:08:02.665 gonna go. Uh you know old Western movies here, one good, 0:08:03.145 --> 0:08:08.425 one bad, and one ugly. Okay, so I need a good'n, 0:08:08.465 --> 0:08:11.665 I need a bad un and I need an uly. 0:08:16.465 --> 0:08:19.345 Exactly what was the movie? What was the movie where 0:08:19.545 --> 0:08:23.905 the cheerleaders did the the chant, uh you g l y, 0:08:24.065 --> 0:08:26.744 you ain't gotten a la by your ugly. Your mama 0:08:26.865 --> 0:08:29.184 say you ugly? Bring it on? Yeah? 0:08:29.345 --> 0:08:29.465 Was it? 0:08:29.505 --> 0:08:31.705 Bring it on? Yeah? Is that what it was? Yeah? 0:08:31.785 --> 0:08:34.185 If I didn't get that, you know, I would have 0:08:34.185 --> 0:08:37.945 said it a second later. Yeah, you can't. 0:08:40.665 --> 0:08:42.585 We used to do that chant in high school, in college. 0:08:42.825 --> 0:08:45.345 The chance that the cheer has been around forever. But 0:08:45.905 --> 0:08:47.905 when I was watching the game all right, you know, 0:08:47.985 --> 0:08:51.064 this past weekend, and and calling the game this past weekend, 0:08:51.305 --> 0:08:54.505 and sitting there just you know, cringing because I knew, 0:08:55.225 --> 0:08:58.105 I knew when when the Colts were halfway through that 0:08:58.225 --> 0:09:00.905 nineteen play drive, I just said, I looked over at 0:09:00.985 --> 0:09:04.105 at uh Miss Robin, who spots for me in the booth, 0:09:04.304 --> 0:09:06.705 and I looked over at Coop, who was the audio 0:09:06.704 --> 0:09:08.665 two in the booth who comes in and sits with 0:09:08.745 --> 0:09:10.745 us for about the last you know, half of the 0:09:10.785 --> 0:09:13.905 last quarter before postgame gets started, and I look at 0:09:13.905 --> 0:09:16.184 both of them. I said, they're going to Scoore or aren't 0:09:16.145 --> 0:09:19.064 they touchdown? Right? Two points? Right? Yeah, they're going to 0:09:19.105 --> 0:09:23.304 school right. They both said, uh huh uh huh. We 0:09:23.585 --> 0:09:27.385 felt it coming, Yeah, we felt it coming. You just 0:09:27.505 --> 0:09:29.785 knew it was gonna happen because you had no confidence 0:09:29.944 --> 0:09:32.745 and no faith that this team would be able to 0:09:32.785 --> 0:09:35.665 find a way. And that really is why this team 0:09:36.064 --> 0:09:41.184 is three and ten. I still think there's some talent here, Okay, 0:09:41.944 --> 0:09:43.785 not enough, and I think we can all agree on that. 0:09:43.824 --> 0:09:46.304 We've been talking about that all season long. There's some 0:09:46.465 --> 0:09:49.984 talent here, but that talent is not able to break through. 0:09:50.225 --> 0:09:54.025 And there are probably a couple of significant reasons why 0:09:54.064 --> 0:09:57.105 the talent that's here is not able to get through. 0:09:57.865 --> 0:10:02.025 And frankly, it starts with coaching, and it starts with mentoring, 0:10:02.064 --> 0:10:05.545 and it starts with attention to detail, it starts with discipline. 0:10:05.745 --> 0:10:08.905 It's all that stuff that coaches are largely responsible for. Now. 0:10:09.425 --> 0:10:11.345 I don't put a lot of the blame at the 0:10:11.345 --> 0:10:13.785 coach's feet because I think, first of all, this is 0:10:13.985 --> 0:10:18.865 professional football. We should be past the teaching stage and 0:10:19.105 --> 0:10:21.184 the basic concepts of what to do and what not 0:10:21.225 --> 0:10:23.545 to do should have already be taught. And if they're 0:10:23.585 --> 0:10:26.184 not taught and they're not getting through like Vederian low 0:10:26.265 --> 0:10:30.745 holding and jumping off sides. And I mean, guys, if 0:10:30.745 --> 0:10:35.065 you can't figure it out, there's the unemployment line. We're 0:10:35.064 --> 0:10:36.184 gonna pull somebody else in here. 0:10:36.184 --> 0:10:36.265 Now. 0:10:36.345 --> 0:10:38.825 Invariably that'll likely happen to the off season for a 0:10:38.824 --> 0:10:41.824 lot of these guys. But my issue is is that 0:10:41.865 --> 0:10:44.105 it shouldn't be happening. Now. Why am I getting a 0:10:44.145 --> 0:10:51.665 call from Utah? Are you looking at me? Well? Now, now, 0:10:52.265 --> 0:10:56.385 we played somebody from Utah last night at the amp, right, Oh, 0:10:56.425 --> 0:10:59.385 I hope I didn't, like, you know, insult anybody. Did 0:10:59.385 --> 0:11:01.304 you hear what the Providence students were doing last night? 0:11:01.345 --> 0:11:04.064 Did you hear those cheers? Did you hear those chants? No? 0:11:04.105 --> 0:11:06.425 I didn't. I didn't either because I had a headset song. 0:11:06.425 --> 0:11:09.745 It didn't here. But they were not being kind to Mormons, 0:11:11.545 --> 0:11:15.385 I know. No, I mean, I'm just you know, I'm 0:11:15.425 --> 0:11:19.545 just like, first of all, consider the landscape. You're in 0:11:19.585 --> 0:11:22.665 a sold out building. Uh, you got a you know, 0:11:22.704 --> 0:11:25.944 an eight thirty start. So fans and students have had 0:11:25.944 --> 0:11:31.545 a chance to get okay, you know, lots of tall 0:11:31.585 --> 0:11:35.625 boys being sold right, so you know, hey, some people 0:11:35.665 --> 0:11:37.505 just aren't as mature as others. It's what I can 0:11:37.545 --> 0:11:40.584 tell you. I wasn't as mature when I was twenty 0:11:40.625 --> 0:11:43.305 as I am now. I wouldn't say I'm very mature 0:11:43.304 --> 0:11:45.345 at all anyway right now, to be honest with you, 0:11:45.385 --> 0:11:47.385 because I like to have fun. I just know when 0:11:47.425 --> 0:11:50.104 to have it. I would say that was largely inappropriate, 0:11:50.184 --> 0:11:53.385 and Providence Analytic director had to come out and go 0:11:53.425 --> 0:11:56.985 out on Twitter today or x and basically apologize for 0:11:57.025 --> 0:11:59.465 the entire student body. It's not a direct reflection of 0:11:59.505 --> 0:12:02.905 everybody that's in that building, but you know, hey, it's 0:12:02.944 --> 0:12:08.225 just hey, you learn to go and do and hopefully 0:12:08.304 --> 0:12:11.705 you're held responsible for your actions. I would hold the 0:12:11.785 --> 0:12:15.665 players responsible for their actions, and if they're not doing 0:12:15.704 --> 0:12:18.905 what they're supposed to be doing, then somebody else has 0:12:18.944 --> 0:12:20.905 got to. I realize you can't make wholesale changes with 0:12:20.905 --> 0:12:23.345 the fifty three man roster. So the first thing that 0:12:23.385 --> 0:12:27.105 I you know that I would, you know, like to 0:12:27.145 --> 0:12:31.704 propose for future years, especially if you know we're going 0:12:31.745 --> 0:12:34.864 to an eighteenth game, especially if you know expansion, which 0:12:34.905 --> 0:12:37.745 has been talked about as well in the NFL. In 0:12:37.785 --> 0:12:40.985 getting beyond where we are now, you got to increase 0:12:41.064 --> 0:12:44.185 roster sizes, heavan, you just have to. I think that 0:12:44.225 --> 0:12:46.184 would be a way at very least to keep healthy 0:12:46.184 --> 0:12:49.025 bodies around on the roster and be able to have 0:12:49.064 --> 0:12:52.585 some versatility for that roster. When guys do screw up 0:12:52.665 --> 0:12:55.065 or they do, you know, there's at least somebody holding 0:12:55.064 --> 0:12:56.585 their feet to the fire and say, well, if I 0:12:56.625 --> 0:12:58.905 don't do this the right way, somebody else is going 0:12:58.985 --> 0:12:59.745 to take my job. 0:13:00.385 --> 0:13:00.625 Yeah. 0:13:00.665 --> 0:13:01.625 Does that make any sense? 0:13:02.025 --> 0:13:04.265 It does, I think right now. You know, just on 0:13:04.265 --> 0:13:10.505 that point, the positions that the Patriots are currently short at, 0:13:11.304 --> 0:13:13.105 especially on the offense side of the ball. I wouldn't 0:13:13.105 --> 0:13:17.025 say so much on defense, but offensive tackle in general. 0:13:17.265 --> 0:13:21.105 Around the league, the play is down and there aren't 0:13:21.545 --> 0:13:25.545 there is not a surplus of tackles laying around. And 0:13:26.064 --> 0:13:28.145 it stands the reason that there aren't a whole lot 0:13:28.184 --> 0:13:29.945 of guys that are six six, three hundred and thirty 0:13:29.944 --> 0:13:32.505 pound that can move like ballerinas like that, just that 0:13:32.585 --> 0:13:35.465 those types of people just don't grow on trees. So 0:13:36.704 --> 0:13:38.304 there's not a lot of tackles. You know, I'll give 0:13:38.304 --> 0:13:40.585 you an example, on a good team like Kansas City 0:13:40.665 --> 0:13:43.105 right now, can't block anybody on the edge right like, 0:13:43.145 --> 0:13:45.905 they have huge tackle problems. And they're the Kansas City 0:13:45.985 --> 0:13:48.585 Chiefs the two times is defending Super Bowl champions. So 0:13:48.944 --> 0:13:51.745 it's not just the Patriots. There are teams with good 0:13:51.745 --> 0:13:55.625 offensive lines that are are good teams Detroit, Philadelphia, you know, 0:13:55.665 --> 0:13:58.584 teams like that. But for the most part right now, 0:13:59.785 --> 0:14:04.184 expanding rosters or pulling Caleb Jones off the practice squad 0:14:04.385 --> 0:14:06.905 or whatever the case may be, Like, these options are 0:14:06.985 --> 0:14:09.505 just not any better. I know, it feels like it 0:14:09.545 --> 0:14:11.945 can't be any worse, and you might as well, but 0:14:11.985 --> 0:14:15.185 they're not any better, you know. Vaderian Lowe, we we've 0:14:15.184 --> 0:14:17.145 disagreed a little bit on Vederian low I feel like 0:14:17.184 --> 0:14:21.185 all season and Miami was a debacle for him. You know, 0:14:21.225 --> 0:14:24.145 obviously with all the penalties pre snap penalties and things 0:14:24.185 --> 0:14:26.545 like that. I thought he was better in this game, 0:14:27.185 --> 0:14:29.465 you know, the in terms of that, right, no false 0:14:29.465 --> 0:14:32.145 starts for him this game, the holding. You know, Drake 0:14:32.225 --> 0:14:35.745 may left the pocket and the tackles have to learn 0:14:35.825 --> 0:14:38.305 now that Drake is going to move around back there, 0:14:38.785 --> 0:14:40.945 and so when he leaves the pocket, you can't go 0:14:41.065 --> 0:14:45.585 grabbing people because he's leaving the pocket. So that's what 0:14:45.665 --> 0:14:46.505 that hold was. 0:14:47.025 --> 0:14:47.105 Uh. 0:14:47.225 --> 0:14:48.945 You used to see this all the time with the 0:14:49.465 --> 0:14:52.545 Seahawks with Russell Wilson back in the day. They would 0:14:52.545 --> 0:14:54.985 get flagged a lot on the offensive line because Wilson's 0:14:55.105 --> 0:14:57.585 running around back there and they don't know where he is, 0:14:57.665 --> 0:14:59.705 you know there they don't have eyes in the back 0:14:59.705 --> 0:15:01.265 of their head, so they don't they don't know where 0:15:01.305 --> 0:15:04.665 he is. But I thought from a block to block basis, 0:15:05.145 --> 0:15:08.025 Vederian Lowe was okay in this game. I thought really 0:15:08.065 --> 0:15:10.225 the offensive line as a whole was okay in this game, 0:15:10.625 --> 0:15:13.545 outside of Lady Robinson, who's a rookie and you know, 0:15:13.625 --> 0:15:15.545 is in that developmental phases or rookie. 0:15:15.785 --> 0:15:19.505 Did you think though that maybe uh, releasing Michael Jordan, 0:15:19.625 --> 0:15:21.905 as they've done now from the practice squad as well, 0:15:22.145 --> 0:15:24.585 after signing him back at first day, he's starting, then 0:15:24.625 --> 0:15:27.305 he's demoted, then he's resigned with the practice squad, then 0:15:27.305 --> 0:15:30.065 he's cut out, Right, Wasn't that kind of like the 0:15:30.225 --> 0:15:31.945 on the baby out with the bath water. I mean, 0:15:32.025 --> 0:15:34.505 you know, I realized they really like Leydon Robinson, even 0:15:34.505 --> 0:15:37.305 though Robinson was one of, if not the lowest rated 0:15:37.545 --> 0:15:40.025 offensive lineman in the NFL last week by PFF. And 0:15:40.065 --> 0:15:42.265 I'm like, okay, so why did they get rid of 0:15:42.265 --> 0:15:44.585 a guy who started all these games when they could 0:15:44.585 --> 0:15:46.145 have kept him on at least for insurance for the 0:15:46.225 --> 0:15:48.265 last four weeks. Didn't make any sense to me. 0:15:48.465 --> 0:15:51.705 So I think that the biggest thing is is that 0:15:51.705 --> 0:15:54.585 they obviously want to get Leyden Robinson reps and get 0:15:54.665 --> 0:15:55.545 him experienced. 0:15:55.785 --> 0:15:57.865 But to cut a guy, what if Laydon Robinson gets 0:15:57.905 --> 0:15:58.425 hurt this week? 0:15:58.465 --> 0:16:01.945 Well well, I also think that they they feel like 0:16:02.065 --> 0:16:05.185 Cold Strange is nearing a return as well. And so 0:16:05.265 --> 0:16:09.625 when you have Robinson Strange in city, so you're now 0:16:09.625 --> 0:16:14.265 talking about three guards that you've drafted recently, relatively high 0:16:14.625 --> 0:16:17.985 on all three of those guys, You're at this point 0:16:17.985 --> 0:16:20.385 in the season at three and ten, like, just play 0:16:20.385 --> 0:16:22.745 one of the kids, you know, and see what happens there. 0:16:23.505 --> 0:16:27.225 I asked Alex van Pelt last week, I want to say, 0:16:27.585 --> 0:16:31.465 you know, what, is there is there one thing with 0:16:31.585 --> 0:16:34.545 the pass protection that you point at that's that's like 0:16:34.585 --> 0:16:38.625 the biggest issue right now. Everybody loses blocks and things 0:16:38.705 --> 0:16:41.505 like that, But is there a common thread to any 0:16:41.585 --> 0:16:44.225 of the issues, and the thing that he mentioned was 0:16:44.705 --> 0:16:48.585 picking up stunts, you know, postline movement like stunts, picks 0:16:49.185 --> 0:16:52.025 that that type of stuff, And I would say that 0:16:52.065 --> 0:16:55.265 Michael Jordan was probably the biggest issue on a lot 0:16:55.305 --> 0:16:58.465 of those and so that it made sense that he 0:16:58.585 --> 0:17:01.105 was the one to go after getting that comment from 0:17:01.185 --> 0:17:03.785 Van Pelt that they feel like that's their biggest issue 0:17:03.825 --> 0:17:06.665 right now is picking up you know, those moving parts 0:17:06.705 --> 0:17:09.905 on the defensive line. And the guy that seemed to 0:17:09.945 --> 0:17:12.544 stand out as the biggest issue with that is no 0:17:12.625 --> 0:17:15.665 longer on the team. So maybe that was part of 0:17:15.665 --> 0:17:18.145 the reason for it as well, just from an actual 0:17:18.225 --> 0:17:21.665 film perspective of like why Michael Jordan was benched and 0:17:21.705 --> 0:17:22.465 eventually let go. 0:17:22.585 --> 0:17:24.345 You know, we've been told that, you know, Cole Strange 0:17:24.425 --> 0:17:27.065 is working his way back, but with very little time 0:17:27.145 --> 0:17:28.505 left to go, is he going. 0:17:28.345 --> 0:17:32.984 To expect him to be activated here before his window 0:17:33.025 --> 0:17:35.745 is up? I mean, Girod Mayo keeps saying that he's 0:17:35.744 --> 0:17:38.145 going to play this year. The question that I have 0:17:38.345 --> 0:17:41.384 is where is he going to play? Because you're not 0:17:41.465 --> 0:17:44.625 moving on WHENU that that's for certain at this point. 0:17:45.025 --> 0:17:47.625 They want to get Laden Robinson all this experience, so 0:17:47.744 --> 0:17:50.665 really the spot is center, and I said earlier in 0:17:50.665 --> 0:17:52.745 the week that I didn't feel like Ben Brown deserves 0:17:52.785 --> 0:17:55.145 to get benched, and I still believe that, but I 0:17:55.145 --> 0:17:58.105 would also I also believe that throwing Cole Strange into 0:17:58.145 --> 0:18:03.024 an NFL game at center without any real experience playing 0:18:03.065 --> 0:18:07.705 but the position isn't very fair. Yeah, snapping line calls, 0:18:07.785 --> 0:18:10.304 like all the different things that go into being a center. 0:18:10.905 --> 0:18:13.145 I don't necessarily know if that's fair to Cole to 0:18:13.225 --> 0:18:15.744 then go ahead and throw him into an NFL regular 0:18:15.825 --> 0:18:19.545 season game, you know, coming off the bye week or whatever, 0:18:20.145 --> 0:18:23.585 without really ever playing the position in a game at 0:18:23.585 --> 0:18:26.945 any level college or the NFL. I talked to him 0:18:26.945 --> 0:18:28.505 about this a couple of weeks ago, and he said 0:18:28.504 --> 0:18:31.465 that the really the only center experience that he has, 0:18:31.945 --> 0:18:34.425 other than people telling him that he looks like a center, 0:18:34.825 --> 0:18:37.225 it was at a Senior Bowl. Yeah, in a practice, 0:18:37.345 --> 0:18:40.024 you know, practicing in the Senior Bowl down in Mobile, 0:18:40.025 --> 0:18:42.225 because the NFL teams wanted to see what he looked 0:18:42.264 --> 0:18:45.905 like playing center. If you gave him OTAs a training 0:18:45.945 --> 0:18:49.625 camp a preseason to ramp up to playing center, that's 0:18:49.665 --> 0:18:52.265 a different story than giving him three weeks of practice 0:18:52.264 --> 0:18:54.185 and then asking him to go play center in a 0:18:54.185 --> 0:18:55.145 regular season game. 0:18:55.225 --> 0:18:58.545 Okay, well, all right, so good explanation at any rate. 0:18:58.585 --> 0:19:00.064 I just you know, it seems to me that you know, 0:19:00.145 --> 0:19:01.984 you you want as much depth as you can get, 0:19:02.025 --> 0:19:04.145 but at the same time, at the expense of another 0:19:04.185 --> 0:19:06.264 position where they feel like they need the help. Okay, 0:19:06.305 --> 0:19:09.304 that's fine, But now the time is at three and 0:19:09.425 --> 0:19:12.264 ten officially eliminated from whatever. And even though realistically we 0:19:12.345 --> 0:19:15.504 know there wouldn't anything to be paying for anyway, but 0:19:15.625 --> 0:19:17.865 this is when the younger guy should be playing. This 0:19:18.025 --> 0:19:20.665 is when we should find out, Okay, who's worth keeping, 0:19:21.065 --> 0:19:24.225 who's worth reupping, if they're if they've got a deal up, 0:19:24.225 --> 0:19:28.304 who's worth you know, uh, you know, bringing back or 0:19:28.345 --> 0:19:31.105 you know, not trading, or maybe we have somebody with 0:19:31.145 --> 0:19:33.064 you know that's worth a couple of trade hits on 0:19:33.145 --> 0:19:35.064 down the line. I mean, this is when you have 0:19:35.105 --> 0:19:38.185 to do your real evaluation. In other words, twenty twenty 0:19:38.225 --> 0:19:41.265 five is beginning now. If it hadn't begun already, it 0:19:41.345 --> 0:19:44.625 is now during this bye week, twenty twenty five is 0:19:44.625 --> 0:19:50.105 already here. The process of identifying who and where it 0:19:50.225 --> 0:19:52.225 begins now, and then when you get into the off 0:19:52.225 --> 0:19:55.185 season obviously it'll continue and build up until you get 0:19:55.185 --> 0:19:57.945 to the point of drafting in April and you know, 0:19:57.984 --> 0:20:00.105 mini camps and camps and things like that next May 0:20:00.145 --> 0:20:03.264 and June. So with an eye toward the future like this, 0:20:03.425 --> 0:20:06.345 that's why I'm asking the question, give me one good thing, 0:20:06.425 --> 0:20:09.544 one bad thing, and one ugly thing that you know 0:20:11.065 --> 0:20:13.865 needs to You can have a bad thing and hope 0:20:13.865 --> 0:20:15.784 that it can change or feel like he can change 0:20:15.825 --> 0:20:18.465 with more work or more time, But an ugly thing 0:20:18.545 --> 0:20:23.425 is gonna mean no hope. Yeah, okay, born ugly. Sorry kid, 0:20:23.504 --> 0:20:25.825 you ain't gonna make it. You're gonna be an unugly adult. 0:20:26.185 --> 0:20:29.665 And you know, we got a pork chop for your neck, 0:20:30.305 --> 0:20:33.465 you know, so the dog will play with you. That's ugly. Okay, 0:20:33.625 --> 0:20:34.625 do you want me to give you mine? 0:20:34.665 --> 0:20:34.825 Now? 0:20:34.905 --> 0:20:35.785 Go all right? 0:20:35.865 --> 0:20:38.265 So I would say, you know, just to put them 0:20:38.264 --> 0:20:40.625 both together in the good category, so it's not all 0:20:40.744 --> 0:20:43.505 just Drake. Drake, Drake, right, Drake's obviously a good thing. 0:20:43.625 --> 0:20:45.304 Like we we can all see it. We can all 0:20:45.345 --> 0:20:48.145 see the talent with Drake. A lot of upside there 0:20:48.705 --> 0:20:49.065 right now. 0:20:49.065 --> 0:20:50.745 It's kind of low hanging fruit though, you know. 0:20:50.785 --> 0:20:53.225 Yeah, like Drake, right, now, to me, is already playing 0:20:53.225 --> 0:20:57.785 winning football at the quarterback position, and the stats bear 0:20:57.905 --> 0:21:00.665 that out. You know, he's a winning player right now 0:21:00.705 --> 0:21:02.945 for the Patriots on Sunday in this game against the Colts. 0:21:02.945 --> 0:21:05.785 He was a winning player started earlier in the year 0:21:06.465 --> 0:21:10.545 in that game. So he's on his way. You're right, 0:21:10.585 --> 0:21:13.145 it's not a complete finished product, but but he's well 0:21:13.145 --> 0:21:16.024 on his way sure to being a franchise quarterback in 0:21:16.025 --> 0:21:19.744 this league. I would also put him together with Christian Gonzales. 0:21:19.785 --> 0:21:22.625 I think the one thing that one beacon of hope 0:21:22.665 --> 0:21:26.225 that I have for this roster right now, no coaching excluded, 0:21:26.545 --> 0:21:29.665 just from the roster perspective, is that you have pillars 0:21:29.665 --> 0:21:31.544 on both side to the football to build around. You 0:21:31.545 --> 0:21:34.345 have Drake Mayet quarterback on the offense. You have Christian 0:21:34.345 --> 0:21:38.065 Gonzales at cornerback on the defense. So now everything else 0:21:38.145 --> 0:21:40.824 can kind of be built around the fact that you 0:21:40.905 --> 0:21:43.905 already have these two blue chip guys to be the 0:21:43.945 --> 0:21:46.665 guy on those sides of the football. So that's good. 0:21:46.825 --> 0:21:49.185 That's a step one For a lot of teams. You 0:21:49.185 --> 0:21:51.225 don't get to that step right. A lot of regimes 0:21:51.225 --> 0:21:53.544 never get there. So it's good that they hit on 0:21:53.585 --> 0:21:55.784 those in back to back first rounds that they have 0:21:55.945 --> 0:21:59.305 those two guys now. So with Gonzales, it's get another 0:21:59.345 --> 0:22:02.785 outside corner on the opposite side. To your point about 0:22:02.785 --> 0:22:05.304 the last four weeks, maybe that's Alex Austin. You know, 0:22:05.345 --> 0:22:07.185 maybe he plays really good football. 0:22:07.465 --> 0:22:10.865 We've seen, we've seen improvement in play without a doubt. 