Patriots Catch twenty two. We'll join Evan Lazar and Alex Bart every Thursday as they take a deep dive into the exit, the No's trends, and latest New England Patriots roster moves.
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Yeah, boy, welcome into the playbook for Wednesday game week Miami. It is now week twelve in the National Football League, so we're moving along. John Rook here. Evan Lazarre is also here as he always is, to start our program. A little bit later on. Chris Perkins, who covers the
Miami Dolphins for the South Florida Sun Sentinel. He'll be here to also kind of fill us in on the Fins because, actually, Evan, I'm surprised to say this, this is a big week for the Dolphins because if they have any hopes of trying to backdoor their way into the playoffs, they can't afford to stumble to the Patriots, So I think New England has to be on their guard.
Right, Yeah, Look, it's a tough matchup. I mean, the Patriots having one down there since twenty nineteen. I think you're gonna hear that a lot this week. They're win six against toa six and zero against them. Whichever way you want to look at it, this is in one of those games where if the Patriots were to pull off a win, it would be an outlier. There's no other way to put it. They really have not been able to beat Miami in Miami, and they especially have
not been able to beat Miami with TUA. So it's going to be a tough one.
Doug Kaide from the Boston Herald, he's also going to join us, the Patriots beat writer for that newspaper, And of course Russell Baxter belonged to run through week twelve in the National Football League. So let's kind of start here with the Rams. And look, I'm kind of I'm
joining in with everybody else. I saw a myriad missed opportunities on Sunday I also saw an inability or whatever it was they were doing wasn't effective in terms of trying to slow down a RAMS attack that just seemed to score to score to score to score for a period of time there and there was no real apparent adjustment. So I have to look at it as hey, this is another week where the Patriots coaching staff kind of learned its lesson, at least you hope it learned its lesson.
But I'm wondering where the accumulation of these lessons learned is when it is going to start paying off here, because you know, it's late in the year. We know the team is what it is. Yeah, that's a familiar you know, saying, but where's the improvement coming from that side of the ball, not the performance side, but the coaching and the instruction side. I'm not sure it's where it needs to be. And I'm just being honest here.
Yeah, no, it's a fair assessment. I think A big theme for me this week is sort of the same thing, which is one you can't win until you stop losing.
Yeah.
Right, that's a big one because when you watch the when you watch this team right now and you watch their their tape, especially on the offensive side of the ball. They may didn't really make very many plays on defense this week, but offensively you see that. You see a team that in flashes makes plays right like that is capable of moving the football and is capable of scoring points. But they're just offensively sticking on that side of the ball.
Really both sides of the ball though, they're shooting themselves in the foot too often where it's not consistent enough to string together four quarters of solid football to win a football game against a good team. So there's that, And then the other thing that I keep on going back on is an old Belichick cliche, which is that
coaches lose games and players win games. And so right now, whether it's coaching or it's performance or execution, they have to get out of their own way because I do think, and I know that some people might disagree, but I do think they have the talent to remain competitive. I'm not saying that they have the talent to rattle off six straight wins. I'm just saying that they have the talent to be in these games.
See, And I actually thought that, And you're right, I actually thought that much earlier this season. I saw enough there to where this team could be competitive. Yeah, if decisions being made could get them over the hump. It hasn't happened that way.
Yeah, you know, you come into these games and look, I'm not trying to absolve anybody on the defensive side of the football, but a first time defensive coordinator in play caller, a rookie play caller on the defensive side of the footballp in DeMarcus Covington goes up against arguably the best offensive mind in the National Football League and Sean McVay. I think there's a really good case to be made that McVeigh is on the short list of play callers on the offensive side of the ball that
are at the top of the game right now. McVeigh Reid Kyle Shanahan like, that's sort of the list.
Well, okay, So well, we know that the Patriots coaching STAF is young, relatively immature first, coaching is concerned certainly together as a group. Is it fair to be critical of them doing their job when they're really doing it for the first time, they're kind of learning on a trial by fire. I mean, I ask you this because I think you know, first of all, I don't think anybody he's getting fired. I think that they're going to run with this for another year at least. That's been
my gut feeling all along. I don't think that, you know, the Crafts certainly are going to bring in a whole new staff and then and then rip it apart or rip it to shreds after one year. They're going to try to give this an opportunity. What we really need to see more is UH is helped within the personnel department,
which is another story entirely. I just I'm kind of curious though, might there be an evaluation or reevaluation or maybe maybe a reassignment in some of the duties or depending upon what happens when the you know, the black Monday occurs, you know in the NFL after the end of the regular season, maybe you think about making some moves to augment what you have and maybe suit your talent.