0:22:10.905 --> 0:22:13.505 Yeah, he played well down the stretch last year, played well. 0:22:13.545 --> 0:22:16.264 I thought on Sunday, Let's see if it happens for 0:22:16.345 --> 0:22:19.504 four straight weeks against good teams. You know, Buffalo Chargers 0:22:19.905 --> 0:22:22.984 Arizona is a fringe playoff team. So he's gonna have 0:22:23.025 --> 0:22:25.705 some tests. He's gonna have, he's gonna be tested. So 0:22:25.744 --> 0:22:28.305 let's see what it looks like for Alex Austin. Maybe 0:22:28.345 --> 0:22:31.705 that's him. You know, obviously you need pass rush, you 0:22:31.744 --> 0:22:33.744 know that. I'll get to that in the second. But 0:22:34.145 --> 0:22:37.265 the general point is is that you have some some pillars, 0:22:37.264 --> 0:22:40.945 some building blocks in those two guys that are at 0:22:40.945 --> 0:22:45.225 premium positions, that are young rookie contract players and guys 0:22:45.225 --> 0:22:47.185 that you just drafted in the first round the last 0:22:47.185 --> 0:22:48.705 two years. And that's the name of the game, like, 0:22:48.785 --> 0:22:51.225 that's the way out. The way out is to draft well. 0:22:51.625 --> 0:22:54.385 The way out is to draft well. And we can 0:22:54.504 --> 0:22:58.145 argue about the rounds two through seven last year, and 0:22:58.185 --> 0:23:00.665 I'm not arguing like it's not been good, so there's 0:23:00.665 --> 0:23:03.785 no argument there for me. But first round the last 0:23:03.785 --> 0:23:06.665 two years, they nailed both picks. They got great players 0:23:06.665 --> 0:23:07.945 with both picks. 0:23:07.705 --> 0:23:10.824 They just need they need depth. They just they just 0:23:10.865 --> 0:23:13.065 need depth with the within the draft because of all 0:23:13.105 --> 0:23:16.705 the multiple examples of coming up short where that's concerned. 0:23:16.705 --> 0:23:18.705 All Right, so we know what the good is. Did 0:23:18.744 --> 0:23:19.945 you identify bad? 0:23:20.744 --> 0:23:22.984 So I would say the bad thing to me to 0:23:23.025 --> 0:23:28.545 just to piggyback off that, you know, the draft outside 0:23:28.705 --> 0:23:30.905 of Drake May last year wasn't good enough. 0:23:31.665 --> 0:23:34.945 And I don't roster building. 0:23:35.105 --> 0:23:38.385 Yeah, Like I don't necessarily think that those guys you 0:23:38.385 --> 0:23:40.865 know you said ugly is like this has got to change, right, 0:23:40.984 --> 0:23:42.985 Like something major has got to change. 0:23:42.825 --> 0:23:44.345 That can improve over time. 0:23:45.305 --> 0:23:48.744 Ugly shot right, So I'm trying to, you know, on 0:23:48.785 --> 0:23:51.105 that side of the street. I I definitely feel like 0:23:52.305 --> 0:23:56.905 I'm willing to give Elliott wolf in this personnel department another. 0:23:56.625 --> 0:23:58.065 Draft interesting but. 0:23:59.545 --> 0:24:02.185 At least is short, right, like this is this is it? 0:24:02.385 --> 0:24:03.545 You got one more draft? 0:24:03.785 --> 0:24:04.025 Basic? 0:24:05.545 --> 0:24:07.665 Yeah, And I will say that you know, as somebody 0:24:07.705 --> 0:24:11.305 that that studies the draft religiously and is big into 0:24:11.345 --> 0:24:14.385 the draft for a while. Now, what one of the 0:24:14.425 --> 0:24:17.825 hardest things to do in the draft is it's easy 0:24:17.865 --> 0:24:20.984 to draft first round picks, especially at the top of 0:24:21.025 --> 0:24:24.265 the first round. I'm not trying to give them zero 0:24:24.345 --> 0:24:27.665 credit for Drake okay, like some people are saying. But 0:24:27.744 --> 0:24:30.024 at the same time, you and I John could have 0:24:30.225 --> 0:24:33.705 picked Drake May And I think Elliot Wolf would admit that. 0:24:33.984 --> 0:24:34.905 You know, he's He's. 0:24:34.705 --> 0:24:37.625 Said to me, would Daniels That's just me. 0:24:37.744 --> 0:24:39.705 Yeah, he said to me in the past in the 0:24:39.705 --> 0:24:41.705 interview last year. I think at the combine was like, 0:24:41.984 --> 0:24:45.984 that's not what separates good talent evaluators. Is not the 0:24:46.025 --> 0:24:49.865 first round with good talent evaluators or days two and three? 0:24:50.305 --> 0:24:54.024 Can you find players on days two and three in 0:24:54.105 --> 0:24:57.105 the draft? Because everybody can find players in the first. 0:24:56.984 --> 0:24:57.625 Round, of course. 0:24:57.945 --> 0:25:00.905 So when I look at the draft last year, and 0:25:00.945 --> 0:25:02.504 then I would also say, when I look at the 0:25:02.545 --> 0:25:06.064 draft in twenty three, Kean White's a good player? Is 0:25:06.065 --> 0:25:08.145 he great? I don't know, good player though? 0:25:08.225 --> 0:25:08.385 Right? 0:25:08.504 --> 0:25:09.305 NFL Playalid? 0:25:09.425 --> 0:25:11.784 Yeah, an NFL caliber player, You're right, but he hasn't 0:25:11.865 --> 0:25:14.665 quite turned out to be the world beater that we 0:25:14.705 --> 0:25:15.344 thought he would be. 0:25:15.705 --> 0:25:17.505 Not quite, but I would say that he is an 0:25:17.585 --> 0:25:21.024 NFL caliber starter. You know, he's a starting NFL player 0:25:21.025 --> 0:25:23.425 in this league. So I'll give you the first two 0:25:23.504 --> 0:25:28.185 rounds in twenty three, but everything else, you know, I 0:25:28.225 --> 0:25:30.385 guess you. You know, to Mario Douglas in the sixth 0:25:30.425 --> 0:25:33.625 round was a nice pick, okay, but you had a 0:25:33.665 --> 0:25:36.065 lot of other misses in there. You know, just looking 0:25:36.105 --> 0:25:38.705 at the fourth round a couple of years ago, you 0:25:38.744 --> 0:25:42.345 know they picked Chad Ryland is not even on the team, yep, right, 0:25:42.425 --> 0:25:45.825 Like I mean it just Jake Andrews has not played 0:25:45.865 --> 0:25:49.864 a real meaningful snap for this Patriots team, either been 0:25:49.905 --> 0:25:52.745 hurt or he's been down on the depth chart. He's 0:25:52.744 --> 0:25:54.865 a fourth round pick a couple of years ago in 0:25:54.905 --> 0:25:59.585 twenty three, jay Von Baker and Jalen Polk disaster, I'm sorry, 0:25:59.785 --> 0:26:03.945 just disaster rookie season like that, that's what it is. 0:26:04.105 --> 0:26:06.304 The two of those guys have twelve combined catches. I 0:26:06.305 --> 0:26:07.984 don't know what else to call it. Like it just 0:26:09.065 --> 0:26:11.705 it has not been good. So they have to find 0:26:11.744 --> 0:26:15.344 a way to improve the Days two and three drafting 0:26:15.385 --> 0:26:18.105 because they're gonna have another top five pick, top eight pick, 0:26:18.145 --> 0:26:20.705 whatever it's gonna end up being in the draft this year. 0:26:20.705 --> 0:26:22.785 And my expectation is that that will be a good 0:26:22.785 --> 0:26:26.065 football player. It's pretty hard to miss that high up 0:26:26.185 --> 0:26:28.425 in the draft, so I would expect that to be 0:26:28.465 --> 0:26:30.544 a pretty good player. But what do you do with 0:26:30.585 --> 0:26:32.705 the rest of your draft picks? Is how you get 0:26:32.705 --> 0:26:34.984 out of this? You know, I'll look at the Commanders 0:26:35.504 --> 0:26:38.465 quickly Brandon Coleman as their starting left tackle. He was 0:26:38.545 --> 0:26:43.344 drafted in the third round last year, rookie third rounder. Okay, 0:26:43.744 --> 0:26:48.945 Mike Sanstra, local kid went to Everett High, Michigan, another 0:26:49.065 --> 0:26:51.585 day two draft pick. Right, like, those are the guys 0:26:51.625 --> 0:26:54.745 that are contributing around Jayden Daniels right now in Washington. 0:26:55.145 --> 0:26:57.545 That's how you get out of this is by drafting well, 0:26:57.825 --> 0:26:59.545 so they got to figure that out right now. It's 0:26:59.545 --> 0:27:02.225 been bad. It hasn't been ugly yet, but it's been. 0:27:02.145 --> 0:27:06.024 Bad, all right, so bad. I think I would concur 0:27:06.185 --> 0:27:07.625 with a lot of what you had to say. But 0:27:07.665 --> 0:27:11.225 what about ugly? What needs changing yesterday? 0:27:12.185 --> 0:27:15.905 I would say to again make it both sides of 0:27:15.905 --> 0:27:18.385 the ball, to spread around the blame pie here a 0:27:18.425 --> 0:27:23.824 little bit trench play, trench play, and I feel like 0:27:23.865 --> 0:27:24.984 you're the same way as me. 0:27:25.305 --> 0:27:28.145 Well, yeah, the games are one in the one and 0:27:28.185 --> 0:27:29.545 lost on the line. On the lines. 0:27:29.545 --> 0:27:32.145 Just I know everybody wants to talk about the receivers. No, 0:27:32.305 --> 0:27:35.105 I know everybody wants to talk about the quarterbacks. Nope, 0:27:35.225 --> 0:27:39.945 football is won in the trenches. The Patriots right now, offensively, 0:27:40.385 --> 0:27:44.345 according to win rate ESPN Metric, they are thirty second 0:27:44.385 --> 0:27:47.985 in pass blocking and they are thirty first in run blocking, 0:27:48.504 --> 0:27:51.784 so they have statistically the worst offensive line in the NFL, 0:27:52.025 --> 0:27:53.385 and I think all of us can just see that 0:27:53.425 --> 0:27:57.905 by the eye test. Defensively, the Patriots are twenty seventh 0:27:57.984 --> 0:28:01.825 in pressure rate on defense. They don't get after the quarterback, 0:28:02.625 --> 0:28:04.625 especially when they only use a four men rush, where 0:28:04.625 --> 0:28:06.905 they're thirty first in the league in pressure rate when 0:28:06.905 --> 0:28:09.505 they only send four guys. So they just don't get 0:28:09.545 --> 0:28:12.385 pressure on the quarterback. And as we saw on Sunday, 0:28:12.585 --> 0:28:14.625 when they play a team that can run the ball 0:28:14.625 --> 0:28:16.665 and lean on you, they don't stop to run either. 0:28:17.065 --> 0:28:20.064 So as much as I love Drake and as much 0:28:20.105 --> 0:28:23.104 as I love Gonzo, if Gonzales has to cover for 0:28:23.145 --> 0:28:25.984 four seconds every single time, because nobody's getting to the quarterback. 0:28:26.905 --> 0:28:29.145 And if Drake May is running for his life all day. 0:28:29.025 --> 0:28:30.025 Long, he's gonna get hurt. 0:28:30.025 --> 0:28:32.905 So we don't have a football team. Yeah, so something 0:28:32.984 --> 0:28:36.185 absolutely needs to change on both sides of the football. 0:28:36.625 --> 0:28:39.065 In the trenches. They have to improve the roster in 0:28:39.105 --> 0:28:42.745 those areas first and foremost. Then you can get your 0:28:42.785 --> 0:28:45.665 fancy receiver. Then you can get your you know, your 0:28:45.705 --> 0:28:49.185 Teed McMillan, your Travis Hunter, your t Higgins. I'm not 0:28:49.185 --> 0:28:50.985 saying you can't do it all at once, but you 0:28:51.145 --> 0:28:55.425 have to put real resources into pass rush and into 0:28:55.465 --> 0:28:56.105 pass blocking. 0:28:56.225 --> 0:28:59.225 Okay, that's it. Well I'm gonna go. I'll give you 0:28:59.265 --> 0:29:00.985 my good, bad, and ugly and let's sort of compare 0:29:01.025 --> 0:29:03.385 and contrast here because I'm not gonna go for the 0:29:03.425 --> 0:29:06.025 low hanging fruit on Drake May because I think we 0:29:06.065 --> 0:29:09.225 all realize he is the future of this franchise. But 0:29:09.345 --> 0:29:12.065 in terms of you know, position and players that I 0:29:12.105 --> 0:29:15.025 think have done better maybe than expected, I got to 0:29:15.065 --> 0:29:18.945 go with the tight ends. I think both. First of all, 0:29:19.025 --> 0:29:22.425 Hunter Henry is tough. Yeah, well he did. He get 0:29:22.465 --> 0:29:25.225 his nogg and knots times a couple of times this 0:29:25.305 --> 0:29:27.585 past week. And then what I've seen of Washington Hooper, 0:29:27.625 --> 0:29:31.185 I like, I think I think he's really improved over 0:29:31.225 --> 0:29:33.265 the course of this season, So I would give that 0:29:33.345 --> 0:29:36.865 a definite uppick uptick. I think that'll make you know, Claire, uh, 0:29:36.905 --> 0:29:39.025 you know, Clasi Claire very happy that we were talking 0:29:39.025 --> 0:29:42.585 about tight ends today. But I think that's a good 0:29:42.785 --> 0:29:46.624 and I'd like to see that maintained, if not eventually improved. 0:29:46.905 --> 0:29:50.305 As far as bad is concerned, I can't disagree I 0:29:50.785 --> 0:29:54.985 with your choices over the the you know, the the 0:29:54.985 --> 0:30:00.505 personnel selections, and I think I'm gonna sort of mirror it, 0:30:00.545 --> 0:30:03.145 but I'm also gonna say I'm gonna move the trench 0:30:03.185 --> 0:30:05.584 play as you talked about the line of scrimmage is 0:30:05.585 --> 0:30:07.945 how I had termed it, line of scrimmage. On both 0:30:07.985 --> 0:30:10.945 sides of the ball, that's been bad. Yeah, I don't 0:30:10.945 --> 0:30:12.545 really think you can see a lot of good out 0:30:12.545 --> 0:30:15.505 of anything from you know, you've seen blips, and you've 0:30:15.505 --> 0:30:18.665 seen you know flips, and you've seen moments of brilliance, 0:30:18.825 --> 0:30:23.145 and you've seen moments of absolute utter ineptitude, you know, 0:30:23.265 --> 0:30:26.385 and moments of absolute you know, brain cramp when the 0:30:26.385 --> 0:30:28.785 offense gets a rare big play and it's called back 0:30:28.785 --> 0:30:32.865 because of holding number seventy one. We'll get them into business, 0:30:32.905 --> 0:30:35.625 you know, doing one of those things. Right. But so 0:30:35.825 --> 0:30:38.425 I gotta put the offensive line in defensive line, both 0:30:38.705 --> 0:30:43.825 in the bad as far as ugly. I to me, 0:30:44.425 --> 0:30:47.785 I'm not gonna call necessarily for anybody to be fired, yeah, 0:30:47.825 --> 0:30:51.225 because I don't think it's gonna happen this year. I 0:30:51.265 --> 0:30:53.225 think that, you know, there probably will be some kick 0:30:53.345 --> 0:30:56.065 of the tires. I think that there will be calls 0:30:56.105 --> 0:30:58.505 made around the league. You know, hey, would you or 0:30:58.745 --> 0:31:00.745 you know, could you consider or this or that? And 0:31:00.785 --> 0:31:03.145 you know, if some things come available, you know, after 0:31:03.505 --> 0:31:05.584 Black Monday comes in the NFL, you know, when all 0:31:05.625 --> 0:31:08.185 the coaches are gone, I'm sure we're gonna have seven, eight, 0:31:08.225 --> 0:31:10.864 maybe even nine head coaching jobs open in the NFL 0:31:10.905 --> 0:31:14.745 at some point before you know, the twenty twenty four 0:31:14.785 --> 0:31:17.185 season is completed, once we get to the playoff round, right, 0:31:18.305 --> 0:31:26.425 I just think something has to happen upstairs. And I 0:31:26.425 --> 0:31:28.985 don't think the coaching staff can come back as it 0:31:29.065 --> 0:31:33.465 is presently constituted. I don't think the scouting staff can 0:31:33.505 --> 0:31:37.665 come back as presently constituted. There needs to be a change. Now. 0:31:37.665 --> 0:31:39.625 I'm not calling for Elliott Wolf to be fired. I'm 0:31:39.625 --> 0:31:42.705 not even calling for DeMarcus Covening to be fired because again, 0:31:42.745 --> 0:31:45.585 as far as the coaches are concerned, look, I think 0:31:45.785 --> 0:31:48.385 they need to be given a couple of years to 0:31:48.465 --> 0:31:50.785 see if you know, where we stand and can they 0:31:50.785 --> 0:31:53.065 improve upon it. That goes for Gerard too, And I 0:31:53.145 --> 0:31:56.105 know that people here locally are going absolutely ape bleep 0:31:56.185 --> 0:31:58.905 over Gerard and how the Patriots should think about letting 0:31:58.985 --> 0:32:01.985 him go after a year. I disagree. I totally disagree. 0:32:02.025 --> 0:32:03.985 I think that's throwing the baby out with the bathwater. 0:32:04.105 --> 0:32:06.305 Now for whatever reason, you know, mister Craft ended up 0:32:06.385 --> 0:32:08.385 hiring him. Well, that's up to mister Craft and and 0:32:08.585 --> 0:32:11.425 and up to Jonathan and and up to Gerard and 0:32:11.745 --> 0:32:14.265 those that were involved there. The proof is going to 0:32:14.305 --> 0:32:16.465 come in the pudding by this time next year, okay. 0:32:16.825 --> 0:32:19.665 And if this team struggles with four or five six 0:32:19.705 --> 0:32:22.344 wins next year, uh, he's gone. He has to be 0:32:22.385 --> 0:32:25.665 gone because this is a business. And Gerard even understands 0:32:25.665 --> 0:32:27.705 that because he's been in the media and he understands 0:32:27.705 --> 0:32:30.025 that before you know, after he you know, left the team, 0:32:30.225 --> 0:32:33.385 then he got back into coaching, and so that's gonna 0:32:33.385 --> 0:32:38.505 take care of itself. But let's see now, if personnel 0:32:38.545 --> 0:32:41.985 can do their job, strike it rich three or four 0:32:42.065 --> 0:32:46.705 draft picks, do even better within free agency to fill 0:32:46.745 --> 0:32:48.905 these gaps and give this team a not only some 0:32:49.025 --> 0:32:53.305 bonafide go to talent all around the field, but also 0:32:53.345 --> 0:32:55.065 a little bit of depth. You gotta have a modicum 0:32:55.065 --> 0:32:58.545 of depth here to be able to survive seventeen weeks. 0:32:58.705 --> 0:33:00.865 You know, the Patriots had their bye week here in 0:33:00.905 --> 0:33:05.665 week fourteen. Yeah, Gemini, Christmas man, that's late. That's almost 0:33:05.745 --> 0:33:08.625 that's almost unfair. But I heard this week from some 0:33:08.665 --> 0:33:11.265 of the players, you know, when they practiced earlier this 0:33:11.305 --> 0:33:15.305 week Monday. I guess it was that it sort of said, 0:33:15.345 --> 0:33:17.305 you know, hey, all things being able, it's great to 0:33:17.345 --> 0:33:19.225 have the week off, but I almost wish we just 0:33:19.225 --> 0:33:21.745 went ahead and played through, which tells me they got 0:33:21.745 --> 0:33:24.185 a mentality of a it's onto the next. This one 0:33:24.225 --> 0:33:26.545 ain't working out, it's we're onto the next. And I'm 0:33:26.625 --> 0:33:28.145 kind of that way too, to be honest with you, 0:33:28.145 --> 0:33:29.865 I'm like, all right, look, that's why I mentioned off 0:33:29.905 --> 0:33:32.745 the top of the program today. Look twenty twenty five begins. Now, 0:33:32.825 --> 0:33:36.505 this is it bye week. You've got you know, you know, 0:33:36.665 --> 0:33:39.425 four weeks left in the regular season, you got to 0:33:39.425 --> 0:33:42.505 play Buffalo twice, which I also think is insane not 0:33:42.545 --> 0:33:44.105 to play Buffalo before you get to the end of 0:33:44.145 --> 0:33:46.945 the year and everything's already been decided. Now, maybe that's 0:33:46.985 --> 0:33:48.505 the fault of the you know, other teams in the 0:33:48.545 --> 0:33:51.465 AFC East more than it is the Buffalo Bills. I 0:33:51.505 --> 0:33:53.025 would tell you that I think the Patriots have a 0:33:53.105 --> 0:33:54.825 chance to win at least one of those games, because 0:33:54.825 --> 0:33:56.385 I don't think Buffalo is gonna play everybody at the 0:33:56.425 --> 0:33:58.145 end of the year. They've already clenched everything that they're 0:33:58.145 --> 0:34:00.624 gonna need to clinch. So it's quite possible the Patriots 0:34:00.625 --> 0:34:02.625 to be playing the Buffalo b team, you know, and 0:34:02.665 --> 0:34:05.145 they might actually get some kind of a you know, 0:34:05.265 --> 0:34:07.545 representative appearance, have not a win out of the deal. 0:34:07.665 --> 0:34:09.105 That would not be good for the draft pick. 0:34:09.225 --> 0:34:11.825 John, No, it would not be. But I'm just saying 0:34:11.945 --> 0:34:14.145 the guys that are on this team and in this 0:34:14.265 --> 0:34:18.145 organization now, they don't care about that they're fighting for 0:34:18.225 --> 0:34:19.985 the jobs that I just talked about because they know 0:34:20.025 --> 0:34:22.865 that Hey, okay, maybe I get a pass now, but 0:34:22.985 --> 0:34:26.825 I know that my performance is under the microp the microscope, 0:34:26.825 --> 0:34:30.424 all right, so I got to play. I need player, 0:34:30.425 --> 0:34:32.025 I need to kick somebody's ass. I need to do 0:34:32.145 --> 0:34:34.665 something in order to make an impression on people. And 0:34:34.705 --> 0:34:38.025 so is that looking at the overall good of the organization. 0:34:38.065 --> 0:34:40.305 Of course not. It's very much a me, me I 0:34:40.305 --> 0:34:42.384 I I think. And even though we know the old 0:34:42.384 --> 0:34:45.225 adage there's no I in team, I would tell you, well, 0:34:45.265 --> 0:34:46.584 there ain't no me or we either. 0:34:46.864 --> 0:34:48.825 Yeah. I would never advocate. 0:34:48.384 --> 0:34:52.904 Actually there is me. I wouldn't there is me in team? Right, yeah, yes, 0:34:53.185 --> 0:34:53.625 but not we. 0:34:54.265 --> 0:34:58.105 I would never advocate for tanking or. 0:35:00.665 --> 0:35:01.625 All right, all right, alright. 0:35:03.864 --> 0:35:07.385 I would never advocate for tanking on any level, especially 0:35:07.384 --> 0:35:09.145 the player level. I would never expect any of those 0:35:09.145 --> 0:35:11.305 guys to go out there and dog it and lose games. 0:35:11.305 --> 0:35:13.545 But uh, you know, I'm glad you brought up the 0:35:13.545 --> 0:35:16.825 coaching because I probably should have included that in the 0:35:17.025 --> 0:35:19.305 draft and in the personnel side of things, because it's 0:35:19.344 --> 0:35:22.024 kind of all one. Leadership is like sort of one 0:35:22.065 --> 0:35:24.545 thing to me with this team right now, And I 0:35:24.864 --> 0:35:28.505 do think you know, from a coaching perspective, obviously you 0:35:28.585 --> 0:35:32.825 hope that Girod takes the game management experiences that have 0:35:32.905 --> 0:35:35.984 k not gone his way this year and learns from 0:35:36.065 --> 0:35:40.944 them and makes it. You know, he's not an error repeater, sure, 0:35:41.425 --> 0:35:43.585 so that they get better at the end the halves, 0:35:43.625 --> 0:35:45.944 so that they get better at closing out games. And 0:35:46.025 --> 0:35:49.904 you mentioned earlier that you know, that's the league in 0:35:50.025 --> 0:35:52.585 terms of one score games and in close games and 0:35:52.745 --> 0:35:56.305 finishing these games. I saw a stat earlier this week 0:35:56.384 --> 0:36:00.665 that three hundred and seven of three hundred and eighty 0:36:00.705 --> 0:36:04.065 one games this year have been decided by one score, 0:36:04.825 --> 0:36:08.185 which is eighty percent of the games in the NFL. 0:36:09.225 --> 0:36:11.705 So you got to find a way to get over 0:36:11.705 --> 0:36:13.705 the hump. We can't even get this team can't get 0:36:13.705 --> 0:36:16.504 over the hump to be competitive because we know they're 0:36:16.505 --> 0:36:18.504 gonna come up short in the end. Right, you got 0:36:18.505 --> 0:36:20.344 to find a way to go beyond that and then 0:36:20.384 --> 0:36:22.545 a little bit more in order to win those close games. 0:36:22.625 --> 0:36:25.625 Right, So these close games, that's the league, like these 0:36:25.785 --> 0:36:28.424 coin flip games. As I like the column where there's 0:36:28.505 --> 0:36:30.785 one score games that get come down to the wire. 0:36:31.585 --> 0:36:34.025 The teams that win those games go to the playoffs, 0:36:34.025 --> 0:36:36.505 and the teams that don't there where the Patriots are 0:36:36.705 --> 0:36:37.984 right are pick in the top ten. 0:36:38.025 --> 0:36:39.825 And you know, Evan, it's been great that the Patriots 0:36:39.864 --> 0:36:41.945 actually been somewhat competitive all the one school games that 0:36:41.985 --> 0:36:42.665 they've actually been. 0:36:42.585 --> 0:36:43.305 Involved seven of them. 0:36:43.344 --> 0:36:46.384 Yeah, so okay, but they didn't win any of those. 0:36:46.384 --> 0:36:48.384 Well they're they're two and five in those seven to 0:36:48.384 --> 0:36:49.265 one score games. 0:36:49.465 --> 0:36:51.624 Doesn't seem like they want any well, I mean. 0:36:51.825 --> 0:36:52.864 That's not winning very many. 0:36:52.985 --> 0:36:55.185 Like, I'm not to your point like that left that 0:36:55.225 --> 0:36:56.864 to the other side. You got a team that's in 0:36:56.864 --> 0:36:58.145 the hunt for a playoffs spot. 0:36:58.065 --> 0:37:01.344 Right, right, And so this this not that any I'm 0:37:01.665 --> 0:37:04.065 this might be a straw man, but like this notion 0:37:04.225 --> 0:37:07.705 that there's a lot of blowouts in the NFL, there 0:37:07.745 --> 0:37:11.504 really isn't. No, there really isn't. And uh And so 0:37:11.665 --> 0:37:14.265 what you get at, you know, all of this is 0:37:14.384 --> 0:37:18.384 that a lot of these coaching decisions that people like 0:37:18.505 --> 0:37:20.864 us in the media you go over with a fine 0:37:20.905 --> 0:37:24.585 two comb Monday morning quarterback every single week, all these 0:37:24.625 --> 0:37:27.145 coaching decisions when you were in a twenty five to 0:37:27.225 --> 0:37:32.545 twenty four game are ascerbated, like these are important decisions 0:37:32.545 --> 0:37:34.585 within the course of the game. And and trust me, 0:37:35.145 --> 0:37:39.825 no one, no one hates talking game management more than me. 0:37:40.145 --> 0:37:44.025 I hate it. I cannot stand sitting here talking about 0:37:44.344 --> 0:37:46.985 time out usage and end of half and how you 0:37:47.025 --> 0:37:49.944 manage the clock and what plays you called on a 0:37:50.025 --> 0:37:52.825 dry following when intercept, I hate it. I don't have 0:37:52.864 --> 0:37:55.105 any time for it. But that being said, when you 0:37:55.145 --> 0:37:57.105 get down to a game like you did against the Colts, 0:37:57.585 --> 0:38:01.145 that decided the game. Yeah, and that's on the coaching, right, 0:38:01.185 --> 0:38:02.785 you know, it's to coaching. 0:38:02.665 --> 0:38:04.745 Has to be. Yeah, it has to be. I mean, 0:38:04.785 --> 0:38:07.064 you're sure it's on the players for execution, but hey, 0:38:07.105 --> 0:38:08.944 the players are only doing what the coaches ask them 0:38:08.945 --> 0:38:09.265 to do. 0:38:09.344 --> 0:38:11.145 Right, I mean, you know, just to go back to 0:38:11.185 --> 0:38:13.545 the to the end of the game on Sunday, you 0:38:13.585 --> 0:38:17.265 get that interception from Christian Gonzales. They call two straight 0:38:17.344 --> 0:38:20.745 runs on the next follow the following drive. The first 0:38:20.745 --> 0:38:22.145 down run is not the biggest issue. 0:38:22.145 --> 0:38:23.585 How long was that thirty second? 0:38:23.785 --> 0:38:25.785 Yeah, the first the first down run is not the issue, 0:38:25.785 --> 0:38:28.624 though the second and long run is the issue. Now 0:38:29.065 --> 0:38:31.065 there's a chance, and I don't I'm not in his 0:38:31.185 --> 0:38:34.504 head said or in his head, But Jake Drake might 0:38:34.545 --> 0:38:37.625 have checked into the second run. But it was a 0:38:37.705 --> 0:38:40.385 check situation where they were canning. 0:38:40.465 --> 0:38:40.585 Right. 0:38:40.585 --> 0:38:43.385 They had two plays called passing a run and based 0:38:43.425 --> 0:38:45.505 off the defense, he was supposed to decide if we 0:38:45.505 --> 0:38:47.424 were going to run it or pass it, right, And 0:38:48.344 --> 0:38:52.665 all I'm saying is is that in that moment, they 0:38:52.985 --> 0:38:54.745 might need to be a little bit more pedal to 0:38:54.785 --> 0:38:57.424 the medal next time. And that's what you hope that 0:38:57.505 --> 0:39:02.225 the Mayo. Yeah, but even if you're not, like if 0:39:02.265 --> 0:39:05.865 I have to imagine that, if like you know, Buffalo 0:39:06.225 --> 0:39:09.265 was in this similar situation, then in that spot to 0:39:09.305 --> 0:39:11.745 close out the game, they're putting the ball in Josh 0:39:11.785 --> 0:39:14.065 Allen's hands and they're expecting Josh Allen to go out 0:39:14.105 --> 0:39:16.984 there and win them a ball game. And especially when 0:39:17.025 --> 0:39:19.225 you look at the fact that really all you needed 0:39:19.305 --> 0:39:21.864 was like twenty yards to kick a field goal, you know, 0:39:21.905 --> 0:39:24.384 to put that game out of reach. So these are 0:39:24.384 --> 0:39:26.545 the things that you know, like I said earlier, you 0:39:26.625 --> 0:39:31.344 hope that Gerard Mayo downloads this information, is it, and 0:39:31.384 --> 0:39:34.265 then the next time that situation comes up, they handle 0:39:34.305 --> 0:39:36.944 the situation differently, right, And if they don't, if we 0:39:36.985 --> 0:39:39.904 aren't seeing that, then that's when you start to ask questions. 0:39:40.025 --> 0:39:43.705 Matt Saint Gene covers the Patriots, hosts the Pat's Nation 0:39:43.905 --> 0:39:47.464 Pod on COLNS Media, and also is a writer for 0:39:48.145 --> 0:39:52.024 Patriots pulpit, Pat's pulpit, if you will. He's at Matt 0:39:52.105 --> 0:39:54.904 sat dream on X. We asked him to join us 0:39:54.905 --> 0:39:56.545 in the program here today to kind of give us 0:39:56.585 --> 0:39:58.945 some of his perspective. Hey, Matt, how's it going, Bud? 0:40:00.344 --> 0:40:02.984 It's going very well. How are you guys doing good? 0:40:03.105 --> 0:40:05.904 Excellent? So I just I'm sure you've heard at least 0:40:05.905 --> 0:40:08.305 a little bit of the conversation here and just kind 0:40:08.305 --> 0:40:12.864 of curious overall, what's your take on where this team 0:40:12.985 --> 0:40:15.745 stands after thirteen weeks going into the bye week, and 0:40:16.384 --> 0:40:19.864 is this sort of the beginning of the end or 0:40:20.384 --> 0:40:22.665 the start of a new beginning? I guess might be 0:40:22.665 --> 0:40:23.864 the two comparisons here. 0:40:25.025 --> 0:40:27.665 Well, I agree with your assertion that this is kind 0:40:27.705 --> 0:40:31.545 of the start of twenty twenty five. Start now, I 0:40:31.545 --> 0:40:33.745 think that's going to start on the offensive line, where 0:40:33.785 --> 0:40:36.944 hopefully Cole Strange and Caden Wallace can get out there. 0:40:37.945 --> 0:40:39.625 And your last four. 0:40:39.465 --> 0:40:41.464 Games here, I think they're all going to be very tough. 0:40:41.465 --> 0:40:43.504 You've got a road game against the team that's trying 0:40:43.505 --> 0:40:46.705 to get into the playoffs in Arizona, two games against 0:40:46.745 --> 0:40:49.665 the Bills, who they're fighting for the number one seed 0:40:49.785 --> 0:40:52.384 right now. If they win out, Kansas City loses one 0:40:52.505 --> 0:40:56.064 game there posting playoffs in the AFC, So I don't 0:40:56.065 --> 0:40:57.944 think they're going to be resting anyone. I think they're 0:40:57.945 --> 0:41:00.345 going pedal to the medal. And you got a Charger 0:41:00.344 --> 0:41:04.065 scheme coming to Foxborough that has been tough and physical 0:41:04.265 --> 0:41:07.384 and very well coached all season long, that's won a 0:41:07.384 --> 0:41:10.464 lot of games. I think winning is going to be 0:41:10.505 --> 0:41:12.825 tough in the final four games. But you want to 0:41:12.864 --> 0:41:16.305 see some competition, and you want to see some guys 0:41:16.344 --> 0:41:19.265 start to take some acclaim to jobs for next year. 0:41:19.465 --> 0:41:21.705 Sure, of course. All right, So I'm I'm going to 0:41:21.785 --> 0:41:23.825 ask you the same question that Evan and I have 0:41:23.864 --> 0:41:26.464 been talking about here for a little bit, and give 0:41:26.545 --> 0:41:28.745 me a good, give me a bad, and give me 0:41:28.785 --> 0:41:31.385 an ugly for this team, at least at this stage 0:41:31.384 --> 0:41:34.465 of the game. Good something you want to keep around, obviously, 0:41:34.985 --> 0:41:37.065 Bad something that you still want to keep around even 0:41:37.065 --> 0:41:40.025 though it has been very disappointing. Ugly you need to ditch. 0:41:41.905 --> 0:41:44.464 I mean, I think very easily. The good on this 0:41:44.505 --> 0:41:48.505 team is Drake may I think he has been excellent 0:41:48.864 --> 0:41:51.025 in basically all the things you've asked him to do. 0:41:51.065 --> 0:41:54.705 From the standards of a rookie quarterback, very excited to 0:41:54.825 --> 0:41:57.625 see what he can be. I mean, like he's he 0:41:57.785 --> 0:42:03.465 seems like the real deal. I think maybe the bad 0:42:03.545 --> 0:42:05.985 I think in some ways had been you know, parts 0:42:05.985 --> 0:42:10.825 of the secondary and you know, I think the death 0:42:10.905 --> 0:42:13.225 options in the secondary. But from what we saw from 0:42:13.265 --> 0:42:15.705 Alex Austen this week, I felt a lot better. And 0:42:16.344 --> 0:42:18.545 I think Kyle Duggar is kind of a player in 0:42:18.625 --> 0:42:20.904 the spotlight. The guy who was supposed to be, you know, 0:42:21.265 --> 0:42:24.424 a captain, a foundational player for your defense, has not 0:42:24.505 --> 0:42:27.585 played his best football this year, and as you go 0:42:27.745 --> 0:42:30.944 forward into the future, he's somebody who you want to 0:42:30.945 --> 0:42:32.944 make sure he is playing his best football and can 0:42:33.025 --> 0:42:37.185 be utilized properly. And then the ugly has been a 0:42:37.225 --> 0:42:39.384 lot of the play in the trenches. But I'm going 0:42:39.425 --> 0:42:43.225 to go specifically defensive tackle. They've been pushed around too 0:42:43.344 --> 0:42:45.904 much there this year, and I think you look at 0:42:45.905 --> 0:42:48.825 this this draft with where they're going to be picking 0:42:48.864 --> 0:42:51.104 this year, and they might have a chance to really 0:42:51.185 --> 0:42:53.825 upgrade that defensive tackle spot going into next year. 0:42:54.265 --> 0:42:59.105 Well you thought on those particular choices that he made, 0:42:59.145 --> 0:43:04.225 I actually find the defensive line choice intriguing. I mean 0:43:04.265 --> 0:43:07.904 because two three, weeks ago and maybe even some still now. 0:43:08.145 --> 0:43:09.665 To me, the top eight has still got to be 0:43:09.705 --> 0:43:11.984 an offensive tackle for this team. But that doesn't mean 0:43:11.985 --> 0:43:14.185 you can't go out and find yourself a defensive tackle. 0:43:14.225 --> 0:43:17.544 And will free agency be the better route for either 0:43:18.025 --> 0:43:20.825 offense or defensive tackle or will it be through the draft? 0:43:20.985 --> 0:43:24.185 Yeah, I think the draft is stronger on defense in 0:43:24.265 --> 0:43:26.745 my opinion, just from you know, especially in the early 0:43:26.785 --> 0:43:28.584 part of the first round, from what I have seen 0:43:28.665 --> 0:43:31.984 so far in my study of the draft, I am 0:43:32.105 --> 0:43:36.105 coming around to addressing the defense in the draft. I 0:43:36.105 --> 0:43:38.464 would prefer to do it in free agency, just because 0:43:38.465 --> 0:43:41.705 I feel like there's more movement in the veteran market 0:43:41.825 --> 0:43:43.905 usually on defense. Like if you have a stud receiver, 0:43:44.384 --> 0:43:47.064 you're retaining him, you're trading him, You're not usually letting 0:43:47.145 --> 0:43:49.705 him get to free agency. You know, Calvin Ridley is 0:43:49.705 --> 0:43:52.025 the best receiver in free agency last year. You know, 0:43:52.065 --> 0:43:54.505 maybe you get lucky and like T Higgins is you know, 0:43:55.505 --> 0:43:58.185 the occasional guy that will slip through the cracks like that, 0:43:58.305 --> 0:44:01.465 But even he isn't a high end number one receiver 0:44:02.185 --> 0:44:05.185 in this league. So I look at defense and think 0:44:05.185 --> 0:44:08.185 that you probably are are more likely, you know, Matt 0:44:08.225 --> 0:44:11.225 mentioned a depth at corner, like, there are some corners 0:44:11.665 --> 0:44:13.904 in free agency this year, you know, ta various war 0:44:14.065 --> 0:44:16.785 DJ Reed, you know guys at Carlton Davis like guys 0:44:16.785 --> 0:44:20.025 that play a good football in this league at corner. 0:44:20.065 --> 0:44:21.825 So maybe you can go out and pay a corner. 0:44:22.225 --> 0:44:25.024 You know, Gonzo's on his rookie contract, he's here, he's 0:44:25.065 --> 0:44:27.745 locked in. Go give a corner some money, you know, 0:44:27.825 --> 0:44:30.984 to have a tandem there with those two, I think 0:44:31.025 --> 0:44:33.785 that's more possible. But if you look at the talent 0:44:33.825 --> 0:44:36.305 in the draft, it's hard to deny that the talent 0:44:36.384 --> 0:44:38.265 is probably more on the defensive side of the ball. 0:44:38.344 --> 0:44:40.825 Okay, let me pose something to both of you as 0:44:40.825 --> 0:44:43.625 well here, because it's a subject we've touched on, but 0:44:43.705 --> 0:44:46.745 we kind of dancing around it. And maybe it's because 0:44:46.745 --> 0:44:50.505 we're all stunned because of it. Jalen Polk's lack of 0:44:50.545 --> 0:44:53.624 production this year, I mean, I find shocking. I thought 0:44:53.665 --> 0:44:56.345 he would be potentially, you know, one of the finds 0:44:56.344 --> 0:44:58.344 of the draft this last year, but for some reason 0:44:58.384 --> 0:45:01.545 or another, he has not responded to anything. In fact, 0:45:01.825 --> 0:45:04.384 I saw today a couple of reports where he's one 0:45:04.384 --> 0:45:07.185 of the lowest rated receivers in the entire NFL in 0:45:07.305 --> 0:45:11.305 terms of, you know, number of touches, in terms of 0:45:11.344 --> 0:45:13.424 what he's done with those touches. I mean, he's just 0:45:13.545 --> 0:45:15.904 he's at the bottom of the heap. And I'm like, 0:45:15.985 --> 0:45:19.465 you know, I was hesitant because again he's a rookie, 0:45:19.945 --> 0:45:23.504 but I almost threw him in the ugly category, and like, okay, look, 0:45:23.985 --> 0:45:27.584 the Patriots have had a unfortunately and inglorious history over 0:45:27.585 --> 0:45:30.024 the last copy you know, decade or almost two now 0:45:30.384 --> 0:45:32.904 of finding real stinkers at wide receiver for lack of 0:45:32.945 --> 0:45:35.265 a better phrase, and it looked like they found another one. 0:45:35.384 --> 0:45:39.424 I'm not quite ready to go bust material yet. Talk 0:45:39.505 --> 0:45:39.985 me out of that. 0:45:40.505 --> 0:45:41.865 Yeah, Matt, you can go first. 0:45:42.505 --> 0:45:43.945 Matt, what do you think about Jalen? 0:45:45.185 --> 0:45:48.065 I loved him coming out because he had great hands 0:45:48.065 --> 0:45:49.944 in college. And I think the thinking was, you know, 0:45:49.985 --> 0:45:52.505 he's not the most refined route runner, but his hands 0:45:52.545 --> 0:45:54.305 are good enough. You can put him on the field 0:45:54.545 --> 0:45:56.785 and if he isn't open, you could still throw him 0:45:56.785 --> 0:45:59.185 the ball because you think that he has a chance 0:45:59.225 --> 0:46:03.665 to make the catch anyway, we just haven't seen that materialize. 0:46:03.905 --> 0:46:06.505 You know, I think he's got a chance because receivers 0:46:06.505 --> 0:46:09.305 do take time to develop. It's a highly technical role, 0:46:09.505 --> 0:46:11.945 so you know, in an offseason you can make a jump. 0:46:11.985 --> 0:46:15.185 And if his hands issues this year have been just 0:46:15.305 --> 0:46:17.545 you know, adjusting to the NFL and kind of getting 0:46:17.545 --> 0:46:21.384 the yips, that can correct at any second. But you 0:46:21.465 --> 0:46:25.464 really can't go into next year expecting anything from him, 0:46:25.505 --> 0:46:27.705 just given the production he's been. I think one of 0:46:27.745 --> 0:46:31.104 the worst receivers in the NFL by your per route run. 0:46:31.185 --> 0:46:34.745 And you know, you hope that he can get better. 0:46:35.225 --> 0:46:38.305 He's not a bust yet, but you can't plan around 0:46:38.384 --> 0:46:39.425 that improvement happening. 0:46:39.545 --> 0:46:42.265 And if you can't plan on improvement happening, what's the 0:46:42.305 --> 0:46:44.665 point in you know, keeping them around. 0:46:44.745 --> 0:46:46.185 Yeah, well it was the second round pick, so I 0:46:46.185 --> 0:46:47.665 don't think they're going to give up on them, and 0:46:47.864 --> 0:46:50.944 I'm not advocating for them to do that quite yet. 0:46:51.705 --> 0:46:54.424 I always give guys a chance, you know, to pull 0:46:54.465 --> 0:46:56.344 out of it, and I think a lot of what's 0:46:56.384 --> 0:46:59.585 happened with him has to be noted is confidence related. 0:46:59.625 --> 0:47:01.545 You know, once you start to have struggles like that, 0:47:01.665 --> 0:47:03.305 it gets in your head, and I think he has 0:47:03.745 --> 0:47:07.944 struggled at times with that confidence out there. But with 0:47:07.985 --> 0:47:10.585 that being said, I wasn't the hugest fan of his 0:47:10.625 --> 0:47:13.785 in the draft, mainly just you know, a flavor thing 0:47:13.825 --> 0:47:16.584 with receivers. For me, yeah, you know, I'm a big 0:47:16.625 --> 0:47:18.984 separation guy at that position. I think that's the skill 0:47:19.025 --> 0:47:22.464 that translates best from college to the NFL as guys 0:47:22.465 --> 0:47:24.584 that can really separate at the top of the route 0:47:24.665 --> 0:47:28.185 or run by people, and when you have a guy 0:47:28.225 --> 0:47:32.425 that is predicated on when in traffic, winning contested catches. 0:47:33.225 --> 0:47:36.105 Those types of things are one very role specific, like 0:47:36.145 --> 0:47:38.944 you have to scheme those guys into your offense and 0:47:38.985 --> 0:47:42.384 find ways to put them in those positions. But I 0:47:42.384 --> 0:47:46.064 would also say too that the level of physicality from 0:47:46.065 --> 0:47:48.985 the college game to the pros is a big jump. 0:47:49.384 --> 0:47:51.305 And so when you're dealing with a guy that's going 0:47:51.344 --> 0:47:53.305 to be in crowds a lot and a guy that's 0:47:53.305 --> 0:47:55.464 going to have coverage on him a lot and has 0:47:55.505 --> 0:47:59.185 to box out or finish through contact or high point 0:47:59.225 --> 0:48:01.944 a ball or whatever the case may be. When you 0:48:02.025 --> 0:48:06.585 get that jump up in physicality, that skill doesn't always 0:48:06.625 --> 0:48:10.344 translate for every guy from college to the pros. So 0:48:10.625 --> 0:48:15.265 my concerns with Polk were speed, dynamic route running ability, 0:48:15.425 --> 0:48:18.944 separation ability, whatever you want to call it, and I 0:48:19.105 --> 0:48:20.825 was a little worried that he was going to have 0:48:20.864 --> 0:48:24.265 to be super reliant on the ability to finish through 0:48:24.305 --> 0:48:28.344 contact on contested targets, and that skill does not always translate. 0:48:28.745 --> 0:48:31.464 It does for some guys for a lot, and so 0:48:32.185 --> 0:48:33.944 that that would be my number one thing when you 0:48:33.985 --> 0:48:36.105 look at you know, what can the Patriots do to 0:48:36.225 --> 0:48:39.984 change the way they evaluate receivers moving forward? I think 0:48:40.025 --> 0:48:43.385 that's a major major thing. It's not drafting another Taekwon 0:48:43.425 --> 0:48:45.464 Thorton just because he's fast, right, It's not. I'm not 0:48:45.505 --> 0:48:48.344 saying just draft fast guys. That's not what it is. 0:48:48.384 --> 0:48:50.505 It's watching these guys on film and the guys that 0:48:50.545 --> 0:48:52.705 can get open at the top of the route and 0:48:52.745 --> 0:48:57.265 can create separation consistently. Those guys, more times than not, 0:48:57.384 --> 0:48:59.025 are the ones that translate to the league. 0:48:59.384 --> 0:49:02.105 I'm getting also some mixed signals as well on what 0:49:02.225 --> 0:49:05.305 maybe the biggest need for this team is right now, 0:49:05.344 --> 0:49:08.384 because I think we see some good in both sides 0:49:08.425 --> 0:49:10.105 of the ball, and I'm talking about on the ovisive 0:49:10.105 --> 0:49:12.344 line and in the defensive line. But even though I 0:49:12.344 --> 0:49:16.825 think we're all in agreement here, the trench area for 0:49:16.945 --> 0:49:20.305 this franchise has to change. That's that's a that's a 0:49:20.305 --> 0:49:22.465 part of the ugly that we're talking about here today, 0:49:22.705 --> 0:49:25.625 you know, with the subject matter. But what comes first 0:49:26.465 --> 0:49:29.944 tackle or defensive tackle? Nose card? I mean, what's more 0:49:30.185 --> 0:49:34.384 important guarding Drake, defending Drake, or you know, collapsing a 0:49:34.425 --> 0:49:35.705 pocket and stopping a run. 0:49:36.465 --> 0:49:39.185 Yeah, I definitely think, you know, pass rusher in general 0:49:39.945 --> 0:49:41.505 is what I would call it. Like I don't, I 0:49:41.545 --> 0:49:45.825 don't necessarily look at it as needing to be defensive tackle, 0:49:45.864 --> 0:49:48.465 because I do think you're gonna get bar More back 0:49:48.505 --> 0:49:51.544 at a fuller capacity next year, which should really help 0:49:51.785 --> 0:49:54.944 the interior you know, edge rusher, I think is a 0:49:54.985 --> 0:49:58.425 concern because everyone Jays is a really great run defender, 0:49:58.465 --> 0:50:00.585 but he's not a great pass rusher, so he's a 0:50:00.625 --> 0:50:06.185 situational player. Ideally, Keon White is not somebody that you 0:50:06.185 --> 0:50:09.344 know is a great stand up pass rusher, but he's 0:50:09.384 --> 0:50:12.065 a really good interior pass rusher. So he's kind of 0:50:12.065 --> 0:50:14.344 the one of these tweeters you know that has to 0:50:14.344 --> 0:50:17.305 play a role specific to the down and distance and 0:50:17.344 --> 0:50:20.265 things like that. So finding a guy on the edge, 0:50:20.265 --> 0:50:23.145 in my opinion, that can be a three down edge 0:50:23.145 --> 0:50:27.344 defender that all situation type of pass rusher which are 0:50:27.384 --> 0:50:29.545 hard to find. Like those guys are premium players. So 0:50:29.585 --> 0:50:31.625 we're talking about paying one in free agency at the 0:50:31.625 --> 0:50:34.505 top of the market or drafting one high in the draft. 0:50:34.505 --> 0:50:37.105 I understand that, but it's a really good edge class. 0:50:37.185 --> 0:50:39.385 It's probably the best edge out of all the positions. 0:50:39.384 --> 0:50:41.785 I would say edge is probably the best besides maybe 0:50:41.905 --> 0:50:44.745 running back. Running back is loaded. There's running backs all 0:50:44.785 --> 0:50:49.145 throughout this draft, but pass rushers, edge rushers really really good. 0:50:49.225 --> 0:50:52.585 I'll give you two names that I like. First round. 