Yeah, I think, you know, the one thing I would say on the defense side of the ball, and they have some guys on defense that have coached a long time in this league. Yeah, so it's not Covington's a younger guy.
He was on the staff. You know, people forget he was on the staff last year.
He's been on the staff for seven eight.
Years, right, so he's been around. Yeah, he knows the culture here.
Yeah, and you know Jerry Montgomery, their their defensive line coach, Drew Wilkins, their outside linebackers coach Mike Pellegrino, their cornerbacks coach Brian Belichick obviously saved these like these guys have coached in the league for a while, Like this isn't necessarily a fully green staff on that side of the football.
But the bottom line is is on Sunday in this game, and he's going to have it again on Sunday against Mike McDaniel, who's another guy that I would put on that short list of offensive innovators, you know, play design and calling plays and things like that. Sean McVay took him behind the woodshed on Sunday and it happens like that's that that's going to happen. But like your point, how does he learn from it? Like, how do they evolve from it moving forward?
I want to see something different. I want to see a wrinkle. I want to see an attitude. I want to see an energy. I want to see something that tells me, hey, they're catching on here. I haven't seen that yet, and that's a little disturbing. And I would tell you maybe it's because they've decided they're going to stay the course and reevaluate it all at the end of the year. If so, then these coaches are the most disciplined coaches I've ever seen in my life, because
you know, every season requires adjustments. I mean, my goodness, I've been covering the NFL longer than any of these guys have been alive, and so every season sees adjustments from within, from the coaches, from the players, from the administrators, from every You must adjust to win. If you stay with one thing and you're still doing that same thing at the end of the year, I would tell you you're losing.
Yeah, yeah, look, I think that's fair. And when you look at this game plan from the Bears week to the Rams week, one of the things that I thought they did that didn't work was they took a lot of the same things that they did against Chicago and expected those things to work against them. And in theory, I can understand where you're going with it, because you're like, well, we shut down the Bears, or're probably not going to
shut down the Rams with as much success. But if it ain't broke, don't fix it, you know, So let's not try to get too cute here. But at the same time, it's just such a different matchup. You have a rookie quarterback in Chicago versus a sixteen year veteran in Matthew Stafford with the Rams, who I believe Stafford's one of the best quarterbacks in the league. I think he's a top ten quarterback in the NFL. So you
have an experienced quarterback that's really really good. You have two receivers in Kup and Nikua who are really really good and also are tough matchups for you just because of their size and their ability to create yards after the catch. And both those guys are just our big, tough dudes to tackle in the open field and they're a little bit smaller in the cornerback room. So it's
just a difficult matchup in that aspect. And then you also have all of mcveigh's bells and whistles, you know, the motion and the bunches and the nasty looks and things like that that we can get into. So all of that stuff, you know, is problematic and the biggest thing that I just learned from watching Bill Belichick is that you have to take something away from the opponent, like you can't let them do it all.
And that's been to me the biggest fail of the coaching staff all year. Yeah, they haven't taken away what the one thing you need to take away the decision last week and again I'm probably you know, just a piling on here, but the decision to play Christian Gonzales on the short side of the field, the boundary side. If you're wondering what the terminology means because you hear that term a lot nowadays, and to not have him either take out you know, Cooper cup or Pooka Nakula
was mind boggling. Now, I guess I understand in principle what they were trying to do, But at halftime you should have known because of the first half that Nakula had. You should have known, I think we need to make a change up here. Didn't do that, and so you've got to give them something they're not expecting. Yeah, Sean McVay and the Rams reacted, and that's why after the first couple of drives, they punched the fate the Patriots right in the nose.
Yeah, yeah, the Gonzales stuff. And I went on this yesterday and I understand people are gonna disagree with me,
and that's fine. I didn't think the coverage plan with Gonzales was all that bad, the main reason being, and I've talked to some people about this that have coached in the league, and so I feel pretty confident in saying it at this point, when you play a team like the Rams, who use a lot of motion and use a lot of bunch formation, it's very difficult to play straight man to man against teams like that because what they're doing is they're creating picks, they're creating re release,
they're creating leverage with all these different things that they're doing.
I understand all of that, but isn't that what audibles were for. Isn't that whoever's calling the signals on the defense and what that for based on what they come out in the lineup. So and I know that they went back and forth between man and zone. They played both defenses against the Rams, but seems like they were caught in the wrong spot. Every time they needed to be in a man's situation, they were caught and it was like they were caught flat footed. They were reactionary
instead of you know, proactive, and that's you. That's where I want to see. I want to see proactive, not reactive, and we haven't seen that yet.
Yeah, I get I get everything you're saying. I just schematically and I'm not, you know, trying to take a shot at you, but I just schematically. I feel like it's it's a lot, right. It sounds logical to just say Nikua's got to go in today, Let's put Gonzales on Nikua. Like it sounds logical, and I think sometimes there's a lot to be said for the fact that the simplest thing is the right thing in football. But as logical as it sounds, in practice, it's not as easy as it sounds. If that makes sense.
Sure, and no, I understand it. I get it all. I get it all. I think the bottom line is is what they really need is they need another cover corner. Yeah, somebody else.
That's that's my biggest takeaway from this game, because you know, go back to it, go and watch early on in this game, what was happening was is that McVeigh was they were starting Gonzalez on Nikua. Sure, and then McVeigh was motioning him across the formation into bunch alignments and then releasing him out of the bunch alignment at the snap, So there's no time for communication or switching or whatever.
And once they snapped the football, Nikua was running into somebody else's zone and leaving Gonzalez right, So then Gonzalez had to pass him off to other people. And now what happens is is you started with Gonzalez on Nikua, but you're ending with Marco Wilson on Nikua instead. Yeah, and that is all McVeigh, right, Like, that's all scheme.
Okay, I would have been proactive with that. How did the Patriots beat the Rams in Super Bowl thirty six?
Super Bowl thirty six? Oh man, that's going back aways, Yes it is before you were alive. I was at it. Actually, No, definitely not before.
Okay, but I'm asking sort of rhetorically, all right, Yeah, so how do they beat them? Because they lined up and they smacked them in the mouth.
Yeah, but that team was different like that from what I understand of that RAMS team, And I don't I don't study that Rams team like I study these Rams teams, but like the team back in oh, one in the way you played like it was stagnant offense.
Right.
They were an eleven personnel team that came out in three receiver you know, it was Bruce to one side, hold to the other side, and they just played football right like this team would nowadays. And we're gonna see it again on Sunday with Miami. So this is sort of my big thing of the week is like, you stunk against motion last week, so you better figured the freak out.
Yeah, Jammy is gonna motion you today.
Yeah, they're gonna do the exact same thing that the Rams just did.
Correct.
And so those teams back in the day, they didn't motion like these offenses do now. They didn't have that type of you know, this is more innovative or in a more new agey I hate using that phrase, but that's what it is, right. Yeah, I'd say in the last five to ten years, motion at the snap, not shifting, but motion at the snap, would you know, jet motion and missile motion and things like that, all that type of stuff has really taken off, I would say in
the last you know, five years in football. So it's not the first time they've ever seen it, and it certainly looked like it was the first time they had ever seen it on Sunday. So I'm not letting them off the hook. I just I understood the philosophy of the game plan. I just think execution and the coaches have to take responsibility for execution as well. Like that, it's on them to get the guys ready, and they weren't ready.
Hey, Marine, for some reason, the cursor isn't coming up on the call thing here, so you may have to bring the did you turn it off? Technology?
Do you need help? Do you need help?
I might wait? Is that it there? You go? Oh my god? It works now? You trying to say battery power? You know?
Smart by him.
It's what happens when you don't win. You know, you gotta watch you all the batteries that you have and make sure that you're taking them out of the things that you like. I get it, I get no, I get it, I get it.
Hey, I'm just is focusing this game for one minute?
I know, I'm just happy to be here. Chris Perkins covers the Miami Dolphins for the South fold of Sun Sentinel. Kind of enough to join us for a bit here inside the playbook, Hey, Chris, it's John and Evan here in Foxborough.
How are you today, Hey guys, I'm doing good man. The Dolphins have won back to back games for the first time in almost a years.
How about that?
People down here at giddy they don't know what to do right now.