0:50:52.905 --> 0:50:55.705 You gotta watch abdul Cotter if you haven't already from 0:50:55.745 --> 0:50:59.384 Penn State. That guy is a problem. He's going to 0:50:59.465 --> 0:51:02.705 be a top ten pick. He's excellent. Had a huge 0:51:02.705 --> 0:51:06.745 game last week against Maryland, killed Ohio State, killed Minnesota. 0:51:06.745 --> 0:51:09.344 Who has a draft eligible guard or tackle? Excuse me, 0:51:09.384 --> 0:51:12.865 that's gonna go high. He's a very very unique talent. 0:51:13.585 --> 0:51:17.345 I really like Jack Sawyer too from Ohio State. He's 0:51:17.384 --> 0:51:19.785 a very good pass rusher. To one of these guys 0:51:19.825 --> 0:51:22.705 that we've heard for a couple of years now is 0:51:22.745 --> 0:51:24.864 going to be a very good NFL player, but he 0:51:24.985 --> 0:51:28.225 just hasn't been eligible yet. So I look at those 0:51:28.225 --> 0:51:30.585 two guys maybe a first round, second round for you 0:51:30.905 --> 0:51:33.745 as two guys that can play all three downs on 0:51:33.785 --> 0:51:36.745 the edge. That way there, you know, third down you 0:51:36.825 --> 0:51:39.024 have an Abdual Carter off the edge, you have Kean 0:51:39.105 --> 0:51:41.545 White and Christian Barmore up the middle, and now all 0:51:41.585 --> 0:51:43.545 of a sudden you've got a third down pass rush. 0:51:43.545 --> 0:51:45.625 You know, that's that's the hope, at least if you 0:51:45.705 --> 0:51:46.504 draft guys like that. 0:51:46.585 --> 0:51:49.384 Matt, what do you think offense or defense? Where would 0:51:49.425 --> 0:51:52.185 you lean in terms of most important as far as 0:51:52.185 --> 0:51:52.544 a need? 0:51:53.905 --> 0:51:54.504 Well, in some. 0:51:54.425 --> 0:51:56.225 Ways I kind of feel like that's not the right 0:51:56.265 --> 0:51:57.705 way to look at it. We have to look at 0:51:57.785 --> 0:52:00.185 it as what comes FIRSUS free agency. You have to 0:52:00.185 --> 0:52:03.065 see who the players are that are available. I think 0:52:03.105 --> 0:52:05.544 that's going to kind of dictate where you go from there. 0:52:06.265 --> 0:52:07.945 We talked about, you know, not always being able to 0:52:07.945 --> 0:52:10.785 find offensive lineman in free agency. That may not be 0:52:10.864 --> 0:52:13.745 the case this year. Cam Robinson, a left tackle who's 0:52:13.785 --> 0:52:16.785 been you know, but an average left tackle in the NFL, 0:52:16.825 --> 0:52:21.905 i'd say, might be available. You might get Ronnie Stanley 0:52:22.145 --> 0:52:24.985 available at left tackle. You might get Morgan Moses available 0:52:24.985 --> 0:52:27.625 at right tackle. You might get Tray Smith available who 0:52:27.625 --> 0:52:30.705 can play guard. I think the trend are one of 0:52:30.745 --> 0:52:33.145 your biggest areas of weakness, that something you might be 0:52:33.145 --> 0:52:36.825 able to address quickly in free agency. If you know 0:52:36.864 --> 0:52:39.105 these guys do hit the market, you have the money 0:52:39.145 --> 0:52:42.265 to do it. I do think that defense is in 0:52:42.265 --> 0:52:44.984 some ways the higher priority, though we've seen Drake May 0:52:45.105 --> 0:52:48.225 as a rookie with a poor supporting cast, already be 0:52:48.265 --> 0:52:51.585 pretty productive as a quarterback. I feel like, you know, 0:52:51.585 --> 0:52:54.505 if you can get that offensive line from thirty first 0:52:54.545 --> 0:52:57.944 or thirty second in the NFL, lots of twentieth there, 0:52:58.864 --> 0:53:02.505 Drake May can shine there. This defense clearly needs, you know, 0:53:02.745 --> 0:53:04.545 a lot of talent. I like the names that Evans 0:53:04.585 --> 0:53:06.464 threw out. I'm also going to throw two more out 0:53:06.465 --> 0:53:09.705 there for you in the draft. MIKEL Williams from Georgia. 0:53:10.225 --> 0:53:13.545 He is not polished as a pass rusher yet, but 0:53:13.625 --> 0:53:17.064 he's long, he's strong, quite defensive end. He can kick 0:53:17.505 --> 0:53:22.464 inside for you, really really talented players still figuring things out. 0:53:22.945 --> 0:53:26.105 And then Nick s Gorton, He's an edge from Texas 0:53:26.145 --> 0:53:28.265 A and m you played it Purdue to one of 0:53:28.265 --> 0:53:33.065 the youngest players in the draft. He's pretty mobile for 0:53:33.145 --> 0:53:36.625 a guy his size, and you know Abdel Carter. I like, 0:53:37.185 --> 0:53:39.544 I don't know if he's gonna fit what this front 0:53:39.585 --> 0:53:42.384 office is looking for, if they want someone with a 0:53:42.384 --> 0:53:45.105 little bit more size in that position to scort and 0:53:45.185 --> 0:53:46.265 maybe their kind of player. 0:53:46.905 --> 0:53:49.665 Okay, yeah, Michael Williams a good shout. You know, he's 0:53:49.665 --> 0:53:53.785 probably the other top ten projected edge rusher in this class, 0:53:53.825 --> 0:53:56.785 or fringe top ten. If that, I would assume that 0:53:56.825 --> 0:53:59.265 Carter's pass rush ability is going to put him over 0:53:59.265 --> 0:54:01.065 the top in terms of being the top edge in 0:54:01.105 --> 0:54:04.305 this class. But Williams a really good player, and he's 0:54:04.305 --> 0:54:06.585 a little bit longer and like stouter on the edge too. 0:54:06.705 --> 0:54:09.745 Okay, all right, this at least gives us a basis. 0:54:09.785 --> 0:54:11.225 I did say, Hey, this is the start of the 0:54:11.265 --> 0:54:13.705 new season, right, so we should at least begin to 0:54:13.745 --> 0:54:14.904 take an eye. We're going to go a. 0:54:14.864 --> 0:54:16.944 Little draft talk. If you have me on you know that. 0:54:17.025 --> 0:54:18.745 I always know that, and I know that I know 0:54:18.745 --> 0:54:20.705 we'll get that at you to catch twenty two stuff too. 0:54:20.705 --> 0:54:23.065 But I mean we're getting ready here. We're on the 0:54:23.145 --> 0:54:25.584 verge of you know, the college football Playoff, the first 0:54:25.625 --> 0:54:28.305 twelve team playoff we have have ever had in history, 0:54:28.545 --> 0:54:30.745 which I'm really looking forward to. I have to admit 0:54:30.945 --> 0:54:33.785 I'm a total old school about college football, and I 0:54:33.825 --> 0:54:35.905 love the bowl games and I love the bowl game system. 0:54:36.145 --> 0:54:38.865 I think there's something to the tradition that makes it special. 0:54:39.145 --> 0:54:41.105 But at the same time, I'm actually kind of excited 0:54:41.105 --> 0:54:44.025 about combining that tradition of the bowl games with a 0:54:44.065 --> 0:54:46.585 little bit of March madness for football, you know, with 0:54:46.625 --> 0:54:49.745 the way that it's going, and I'm intrigued by it, 0:54:49.864 --> 0:54:52.944 and I think these are names that we should all 0:54:52.985 --> 0:54:56.384 be watching during the cfped where we see how these 0:54:56.384 --> 0:54:58.705 guys stand out against the big time competition. 0:54:58.945 --> 0:55:02.464 Yeah, it's I really like it for draft purposes. I'm 0:55:02.505 --> 0:55:04.505 not a big college football guy, like in terms of 0:55:04.585 --> 0:55:07.904 rooting interest, but in terms of yes, I know, I know. 0:55:08.065 --> 0:55:10.065 That's why I said it laughing because I knew the 0:55:10.344 --> 0:55:13.905 horns were coming. I knew that no horns down horns 0:55:13.985 --> 0:55:18.505 up here. Yeah, but I was. I like it a 0:55:18.505 --> 0:55:22.305 lot because it shows you what these players do in 0:55:22.344 --> 0:55:24.665 the brightest stages, you know, like the big lights are on. 0:55:25.025 --> 0:55:28.225 It's not everything, you know, it's not everything Like Michael 0:55:28.265 --> 0:55:32.464 Pennick's in the semi final last year has an unbelievable performance. Yeah, 0:55:32.465 --> 0:55:34.665 he did in the semi final, he was amazing and 0:55:34.745 --> 0:55:37.864 Jalen bulk Wot's too for that matter. That's what that's 0:55:37.864 --> 0:55:40.944 why I'm so disappointed he trashed my guys last year 0:55:41.105 --> 0:55:44.225 in the semi final. Yes, totally so both sides right, 0:55:44.265 --> 0:55:47.905 But with Penix, you know, does he does? Is penis 0:55:48.105 --> 0:55:51.265 a top ten pick without that semi final game? Probably not? 0:55:51.305 --> 0:55:51.825 Probably not? 0:55:51.905 --> 0:55:54.225 So like those are the big games that you watch now. 0:55:54.505 --> 0:55:56.625 You know, Abdul Carter at Penn State, he'll play in 0:55:56.665 --> 0:56:00.025 one of these games, might maybe multiple of these games. 0:56:00.384 --> 0:56:02.225 You know, they that's how you go and you look 0:56:02.225 --> 0:56:03.985 at these guys in those big stages. 0:56:04.185 --> 0:56:05.825 Yeah, Matt, thank. 0:56:05.665 --> 0:56:08.464 You for Yeah, go ahead, that's the games. 0:56:08.545 --> 0:56:12.625 Yeah, left tackle Josh Connery at UH at Oregon. He 0:56:12.705 --> 0:56:14.424 is someone that may slip into the first round. 0:56:14.785 --> 0:56:17.745 Yeah, you're left tacks Well, Kelvin Banks. I know he 0:56:17.785 --> 0:56:19.305 got banged up a little bit against A and M 0:56:19.384 --> 0:56:21.745 last week, but I mean he's certainly a name, uh 0:56:21.785 --> 0:56:24.745 that's worth watching. Uh. I know Cam Williams isn't we've 0:56:24.745 --> 0:56:27.105 talked about from LSU and he won't be in the playoffs. 0:56:27.065 --> 0:56:28.545 But at the same time, that's a guy I know 0:56:28.585 --> 0:56:32.384 that he actually declin playered physically for the draft this week. Yeah, 0:56:32.465 --> 0:56:34.545 so Williams is going to be a candidate for you know, 0:56:34.545 --> 0:56:37.385 one of the tackles lots as well. Kelvin Banks seems 0:56:37.384 --> 0:56:41.944 to have size, agility, He's got good footwork and good 0:56:41.985 --> 0:56:45.225 foot speed for a big guy. I still think he's 0:56:45.305 --> 0:56:50.105 a little unpolished, if that's if that's a phrase. And 0:56:50.105 --> 0:56:52.785 and of course he's uh, this is just his third 0:56:52.905 --> 0:56:55.585 year of college football and he's gonna come out maybe 0:56:55.625 --> 0:56:57.984 a year early. He's a guy that most definitely could 0:56:57.985 --> 0:57:00.185 benefit from a fourth year. But the problem is is that, 0:57:00.425 --> 0:57:02.705 you know, if he's ready, now, get him into a 0:57:02.745 --> 0:57:04.745 pro system and let him adapt to the pro system, 0:57:04.825 --> 0:57:06.344 which is the way most of the thinking goes with 0:57:06.465 --> 0:57:08.145 players who were any good, right, Yeah, you. 0:57:08.105 --> 0:57:10.385 Know Will Campbell, you know at LSU two in early 0:57:10.384 --> 0:57:13.024 declare and both both those guys. 0:57:13.305 --> 0:57:14.984 Will Campbell, That's who I meant. Why did I say 0:57:15.025 --> 0:57:18.185 cam Williams, I met Will Campbell? Yeah, I know, I 0:57:18.225 --> 0:57:20.785 just flip flopped the name, right, Yeah. 0:57:20.185 --> 0:57:22.584 So yeah, well Will Campbell, you know, is an early 0:57:22.625 --> 0:57:24.705 declared guy too. And they've they've had good luck, you know, 0:57:24.785 --> 0:57:27.225 with Gonzo and Drake May like both or early declared 0:57:27.225 --> 0:57:30.345 guys as well. So usually when you're you're that good, 0:57:30.705 --> 0:57:33.425 that talent comes out right away and you don't have 0:57:33.505 --> 0:57:35.665 to stay in college football for four or five years 0:57:35.665 --> 0:57:38.585 to show that you're that good. So Banks I like 0:57:39.665 --> 0:57:41.425 a little bit. You know, we're gonna talk about these 0:57:41.425 --> 0:57:43.585 guys a lot on Catch twenty two tomorrow. This is 0:57:43.785 --> 0:57:46.545 our first like draft preview show of the of the 0:57:46.625 --> 0:57:48.825 year is going to be tomorrow on the bye week. 0:57:48.865 --> 0:57:50.345 Wait, what weren't we just talking a couple of weeks 0:57:50.385 --> 0:57:53.825 ago about you know, no draft talk until the season's over, 0:57:53.905 --> 0:57:54.545 but the seasons. 0:57:54.785 --> 0:57:56.585 Yeah, so we're going to the bye week and I 0:57:56.665 --> 0:57:59.785 you know, since I'm not you know, thinking about another 0:57:59.825 --> 0:58:02.985 opponent on Sunday, I did some draft research this week, 0:58:03.025 --> 0:58:06.705 and you know, can't Banks? I? I like, I think 0:58:06.785 --> 0:58:09.465 that you can obviously see that he can move the 0:58:09.465 --> 0:58:12.865 line of scrimmage. A powerful kid, you know, big body, big, 0:58:13.345 --> 0:58:15.425 big play, strained type of guy. You can see that 0:58:15.545 --> 0:58:18.265 generate the movement in the in the in the run game, 0:58:18.345 --> 0:58:21.945 and uh footwork and stuff like that to angle blocks 0:58:22.025 --> 0:58:24.225 and get a you know, they'll write leverage and all 0:58:24.225 --> 0:58:28.185 that fancy you know, detailed stuff is all there for him. 0:58:28.185 --> 0:58:29.825 The one thing that I had a little bit of 0:58:29.865 --> 0:58:34.425 concern with on his tape was, you know, getting out 0:58:34.545 --> 0:58:38.585 to speed rushers and things like that. It's it's it's 0:58:38.705 --> 0:58:41.105 right on the line, right, some of those you talk 0:58:41.145 --> 0:58:44.145 about getting guys to ten yards, right, that's usually the landmark. 0:58:44.385 --> 0:58:46.825 Like he's usually like right at ten you know, when 0:58:46.825 --> 0:58:49.065 he's trying to deal with those speed guys coming off 0:58:49.105 --> 0:58:52.865 the edge. Campbell has a little bit of a different, 0:58:52.905 --> 0:58:56.425 you know, sort of weakness. But I think Campbell's outstanding. 0:58:56.465 --> 0:58:58.745 You know, his his body control a. 0:58:58.745 --> 0:59:01.345 Little bit more compact really, I mean he's not quite 0:59:01.945 --> 0:59:04.345 quite then. He has shorter arms. 0:59:04.385 --> 0:59:06.665 He's still six six, three thirty, so I wouldn't call 0:59:06.745 --> 0:59:10.585 him compact, but he's got shorter arms, which is you 0:59:10.625 --> 0:59:12.025 know what I was going to get to, which is 0:59:12.105 --> 0:59:14.705 sort of the concern with him. But in terms of 0:59:15.345 --> 0:59:20.225 movement skill, body control, balance, anchor, you know, power, just 0:59:20.345 --> 0:59:23.345 stout you're not going to go through him. That he's 0:59:23.385 --> 0:59:25.745 got it all. He's excellent. I think he's going to 0:59:25.825 --> 0:59:28.385 be a really good NFL offensive lineman, whether it's inside 0:59:28.465 --> 0:59:31.385 or outside. But you talk about the length issues, and 0:59:31.785 --> 0:59:35.584 that is a concern. You know, longer, longer armed pass 0:59:35.665 --> 0:59:38.064 rushers can get into his body, get into his chest 0:59:38.105 --> 0:59:40.745 plate and then push him, you know, and that that 0:59:40.905 --> 0:59:44.945 does not bode well for him playing outside at tackle 0:59:45.145 --> 0:59:47.305 in the NFL. But I do like your boy a 0:59:47.345 --> 0:59:49.865 little bit. They're at Texas, you know, I think that 0:59:49.945 --> 0:59:52.545 he's going to be a good player. Neither one of 0:59:52.585 --> 0:59:56.064 them is really Joelt like, They're not really in that category, 0:59:56.625 --> 0:59:58.705 but certainly they would have been in the mix with 0:59:59.025 --> 1:00:03.265 you know, Fashanu and Tulsa Fugawa and like that next 1:00:03.305 --> 1:00:05.585 wave of tackles last year after Joelt. 1:00:05.585 --> 1:00:07.785 All right, man, before I let you go, who do 1:00:07.785 --> 1:00:09.705 you like in the SEC title game this week? 1:00:11.545 --> 1:00:15.505 Oh boy, you know what, give me give me Texas. 1:00:15.545 --> 1:00:17.185 I'm not going to pitch against the host. 1:00:20.105 --> 1:00:24.425 Or host either. Right, you're a good man, hey man, 1:00:24.465 --> 1:00:26.265 Thank you for the time today. Body, appreciate you. 1:00:27.185 --> 1:00:28.665 Thanks for having me on that good chat. 1:00:28.825 --> 1:00:31.425 You got you got it. That's Matt Saint Jane, who 1:00:31.905 --> 1:00:35.785 covers the Patriots for CLNS Media, does one of their 1:00:35.825 --> 1:00:39.584 podcasts there on c ln S it's the Appatch Nation Pod, 1:00:39.585 --> 1:00:42.705 and also writes for Pats Pulpits. 1:00:42.185 --> 1:00:44.345 Two places that I used to work at as. 1:00:44.265 --> 1:00:48.505 Well, I was just gonna say, you know, Evan worked 1:00:48.505 --> 1:00:52.305 his way into this realm, and its right. And if 1:00:52.305 --> 1:00:54.425 the network come and take you away like they took 1:00:54.505 --> 1:00:57.145 Mike Reese away once upon a time, it to be 1:00:57.145 --> 1:00:59.145 a guy like Matt Saint Jean coming in here and 1:00:59.185 --> 1:01:01.865 sitting in where Evan is, you never know, You just 1:01:01.905 --> 1:01:03.905 never know. It seems to be a proving ground for 1:01:03.945 --> 1:01:04.505 guys coming in. 1:01:04.705 --> 1:01:08.185 Yes, as Fred like has to called clinics because you know, 1:01:08.305 --> 1:01:10.945 Selon s Is doesn't really roll off the tongue, which 1:01:11.225 --> 1:01:13.705 I tried to tell them multiple times, love you all, 1:01:13.945 --> 1:01:17.945 I mean it. I'm I'm just messing. But yes, look 1:01:18.025 --> 1:01:20.865 I Matt is a good example of it too. And 1:01:20.985 --> 1:01:25.064 my boy Taylor Kyle's another example. You know, a lot 1:01:25.105 --> 1:01:29.025 of the traditional people told me to like go to 1:01:29.105 --> 1:01:32.305 work from some small town paper covering high school football. 1:01:32.305 --> 1:01:34.105 And I'm not like looking down at the people that 1:01:34.145 --> 1:01:36.785 did it that way either, But I took you know, 1:01:36.905 --> 1:01:39.865 the the internet path, the blogger path, if you want 1:01:39.865 --> 1:01:41.985 to call it that, and we all got to the 1:01:42.025 --> 1:01:42.825 same destination. 1:01:42.985 --> 1:01:45.145 Can be done. It can be done. It just depends 1:01:45.185 --> 1:01:48.465 on your own perseverance and your own ability connect. Really, 1:01:48.505 --> 1:01:50.425 I teach this to my college kids all the time. 1:01:50.585 --> 1:01:53.025 You know, it's really about you know, not who you know, 1:01:53.105 --> 1:01:55.945 but who knows you. Yeah right, yeah, you know. I 1:01:55.945 --> 1:01:58.945 think that's a big thing. Like nowadays, you can be 1:01:59.025 --> 1:02:01.985 a brand, Like you can build yourself a brand even 1:02:02.025 --> 1:02:05.945 without the platform of patriots dot com or whatever. You know, 1:02:06.185 --> 1:02:06.545 I had it. 1:02:06.665 --> 1:02:09.825 I started on Twitter in two thousand, I don't know, 1:02:10.305 --> 1:02:13.825 eleven twelve something like that, and you know that's a platform. 1:02:13.985 --> 1:02:18.865 Like just just do the job, like just write podcast, tweet, like, 1:02:19.025 --> 1:02:21.665 do it all. And as you go, you know, people 1:02:21.705 --> 1:02:24.625 will start to recognize you and start to oh, yeah, 1:02:24.625 --> 1:02:25.305 I know that guy. 1:02:25.625 --> 1:02:27.865 That'll be consistent with whatever it is that you do. 1:02:27.825 --> 1:02:29.985 Right, yeah, yeah, I mean that was That's what it was. 1:02:30.265 --> 1:02:33.305 Taylor is another great example. He's doing a great job, 1:02:33.345 --> 1:02:36.625 and you know that's he did the same sort of 1:02:36.625 --> 1:02:38.745 thing that I did. Just you know, keep putting your 1:02:38.745 --> 1:02:44.505 head down and keep working at it. I think unfortunately nowadays, 1:02:44.545 --> 1:02:48.985 the old school journalism way of going to cover some 1:02:49.025 --> 1:02:52.265 small town high school paper thing like those jobs don't 1:02:52.305 --> 1:02:55.025 exist anymore, you know, so it's it's. 1:02:54.865 --> 1:02:57.305 You have to dig really to find him. To be 1:02:57.425 --> 1:02:59.785 honest with you, Yeah, you know. The story that I 1:02:59.825 --> 1:03:02.825 tell is a former student that I had when I 1:03:02.865 --> 1:03:05.265 was at Emerson a little over a decade ago and 1:03:05.345 --> 1:03:07.225 he was a year out of graduating. He called me 1:03:07.265 --> 1:03:09.105 up and he basically said, I'm having a hard time 1:03:09.145 --> 1:03:11.465 getting a job, you know. And he was an okay student, Yeah, 1:03:11.505 --> 1:03:13.305 you know, good looking kid. He wanted to be a 1:03:13.345 --> 1:03:15.265 sports anchor. You know, I wanted to be an ESPN 1:03:15.345 --> 1:03:18.185 guy that kind of stuff. And so, you know, we 1:03:18.225 --> 1:03:19.745 went out to lunch one day and he wanted to 1:03:19.745 --> 1:03:22.105 pick my brain. I said, well, what do you really 1:03:22.185 --> 1:03:24.865 enjoy doing? And he says, I enjoyed reporting. You know, 1:03:24.905 --> 1:03:26.825 I liked it on the desk, but I was reporting. 1:03:26.825 --> 1:03:28.745 I said, so basically, you're telling me you want to 1:03:28.785 --> 1:03:31.385 tell stories. Yeah, and he said, yeah, I want to 1:03:31.385 --> 1:03:33.865 tell stories. I said, I told him exactly. I said, 1:03:33.945 --> 1:03:37.465 go find a small place that will lull you tell stories. 1:03:37.465 --> 1:03:40.625 So he ended up finding a weekly newspaper which obviously 1:03:40.625 --> 1:03:45.665 has a website in central Pennsylvania in and around Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, 1:03:45.745 --> 1:03:51.385 and ended up starting a podcast and an online interview 1:03:51.425 --> 1:03:55.465 with the high school football coaches every week. Grew their readership, 1:03:55.625 --> 1:03:58.385 you know, over the course of six to eight months, 1:03:58.425 --> 1:04:01.545 ended up getting his first TV job from that job 1:04:02.185 --> 1:04:04.985 in the smallest market in America and Alpena, Michigan, which 1:04:05.025 --> 1:04:07.665 is the Upper Peninsula, right, that's where you know it's winter, 1:04:07.865 --> 1:04:10.105 you know, ten months out of the year basically. And 1:04:10.145 --> 1:04:13.505 then he took that and Alpina, Michigan, came back home 1:04:13.545 --> 1:04:17.025 to work as a freelancer for a station in Providence. 1:04:17.745 --> 1:04:19.825 Decided he didn't like the freelancer out because it didn't 1:04:19.865 --> 1:04:21.825 pay all the bills, so he took a full time 1:04:21.905 --> 1:04:24.465 job in Tulsa, Oklahoma, which, by the way, is a 1:04:24.505 --> 1:04:26.585 sneaky good sports market. 1:04:26.745 --> 1:04:27.425 Yeah. 1:04:27.465 --> 1:04:31.265 Tulsa's because they cover everything college as you would imagine 1:04:31.305 --> 1:04:33.745 between Goldman, Arkansas because it's right there in eastern Oklahoma. 1:04:33.785 --> 1:04:35.265 But they also cover a lot of pro sports in 1:04:35.305 --> 1:04:38.345 the area as well. And then he went from Tulsa 1:04:38.785 --> 1:04:42.345 to Dallas. Yeah, and he's now the weekend anchor at KATFW, 1:04:42.465 --> 1:04:45.425 the Fox Affilitate in Dallas. So he's gone from market 1:04:45.785 --> 1:04:48.665 two hundred and seventy five whatever el Pina, Michigan is 1:04:48.905 --> 1:04:49.745 to market five. 1:04:49.905 --> 1:04:51.865 That's incredible. Yeah, that's incredible. 1:04:51.945 --> 1:04:55.385 But he started because he found a small place to 1:04:55.545 --> 1:04:56.425 tell stories. 1:04:56.545 --> 1:04:58.624 Yeah, I said that that would be my one piece 1:04:58.665 --> 1:05:01.625 of advice to anybody that wanted to listen is just 1:05:01.625 --> 1:05:05.105 just start. Just just find a place to put your writing, 1:05:05.225 --> 1:05:08.145 to put your podcasts that you don't even need like 1:05:08.185 --> 1:05:12.065 a podcast host anymore. Like he just posted right post. 1:05:11.785 --> 1:05:13.585 Didn't put it up there and get you know, friends 1:05:13.585 --> 1:05:15.985 and family to jump in on it. And frankly, I 1:05:15.985 --> 1:05:17.465 know that a lot of people who listen here that 1:05:17.585 --> 1:05:20.665 do Patriots later podcasts because Marine and I have actually 1:05:20.705 --> 1:05:22.985 had some of them on Yeah, and we'll probably do 1:05:23.025 --> 1:05:24.665 that again in the off season. We'll do a couple 1:05:24.665 --> 1:05:27.105 of shows in our off season programming here, which we 1:05:27.145 --> 1:05:30.065 do monthly rather than weekly, but we invite some of 1:05:30.065 --> 1:05:32.385 the these podcasts hosts from Patriots podcasts that have caught 1:05:32.385 --> 1:05:35.305 our attention and that we know people will listen to 1:05:35.305 --> 1:05:37.505 to kind of come in here and we all exchange 1:05:37.545 --> 1:05:40.905 thoughts and ideas, because you know, covering a football team 1:05:41.065 --> 1:05:45.305 isn't just restricted to people like you and me and 1:05:45.385 --> 1:05:48.905 even the mainstream media. Everybody's got a thought, everybody's got 1:05:48.945 --> 1:05:51.505 an opinion. It's how you package that thought and how 1:05:51.505 --> 1:05:54.505 you package that opinion that will attract potential readers or 1:05:54.545 --> 1:05:56.825 listeners that really counts, and if you do it in 1:05:56.905 --> 1:05:59.945 an attractive, interesting way that people will go, ah, you 1:05:59.985 --> 1:06:01.665 know what, that's not bad. I'm going to listen to that, 1:06:01.745 --> 1:06:03.705 or I'm going to read that again. Now you're cooking. 1:06:03.785 --> 1:06:05.505 Now you're on the right track. It can be done. 1:06:05.505 --> 1:06:07.345 And that's why I like, you know, hearing from all 1:06:07.425 --> 1:06:09.265 kinds of people. You know, we ask people all the 1:06:09.265 --> 1:06:10.985 time to call this show, and we get our regulars 1:06:11.025 --> 1:06:13.665 to call in, which is fabulous. I'd like to hear 1:06:13.785 --> 1:06:17.345 more indifferent opinions, regardless of whether you agree or disagree, 1:06:17.345 --> 1:06:21.385 because it causes me and people like yourself, people like 1:06:21.465 --> 1:06:24.625 Fred and Paul anybody else that around here deuce. It 1:06:24.705 --> 1:06:27.625 causes us to stop and think and to see another 1:06:27.825 --> 1:06:30.544 side and another point of view. Sometimes we do get 1:06:30.585 --> 1:06:33.345 so close to the forest we can't see the trees 1:06:34.545 --> 1:06:36.665 all the time, and so it's always good to get 1:06:36.705 --> 1:06:39.625 a fresh perspective. And this is why I also like 1:06:39.665 --> 1:06:42.305 to do things like we've done today, which is asked 1:06:42.305 --> 1:06:45.745 people about you know, good, bad, and ugly, because it 1:06:45.785 --> 1:06:48.544 gives us perspective. Is where people are coming from. I'm 1:06:48.545 --> 1:06:51.145 not totally surprised for the answers thus far, and I'm 1:06:51.185 --> 1:06:52.665 hoping we get a chance to ask a few you 1:06:52.745 --> 1:06:54.825 know listeners about it as well today. But at the 1:06:54.825 --> 1:06:57.905 same time, perspective is really everything here because I think 1:06:57.905 --> 1:07:01.425 it helps us really attack what we need to attack 1:07:01.465 --> 1:07:03.425 in terms of figuring out what's right and what's wrong 1:07:03.425 --> 1:07:04.905 with the football team in the franchise. 1:07:05.025 --> 1:07:08.265 Yeah. Absolutely, well said, thank you buddy anytime, appreciate time. 1:07:08.585 --> 1:07:12.945 Karen the only, the one and only Evan Lazar and 1:07:12.985 --> 1:07:14.825 he did say hi to Karen. We're gonna get right 1:07:14.865 --> 1:07:17.465 to her. Hey, this reminder, bud Light is easy to drink, 1:07:17.545 --> 1:07:20.385 easy to enjoy. Bud Light the official beer sponsor of 1:07:20.425 --> 1:07:23.585 the New England Patriots, and don't forget, Bridgestone is the 1:07:23.585 --> 1:07:25.665 official tire of the New England Patriots. I'm proud to 1:07:25.705 --> 1:07:29.985 partner with Sullivan Tire, New England's headquarters for quality Bridgestone tires. 1:07:30.305 --> 1:07:34.545 Visit Sullivantire dot com to find a location near you. 1:07:35.145 --> 1:07:39.505 Eight five five Pats five hundred. That's the TPX toll 1:07:39.585 --> 1:07:43.385 free hotline eight five five Pats five hundred. You can 1:07:43.425 --> 1:07:46.505 also find us, you know via email if you'd like 1:07:46.545 --> 1:07:48.065 to send a note, don't have time to pick up 1:07:48.065 --> 1:07:53.745 the phone and call podcasts plural podcasts at Patriots dot com, 1:07:53.865 --> 1:07:56.265 or you can hit me up on x at JR Broadcaster, 1:07:56.345 --> 1:07:59.305 because I usually have that up looking at everybody else's feed. 1:07:59.345 --> 1:08:01.584 But if you hit my feed as well, I'm happy 1:08:01.625 --> 1:08:03.625 to answer a question that way. All right, So what 1:08:03.625 --> 1:08:06.505 Evan just did as he said hello to our friend 1:08:06.665 --> 1:08:11.065 Karen Krigian, who has covered the Patriots as a columnist 1:08:11.105 --> 1:08:14.065 and as a writer to beat writer for a number 1:08:14.065 --> 1:08:16.025 of years, several decades. In fact, I don't want to 1:08:16.105 --> 1:08:18.265 date you, Karen, in terms of how old you are 1:08:18.305 --> 1:08:20.505 or anything else like that. That's not my point here. 1:08:20.665 --> 1:08:24.105 My point here is that you're an experienced journalist and 1:08:24.145 --> 1:08:25.905 she's a good friend of the show, and we appreciate 1:08:25.905 --> 1:08:28.305 her taking some time today. Karen Grigan joined us. 1:08:28.345 --> 1:08:31.665 Hi, Karen road John, how are you? 1:08:32.025 --> 1:08:34.465 Everything's good? Yeah, you know, as good as it can 1:08:34.505 --> 1:08:36.224 be for a three and ten football team. 1:08:36.105 --> 1:08:38.985 Right well, And for the record, I am old, but. 1:08:38.985 --> 1:08:42.025 That's okay, No, no, no, I. 1:08:41.985 --> 1:08:44.105 Think I equate that with Wyse. 1:08:44.225 --> 1:08:44.425 You know. 1:08:44.745 --> 1:08:47.345 Well, let's see, I've learned how to do that too, 1:08:47.385 --> 1:08:49.345 because I think I have you beat in that department. 1:08:49.345 --> 1:08:52.145 In fact, I'm pretty sure of it. And yeah, I 1:08:52.505 --> 1:08:55.465 try to think of wisdom. Yeah, I try to think 1:08:55.505 --> 1:08:57.705 of wisdom. You know. That's that's the that's the main 1:08:57.745 --> 1:09:01.025 thing I kind of, you know, rely upon. And so 1:09:01.185 --> 1:09:03.185 I want you to use a little of your wisdom 1:09:03.225 --> 1:09:06.145 in this regard because one of the questions that I'm 1:09:06.225 --> 1:09:11.225 asking today has to do with kind of taking a 1:09:11.305 --> 1:09:14.865 you know, that beginning look ahead with the bye week 1:09:14.945 --> 1:09:17.945 now being so late this year and only four weeks 1:09:18.025 --> 1:09:20.585 left of the regular season, to me, this really is 1:09:20.625 --> 1:09:23.145 this is the start of twenty twenty five for the Patriots, 1:09:23.145 --> 1:09:25.825 for this team, this franchise. And you know, Jerrod Mayo 1:09:25.905 --> 1:09:28.065 I think has even sort of, you know, alluded to 1:09:28.105 --> 1:09:30.545 that as well when you met with the media earlier today, 1:09:30.585 --> 1:09:33.345 earlier this week as well, and postgame anter the Colts 1:09:33.385 --> 1:09:36.265 game this past week. And I think we all know that, 1:09:36.425 --> 1:09:40.265 you know, because you're now mathematically eliminated, guys are gonna 1:09:40.265 --> 1:09:42.625 start playing for their next deals or guys are going 1:09:42.705 --> 1:09:45.945 to try to impress upon coaches or decision makers whoever 1:09:45.985 --> 1:09:48.865 may be in those spots with an eye toward next year. 1:09:48.945 --> 1:09:51.025 You know, you're gonna be kept around, We're gonna move 1:09:51.065 --> 1:09:53.745 you around, You're gonna make you expendable. You know, what's 1:09:53.745 --> 1:09:55.505 it gonna be. They've already done that with an offensive 1:09:55.545 --> 1:09:59.025 lineman and Michael Jordan, and who could be next? We 1:09:59.065 --> 1:10:01.745 also have the decision makers, you know, whether it's a 1:10:01.785 --> 1:10:04.945 coach or somebody in player personnel that could also be 1:10:05.025 --> 1:10:08.185 moving around, because we just don't know, and you shouldn't 1:10:08.185 --> 1:10:11.745 know rightfully, so you shouldn't have, you know, absolutes down 1:10:11.785 --> 1:10:14.785 when your team is three and ten. So I'm gonna 1:10:14.785 --> 1:10:18.025 ask you for something good about this team that you've 1:10:18.025 --> 1:10:21.425 seen this year. I'm gonna ask you for something bad 1:10:22.425 --> 1:10:25.065 that you've seen about this team this year. And I'm 1:10:25.065 --> 1:10:29.105 gonna ask you for something ugly, And by ugly that 1:10:29.265 --> 1:10:32.065 means it's just not fixable. You've got to change it. 1:10:33.225 --> 1:10:34.465 So you want to which one do you want to 1:10:34.465 --> 1:10:35.745 start with? You want to start with good? 1:10:36.865 --> 1:10:40.225 Sure, go, well, the good is obvious. 1:10:40.465 --> 1:10:43.665 Yes, well, we that we know. But I'm kind of 1:10:43.665 --> 1:10:46.025 curious to know whether or not you I'm kind of 1:10:46.025 --> 1:10:47.785 curious whether or not to know if you have something 1:10:47.785 --> 1:10:50.385 that might be hidden that you've seen, that you've noticed 1:10:50.385 --> 1:10:52.145 that you think is Hey, that's pretty good. 1:10:53.585 --> 1:10:54.545 From from Drake. 1:10:55.025 --> 1:10:55.305 Drake. 1:10:55.425 --> 1:11:02.225 The sure it's necessarily hidden, but a couple of things. 1:11:02.305 --> 1:11:07.105 I mean, I think we've seen growth over the course 1:11:07.145 --> 1:11:14.305 of his eight starts. I think we're seeing I want 1:11:14.345 --> 1:11:20.265 to say, advanced skills, but skills that you know, lead 1:11:20.345 --> 1:11:25.265 to him being a better, a really good quarterback. You know, 1:11:25.345 --> 1:11:31.025 his ability to throw and lead throw guys open. Not 1:11:31.185 --> 1:11:34.985 everyone can do that, but he can or throw it 1:11:35.025 --> 1:11:41.425 to a spot where only receivers can get it. I 1:11:43.025 --> 1:11:46.785 had a conversation with Austin Hooper recently about a ball 1:11:46.865 --> 1:11:51.865 that Drake threw to him, and he was just raving. 1:11:52.225 --> 1:11:54.505 I mean, it was like there were three defenders around 1:11:54.545 --> 1:11:59.865 and there was Austin and Drake, with Austin telling me 1:11:59.945 --> 1:12:05.905 the story. Although I did see it, he just marveled 1:12:07.025 --> 1:12:10.065 at how Drake put it in a spot where only 1:12:10.185 --> 1:12:14.665 he could get it. And you know, he's telling me 1:12:14.785 --> 1:12:17.465 he's played with a ton of quarterbacks, he's a veteran 1:12:17.865 --> 1:12:23.345 tight end, and he hasn't seen that ability a lot 1:12:24.545 --> 1:12:28.825 where the quarterback just instinctually puts it in a place 1:12:29.865 --> 1:12:33.505 in a crowd where his guy, only his guy, can 1:12:33.585 --> 1:12:39.105 get it. So you know, those things, those you know, 1:12:39.185 --> 1:12:42.265 they might not be obvious to the eye, but you know, 1:12:42.505 --> 1:12:48.705 subtle things like that. You know, I love, I wouldn't 1:12:48.785 --> 1:12:52.625 advocate quarterbacks throwing across the body, but boy does he 1:12:52.745 --> 1:12:53.785 do it really well. 1:12:54.585 --> 1:12:57.265 Yeah, I mean I have to admit that that reminds 1:12:57.265 --> 1:12:59.185 me of you know, some real you know, gun slinger 1:12:59.265 --> 1:13:01.745 quarterbacks type of that I've seen, you know, in the past, 1:13:01.745 --> 1:13:05.705 who sling it that way, And yeah, that's you know, 1:13:06.705 --> 1:13:07.225 it's it's. 1:13:07.225 --> 1:13:10.025 I mean, we have mag Jones attempt that and it 1:13:10.105 --> 1:13:13.545 was gross, didn't go well, no, I mean didn't go well. 1:13:14.785 --> 1:13:19.545 But but he does it. It just amazes me how 1:13:19.585 --> 1:13:25.665 accurate he is doing it. And you know, I I think, 1:13:26.265 --> 1:13:31.425 you know, another thing, subtle thing, John instincts that he 1:13:31.545 --> 1:13:36.345 has instincts knowing when to run, when to roll out 1:13:36.385 --> 1:13:36.945 and throw. 1:13:37.505 --> 1:13:37.705 You know. 1:13:38.665 --> 1:13:41.825 Again, it might not seem like a big deal, but 1:13:41.905 --> 1:13:45.785 it is. This kid's twenty two years old, and he 1:13:45.945 --> 1:13:48.705 just seems to have a natural feel for the game. 1:13:49.785 --> 1:13:53.905 I think he's done a really good job seeing the defense, 1:13:54.065 --> 1:14:02.305 reading the defenses, not hesitating. Again, these are kind of 1:14:02.345 --> 1:14:09.905 these intangible qualities that might not be obvious off the screen, 1:14:10.305 --> 1:14:13.305 but they're obvious when you watch plays back, when you 1:14:13.425 --> 1:14:18.185 go over the tape. As all of us beat writers do, 1:14:19.225 --> 1:14:22.705 and you gain even more of an appreciation for how 1:14:22.745 --> 1:14:23.505 good he is. 1:14:25.505 --> 1:14:28.465 You know, I have to admit that his ability to 1:14:28.545 --> 1:14:32.025 sort of you know, as my coaches used to call it, 1:14:32.065 --> 1:14:33.985 you know, hey, rook, how come you can't just penny 1:14:34.065 --> 1:14:36.545 years back and let it go? You know? And because 1:14:36.545 --> 1:14:38.385 I was always too afraid of making a mistake, that's 1:14:38.385 --> 1:14:40.585 what kept me from being really good. I think that 1:14:40.705 --> 1:14:43.065 and talent, you know, usually has something to do with it. 1:14:43.185 --> 1:14:46.425 But he is willing to do that, and I like 1:14:46.505 --> 1:14:50.265 that attitude. So he's not afraid to make a mistake, 1:14:50.345 --> 1:14:53.385 and I'm actually impressed by that. I'm you know, okay, 1:14:53.425 --> 1:14:55.025 yeah I messed up here, but I know where I 1:14:55.105 --> 1:14:56.625 messed up. I'm going to try not to make that 1:14:56.665 --> 1:14:59.545 mistake again. And I think we've seen that sort of 1:14:59.585 --> 1:15:02.825 improvement from him this year, which is most encouraging, which 1:15:02.905 --> 1:15:06.705 is really why everybody should be, you know, happy with 1:15:06.745 --> 1:15:08.625 what they've seen this far. You can't be happy with 1:15:08.665 --> 1:15:12.505 the overall product, but man, get this guy some dudes 1:15:12.545 --> 1:15:14.705 to get the ball to and you might have something 1:15:14.745 --> 1:15:15.585 here in the next year or two. 1:15:15.625 --> 1:15:17.185 Oh well, that's the whole thing. 1:15:17.305 --> 1:15:17.505 John. 1:15:17.665 --> 1:15:21.104 It's almost like you want to fast forward the narrative, 1:15:21.425 --> 1:15:24.665 you know, and it's like god like, you can't wait 1:15:24.745 --> 1:15:27.705 to see him when he actually has a team around him, 1:15:27.945 --> 1:15:28.145 you know. 1:15:28.385 --> 1:15:34.985 Yeah, yeah, but again along the subtle lines, what he's 1:15:35.025 --> 1:15:35.945 able to do. 1:15:36.385 --> 1:15:38.145 With nobody around him. 1:15:38.265 --> 1:15:39.745 Yeah, honest to. 1:15:39.785 --> 1:15:42.585 Goodness, you know how he can. 1:15:43.785 --> 1:15:44.585 You know, I'm not. 1:15:44.505 --> 1:15:48.505 Gonna I'm not gonna put him into the same category 1:15:48.505 --> 1:15:52.585 as some of the earliite quarterback but make people around 1:15:52.665 --> 1:15:53.345 him better. 1:15:54.705 --> 1:15:54.905 You know. 1:15:55.025 --> 1:16:00.065 I think he's made the offensive line uh not seen 1:16:00.185 --> 1:16:03.745 quite as god awful because of his ability to move. 1:16:04.065 --> 1:16:04.305 Yep. 1:16:05.665 --> 1:16:11.305 I think he's helped some receiverslong and his ability to 1:16:11.785 --> 1:16:15.105 you know, put the ball in good spots for them 1:16:15.505 --> 1:16:19.945 since they can't gain separation. His accuracy is help these 1:16:19.985 --> 1:16:26.185 guys who really don't create separation. The only issue here 1:16:26.305 --> 1:16:28.345 is he hasn't been able to produce wins. 1:16:28.825 --> 1:16:32.585 No, he does need some help where that's concerned. I 1:16:32.625 --> 1:16:36.185 do like his His is zeroing in on the Patriots 1:16:36.185 --> 1:16:38.745 tight ends in particular, which is one of those underlying 1:16:38.785 --> 1:16:40.385 good things that I thought of, because I think the 1:16:40.385 --> 1:16:43.225 performance by the tight ends, all things being equal, they've 1:16:43.225 --> 1:16:45.425 helped with blocking. They've got shown us that they have 1:16:45.425 --> 1:16:48.185 pretty good hands you know, Austin Hooper I think has 1:16:48.225 --> 1:16:50.785 been a fine so I give him credit where that's concerned. 1:16:51.145 --> 1:16:52.745 So I would kind of put that in the good 1:16:52.745 --> 1:16:56.025 category as well. What about bad? What about bad? And 1:16:56.345 --> 1:16:59.785 by bad, I mean, okay, right now, it's not good, 1:16:59.905 --> 1:17:03.705 but it's worth saving, it's worth keeping around, it's hopeful 1:17:03.865 --> 1:17:08.025 of improvement. What do you think, Well, I. 1:17:07.905 --> 1:17:11.945 Have to look to the defense, okay, and it's kind 1:17:12.025 --> 1:17:17.905 of all encompassing, with the exception of maybe Christian Gonzalez, 1:17:17.945 --> 1:17:18.985 who's another BLUs. 1:17:20.865 --> 1:17:21.145 God. 1:17:21.465 --> 1:17:29.385 The play of the defensive line has been startlingly poor, 1:17:30.985 --> 1:17:33.945 getting blown off the line of scrimmage, not being able 1:17:33.985 --> 1:17:38.945 to stop running games, not being able to stop quarterbacks 1:17:39.545 --> 1:17:47.825 you know, you know, the linebacker play, the confusion in 1:17:47.865 --> 1:17:53.545 the in the secondary and backfield, I mean, and opposing 1:17:53.625 --> 1:17:57.225 teams have picked up on the fact that you get 1:17:57.225 --> 1:17:59.985 down in the red zone, stick a play in there, 1:17:59.985 --> 1:18:03.225 no huddle, and the Patriots are lost trying to figure 1:18:03.265 --> 1:18:06.065 out who to cover, what to do. Motion is another 1:18:06.265 --> 1:18:10.425 killer has been another thing that they haven't been able 1:18:10.545 --> 1:18:15.825 to figure out or get again get their their ducks 1:18:15.905 --> 1:18:19.825 in a row. And I don't know if again they 1:18:19.945 --> 1:18:27.145 obviously they've lost some good players. John Bentley was kind 1:18:27.145 --> 1:18:32.705 of the quarterback back there. The linebacker Kyle Duger, I 1:18:32.705 --> 1:18:36.545 believe he has been playing on one leg with a bad ankle. 1:18:36.665 --> 1:18:39.785 They didn't have Jabrill Peppers until recently. They didn't have 1:18:39.865 --> 1:18:45.345 Christian Barmore until recently. But I think perhaps we were 1:18:45.425 --> 1:18:52.345 spoiled when coach Belichick was here of his ability to 1:18:52.505 --> 1:18:57.185 kind of hide his weak spots yep, or still be 1:18:57.345 --> 1:19:05.145 able to confuse quarterbacks. You know, we just haven't seen 1:19:05.265 --> 1:19:12.385 that type of mystique, that type of you know, doing 1:19:12.425 --> 1:19:17.665 things with the defense that confuses quarterbacks because the way 1:19:17.705 --> 1:19:20.785 it looks, the defense is the one that's confused, ye, 1:19:20.945 --> 1:19:21.625 not the offense. 1:19:21.705 --> 1:19:24.185 It does. So let me ask you then the tough 1:19:24.305 --> 1:19:28.545 question here, should there be Will there be changes in 1:19:28.625 --> 1:19:30.105 the coaching staff on that side of the foot? 1:19:30.185 --> 1:19:32.225 Well? 1:19:32.385 --> 1:19:36.945 I think I really think Girod has to sit back 1:19:36.985 --> 1:19:42.105 and take an honest look at the coaching staff on 1:19:42.225 --> 1:19:46.545 both sides of the ball. And you know, I don't 1:19:46.545 --> 1:19:51.505 know if that means firing people, but perhaps it means 1:19:51.545 --> 1:19:56.785 bringing in co coach type of people that can help 1:19:57.505 --> 1:20:01.025 straighten out and fix some of the difficulties. Of course, 1:20:01.145 --> 1:20:07.465 talent will help talent helps any coach, but it's just 1:20:07.585 --> 1:20:13.585 the problems we've been seeing John fundamental where to line up? 1:20:13.865 --> 1:20:16.305 Yeah, I mean, yeah, I don't know how that happens. 1:20:16.345 --> 1:20:18.505 I just I mean it's inexplicable for this time of 1:20:18.585 --> 1:20:20.865 year for guys not to know how to line up 1:20:20.905 --> 1:20:22.625 in order to be legal, or guys to know that 1:20:22.665 --> 1:20:25.105 you can't jump the signal or you know it just 1:20:25.265 --> 1:20:28.745 I do. It's a head scratcher that I've never seen 1:20:28.825 --> 1:20:31.785 before in covering this team for nearly forty years as 1:20:31.825 --> 1:20:33.985 I have, I've never seen this of a team this 1:20:34.065 --> 1:20:36.505 late in the season. So it can't be anything but 1:20:36.785 --> 1:20:41.185 coaching or how they're being instructed how to do things. 1:20:40.785 --> 1:20:49.185 Right right, And again it's mystifying to me, you know, 1:20:49.665 --> 1:20:55.065 just again the dumb things that they do, and it just. 1:20:55.105 --> 1:20:57.225 Oh yeah, and it just ruins everything, which leads me 1:20:57.305 --> 1:21:03.065 then into the real winner here, the ugly what needs 1:21:03.105 --> 1:21:06.305 to be changed, what has no hope of improvement, what 1:21:06.385 --> 1:21:09.145 should be thrown out, you know with you know Tomorrow's trash, 1:21:09.185 --> 1:21:09.785 that kind of thing. 1:21:10.105 --> 1:21:13.905 I mean, it goes right to the offensive line. Yeah, 1:21:14.105 --> 1:21:22.105 I mean they've ignored they've ignored left tackle, and it's 1:21:22.105 --> 1:21:25.865 stunning that they did so, bringing in having a rookie quarterback. 1:21:27.625 --> 1:21:31.185 And again I think Viderian Law has done as well 1:21:31.225 --> 1:21:37.945 as he humanly possibly can with his ability. But and 1:21:38.305 --> 1:21:46.585 but you know, whether they were or drafting tackles, they 1:21:46.825 --> 1:21:50.505 drafted people to play the right right tackle and expected 1:21:50.545 --> 1:21:51.705 them to move to the left. 1:21:51.905 --> 1:21:52.025 Right. 