I can only imagine, but I would tell you that there's an opportunity, a real opportunity, based on a couple of things that we've already talked about. Number One, you know, the Patriots got themselves motioned to death this past week against the Rams, which certainly I think would be an clue for the Dolphins in terms of trying to formulate a attack. Number one. But number two, Dolphins have it all over the Patriots right now. They've just you know, I don't know if Tua has a cast of spell,
Mike McDaniel his cast a spell. I don't know what it is. But this Patriots team cannot beat that Dolphins team unless this Dolphins team, I think, shoots itself in the foot. What are your thoughts?
It's an interesting dynamic. I believe that Mike McDaniel was four and one against the Patriot but we all know what happened that last game, right Jalen Polk is like a half foot literally east delivering a victory.
Yep.
So you know the Dolphins have to be wary. But you know, the strange thing with the Dolphins right now is they're kind of going through this metamorphosis. And you know, they came into the season with this high scoring, you know, big play passing game that they've used the previous two seasons, and it was Tua Tyreek and Jalen Waddell. Well, now
it's Tua Devon Chan and John new Smith. And really teams have taken away the deep ball by playing the too high safety look, pressing them at the line of scrimmage. And so the Dolphins have switched and now they're trying to go with the underneath stuff, the short control passing game to a fan and John new Smith and then you know, using a running game. So we'll see what
happens here. But you know, the Dolphins, you know, and I'll tell you this also, the motion had been cut down a little bit, and that was in the roll games against Buffalo and the Rams. I'll be interested to see how much that motion comes back here in a home game. It kind of came back a little bit last week, But I'll see how much. It'll be interesting to see how much they rely on that again this week.
Is there any chance at all that this game is played tighter to the vest, and maybe we think, like the fifteen to ten game back in September.
It could, it could. I don't know what to expect from these Dolphins now. Now they're under going just change. You know, it used to be you at pencil these guys in for twenty something points and maybe they go up to thirty or forty, and kind of now you kind of pencil them in for what maybe seventeen point twenty point and you see if they can get up to like twenty seven. So it's a new era of Golfon's football, and you know, again it's a little more measured,
a little more conventional. So I really don't know what to expect from this offense.
Well, you know, the fact the better is that this is completely different team when Tua is quarterbacking. And I think that's even obvious to those who are, you know, really not familiar with the Miami Dolphins. So with Tua back and seemingly the entire offense playing with more confidence, how does this team continue to try to build to see if they can't play their way back into legitimate playoff contention.
I think the offensive key is going to be this run game and the control passing game. Again, devon Ah chan Uh at running back and John new Smith at tight end are going to be the stars. They're still willing to look for opportunities to hit Tyreek Hill and Jalen Waddle deep because really that's what makes this offense dangerous. Without that element, you know, you you kind of respect this offense, but you there's no fear. So I'm gonna be very interested to to to see what happens there
as far as this offense. Defensively, looking ahead, you've gotta stay healthy and and that means Zach Steeler and Kaleis Campbell on the defensive line and Jalen Ramsey there at safety and probably uh Jevon Holland also back there at safety. Jordan Foyer has really struggled this season, so that those that's really the way ahead for this team is that they've got to keep their key players healthy and then they've got to develop their new identity and figure out
who they are offensively. But they're still kind of searching when you when you look ahead to find out who they are because they've switched from the team that entered the season.
Yeah, you know, that's actually kind of my biggest question about the Dolphins because you know, you brought up a great point. They've gone to more of an underneath game, you know, since two has come back here. But I'm wondering if they might not try to get back to the way things were earlier in the season. They didn't have a whole lot of success with that against the Patriots back in September, but they certainly were a little
bit more dynamic in offense like that. Do they need to get back to that in order to have long term success where, let's face it, even immediate successes they try to get back into the playoff picture.
Yeah, I kind of think that they do, because you know, the one thing that we have not seen from this offense. You know, this offense now is going on a lot of ten and eleven and fourteen play drives, and that requires you to be almost flawless, right, don't get behind the chains and face of first and fifteen. You know, against against Buffalo, Raheem Mostert had a third quarter fumble. They never recovered from against Arizona to a fumble three times.
Heck Tua had the snap go through his hands that counted for a safety in a twenty eight to twenty seven loss. So you know, there's all these little things that this team has to clean up, and when you have to go you know, station to station, those things crop up a lot more that that. That big play, that one eighty yard touchdown, that removes a lot of the stink you know from the from the mishandled uh,
you know, the fumbles and the mishandled nats. So you know that that's one thing that moving forward, I think that the big play is a necessity, not only to help you come back if you're down ten in the fourth quarter, but also yeah, if you if you lose a fumble or have an interception or or whatever, that big play can help you erase that mistake very quickly.
Right. You actually wrote I think uh for the Sun centaal this week about how you know, this offense has evolved, but it's still probably not good enough for this team to get to where it wants to go. Is that still accurate?
You think I think it is. I think it is. And look, here's the Dolphins situation. They're sitting here at four and six. I'm thinking that nine wins probably gets you in in the AFC. So the Dolphins are looking at having to win five of their last seven games. The toughest three games on the schedule are at green Bay on Thanksgiving Night, at Houston, and at home against San Francisco, So you know you're probably gonna have to win one of those games, and then you're remaining four games.
You got the Jets twice, and you got the Patriots on Sunday, and then you've got Cleveland also, so you know they the path is there. You know they don't have to beat Houston and Green Bay and San Francisco. If you win those other four games, then you only have to beat one of those three teams. So that's the path. But is that offense ready? Is the offense
ready to take them there? I don't know. You might need more help from the defense than you would have needed last year or two years ago, makes sense.
Chris, just a couple of questions. I do want to talk about the defense here in a second, but I want to stick with McDaniel because I feel like there's a lot of narratives about him and about his coaching future in Miami in terms of how he's been able to adjust and you know, how he's been able to have the offense be productive throughout the course of the season late in the year specifically, what have you seen from McDaniel this year, and like, where do you kind
of stand with him as the Dolphins head coach.
I'm still late and see I do give him credit for going away from this, you know, Tyreek Hill, Jalen Waddell based offense, recognizing that you're really stuck in the mud, that that teams have figured this out. They're going to play that too high safety look and they're gonna take that deep pass away. There's no reason to keep forcing it go to something else. That's good recognition by Mike McDaniel. But I still need to the just general leadership hit
coach Chopp. You know, this is his first hit coaching job, this is his first time calling play, so there's a lot on his plate. You know, here's a guy who boy, I'm trying to think of the numbers. I think they came into the season seven and twelve on the road. They're two and three now, so that will make them what nine and sixteen.
On the road.
They're four and ten in December and January. So that's a couple of big hurdles right there that you've you know, as a coach, you know, the better teams in the league are going to be around five hundred on the road, and you're certainly going to have to know how to win games in December and January. So you know, Mike McDaniel is improving, but there's still some questions he has to answer.
Yeah, And on the other side of the ball, since the Dolphins offense is definitely more exciting to talk about, I think sometimes for some people, but for the defense I believe is this three defensive coordinators already for Mike McDaniel, right, that's correct. Yeah, And you know, just what have you seen from Anthony Weaver and do you feel like they finally found an answer there at DC?
Oh? Yeah, Weave has been great now, he has been outstanding. I like the way that he has used Jalen Ramsey, specifically Ramsey. The only player that Ramsey has shadowed has been DK Metcalf. But what they're doing with Jalen Ramsey, they're getting him close to the ball and they're using him to extinguish the biggest threat on that specific down and distance. So you know, first and ten from from the opponent's twenty yard line, you know, Ramsey might be
lined up on an outside receiver. Second and two from the twenty eight, he might be lined up on the slot receiver because that's where the team goes in those short yard is situations. First and ten from the forty, he might be lined up in the slot, and he might be blitzing. He's been good against the run. He's you know, he's been able to defend slot receivers, outside receivers, tight ends everything. So that's one thing that I like about Anthony Weaver that Vic Fangio did not do last year.
He's using Jalen Ramsey kind of as that Swiss army knife. A few other things. You're seeing Kaleis Campbell and and Zach Steeler as down lineman moving all over the place. That's another good thing, uh, you know, And and the pass rush has it's pretty much been non existent for the Dolphins because Jalen Phillips and Bradley Chubb have pretty much been out all year. Chubb out all year with the with the knee that he sustained on New Year's Eve last season, and then Jalen Phillips. You know, he
had the the Achilles last year on Black Friday. He came back and played I don't know what the first four five games this year and had a knee injury. So you don't have Chubb or Phillips, but they've been able to get decent pressure on quarterbacks, not sacked, not finishing the play, but decent pressure. Chop Robinson, the first round kick has been coming on the last three weeks. Here's the other thing about Anthony Weaver and this defense
has been good. They were the number ten defense in the league last year under Big Fangio, and they've been pretty much just as productive. If the defense continues trending in this direction, Weaver might get a hit coaching job.