1:21:52.305 --> 1:21:57.385 They signed in free agency a predominant right tackle, expecting 1:21:57.465 --> 1:22:00.745 him to play left. I mean, are you willing to 1:22:00.825 --> 1:22:03.945 take that kind of chance that whoever can make that 1:22:04.305 --> 1:22:09.145 change without really knowing? I mean that to me is 1:22:10.225 --> 1:22:16.345 that's ugly. That's an ugly assessment or an ugly way 1:22:16.385 --> 1:22:22.465 to go about your offensive line. It's just and it again, 1:22:22.785 --> 1:22:27.985 it's trumbling, it's you know where you know that doesn't 1:22:28.025 --> 1:22:33.145 seem to be high on the right, which is offensive 1:22:33.265 --> 1:22:37.105 line is the that's that's where the offensive that's where 1:22:37.105 --> 1:22:38.385 the offense stems from. 1:22:38.545 --> 1:22:40.825 Of course it is. And why wouldn't you want to 1:22:40.865 --> 1:22:44.585 protect your best asset? I just that one blows me away, 1:22:44.625 --> 1:22:46.785 and it just tells me. I mean, the only thing 1:22:46.825 --> 1:22:48.985 I'm left really together is that they tried to do 1:22:49.025 --> 1:22:50.705 it on the cheap and they failed. 1:22:52.505 --> 1:22:55.905 Well, well, if they continue to do it that way, 1:22:56.185 --> 1:22:56.945 shame on them. 1:22:57.105 --> 1:22:59.865 Yeah. Yeah, they can't afford to and they. 1:22:59.785 --> 1:23:02.785 And they deserve all the criticism that's coming their way. 1:23:03.065 --> 1:23:08.425 Yeah. Along the whole lines of ugly, the performance of 1:23:08.585 --> 1:23:12.065 rookie second round draft pick Jalen Polk has almost been inexplicable. 1:23:12.385 --> 1:23:15.385 He's not the same player that I saw, you know 1:23:15.585 --> 1:23:18.425 in the you know, national semifinals and finals last year. 1:23:18.625 --> 1:23:21.425 He not even closed. He was explosive, he had great hands, 1:23:21.625 --> 1:23:24.945 good speed, I mean, and we've seen nothing of that. 1:23:25.425 --> 1:23:28.825 And so I'm going to ask you a very simple question. Why. 1:23:31.065 --> 1:23:36.585 Yeah, well something Well, let's even go back to training camp. John, 1:23:38.145 --> 1:23:44.865 he looked like that player. Sure, at least he started out. 1:23:45.065 --> 1:23:48.385 You know, it looked like you know, watching him in 1:23:48.425 --> 1:23:50.865 training camp. But again you have to put training camp 1:23:50.905 --> 1:23:56.065 into context. These aren't padded. Practice is basically people running 1:23:56.145 --> 1:24:02.225 free and you know, with little you know defense, let's say, 1:24:03.345 --> 1:24:08.705 you know, with little opposition. But he again, he stood 1:24:08.745 --> 1:24:12.505 out in kind of the early going in training camp, 1:24:13.145 --> 1:24:15.865 and he seemed to have a chemistry with Drake May 1:24:17.065 --> 1:24:22.985 and that kind of has all disappeared in It's funny 1:24:23.025 --> 1:24:25.825 I talked to him yesterday, so I wrote something about 1:24:25.865 --> 1:24:33.585 him today. A series of drops, uh, bad penalties, lining 1:24:33.665 --> 1:24:37.345 up in the wrong place. I mean, it's like it's 1:24:37.385 --> 1:24:39.665 like when he gets on the field during games, he 1:24:40.705 --> 1:24:43.945 loses his mind, which is weird. 1:24:46.585 --> 1:24:48.705 So why are we going back to football? One oh one? 1:24:49.625 --> 1:24:51.745 That's what That's what I don't understand. What's causing him 1:24:51.745 --> 1:24:52.425 to do? 1:24:51.985 --> 1:24:59.065 You know, perhaps again perhaps uh you know you look 1:24:59.105 --> 1:25:04.865 at the coaching staff, the wide receivers coach or again 1:25:05.185 --> 1:25:10.825 something is missing, you know with Jalen Polk and to 1:25:10.945 --> 1:25:15.145 a degree to Von Baker because they put him out 1:25:15.145 --> 1:25:16.705 there and then they have to take him out because 1:25:16.745 --> 1:25:18.825 he's in the wrong place or he doesn't do the 1:25:18.905 --> 1:25:23.785 right thing. And it's like, is anyone teaching these guys? 1:25:24.345 --> 1:25:26.985 Well, if they're teaching them and they're failing, then they're 1:25:27.025 --> 1:25:28.865 not really holding them accountable, now, were they. 1:25:30.745 --> 1:25:34.665 Well that opens up a whole nother can of worms there, 1:25:35.265 --> 1:25:39.305 because when you I'll just go back to our friend 1:25:39.385 --> 1:25:45.145 Viderian Lowe, when you commit when you false start three 1:25:45.225 --> 1:25:51.545 times in the same game and don't get benched, and 1:25:51.625 --> 1:25:56.225 he didn't. But here's well, here's the other issue. Well, 1:25:56.225 --> 1:25:58.025 who the heck are they going to put in there? 1:25:58.065 --> 1:26:00.225 Well, that's the problem. You know, we've been talking about 1:26:00.225 --> 1:26:02.465 We talk about a little of that almost every week, 1:26:02.905 --> 1:26:05.865 and they're just not there's just not enough. That's the 1:26:05.985 --> 1:26:09.305 ultimate failure of this roster in the way it was constructed. 1:26:10.385 --> 1:26:15.065 The coach can't even bench players because there's such a 1:26:15.145 --> 1:26:18.865 huge drop off. And again, when you're talking about left 1:26:18.865 --> 1:26:23.025 tackle or even right tackle and you're in the in 1:26:23.025 --> 1:26:26.625 the franchise you're trying to protect, are you going to 1:26:26.705 --> 1:26:31.425 bench the guy to send a message and thanks getting 1:26:31.505 --> 1:26:33.825 the franchise hurt. 1:26:33.985 --> 1:26:37.065 Yeah, no, you can't do that, can't. 1:26:37.825 --> 1:26:42.065 So again, So in some ways I think Gerrod Mao's 1:26:42.105 --> 1:26:46.425 hands have been tied by the roster that he's competing with. 1:26:46.665 --> 1:26:50.225 Yeah, somewhat. We'll find out if that changes soon enough. Hey, 1:26:50.265 --> 1:26:52.265 I appreciate you spending a little time with us, Karen. 1:26:52.305 --> 1:26:54.305 As always, it's it's good to talk to you. I 1:26:54.305 --> 1:26:57.225 hope you had a good Thanksgiving and good lord, Christmas 1:26:57.265 --> 1:26:59.625 is three weeks from today. I'm stunned by that. 1:26:59.785 --> 1:27:04.145 I know it to get As always, John, thanks for 1:27:04.185 --> 1:27:04.865 having me on. 1:27:05.105 --> 1:27:09.225 I enjoy our chat, so do I, And believe it 1:27:09.305 --> 1:27:10.945 or not, Karen, there's a lot of people who listen 1:27:10.985 --> 1:27:13.665 that also enjoy it. So I appreciate your making time 1:27:13.705 --> 1:27:14.065 for us. 1:27:14.065 --> 1:27:18.505 Thank you anytime. I have a great holiday. If I 1:27:18.545 --> 1:27:20.705 don't see you or talk to you before, then. 1:27:20.745 --> 1:27:22.865 Same to you. Hopefully we'll run into each other at 1:27:22.905 --> 1:27:24.905 the stadium here very very shortly, with a couple of 1:27:24.985 --> 1:27:27.625 games left to play. The One and only Karen Greggian 1:27:28.305 --> 1:27:31.545 from masslive dot com at Griggy and g U R 1:27:31.825 --> 1:27:34.705 E g I A n on X is where you 1:27:34.745 --> 1:27:37.545 can find her. Her stuff is always good. It's always 1:27:37.585 --> 1:27:40.265 spot on. The One thing that I've always loved about Karen. 1:27:40.305 --> 1:27:43.225 This isn't necessarily mutual admiration society here, but one thing 1:27:43.505 --> 1:27:46.145 I always love reading about Karen is that she reads 1:27:46.465 --> 1:27:50.465 and she writes about the stuff that I think about. 1:27:51.145 --> 1:27:56.665 She's spot on, and that comes from covering the team 1:27:57.025 --> 1:28:00.145 for thirty plus years as she has. And so that's 1:28:00.185 --> 1:28:06.585 where experience really pays off, because she knows what you expect. 1:28:06.865 --> 1:28:09.865 She knows what I expect. She knows what she expects, 1:28:09.865 --> 1:28:12.145 she knows how to go to it, and she's been 1:28:12.145 --> 1:28:14.385 around and the players know her. I mean, heck, she 1:28:14.505 --> 1:28:17.225 was one of TV twelve's favorites. You know. For those 1:28:17.265 --> 1:28:19.505 that don't know, you know, he would always you know, 1:28:19.865 --> 1:28:21.345 kind of like you know, in front of the White 1:28:21.345 --> 1:28:23.665 House press scops, I always call on you know one 1:28:23.705 --> 1:28:26.065 reporter first because you know him best, and think that's 1:28:26.105 --> 1:28:28.025 what Tom Brady did when he was here. He'd always 1:28:28.065 --> 1:28:31.545 call on Karen first anyway, because he respected and her 1:28:31.545 --> 1:28:34.185 ability to recognize, her ability to write, and her ability 1:28:34.185 --> 1:28:37.585 to be fair. That's what I like most about Karen. 1:28:37.665 --> 1:28:39.505 So you gotta make sure that she's a follow if 1:28:39.505 --> 1:28:42.025 you're if you're following along, and that's why we love 1:28:42.065 --> 1:28:44.345 having her on the show every now and then. Okay, 1:28:44.385 --> 1:28:46.665 so I got to hit the TPX hotline here pretty 1:28:46.705 --> 1:28:49.505 quickly because Patty and Aguam has been hanging on like 1:28:49.625 --> 1:28:52.025 for flipping ever. Patty, you're still there. 1:28:53.945 --> 1:28:55.985 I'm still here, John, hold on one, all right. 1:28:57.865 --> 1:29:00.065 No, it's good. Hey. I kept you on hole, so 1:29:00.105 --> 1:29:02.145 you can keep me on hold for a second or two. Anyway. 1:29:02.465 --> 1:29:04.985 It doesn't make for great radio, Patty, but it's all right. 1:29:06.265 --> 1:29:11.585 Hey. As I was listening to Peu earlier today, I 1:29:11.625 --> 1:29:13.945 guess I don't make for great radio for some callers, 1:29:13.985 --> 1:29:15.585 So that's all right. I don't mind. I don't mind 1:29:15.585 --> 1:29:16.425 being the bad guy. 1:29:16.305 --> 1:29:16.945 If I have to be. 1:29:17.305 --> 1:29:21.505 Well, but see, I like bad guys. I like foils. 1:29:21.585 --> 1:29:24.105 I like you know, people who come in to sort 1:29:24.105 --> 1:29:26.305 of stir the drink or shake the tree, or however 1:29:26.345 --> 1:29:28.305 you want to term it. Because you know, even if 1:29:28.305 --> 1:29:31.105 I don't even if I don't agree with it, I 1:29:31.265 --> 1:29:33.225 like to hear other opinions because it gets me to 1:29:33.265 --> 1:29:36.465 stop and think and consider the other side and hopefully 1:29:36.505 --> 1:29:39.865 making a better educated opinion in my own right. Does 1:29:39.905 --> 1:29:40.425 that make sense? 1:29:42.025 --> 1:29:42.545 Makes sense? 1:29:42.825 --> 1:29:43.065 Yeah? 1:29:43.065 --> 1:29:45.905 He kind of serves it up to me, you know, 1:29:45.985 --> 1:29:48.345 because wait to you hear the three answers I have 1:29:48.465 --> 1:29:49.425 to the question today? 1:29:49.465 --> 1:29:50.985 All right, baby, go what's good? 1:29:52.625 --> 1:29:53.145 My good? 1:29:53.945 --> 1:29:57.105 Aside from the obvious Ndalas and May, I wanted to 1:29:57.145 --> 1:29:59.265 stand out and be a little different. So I'm taking 1:29:59.305 --> 1:30:02.145 Alex van Pelp because if you look at the difference 1:30:02.185 --> 1:30:05.425 between Drake May when he first got here, you know, 1:30:05.465 --> 1:30:08.625 in rookie camp and minie camp and training camp to 1:30:08.665 --> 1:30:11.785 where he is now. Yes, May had a lot to 1:30:11.825 --> 1:30:13.705 do with it, but I think as far as his 1:30:13.825 --> 1:30:16.305 development goes, you got to give your you got to 1:30:16.345 --> 1:30:18.025 take your hats off to Alex van Pelp for what 1:30:18.065 --> 1:30:19.905 he's done with the kid. And we're starting to finally 1:30:19.945 --> 1:30:24.025 see a little bit more creativity within the offense too. 1:30:24.305 --> 1:30:26.385 Well, you know that that's a fresh take. I'm going 1:30:26.425 --> 1:30:28.305 to give you credit for that one. And let's also 1:30:28.385 --> 1:30:30.625 go back to you know, even though didn't win the 1:30:30.665 --> 1:30:33.465 game this past weekend, it was their most balanced offensive 1:30:33.465 --> 1:30:35.905 effort of the year. They outgained the Colts. They had 1:30:35.945 --> 1:30:37.545 over four hundred yards at total offense. 1:30:39.745 --> 1:30:42.785 Yeah, I know, it's I mean, it's just last week 1:30:43.105 --> 1:30:47.945 was one of those games where I just when it happened, John, 1:30:47.945 --> 1:30:49.825 when the Colts scored, I'm like, they're going for two 1:30:49.905 --> 1:30:54.425 years and I'm watching the game with my friend next Yeah. Yeah, 1:30:55.025 --> 1:30:57.065 I'm like, how how could you not go for it 1:30:57.145 --> 1:30:59.065 right here? When your playoff lives are on the line, 1:30:59.065 --> 1:31:02.025 you're playing a team with three wins at their house, 1:31:02.425 --> 1:31:05.945 you go for the win. But yeah, I mean they 1:31:05.945 --> 1:31:08.945 outgained them almost two to one, won the turnover battle, 1:31:08.945 --> 1:31:12.665 and still lost. And I was left there like, what 1:31:12.825 --> 1:31:15.065 the hell, man, oh boy, we got to do to 1:31:15.105 --> 1:31:15.785 pull out a win? 1:31:15.905 --> 1:31:18.305 You know? Yeah, yeah, I don't think this team is 1:31:18.305 --> 1:31:22.105 capable of that. That's the problem. It's just a prise. 1:31:22.505 --> 1:31:25.025 I think they're still very you know, for as much 1:31:25.065 --> 1:31:31.825 crap as the coordinators, the coaches, Elliott Wolf. Everyone takes 1:31:32.145 --> 1:31:35.145 this is I've said this on a previous call to John, 1:31:35.185 --> 1:31:38.065 this is a rookie year for everybody minus the Craft, 1:31:38.425 --> 1:31:42.505 you know, everyone else in a big position this year 1:31:42.585 --> 1:31:45.665 is it's the rookie year. So I wish people would 1:31:45.705 --> 1:31:47.505 be more patient and cut them some slack. 1:31:47.865 --> 1:31:50.385 All right, so you hit how about the bad? 1:31:50.465 --> 1:31:55.225 Yeah, my bad? And I'm only putting a one year 1:31:55.305 --> 1:31:58.505 label on this bad because if we're at the bye 1:31:58.545 --> 1:32:01.865 week next year, I might I might be saying this 1:32:01.905 --> 1:32:03.825 guy is ugly. I'm going to go jail and polk 1:32:04.065 --> 1:32:06.945 because I think there is something there. I think there's 1:32:06.985 --> 1:32:11.545 a reason why, you know, wide receiver coach. Notwithstanding, I 1:32:11.545 --> 1:32:17.385 think I think the organization likes them. I think eventually, 1:32:17.545 --> 1:32:20.385 like you know, I listened to Evan a lot. I 1:32:20.465 --> 1:32:22.705 listened to Alex a lot, listen to p I listened 1:32:22.705 --> 1:32:23.705 to Patriots Doc Amla. 1:32:23.825 --> 1:32:24.145 You know that. 1:32:24.945 --> 1:32:29.945 But when Mao made the comment about him kind of 1:32:29.985 --> 1:32:33.385 like being in his own head, I'm paraphrasing there. You know, 1:32:33.465 --> 1:32:36.265 Evan came on the air and said, you know, the 1:32:36.345 --> 1:32:39.785 one thing we were worried about with him getting open, 1:32:39.905 --> 1:32:43.025 he's doing He's just not catching the ball, and I 1:32:43.065 --> 1:32:45.585 mean I think it's I think it's sort of stacked 1:32:45.585 --> 1:32:49.185 against him over the last few weeks, and I think 1:32:49.465 --> 1:32:51.745 he just needs to settle it down. I'm hoping this 1:32:51.825 --> 1:32:55.465 by a week does does him some good. And I 1:32:55.905 --> 1:32:57.825 said it a few weeks ago to I don't care 1:32:57.905 --> 1:33:00.585 which one of these rookie wide receivers it is, Baker 1:33:00.705 --> 1:33:02.785 or Polk. I just want to see one of these 1:33:02.825 --> 1:33:06.545 guys be a player. Doesn't matter who, doesn't matter, how, 1:33:07.705 --> 1:33:09.345 it just doesn't matter. I want to see it happen. 1:33:09.425 --> 1:33:11.825 Yeah, no, I agree, so many needs to all right, 1:33:12.945 --> 1:33:17.825 ugly what what is? What is the proverbial lugly baby 1:33:17.865 --> 1:33:20.305 that needs to pork chopper hanging around its neck so 1:33:20.425 --> 1:33:21.545 the dog will play with it? 1:33:23.225 --> 1:33:23.665 All right? 1:33:23.785 --> 1:33:25.665 I went back and forth on this, and I know 1:33:25.745 --> 1:33:28.865 this is probably going to be very unpopular with some people. 1:33:29.665 --> 1:33:34.985 I was gonna throw out de Marcus Covington, but again, 1:33:35.065 --> 1:33:36.785 like he's in his first year, let's give the guy 1:33:36.825 --> 1:33:39.305 another year. As bad as the defense has been, I'm 1:33:39.305 --> 1:33:42.185 gonna go Kyle Dugger. And I think if you look 1:33:42.225 --> 1:33:46.185 at since you know, the last couple of years, the 1:33:46.265 --> 1:33:49.625 last two years, especially even with Bill Belichick as head coach. 1:33:52.305 --> 1:33:54.265 You know, I think he's he's pretty good playing at 1:33:54.305 --> 1:33:56.745 the line of scrimmage, but as far as like the second, 1:33:57.025 --> 1:34:01.185 you know, second and third levels coverage, covering tight ends, 1:34:02.065 --> 1:34:04.865 you know, covering the deep middle of the field, he's 1:34:04.905 --> 1:34:07.105 he hasn't been good and I don't think he's been 1:34:08.065 --> 1:34:10.385 He hasn't been worth the money that they gave him, 1:34:12.185 --> 1:34:15.385 and I think it's it might be time to move 1:34:15.425 --> 1:34:17.425 on from him. As much as I mean, I like 1:34:17.505 --> 1:34:20.905 the guy, I thought he was, you know, he was 1:34:20.905 --> 1:34:24.185 emerging a couple of years ago, but even before they 1:34:24.225 --> 1:34:26.945 paid him, like I just thought, like, well, he didn't 1:34:27.025 --> 1:34:28.985 he really didn't look that good last year, you know, 1:34:29.065 --> 1:34:31.785 he didn't look good. I thought down the end of 1:34:31.825 --> 1:34:34.625 the stretch at twenty twenty two as well. But many 1:34:34.705 --> 1:34:37.585 had that big pick in Arizona, the Pick six, or 1:34:37.625 --> 1:34:39.225 maybe it was Raiders game. I can't remember one. 1:34:39.185 --> 1:34:40.265 Of those games. 1:34:40.945 --> 1:34:46.025 But ever since then, he's he's fallen off, and I 1:34:46.065 --> 1:34:51.025 don't know, maybe another team can get something out of him, 1:34:51.145 --> 1:34:52.905 Maybe we can get something out of him as far 1:34:52.945 --> 1:34:56.185 as draft capital. And like I said, I like the guy. 1:34:56.225 --> 1:34:59.545 It's nothing personal, but I mean, we at this point, 1:34:59.745 --> 1:35:02.265 we got to kind of be what we can cut 1:35:02.305 --> 1:35:03.265 out for dead weight, you. 1:35:03.265 --> 1:35:06.305 Know, yeah, well that is going to come with a team. 1:35:06.385 --> 1:35:08.185 You know, it's going to be three and ten, or 1:35:08.265 --> 1:35:10.385 is three and ten and could be you know, three 1:35:10.425 --> 1:35:12.465 and fourteen. We don't know. I mean, we don't know 1:35:12.505 --> 1:35:13.945 what will happen over the last four weeks, but it's 1:35:13.945 --> 1:35:15.505 certainly not going to be I don't think it'll be 1:35:15.505 --> 1:35:17.505 better than what we saw last year. And like I 1:35:17.545 --> 1:35:19.345 said at the top of the show today, Patty, I'm like, 1:35:19.865 --> 1:35:22.185 I really thought this was a five or a six 1:35:22.225 --> 1:35:24.225 win team this year and maybe with a break or two, 1:35:24.705 --> 1:35:27.625 you know, they might be in playoff contention to about 1:35:27.665 --> 1:35:32.825 this time early to mid December before they ultimately succumbed, 1:35:32.865 --> 1:35:35.625 because I didn't think they'd have enough depth overall. Certainly 1:35:35.625 --> 1:35:37.225 they don't have the depth. The problem is they don't 1:35:37.265 --> 1:35:40.825 have the starters, So that's part of the issue overall. 1:35:41.865 --> 1:35:45.105 But we were wrong, and they just they don't have 1:35:45.305 --> 1:35:48.225 the depth that you know, they've got to create depth. 1:35:48.225 --> 1:35:50.025 They've got to bring in starters, they've got to bring 1:35:50.065 --> 1:35:55.025 in more NFL ready more NFL capable performers surrounding you know, 1:35:55.105 --> 1:35:58.185 hopefully the offensive anchor and the defensive anchor that they have, 1:35:58.825 --> 1:36:01.985 you know, and that's really where we stand. So to me, 1:36:02.545 --> 1:36:05.385 I'm kind of I tend to agree with you. I mean, look, 1:36:06.025 --> 1:36:08.225 DeMarcus Covington has had a rough ride over the last 1:36:08.225 --> 1:36:11.825 few weeks as the defensive coordinator because we've seen regression here, 1:36:11.945 --> 1:36:15.185 and I do think there's an issue here. But at 1:36:15.185 --> 1:36:18.625 the same time, because it's the first year for everybody 1:36:18.665 --> 1:36:20.705 in terms of the head coach, the OC, the DC, 1:36:21.305 --> 1:36:24.505 I'm certainly I'm kind of more in your camp, Patty. 1:36:24.545 --> 1:36:27.265 I really think that yeah, they probably should get another 1:36:27.345 --> 1:36:29.745 year to be entirely fair, but the one that the 1:36:29.785 --> 1:36:33.545 owner really has to go down upon and that we 1:36:33.625 --> 1:36:35.985 really need to come through otherwise he needs to, you know, 1:36:36.025 --> 1:36:39.825 rethink his employment status is Elliott Wolf. I mean, yeah, 1:36:39.825 --> 1:36:43.625 you got to bring in the personnel for these coaches 1:36:43.665 --> 1:36:46.665 to coach up. I just don't know that it's fair 1:36:47.265 --> 1:36:49.465 one hundred percent. And we know it's not a fair business. Okay, 1:36:49.505 --> 1:36:52.145 it's professional sports. It's not a fair business. It's not 1:36:52.145 --> 1:36:55.385 gonna be. It's a what have you done for me now? Business. 1:36:55.785 --> 1:36:58.825 It is all about you know, the Benjamins. It's about 1:36:58.865 --> 1:37:00.785 nothing else other than that you gotta make money. This 1:37:00.825 --> 1:37:04.265 is a professional business, but you got to give you know, 1:37:04.305 --> 1:37:07.145 it's kind of like Bill Parcells once said, right, if 1:37:07.145 --> 1:37:09.425 they're gonna want you to coach the players, they got 1:37:09.425 --> 1:37:11.025 to let you shop for some of the groceries. And 1:37:11.305 --> 1:37:14.265 I totally agree with that assessment. So when you bring 1:37:14.305 --> 1:37:18.945 in the groceries, don't go buy rotten eggs, don't don't 1:37:18.985 --> 1:37:21.745 don't buy it quickly. Yeah, don't buy stale bread. Don't 1:37:21.745 --> 1:37:24.345 do any of that stuff real quickly. 1:37:24.385 --> 1:37:26.585 Before I get off, you can get some other people on. 1:37:27.665 --> 1:37:30.745 I mean, he got the biggest chip, the artist piece 1:37:30.825 --> 1:37:33.985 to get. You know, we have the quarterback. Now it's 1:37:34.065 --> 1:37:36.265 up to him, you know what, Like I want to 1:37:36.265 --> 1:37:38.185 see them build up the defense. But while he is 1:37:38.225 --> 1:37:41.385 on his rookie contract, you have to do him justice. Sure, 1:37:41.385 --> 1:37:44.905 you start building the offense around here so we can compete, 1:37:44.985 --> 1:37:47.825 because it's not it's not your father's NFL. It's not 1:37:47.905 --> 1:37:51.625 my father's NFL. Games are one on offense more often 1:37:51.665 --> 1:37:53.985 than not nowadays. You got to build it up. That's 1:37:54.025 --> 1:37:54.425 all I got. 1:37:54.465 --> 1:37:54.825 Johnny. 1:37:54.945 --> 1:37:57.945 You're a good man, Patty, Thank you, buddy, Appreciate you all. Right, 1:37:58.025 --> 1:38:02.545 Before we get to mister Baxter here, Aldred. What's happening brother. 1:38:03.665 --> 1:38:05.505 Hey, mister legend, how you doing today? 1:38:05.625 --> 1:38:06.865 All good today? How about you? 1:38:08.345 --> 1:38:10.905 Uh, let's tired, but it's worth. 1:38:11.185 --> 1:38:13.385 Wait do we do? We have a tough hall, tough haul. 1:38:13.265 --> 1:38:15.625 Today, a long ones. 1:38:15.745 --> 1:38:17.785 Oh where were you coming from? Where are you headed? 1:38:19.345 --> 1:38:19.865 All right? Now? 1:38:19.945 --> 1:38:22.985 Coming from Columbia going back to Charlotte. Right now it's 1:38:23.025 --> 1:38:26.505 traffic time. And the other day we've got a little snow, 1:38:26.625 --> 1:38:27.345 the flurries. 1:38:27.745 --> 1:38:30.665 Oh you know how long a drive is that? How 1:38:30.665 --> 1:38:33.225 long are driving from from Columbia to Charlotte? How longer 1:38:33.305 --> 1:38:33.705 drive is that? 1:38:36.105 --> 1:38:39.145 A good day is an hour? Almost two hours? Okay, 1:38:39.345 --> 1:38:40.825 bad day two and a half three? 1:38:41.145 --> 1:38:47.865 Traffic on the traffic are we? Hey? When are we 1:38:47.945 --> 1:38:53.625 putting together Eldridge Rules of the road. We have to 1:38:53.665 --> 1:38:57.425 do that, you know, all right, that's that's for marine. 1:38:57.465 --> 1:39:01.105 That's for marine. That marine's got to get together on that. 1:39:01.145 --> 1:39:03.505 We want to put together Aldridge Rules of the Road 1:39:03.585 --> 1:39:06.345 and that way we you know, have some little reminders 1:39:06.345 --> 1:39:08.385 for people who are sitting in traffic listening to the 1:39:08.425 --> 1:39:11.425 pod or you know, whatever they're doing. Marine, We we 1:39:11.505 --> 1:39:13.625 definitely have to get to Eldridge Rules of the Road. 1:39:13.665 --> 1:39:17.385 At some point, right, like you don't have enough to do. 1:39:17.465 --> 1:39:19.665 I understand that, but I'm just saying it's on my list. 1:39:19.745 --> 1:39:23.425 I will get to you, Eldred. See it's gonna happen. 1:39:23.545 --> 1:39:26.105 It's gonna happen, all right, So Eldred, give me good, 1:39:26.105 --> 1:39:27.985 bad and ugly about this team because I know you've 1:39:27.985 --> 1:39:29.425 got some definitive choices here. 1:39:30.585 --> 1:39:35.825 Yeah. Good, I'm I'm going with everybody else. Drake may 1:39:36.025 --> 1:39:37.985 you know, he's do a little bit better. It's getting 1:39:37.985 --> 1:39:40.065 better what I thought he would do. Ye I had him, 1:39:41.185 --> 1:39:42.705 I didn't. I wouldn't want to drive him, but I 1:39:42.745 --> 1:39:43.945 got to give it. Give Hi his problems. 1:39:43.985 --> 1:39:46.105 Yeah, well you told me you're gonna go buy his jersey. 1:39:46.185 --> 1:39:47.305 You bought his jersey, right. 1:39:47.265 --> 1:39:47.945 I already got it. 1:39:48.025 --> 1:39:50.345 Yeah, you showed. Remember you sent me a picture? Yeah, 1:39:50.385 --> 1:39:51.145 you sent me a picture? 1:39:51.185 --> 1:39:51.705 Did you show? 1:39:51.825 --> 1:39:52.985 Did ye? Okay? 1:39:53.305 --> 1:39:53.945 Man of my word? 1:39:54.945 --> 1:39:55.105 You know? 1:39:56.545 --> 1:39:56.945 Yes? Sir? 1:39:57.025 --> 1:39:58.945 All right? Bad? What's bad? 1:40:00.505 --> 1:40:04.345 What's bad? Well, it's it's you go a lot of 1:40:04.385 --> 1:40:07.105 ways with that. I want to go the line and 1:40:07.185 --> 1:40:10.185 I want to go defense. That's time. I'm gonna go 1:40:10.225 --> 1:40:14.345 with both. What's ugly, it's the talent level on that 1:40:14.465 --> 1:40:18.065 team with Ian Wolf. That's what's damn right ugly. 1:40:19.425 --> 1:40:21.865 You would have said, you would have said that for 1:40:21.945 --> 1:40:23.505 GM Bill Belichick too though, right. 1:40:25.065 --> 1:40:29.465 I think they're the same people, you know. 1:40:30.705 --> 1:40:34.985 It wasn't the version of yeah, he'll probably take that 1:40:34.985 --> 1:40:35.945 as a contown. Right. 1:40:37.705 --> 1:40:39.705 He shouldn't the way where he drafts. He shouldn't. That's 1:40:39.705 --> 1:40:41.185 why I feel ain't got a job. You ain't got no, 1:40:41.225 --> 1:40:43.105 you ain't got no, you ain't got no groceries in 1:40:43.105 --> 1:40:47.065 in uh in the cabinets, you know. And then uh, 1:40:47.185 --> 1:40:49.745 I'm like everybody else. You gonna have all this cap space, 1:40:49.865 --> 1:40:52.745 you have cap money, you know, cap money you have, 1:40:52.905 --> 1:40:55.545 you have this top of the draft whatever. He won't 1:40:55.545 --> 1:40:57.385 get it right. I don't think he. I think he. 1:40:57.425 --> 1:40:59.905 I think he drafts like Bill, or he learned from Bill, 1:41:00.465 --> 1:41:02.665 and I think he drafts the same way, you know, 1:41:02.705 --> 1:41:07.345 because you got the same guys and coaching wise, you know, 1:41:08.505 --> 1:41:12.465 ugly on defense office I thought was ugly at first, 1:41:12.505 --> 1:41:15.745 but it's getting better, you know. And then I'm like 1:41:15.905 --> 1:41:19.585 Marcus Covenant, I can't understand you, even in high school 1:41:20.265 --> 1:41:22.305 when I was coaching in high school. If a guy 1:41:22.385 --> 1:41:24.665 go in most motion, if you go a man and 1:41:24.705 --> 1:41:26.705 you want to double him the far stats on the 1:41:26.745 --> 1:41:29.585 other side, double the guy that goes with him. That's 1:41:29.825 --> 1:41:33.745 that's elementary. That's elementary. The other the other states to 1:41:33.745 --> 1:41:36.265 cover up the deep end. That's elementary. It's a side, 1:41:36.705 --> 1:41:39.025 you know. And then if you're dropping, you just drop 1:41:39.105 --> 1:41:42.105 back in the zone or whatever. But you just don't 1:41:42.105 --> 1:41:44.785 have nobody confused or whatever. But they pro they get paid, 1:41:45.305 --> 1:41:47.425 so they should. They should know that rule too, because 1:41:47.425 --> 1:41:49.345 they had to start from high school to leave him 1:41:49.345 --> 1:41:51.825 and to learn the same thing. I just can. It's 1:41:51.905 --> 1:41:56.745 just a talent level. And another thing I'm mad about is, Okay, 1:41:57.385 --> 1:42:00.465 you got some guys on the scout team. I hear 1:42:00.545 --> 1:42:04.665 some people right about him or whatever, you know, and like, 1:42:04.705 --> 1:42:06.705 you got a six y three wide receiver right there already. 1:42:07.545 --> 1:42:11.025 You know you got speed. He might be whatever, but 1:42:11.145 --> 1:42:14.105 right now you three and ten. Why not try everybody? 1:42:14.145 --> 1:42:16.385 You got some some some corners with some speed and 1:42:16.425 --> 1:42:19.185 some size. Why not try to see what you got 1:42:19.225 --> 1:42:22.265 instead of just looking at practice squad and said, well, 1:42:22.385 --> 1:42:24.425 they just run the scout team and that's that, you know. 1:42:24.745 --> 1:42:26.705 Why not give them a shot somewhere else because you're 1:42:26.785 --> 1:42:29.105 hurting the secondary. Who knows you might have a second 1:42:29.145 --> 1:42:32.625 guy right there might have a receiver right there, Jalen Polk. 1:42:33.105 --> 1:42:34.745 I gave it from from Jump Street because I said, 1:42:34.785 --> 1:42:37.425 I want a d Mitchell, I. 1:42:37.345 --> 1:42:40.625 Know, although although I mean, I don't think ad Mitchell 1:42:40.665 --> 1:42:42.225 had the best game of this last week either for 1:42:42.265 --> 1:42:42.665 the Colts. 1:42:42.745 --> 1:42:46.305 Right, No, he hasn't little little what you call. Matter 1:42:46.345 --> 1:42:48.785 of fact, my brother in law he's a Colt saying 1:42:49.345 --> 1:42:51.585 he told me that, Hey, I tell you what if 1:42:51.585 --> 1:42:54.105 I was them, I trade you a d Mitchell for 1:42:55.105 --> 1:42:56.665 Robinson to guard. I said, no, I ain't giving you 1:42:56.665 --> 1:42:59.505 the guard I give you. I'll give you somebody else 1:42:59.545 --> 1:43:03.465 for him. I won't give you the guard Lennon Robinson. 1:43:03.945 --> 1:43:05.705 Rob Yeah, that's one of the reasons. 1:43:05.705 --> 1:43:06.105 Pretty good. 1:43:06.505 --> 1:43:08.025 Yeah, that's one of the reasons why they want to 1:43:08.025 --> 1:43:09.585 play him, because they want to see more of him. 1:43:09.585 --> 1:43:11.345 They want him to get on the job training, kind 1:43:11.345 --> 1:43:14.745 of like what they did with with Drake earlier this 1:43:14.825 --> 1:43:16.545 year when they decided to move him into the lineup. 1:43:16.585 --> 1:43:19.065 It's on the job training, and there's no better way 1:43:19.065 --> 1:43:20.065 to learn than on the job. 1:43:21.185 --> 1:43:24.945 Yep. And what else is ugly you only got only 1:43:24.985 --> 1:43:27.305 hit on one draft pick, which I know that's the 1:43:27.345 --> 1:43:29.545 major one, but that ain't the only one. At least 1:43:29.545 --> 1:43:32.465 you got leash hit three out of how many people 1:43:32.705 --> 1:43:35.625 getting eleven? Least hit three. You ain't hit but one. 1:43:35.705 --> 1:43:37.705 I know, I know, you gotta you gotta, you gotta 1:43:37.745 --> 1:43:41.945 have a three hundred batting average minimum, right minimum? Minimum? 1:43:42.065 --> 1:43:44.985 Yeah, minimum, you know. And right now he got zero 1:43:45.065 --> 1:43:47.065 with me. He got zero from another year, and he 1:43:47.105 --> 1:43:51.865 got zero for this year, you know. And then uh defense, 1:43:52.065 --> 1:43:53.865 like you said, you got some free age of corners. 1:43:54.385 --> 1:43:56.785 You know, that can help help out a gun zone 1:43:56.825 --> 1:44:00.345 on that side over there. But it's a linebacker crew 1:44:00.545 --> 1:44:02.985 and the front line, you decent line differ. I'm like, 1:44:03.145 --> 1:44:06.425 kind of trade. I'll pay somebody for that back to 1:44:06.225 --> 1:44:08.465 do that and then keep trying to draft whatever. But 1:44:09.585 --> 1:44:11.905 like I said, the other thing is the GM and 1:44:11.945 --> 1:44:16.065 the talent level. And you saw this when Bill was 1:44:16.105 --> 1:44:18.905 there and you got your chances to do something different, 1:44:18.905 --> 1:44:21.705 you did the same thing your predecessor did. 1:44:21.865 --> 1:44:22.185 Correct. 1:44:22.225 --> 1:44:23.065 I think that's dumb. 1:44:24.185 --> 1:44:28.225 Yeah, I listen. It's hard to argue that. It's hard 1:44:28.225 --> 1:44:30.945 to argue that you're willing to get them another shot 1:44:30.985 --> 1:44:33.345 next year. You're willing to give the coaching staff another shot. 1:44:34.505 --> 1:44:36.905 I get a coaching Shaft coaching staff another shot. But 1:44:37.025 --> 1:44:39.825 like I told you a while ago, mister Kraft, let 1:44:39.865 --> 1:44:41.985 me draft for you one year. I guarantee you let 1:44:42.025 --> 1:44:44.385 me draft rest of the time. You ain't gotta pay me. 1:44:44.665 --> 1:44:47.305 Well, we're gonna, we're gonna go to GM. We're gonna 1:44:47.305 --> 1:44:49.905 we're gonna give you a chance to make that draft Eldred. 1:44:49.945 --> 1:44:51.825 All right, you're gonna we're gonna work on that for 1:44:51.945 --> 1:44:54.665 April and May next year, and we're gonna let you, uh, 1:44:54.705 --> 1:44:58.425 you know conduct you know, Eldridge draft, and we're gonna 1:44:58.425 --> 1:45:01.105 see how it compares to what the Patriots do and 1:45:01.625 --> 1:45:04.585 go from that point. All right, So start boning up 1:45:04.625 --> 1:45:06.465 on these guys. I want you to find me some 1:45:06.745 --> 1:45:10.985 you know, third, fourth and fifth round gems, right, guys, 1:45:11.025 --> 1:45:13.745 guys that are lumps of klo, Guys that are lumps 1:45:13.745 --> 1:45:16.265 of coal right now that you can mold into diamonds. 1:45:17.705 --> 1:45:20.065 All right, don't do that, okay, But I like you. 1:45:20.305 --> 1:45:21.745 I like moving at the top of the draft to 1:45:21.745 --> 1:45:28.825 get some of those guys they're around those special team guys. Yeah, totally, yes, yes, 1:45:29.465 --> 1:45:31.265 But okay, you have a good one, mister Landa. 1:45:31.305 --> 1:45:33.585 I was good talking to always good to talk to you, Eldred, 1:45:33.865 --> 1:45:37.225 Love you all right, Eldred once again from North Carolina, 1:45:37.385 --> 1:45:40.585 just fresh off the road. And now it's what week 1:45:40.585 --> 1:45:41.585 fourteen in the NFL. 1:45:42.825 --> 1:45:46.385 It's a real woman could stop you from drinking, a 1:45:46.665 --> 1:45:47.385 real big woman. 1:45:47.785 --> 1:45:50.825 It's time to go around the NFL with football guru 1:45:50.905 --> 1:45:51.705 Russell Baxter. 1:45:51.945 --> 1:45:52.265 Now on. 1:45:53.745 --> 1:45:55.265 The name is Flounder. 1:45:55.145 --> 1:46:00.345 On Patriots playbook hung And this reminder, Massachusetts is made 1:46:00.425 --> 1:46:02.825 for everyone. For the leaf peepers, corn maze strollers, for 1:46:02.945 --> 1:46:05.745 gando lovers, pumpkin pickers, and anyone else you could think of. 1:46:05.945 --> 1:46:08.425 Come to where there's something for everyone this fall and winter, 1:46:08.545 --> 1:46:12.585 Massa Choosets, where everything is made possible. Plan your trip 1:46:12.585 --> 1:46:16.385 at visit MA dot com. Good afternoon, mister Baxter. How 1:46:16.425 --> 1:46:16.905 are you sir? 1:46:17.465 --> 1:46:20.505 Hello there, sir. Are you recovered from Thanksgiving? 1:46:20.665 --> 1:46:23.785 Or yeah, yeah, listen. I don't have any complaints. I mean, 1:46:24.105 --> 1:46:26.985 I had it good last week. I was in eighty 1:46:27.025 --> 1:46:31.145 degrees in sunshine every day, just you knowall wasn't so great. 1:46:31.185 --> 1:46:34.025 But at the same time, I had no problems with 1:46:34.105 --> 1:46:37.425 my office every day, so that part was really good. 1:46:37.585 --> 1:46:39.305 That part was really good, and of course the day 1:46:39.345 --> 1:46:41.425 itself was nice to be with friends and family, and 1:46:42.545 --> 1:46:44.865 that part worked out, and I hope that you had 1:46:44.865 --> 1:46:45.985 a similar day yourself. 1:46:46.585 --> 1:46:49.185 Very much. My standard line for twenty three years if 1:46:49.225 --> 1:46:51.065 you had the turkey and me bet the over and 1:46:51.105 --> 1:46:54.745 you won. No, it was relaxing. 1:46:54.825 --> 1:46:55.425 We saw. 1:46:56.945 --> 1:46:59.065 Some entertaining football for the most part. 1:46:59.225 --> 1:47:00.025 We did, didn't we. 1:47:01.065 --> 1:47:06.025 You know, I think the Lions, I think we're headed 1:47:06.065 --> 1:47:09.225 for dinner. And then realized that the Bears weren't finished yet. 1:47:09.265 --> 1:47:12.625 Although the Bears found a way to finish themselves. 1:47:12.705 --> 1:47:14.785 They did, they did. 1:47:15.785 --> 1:47:19.665 Now they have an interim head coach. Hey, the Cowboys 1:47:19.705 --> 1:47:23.065 Giants game was competitive. The disappointment was was the Thursday 1:47:23.185 --> 1:47:28.505 night game of Green Bay in Miami. Miami just they 1:47:28.505 --> 1:47:30.385 were kind of a no show. I mean, and I 1:47:30.425 --> 1:47:33.465 know a lot gets made about the weather and different 1:47:33.465 --> 1:47:35.905 things like that and so on, but you know, they 1:47:36.305 --> 1:47:38.985 they for a team that had won three games in 1:47:39.025 --> 1:47:41.465 a row, they were very very flat, especially with what 1:47:41.545 --> 1:47:45.064 they have on the line, you know, with the AFC 1:47:45.065 --> 1:47:48.865 playoff picture and so on. So but you know, I 1:47:48.905 --> 1:47:50.705 know the Bills were happy because then they beat San 1:47:50.745 --> 1:47:53.145 Francisco and they won the East fifth year in a row. 1:47:53.825 --> 1:47:55.945 So that's a you know, you know, you're having a 1:47:55.985 --> 1:48:00.825 good year in Buffalo when you know you have won 1:48:00.945 --> 1:48:03.185 ten games and the rest of your division is one eleven. 1:48:03.545 --> 1:48:07.705 Yeah, no fooling right. I got a couple of specific 1:48:07.705 --> 1:48:10.305 things I wanted to ask you today. First one starts 1:48:10.345 --> 1:48:12.505 with the Lions, as you mentioned them. Of course winning 1:48:12.665 --> 1:48:14.945 you know, on Thanksgiving Day, because they're usually tough on 1:48:14.985 --> 1:48:16.785 that day. But now they're going to turn around and 1:48:16.785 --> 1:48:20.785 they got the early game this week and playing Thursday 1:48:20.905 --> 1:48:23.905 against the Packers. Are the Lions the best team in 1:48:23.945 --> 1:48:26.785 Pro football? If they are, why and if they are not, 1:48:27.265 --> 1:48:27.625 why not? 1:48:29.665 --> 1:48:33.585 Well, I'm ten in a row. They have the highest 1:48:33.585 --> 1:48:36.865 scoring they're the highest scoring team in the league. John, 1:48:37.985 --> 1:48:40.545 But they've also given up the second fewest points in 1:48:40.585 --> 1:48:46.785 the league, which is that's I wouldn't say that's common, okay. 1:48:47.065 --> 1:48:48.825 I mean we see a lot of high scoring teams 1:48:49.065 --> 1:48:52.065 definitely give up their share of points, but only the 1:48:52.145 --> 1:48:54.545 Chargers are given up more points per game than the Lions. 1:48:54.785 --> 1:48:57.025 I think the Lions defense got a little banged up 1:48:57.025 --> 1:48:59.025 the other day, and I think that was part of 1:48:59.065 --> 1:49:01.785 the reason the Bears were able to they got This 1:49:01.825 --> 1:49:05.025 is not an overpowering defense, but I'd give them credit 1:49:05.105 --> 1:49:08.745 losing Aiden Hutchinson, you know, in the middle of the season, 1:49:09.905 --> 1:49:13.745 and they've still found ways to be just more solid. 1:49:13.785 --> 1:49:17.425 Aaron Glenn deserves a lot of credit. But this is 1:49:17.465 --> 1:49:22.065 a team that runs the ball, stops the run, they 1:49:22.145 --> 1:49:24.665 have a court, I mean. And the thing you have 1:49:24.785 --> 1:49:29.625 to think about, John, is the resiliency that you know 1:49:29.705 --> 1:49:32.905 that Sunday night game at Houston when Jared Goff threw 1:49:32.945 --> 1:49:36.025 the ball to everybody but you and me, and they 1:49:36.065 --> 1:49:39.025 still came back and won that game on the road. 1:49:39.385 --> 1:49:44.665 So this is a team that's like supreme. Think about this, okay, 1:49:45.265 --> 1:49:48.025 And I'm just going to go back to last season. 1:49:48.705 --> 1:49:52.945 In the regular season, Okay, the Detroit Lions are twenty 1:49:52.985 --> 1:49:55.305 three and six in their last twenty nine games. 1:49:57.145 --> 1:49:57.865 That's amazing. 1:49:58.305 --> 1:50:02.465 I mean, yeah, if you've include the playoffs, they're actually 1:50:02.465 --> 1:50:03.825 twenty five and seven. 1:50:04.025 --> 1:50:04.265 Yep. 1:50:05.145 --> 1:50:05.545 Okay. 1:50:05.745 --> 1:50:10.065 Now, for those of us who've been who watched the Lions, 1:50:10.065 --> 1:50:12.185 obviously you have a team that hasn't won a championship 1:50:12.225 --> 1:50:15.145 since nineteen fifty seven, the only team in the NFC 1:50:15.185 --> 1:50:18.385 has never been to the Super Bowl. These are pretty 1:50:18.385 --> 1:50:20.665 remarkable numbers. And listen, they had some good teams in 1:50:20.705 --> 1:50:23.425 the nineties when they got to the NFC title game 1:50:23.465 --> 1:50:26.665 in ninety one, that was kind of Barry Sanders. It 1:50:26.705 --> 1:50:29.945 was actually if you remember that year, that was Wayne 1:50:30.505 --> 1:50:34.505 and a very emotional moment at the sober Dome with 1:50:34.985 --> 1:50:37.985 Mike Gutley yep, as you remember, and a lot of 1:50:37.985 --> 1:50:41.145 people talked about that and so on. And you know, 1:50:41.145 --> 1:50:43.025 I had some teams in the mid nineties with Scott 1:50:43.105 --> 1:50:47.385 Visualist the quarterback, exciting teams, but never what we're seeing 1:50:47.465 --> 1:50:51.985 now this dominance at times and again as we are 1:50:52.065 --> 1:50:55.985 finding out and this is not a shock. You know, 1:50:56.465 --> 1:50:59.225 while teams and I've went right off the top of 1:50:59.265 --> 1:51:02.865 my head, I want to say, there's been fourteen rematches 1:51:03.825 --> 1:51:05.745 so far this year. As far as teams playing each 1:51:05.745 --> 1:51:08.585 other in the Vision, I think, sweet, it's sweets ten 1:51:08.625 --> 1:51:08.985 to four. 1:51:09.385 --> 1:51:09.665 Wow. 1:51:09.705 --> 1:51:14.065 Okay, kidding, but that's not a shock. Usually happened. But 1:51:14.305 --> 1:51:18.025 that doesn't mean that these games aren't close. And we 1:51:18.145 --> 1:51:22.465 have seen this all year with these divisional games that 1:51:22.545 --> 1:51:27.425 are nail bikers. Okay, even think about Pittsburgh and Cincinnati. Okay, 1:51:28.185 --> 1:51:30.585 Pittsburgh scored their most points of the season and gave 1:51:30.665 --> 1:51:32.665 up their most points in the season and still managed 1:51:32.665 --> 1:51:35.465 to win the game, but it's a six point game. 1:51:35.985 --> 1:51:39.465 Jacksonville has been dreadful this year and they've taken the 1:51:39.505 --> 1:51:45.065 Texans to the wire twice. Jackson the Texans swept Colts 1:51:45.065 --> 1:51:49.185 this year. The Colts took them to the wire twice. 1:51:49.625 --> 1:51:52.985 About the Dallas Giants games were closed, so we haven't 1:51:53.025 --> 1:51:58.345 necessarily seen, you know, but what about Baltimore and Cincinnati? 1:51:58.785 --> 1:52:01.865 A forty one thirty eight and what a thirty five 1:52:01.945 --> 1:52:02.425 thirty four? 1:52:02.545 --> 1:52:03.745 I thought it was pretty entertaining. 1:52:04.265 --> 1:52:08.265 Well yeah, yeah, exactly, so you're seeing click again, Baltimore swept, 1:52:08.385 --> 1:52:12.625 Dallas swept, but Houston swept twice and so on. But 1:52:12.745 --> 1:52:16.625 it doesn't mean that these games aren't competitive. And here's 1:52:16.625 --> 1:52:18.825 a funny thing. I just thought about Houston with their 1:52:18.825 --> 1:52:22.145 two suites, and a couple of weeks ago they got 1:52:22.145 --> 1:52:26.425 beat at home by the Titans, who won three games. 1:52:26.945 --> 1:52:32.065 So the difference between games during the regular season between 1:52:32.065 --> 1:52:34.505 teams that don't play each other on a regular basis 1:52:34.545 --> 1:52:38.545 per se and these divisional matchups, I mean, it's very, very, 1:52:38.785 --> 1:52:41.065 very evident, which is why it's so smart that the 1:52:41.105 --> 1:52:44.585 final week of the season features sixteen games, and all 1:52:44.665 --> 1:52:46.065 sixteen or within the division. 