I think he's interviewed twice for hit coaches. But so, you know, that's kind of the down thing is like the better Weaver does, the bigger chance that you're going to be on your fourth defensive coordinator in four years next year, because that guy could get a hit coaching job.
Yeah, it's interesting that you mentioned that because when I looked up his you know, information, sort of his bio this this week. He's he's got sort of the resume, you know, former player turned coach, forty four years old, Like you know, we got one of those here.
And Mayo demography.
Yeah, so he's kind of got those those boxes checked. So it's interesting you mentioned Chop Robinson there as well. It does seem like, you know, PFF pressures and all that kind of stuff. It's it feels like he's starting to come on here a little bit.
Yeah, and what you're gonna see this week with Chopping, you know, Chop. Here's the funny thing about Chop. You know, even in college, he had a high pressure rate, but he didn't finish. He didn't have a lot of sacks. And you always heard, well, he's got a big win rate, you know, but and it's kind of like, yeah, but he's not finishing the plays. That's exactly what we've seen here, that that he's got the good win rate and all that kind of stuff, but he wasn't finishing plays. He
wasn't actually getting the sack. He started to do better the last couple of weeks. I think he's had two sacks in the last three games, if I'm not mistaken. But one thing that you're gonna see on Sunday that they've been doing is they've been lining him up out wide, you know, kind of that wide nine position where you're outside the offensive tackles outside shoulder, And they say, what that does with chops quit first step, That gives him a better option of going inside or outside. He has
a little more uproom to operate. It gives him, you know, to a two way option there. So look for that with chopping and if he continues to improve, because that's a big part of the defense. They need his pass rush, they need his pressure on quarterbacks. And by the way, the Dolphins are pretty impressed by Drake May, I'll tell you that, but they need his chop Robinson's pressure on Drake May to have an effective game play.
Yeah, agreed, Yeah, fair enough, big picture here, real quick, Chris. Do the Dolphins need to finish strong to you know, help save jobs? And I know that there's been rumors about the GM and everything else going on this week, you know in South Florida. What are your thoughts in that regard.
Yeah, it's a very interesting situation. So for me, I say, never moved the goalposts. The definition of a successful season coming into the year was winning a playoff game. Ye at this point, it looks like you're gonna have to have a strong finish just so you can go get your teeth kicked in in the pol weather in Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Kansas City, Baltimore, wherever. So, yeah, jobs are on the line. This has been a disappointing season. They've underachieved, you know.
But here's the thing. If they come back, if they win nine games and get a wildcard. First, I don't know that the general manager, Chris Greer loses his job. And to me, these things don't happen in a vacuum. There's the front end of it where okay, you know, you you you say that you're that Chris Greer is gone. But the new GM will probably have to be able to work with Mike McDaniel and SUA like they aren't
going anywhere. It doesn't appear unless it's just an absolute disaster of a finish, then maybe Mike McDaniel gets fired. But you know, but you're gonna bring in the new GM, and then you're gonna have the same quarterback and the same coach. And then that's the front end of the problem. And on the back end, Well, who are you gonna hire as GM? You know, there's a lot of guys out there, but is everybody gonna want to come and work in these constraints, you know, with this offense and
everything like that. So I think that Mike McDaniel almost in these days to like ninety nine percent will be back. Chris Greer, I would say, let's see how the season finishes. I would say, right now, he's probably about fifty to fifty coming back at GM.
Okay, well that's that's yeah, that's actually information there more encouraging, right. Yeah. I was just gonna say, so, let's let's also just cut to the chase right here. How damaging would a loss to New England be? Nope, did we lose him?
Sounds like it.
I think we may have lost him. Did he just yeah, he just kind of like popped. I didn't hit anything, Matt, I expect promise, I promise, okay.
Okay, Yeah, I got you.
Yeah you're there, Yeah, we got you, We got you.
Okay. So you know you you asked about a loss to the Patriots.
Yeah, what what would that do to their chances?