1:52:46.185 --> 1:52:50.505 Yeah. Interesting. The other couple of games I don't wanted 1:52:50.505 --> 1:52:52.585 to kind of glance at I have to do with, 1:52:52.705 --> 1:52:56.105 you know, contenders certainly to whatever supremacy you know, the 1:52:56.145 --> 1:52:58.545 Lions end up with. And you and I have talked 1:52:58.545 --> 1:53:00.785 about this before, but I mean I kind of tend 1:53:00.825 --> 1:53:02.745 to want to root for the teams that haven't had 1:53:02.785 --> 1:53:04.545 that opportunity to get to that big game or win 1:53:04.585 --> 1:53:06.865 the big game, and along those lines, while I'm going 1:53:06.905 --> 1:53:08.745 to kind of pull if I'm going to be a 1:53:08.745 --> 1:53:10.185 fan from it, and I'm going to kind of pull 1:53:10.225 --> 1:53:12.985 for what the Lions are doing. In the AFC, well, 1:53:13.265 --> 1:53:16.305 you've got potential for history again with the Kansas City Chiefs, 1:53:16.665 --> 1:53:19.585 and you've got the potential for history with the Buffalo Bills, 1:53:20.145 --> 1:53:22.465 maybe getting back to the ball and maybe actually winning 1:53:22.505 --> 1:53:25.105 one for the first time in five attempts. They appear 1:53:25.185 --> 1:53:26.545 to me to be the cream of the crop and 1:53:26.585 --> 1:53:29.465 the AFC, with all due respect to the Steelers and 1:53:29.785 --> 1:53:32.785 maybe another, but the Bills will go on the road 1:53:32.825 --> 1:53:35.345 to the Rams this week, and the Chiefs are at 1:53:35.385 --> 1:53:38.785 home against the Chargers what may be the sneaky best 1:53:38.825 --> 1:53:40.665 game of the entire weekend on Sunday night. 1:53:41.505 --> 1:53:45.585 Well, I mean, listen even though they survived a wild 1:53:45.705 --> 1:53:50.145 Sunday night game against the Bengals. As I was pointing out, 1:53:50.185 --> 1:53:53.785 food for Thought will be out tomorrow. Think about we're 1:53:53.785 --> 1:53:57.465 twelve games into the season for just about every team, 1:53:57.545 --> 1:54:01.905 six six teams that have played thirteen, the Chargers still 1:54:01.945 --> 1:54:03.465 haven't given up two hundred points. 1:54:03.745 --> 1:54:04.065 Wow. 1:54:04.785 --> 1:54:06.625 They're the only team in the league that can claim 1:54:06.665 --> 1:54:10.585 that pretty good d okay, And that's a big turnaround 1:54:11.705 --> 1:54:15.945 for that team, you know. And I didn't go back 1:54:15.945 --> 1:54:19.825 to the AFL, but I was looking today and I 1:54:19.945 --> 1:54:24.345 noted that since the merger nineteen seventy, the Chargers have 1:54:24.505 --> 1:54:27.305 never led the league and viewers point allowed. 1:54:27.705 --> 1:54:29.185 Wow, how about that? 1:54:30.385 --> 1:54:32.465 As we know with the Dan Fouts teams and the 1:54:32.465 --> 1:54:35.665 Philip Rivers, and you know the big year of by 1:54:35.745 --> 1:54:38.425 La Damian Tomlinson in two thousand six, they've led the 1:54:38.505 --> 1:54:41.545 league in scoring okay, quite a few times. But as 1:54:41.585 --> 1:54:45.665 far as points allowed, that's a different story for this franchise. 1:54:45.705 --> 1:54:48.465 And their defense really really gets after you. And in 1:54:48.505 --> 1:54:50.705 the way Kansas City has played offense this year. And 1:54:50.745 --> 1:54:53.265 I know the game's in Arrowhead and right off the 1:54:53.265 --> 1:54:55.305 top of my head, I think the Chiefs have beaten 1:54:55.345 --> 1:55:00.145 him six times in a row. Okay, But there's something 1:55:00.145 --> 1:55:03.545 about the Chiefs. I think people keep waiting for them 1:55:04.305 --> 1:55:06.785 to stub their toes and it's the other team that 1:55:06.865 --> 1:55:09.345 stubbed their toes, is it? 1:55:09.385 --> 1:55:11.745 They kind of like people kept waiting for Tom Brady 1:55:11.785 --> 1:55:13.385 and the papers to fall off a cliff. 1:55:14.505 --> 1:55:19.265 Absolutely, absolutely, And that's why. You know, that's why when 1:55:19.265 --> 1:55:22.225 you hear about former players talk about the Patriots and 1:55:22.265 --> 1:55:26.145 they talk about the different things. Bill belichicked it. He 1:55:26.265 --> 1:55:33.025 left no stone unturned, okay, in terms of preparation, and 1:55:33.065 --> 1:55:36.145 that's one of the Patriots. When these weird things happened 1:55:36.945 --> 1:55:42.625 and they were put in situations, they were not surprised. Okay, 1:55:40.865 --> 1:55:46.465 the defense and Malcolm Butler was not surprised when Russell 1:55:46.505 --> 1:55:50.905 Wilson dropped back to pass. Okay, let's I know. People 1:55:50.905 --> 1:55:52.985 want to blame Russell Wilson and they want to blame 1:55:53.025 --> 1:55:56.265 Pete Carroll. And you certainly could considering the way marsh 1:55:56.305 --> 1:55:59.865 Hunt Lynch likes to run through people. Okay, but you 1:55:59.945 --> 1:56:04.785 can't say that New England was surprised by that decision. 1:56:06.025 --> 1:56:08.865 Patriots got beaten Super Bowl. Sure, the Giants did the twice. 1:56:08.905 --> 1:56:15.745 The Eagles obviously, you know, but preparation is why, and 1:56:15.785 --> 1:56:18.905 that's why Tom Brady was as good. The thing I'd 1:56:18.905 --> 1:56:21.905 admire the most about Tom Brady was the fact that 1:56:21.945 --> 1:56:25.105 he understood and at least and this is from afar, 1:56:25.945 --> 1:56:29.785 he understood that he was it was not all about him. Okay, 1:56:30.305 --> 1:56:32.065 he was part of the team. Now, I'm not saying 1:56:32.065 --> 1:56:34.065 that Bill Belichick didn't drill the dis into his head. 1:56:34.105 --> 1:56:39.625 I'm sure he certainly did. Okay, but we saw that 1:56:40.465 --> 1:56:42.985 many instances where Brady didn't have to play well and 1:56:43.065 --> 1:56:46.185 they won. And yet Brady throws her five hundred and 1:56:46.225 --> 1:56:50.985 five yards in the Super Bowl against the Eagles and loses. Okay. Now, 1:56:51.505 --> 1:56:53.905 there was the critical fumbled lake in the game, but 1:56:54.025 --> 1:56:56.025 that didn't take away from the fact that the Eagles 1:56:56.025 --> 1:56:59.465 moved the ball will against them in Super Bowl fifty two. 1:56:59.625 --> 1:57:02.225 So that was the thing I always admired about. Plus 1:57:02.785 --> 1:57:04.745 even the year they didn't win the Super Bowl, I 1:57:04.785 --> 1:57:07.425 still think this is one of the three greatest clutch 1:57:07.465 --> 1:57:10.065 plays in the history of the NFL, and I've been 1:57:10.105 --> 1:57:13.505 watching for fifty years. When he converts that fourth down 1:57:13.505 --> 1:57:17.945 at Denver with Rob Gronkowski in the AFC title game, 1:57:18.065 --> 1:57:21.345 that was Yeah, that's like standing ovation. 1:57:21.545 --> 1:57:25.225 No, sure, yeah, absolutely, standing ovation. Absolutely. 1:57:25.225 --> 1:57:26.865 I don't know if I answered your last two. 1:57:26.705 --> 1:57:29.345 Questions, but no, no, that's fine. Listen, you know, sitting 1:57:29.345 --> 1:57:31.785 here and listen to you go on about that at all. 1:57:31.825 --> 1:57:34.225 I just the bottom line is is that you know, 1:57:35.145 --> 1:57:40.065 the Chiefs continue to defy whatever our expectations are. They 1:57:40.065 --> 1:57:43.705 get another challenge against the Charges this week, I just wonder, 1:57:43.825 --> 1:57:46.425 and the Bills will get tested going out on the road. 1:57:46.465 --> 1:57:49.865 I think to play the Rams this week. But I'm 1:57:49.905 --> 1:57:52.425 just I for some reason another I still have that 1:57:52.505 --> 1:57:54.745 little bit of doubt in my head in the back 1:57:54.785 --> 1:57:57.625 of my head about Buffalo. And maybe it's because of 1:57:57.665 --> 1:58:00.385 the I don't know, the apparent recklessness of a guy 1:58:00.465 --> 1:58:04.305 like you know, you know their quarterback, or or you know, 1:58:04.465 --> 1:58:07.305 some of the questionable play calling of their coach or 1:58:07.545 --> 1:58:10.105 whatever it may be. They're just a doubt. And maybe 1:58:10.145 --> 1:58:12.105 it's because these guys are going for you just feel 1:58:12.105 --> 1:58:13.745 like if they get into the big opportunity, they're going 1:58:13.785 --> 1:58:15.385 to blow it again. I don't know. It might not 1:58:15.425 --> 1:58:19.545 be anything more complicated than that. Well, but I'm rooting 1:58:19.585 --> 1:58:22.585 for that game to where either Detroit or Buffalo has 1:58:22.625 --> 1:58:23.425 to finally win it. 1:58:24.145 --> 1:58:26.745 Well, I will say this, Josh Allen has been a 1:58:26.785 --> 1:58:31.225 lot less recknand yeah, yeah, okay, is ball security and 1:58:31.265 --> 1:58:34.545 so on. I don't think there's any question he's having 1:58:34.585 --> 1:58:38.265 his best cheer. The trepidation for me with Buffalo might 1:58:38.305 --> 1:58:41.585 be their defense. Okay, and that's not the saying their 1:58:41.585 --> 1:58:45.385 defense isn't playing very well. It is, but I think 1:58:45.385 --> 1:58:47.545 it's a defense that also can you can move the 1:58:47.585 --> 1:58:48.145 ball against? 1:58:48.305 --> 1:58:50.665 Sure they do. 1:58:50.785 --> 1:58:55.705 They're a team that certainly relies on takeaways. There are 1:58:55.905 --> 1:58:57.985 I'm just looking at the tide perspective in the league 1:58:58.025 --> 1:59:02.745 with twenty four takeaways. But by the way, John, just 1:59:02.905 --> 1:59:06.145 in case you don't get your wish and I agree 1:59:06.185 --> 1:59:08.585 with I agree with you because I think a lot 1:59:08.665 --> 1:59:12.025 of people would like to see the Lions and the Bills, 1:59:12.105 --> 1:59:16.705 just from what you read around on social media and 1:59:16.985 --> 1:59:20.345 you know, other shows and different things like that. There 1:59:20.385 --> 1:59:23.385 is a fascination with two franchises that have never won 1:59:23.425 --> 1:59:26.225 a Super Bowl facing each other, and of course one 1:59:26.225 --> 1:59:31.065 franchise has never been there. Do you know who the Bills? 1:59:32.665 --> 1:59:38.145 I believe they would play? Uh, well, hold on, can 1:59:38.185 --> 1:59:38.665 I cheat? 1:59:39.785 --> 1:59:40.425 Of course you can? 1:59:40.705 --> 1:59:45.105 Well, I think let's see on the I know that 1:59:45.185 --> 1:59:47.585 They've got the Patriots twice in their last three games. 1:59:47.865 --> 1:59:53.425 So so after they played the Rams, Uh, where are 1:59:53.465 --> 1:59:57.265 they hold it? Where is it? I had it here 1:59:57.265 --> 2:00:00.625 a second ago. Oh they got the Lions. Duh, right, 2:00:02.345 --> 2:00:04.905 yeah you did, you did? They got the Lions. So 2:00:04.945 --> 2:00:06.945 we get the we get what what I hope and 2:00:06.985 --> 2:00:08.305 what I know a lot of people hope is the 2:00:08.305 --> 2:00:13.825 Super Bowl preview? Right, and they're playing at Detroit. So hey, listen, 2:00:13.985 --> 2:00:17.665 uh if the Patriots, I mean, look, I realized the Patriots, 2:00:17.905 --> 2:00:19.905 you know, the way that the schedule popped out, they 2:00:19.905 --> 2:00:21.625 got to play him twice in the last three weeks. 2:00:21.665 --> 2:00:25.225 But you know, Buffalo has already clenched everything. So I'm wondering, 2:00:25.265 --> 2:00:27.345 you know, A, are they going to be focused on 2:00:27.385 --> 2:00:30.105 Detroit and b that last game of the year. Shoot, 2:00:30.225 --> 2:00:32.345 there won't be anything to play for. I would imagine 2:00:32.465 --> 2:00:33.585 to see the team. 2:00:34.305 --> 2:00:37.785 They haven't clinched everything. They do not have home field. Okay, 2:00:37.905 --> 2:00:40.185 you don't know if the Kansas City. Kansas City has 2:00:40.185 --> 2:00:41.225 the better record than they do. 2:00:41.425 --> 2:00:43.145 That's true, which is why I don't know that the 2:00:43.145 --> 2:00:44.705 Bills are going to get home field like that. 2:00:45.265 --> 2:00:47.385 Well I don't know either. And by the way, to 2:00:47.465 --> 2:00:49.745 remind people the Bills had home field against the Chief 2:00:49.865 --> 2:00:52.865 last year in the divisional playoffs. Couldn't get it, couldn't 2:00:52.865 --> 2:00:57.385 get it done, and so but just off the top 2:00:57.385 --> 2:00:58.905 of my head, and I'm trying to remember what year 2:00:58.905 --> 2:01:03.225 it was, there was Thanksgiving, I think two years ago 2:01:03.265 --> 2:01:05.625 when the Bills and Lions played, and the Lions were 2:01:05.705 --> 2:01:09.545 starting to feel you could see them coming, okay, and 2:01:09.585 --> 2:01:12.025 they and I think Buffalo wound up eating them, either 2:01:12.585 --> 2:01:17.025 late and overtime or something like that. And I assume 2:01:17.025 --> 2:01:19.105 I also recalled that Buffalo has had to play other 2:01:19.225 --> 2:01:23.025 teams at Ford Field because the snow condition. 2:01:25.345 --> 2:01:25.985 Near that was. 2:01:26.225 --> 2:01:28.825 By the way, I never I never get tired of 2:01:28.865 --> 2:01:31.065 snow games. I don't. I mean, and even even when 2:01:31.105 --> 2:01:33.265 we have to play them, I just think it's it's 2:01:33.265 --> 2:01:35.305 so great and so fun to watch on television. 2:01:35.665 --> 2:01:42.545 Well it's it's it's it's what people grew up on. Okay, 2:01:42.705 --> 2:01:47.385 this is not baseball, and that's not a knock on baseball. Okay, 2:01:47.745 --> 2:01:52.225 the elements play what let me ask you this, what 2:01:52.265 --> 2:01:54.385 the hell would the ice boal be without any ice? 2:01:54.425 --> 2:01:57.025 I know exactly it wouldn't be without a frozen field. 2:01:57.145 --> 2:01:59.345 And by the way, you mentioned baseball. If we get 2:01:59.385 --> 2:02:04.785 golden at bat, I'm out. I'm out. I'm not watching 2:02:04.825 --> 2:02:05.385 that garbage. 2:02:05.425 --> 2:02:08.785 I'm not watching Look at Chris Berman just dropped popped 2:02:08.825 --> 2:02:11.665 in my head. And when you think that, you know 2:02:12.345 --> 2:02:14.905 the oh, it's not frozen anymore. 2:02:15.305 --> 2:02:19.065 Uh, the the tundra yield the frozen. 2:02:20.585 --> 2:02:22.945 But I mean, you know, we've seen the great snow Game. 2:02:23.065 --> 2:02:25.345 I remember Lashawn McCoy a couple of years ago running 2:02:25.345 --> 2:02:29.785 through the Lions and Buccaneers, Packers, and you know watching 2:02:29.945 --> 2:02:34.385 you know, team games almost getting canceled because of that. 2:02:34.625 --> 2:02:37.585 And it's not because they're afraid that the players playing 2:02:37.585 --> 2:02:40.505 and there they want the fans to be able. You 2:02:40.545 --> 2:02:42.665 think the Bills fans are anxious to see the forty 2:02:42.745 --> 2:02:44.905 nine ers. What was it twenty bucks an hour and 2:02:44.985 --> 2:02:50.225 the Neil Shovel. By the way, for those who are 2:02:50.265 --> 2:02:52.665 not aware of how bad San Francisco has been the 2:02:52.745 --> 2:02:57.225 last couple of weeks, seventy three to twenty. 2:02:57.425 --> 2:03:00.145 Wow, I would never have guessed that. 2:03:00.265 --> 2:03:04.425 Certainly, yea with many three to twenty Packers. And you 2:03:04.465 --> 2:03:08.025 know what's really ironic, John, The last time the forty 2:03:08.105 --> 2:03:10.345 nine Ers went to the Super Bowl before last year 2:03:11.025 --> 2:03:15.345 was in twenty nineteen when they lost to the Chiefs 2:03:15.345 --> 2:03:19.625 the first time. The year afterwards, they didn't make the playoffs. 2:03:20.265 --> 2:03:22.185 Boy, so they've been up and down like a thermometer. 2:03:22.385 --> 2:03:25.505 Yeah, well, listen, it's not like the rest of the 2:03:25.625 --> 2:03:27.305 NFC West has given them a chance. 2:03:27.385 --> 2:03:28.105 That's true. 2:03:28.585 --> 2:03:32.705 The division is monkey. But yeah, you know, the Niners 2:03:33.385 --> 2:03:36.305 are one in three in the division. Last year they 2:03:36.345 --> 2:03:37.185 were five and one. 2:03:37.465 --> 2:03:42.665 Wow. And now at the other end of the spectrum again, Russell, 2:03:42.785 --> 2:03:45.865 thank you, my man. I appreciate you as always. Talk 2:03:45.905 --> 2:03:46.865 to you next week. 2:03:48.185 --> 2:03:52.905 I'd say, so, okay, and next next, Now, in some 2:03:52.985 --> 2:03:56.585 ways I'm looking forward to the last four weeks for 2:03:56.825 --> 2:03:59.545 this reason then, as well as many others. 2:03:59.625 --> 2:04:02.865 Yeah, no more buys, No more buys. Number one and 2:04:02.945 --> 2:04:04.825 number two, hey, for the Patriots is to start a 2:04:04.865 --> 2:04:07.625 twenty twenty five here already. So here we go. The 2:04:07.705 --> 2:04:11.225 evaluation process. If it hasn't already begun, it certainly has 2:04:11.305 --> 2:04:11.745 by now. 2:04:12.425 --> 2:04:15.065 We have seen more than one instances, even in this 2:04:15.145 --> 2:04:18.705 free agency era, that teams that play late one year 2:04:20.065 --> 2:04:22.585 can carry that over to the following year, depending on 2:04:22.665 --> 2:04:26.425 coaching changes, in personnel incidents like that. And so that's 2:04:26.465 --> 2:04:30.585 why you know, no tank you. Yep, I'll just leave 2:04:30.585 --> 2:04:30.865 it at that. 2:04:31.105 --> 2:04:33.705 No, thank you. Let's see who wants to play. Thank you, sir, 2:04:34.345 --> 2:04:37.065 talk to you soon week. Yes, sir, you got it. 2:04:37.105 --> 2:04:40.825 The one and only at Backs Football Guru on x 2:04:41.185 --> 2:04:44.025 Hey attention, Pat's Nation. The most nail binding action film 2:04:44.025 --> 2:04:48.105 of the season, Carry On, Starting tarn Edgerton, Sophia Carson, 2:04:48.145 --> 2:04:51.585 and Jason Bateman touched down on Netflix December the thirteenth, 2:04:51.705 --> 2:04:55.225 just in time for the holidays. Only liquids allowed, blood, 2:04:55.225 --> 2:04:59.865 sweat and tears. Catch carry On December thirteenth, only on Netflix, 2:04:59.905 --> 2:05:02.545 and of course, our program brought to you by bud Light, 2:05:02.665 --> 2:05:05.705 Easy to Drake, Easy to Enjoy, bud Light, the official 2:05:05.745 --> 2:05:09.625 beer sponsor of the New England Patriots. Two quick emails 2:05:09.665 --> 2:05:13.585 to share. Our friend Klasy Claire says her good Drake 2:05:13.625 --> 2:05:16.025 may is obvious, but also the tight end duo, which 2:05:16.025 --> 2:05:18.265 I mentioned earlier in the show The Bad. Some of 2:05:18.305 --> 2:05:23.665 the coaching and coaching decisions pretty obvious. There ugly drops 2:05:23.705 --> 2:05:27.865 by the wide receivers. Yeah, I totally understand that. And 2:05:27.985 --> 2:05:31.905 our friend Aiden in California, right, John Man. All the 2:05:31.905 --> 2:05:36.105 negativity in this town sucks, says Ripe Patino right. I 2:05:36.145 --> 2:05:38.225 believe people are not seeing the forest through the trees. 2:05:38.265 --> 2:05:40.225 We knew this team had no talent. We're in the 2:05:40.225 --> 2:05:42.425 midst of a rebuild. I believe this was a year 2:05:42.665 --> 2:05:45.185 to see who the players they are only going to 2:05:45.225 --> 2:05:48.385 build with, but go to Warwick next year. I have 2:05:48.425 --> 2:05:50.225 faith that this team will do right and sign and 2:05:50.305 --> 2:05:53.745 draft players for next offseason. We're seeing the disparity and talent. 2:05:54.345 --> 2:05:56.785 Now we get address the needs and coaching staff to 2:05:56.825 --> 2:05:58.825 be able to put the players in the best position. 2:05:59.145 --> 2:06:00.905 And now that I'm done with my little rant, I'm 2:06:00.985 --> 2:06:03.625 visiting Boston next week. Any recommendations of dinner places or 2:06:03.625 --> 2:06:09.145 breakfast places in Boston be greatly appreciated. Well, look, dude, 2:06:09.145 --> 2:06:11.225 if you don't go to the North End and get 2:06:11.225 --> 2:06:13.465 some of the best Italian on the planet, certainly outside 2:06:13.465 --> 2:06:18.545 of Federal Hill in Providence, then you are sadly misdirected. 2:06:19.745 --> 2:06:21.745 And I'll just start with a Seaport's also a really 2:06:21.865 --> 2:06:23.545 nice area to go to in Boston. But you know, 2:06:23.625 --> 2:06:27.305 I listen me, I do the Italian thing. I've to 2:06:27.305 --> 2:06:29.625 admit I was in the Bahamas this last week because 2:06:29.625 --> 2:06:31.585 we talked about That's why we missed the show last week, 2:06:31.905 --> 2:06:36.705 I found a Carmines at Atlantis. They have a Carmines restaurant, 2:06:36.745 --> 2:06:39.105 Italian restaurant, you know where they serve it old family style. 2:06:39.425 --> 2:06:42.345 Check it out. Yes, I went. I know, I know, 2:06:42.385 --> 2:06:43.905 I'm in the Bahamas. What I'm gonna do. I'm eating 2:06:43.905 --> 2:06:46.825 Italian food, right. It was. It was good, it was spectacular. 2:06:46.905 --> 2:06:49.745 Same thing. I mean, come on, yeah, I mean, you 2:06:49.825 --> 2:06:52.465 can't mess up a good chicken or a good veal parm. 2:06:52.505 --> 2:06:55.665 You can't. That's a staple of life up here. 2:06:56.825 --> 2:07:01.425 So hungry, I'm literally looking my let's thinking about vill parp. 2:07:03.025 --> 2:07:07.305 I know, I know, uh, I'm totally with you on 2:07:07.305 --> 2:07:09.905 that one. Hey. Thanks to of course, you know, Evan 2:07:10.025 --> 2:07:13.305 Lazar and Karen Grigian and Matt Saint Jean for joining 2:07:13.345 --> 2:07:15.585 us here on the program today. Thanks for taking the 2:07:15.625 --> 2:07:17.905 time here to be with us and listen to our 2:07:17.905 --> 2:07:20.665 stuff here for today. Thanks to the Marine for putting 2:07:20.665 --> 2:07:23.945 all together as he always does. So the bye week 2:07:23.985 --> 2:07:26.665 we get by this week. Next week we'll be back. 2:07:26.705 --> 2:07:28.865 We'll actually have a game to talk about with the Patriots, 2:07:28.985 --> 2:07:31.385 you know, we'll start their last four week stretch here 2:07:31.425 --> 2:07:34.625 playing the Arizona Cardinals. We'll come back same Patch time, 2:07:34.945 --> 2:07:38.865 same patch channel next Wednesday. For more right here in 2:07:38.985 --> 2:07:40.545 Patriots Playbook. See you then. 2:07:42.865 --> 2:07:46.705 Thank you for downloading this podcast. Subscribe on Apple, Google Play, 2:07:46.745 --> 2:07:49.785 and everywhere else you listen. Like the show, Please rate 2:07:49.865 --> 2:07:52.985 and review us. Listener comments and ratings help keep us 2:07:53.025 --> 2:07:56.185 high on the podcast rankings so new listeners can find us. 2:07:56.345 --> 2:07:59.425 Be sure to check Patriots dot com for more news 2:07:59.465 --> 2:08:00.825 and more podcasts. 2:08:11.305 --> 2:08:15.345 Patriots Unfiltered the world's original podcast, Patriots Unfiltered brings you 2:08:15.385 --> 2:08:19.505 inside you atte Stadium for rousing conversations on everything new England, Patriots, 2:08:19.545 --> 2:08:23.345 and NFL. Join host Fred Kersh alongside Patriots dot COM's 2:08:23.385 --> 2:08:26.785 Paul Parillo, Mike Deso, Evan Lazar Tamara Brown, and Alex 2:08:26.825 --> 2:08:29.545 Francisco as they bring you in depth coverage of the team. 2:08:29.665 --> 2:08:31.785 He's a red shirt rookie at that point, so it's 2:08:31.825 --> 2:08:34.665 really that's his rookie season essentially too, So now we're 2:08:34.665 --> 2:08:37.785 really not talking about them, really knowing experience called twenty 2:08:37.825 --> 2:08:38.345 twenty six. 2:08:38.505 --> 2:08:41.465 Search for Patriots Unfiltered anywhere you get your podcasts.