It would hurt them severely and the and the fan base would be really really upset. But here's the thing I'm calling this season right now out the race to the nine nine wins or nine losses, right and and
that's kind of what it is. So you would still have a chance if you took that loss to the Patriots, but you would have to be pretty much flawless down the stretch and and it would be it would be you could overcome it, but it would be a really really tough thing going to Green Bay on a short week for a Thanksgiving game night, which is probably a loss. Then you would have back to back losses. You could recover, but it would be really, really really tough.
Yeah, I would. I would definitely tend to agree with that one. It should be interesting as well. All right, Chris, thank you so much for the time today. Really spend your appreciating and you're sin bending a little time with us today to bring us the lowdown on what's going on.
Not a problem, not a problem.
Thank you.
You got it. Chris Perkins at Chris Perk p e r K on X if you want to follow him and get his latest on the Dolphins. There. I'm all tungue tight here because I'm trying to decide which way I wanted to go With the next question, I'm like, nah, he's been with us long. If we don't want to burn him out too much. You know, he's having to deal with the dregs of the NFL here, you know. With the Patriots at.
Also, that was good stuff. I definitely, yeah, it's a fascinating team. It's not all that different in my mind to what's going on in the meadowlands right now with the New York Jets, where you look at the roster and you say, this is a really talented football team. Yeah, they definitely have. I don't know about depth because I don't know the team as well as I know the Patriots, But in terms of top end talent, you know, Miami's
high end talent is just as good as anybody. I mean, Tyreek and Jalen Waddle is one of the best receiving duos in football. The quarterback's pretty good. They have some guys on defense, Ramsey, Kalays Campbell, Zack Steeler is a very very underrated football player on the interior their defensive line. No one of those sneaky good players. So you put all this together and you look at the GM and you're like, well, it's put together a pretty good roster here.
But I think the one thing that you stand out that stands out to you whenever you watch this this Dolphins team is the trenches. Like they especially on the offensive side of the ball, when it gets later in the year, when it gets colder and opponents get tougher.
They're not conditioned.
Yeah, they don't feel like they win in the trenches against the good teams. Now that's probably not going to apply to the game as much on Sunday, but when they play the Buffaloes, the Baltimore is the Kansas City's they lean on the Dolphins teams, they lean on them and they don't have enough physicality to pull out of it.
Patriot Vans. If you want to see Toyota's best offers, including those not seen on TV, go to buy at toyota dot com. It's Toyota's official website for deals from the official vehicle of the New England Patriots. Toyota Let's Go places a couple of quick ones in before we let you go here if uh number one. The biggest news that came from practice today for the Patriots was Cold Strangers return. Yes, how quickly. Do we expect him to be reinserted into the lineup.
Well, honestly, John, like I didn't think Christian Barber would be reinserted a lot.
How many you got.
Yeah, So they're going about this maybe a little bit differently than the old regime would have than Bill would have. I feel like Bill Belichick was really big on stretching out that twenty one day window and giving guys time to ramp back up. These guys, it seems like they feel like ramping up is best in game. You know, let's let's get.
Which to me flies right in the face of the entire philosophy around Drake May just about the year. I mean, if you want to see what you got, let the guy play. Yeah, Oh my god, you just you just lit You just lit me up. You just lit me up.
That's what I'm here to do. We're here to We're hearing to talk.
We're here to talk.
Yeah, you know, look, I get it. And you know, I don't know about Strange if he's going to be ready to play on Sunday. I always think it's really difficult in terms of trench play to come back because you're you're dealing with the position where fundamentals and technique is the name of the game. So when you get into the trenches, if your pad level is high, if your hand placement is off, if your feet aren't right, like,
you're just gonna be in trouble. And I thought on Sunday, as much as great as it was to see Barmore back out there, I thought there were a couple of instances where his pads were getting up a little bit and he was getting moved off the ball, and that all comes back to back and drills.
I was happy to see him back out there. I wasn't totally surprised that he wasn't terribly effective. It was nice to have his presence out there, if nothing else. But now you want to start to see improvements, slow improvement, slow, steady improvement. And when Strange gets back out there, you know, my biggest deal is you know, Okay, so he's been training a little bit at center. That's been fairly well documented.
Those Yes, we're snapping today, right, So if.
He was snapping today, do we actually see him line up at center? What do they do with Brown the instance, or do we see him at guard? And where would this team be best served? Right? Now considering the way that the offensive line has taken us on this mad, mad journey around the globe this year.
Yeah, they seem to really like Michael Jordan at left guard. He's been pretty much there since week one of the season, one of the few guys that's been consistently there. But that being said, when I watched the film, I see him struggling out there quite a bit, especially in the run game. Just really doesn't have the upper body power
and strength to sustain blocks. It's not so much that his like initial movements are terrible, but he gets thrown off blocks easily right like later on, So you guy will pick his gap to run behind him, and then he gets three yards down the field and and he shed and it's you know stuff. So I look at Michael Jordan at left guard and say that that's probably the spot that they could use Cole Strange at the most.
And I would also say that, you know, center in this offense, there's a lot of men mental stuff that goes into making the line calls and getting the configuration correct and the mic points and all that kind of stuff.
Why I asked the question, would you be putting too much on his plate? On his initial time back after being out for a year.
Yeah, I mean, granted, maybe that's what he's been doing behind the scenes. And I know girod Meo said today that David Andrews has been helping him out with learning the intricacies of playing center. And I'm assuming a lot of that is mental because he's not been able to practice in terms of strange so like it can't be physical that David Andrews is helping him, So maybe he has a good grasp of that. And you know, Ben Brown came in here and in three days was making
the line calls, you know, against the Houston Texans. So with a rookie quarterback and his first ever start, So maybe we're making too big of a deal out of that. I'll allow for that. But at the same time, I don't think Ben Brown has been a liability. No, it hasn't been great.
Considering where you got him, you know, and you picked him up it was you know, it wasn't quite a street free agent, but he was damn close. Yeah, I think he's done remarkable.
Yeah, I would say he's for the most part, has been passable. He has been functional, sure, So I wouldn't necessarily mess with that too much.
No, I'm kind of on that line as well. And I know that there's a you know, a certain faction of people that are already out there talking about, you know, what you're gonna do when free agency comes around, what you might do when the draft comes around. I was looking at x earlier today and there's a lot of chatter about T Higgins and you know, potential wide receivers in the free agent market. And look, I don't really want to get too much. I'm kind of like Fred
in this regard. Okay, next year's next year. We're still in this year, and you say, I worry about developing who you have here, but oh do we is it worth keeping an eye toward it? I mean, do you send signals? I mean, what do you do here to make sure that you're not caught flat footed? Because that's my biggest fear with player personnel within New England. And until we fix this problem, until we fix it we see Elliott Wolf can do it, I'm going to have
this doubt in my head. I want to know that you know, they're doing the right things in order to basically, you know, smooth the runway out for someone to come in this way and catch passes from Drake May.
Yeah, I hear you. I think the biggest thing that they could do, and I'm not trying to, you know, cop out here, but I think the biggest thing that they can do is keep Drake playing well like this because they.
Have That's not a cop out, No, that's a good answer.
They have to attract the free agents, right and the best way to attract the t Higgins are to attract the Amari Cooper or whoever the receiver that they're going after is. And I mentioned Cooper just because of his time with the Browns and in this system and with this coaching staff in Cleveland. So you know, these guys that are gonna be free agents, you need to show them that Drake May is the real deal and they
have a quarterback to come here and play with. Because the reason in my mind that Calvin Ridley is not a Patriot is because the Patriots didn't have a quarterback. And he's thinking, and I understand Will Levis is not good either, but he's thinking, I'm a receiver, you know, I need to have a quarterback that can get me the football. I don't even know who's going to be throwing the football to me in New England. So if the money's equal, I'm gonna go someplace else. And that's
ultimately what it ended up happening. Brandon a Yuk had no desire to come here because the Patriots weren't an attraction. They weren't a draw. So if you keep Drake May playing the way that he is playing, people are gonna want to come and play with that player. You know, maybe not more than Josh Allen or Patrick Mahomes or Lamar Jackson, but when you get into the dregs of the league, like you're gonna have the quarterback and these
other teams might not necessarily have that. So I think that, you know, there's a lot of talk about what's to come in the offseason. There's a lot of talk about this coaching staff and if they're going to stay the course with this coaching staff or if there are gonna be changes. The one guy that I really feel, I continually feel strongly about even more so, is is retaining Alex van Pelt. I think Alex van Pel's doing a really fine job with Drake May.
I'm not going to argue with that point. Yeah, you know, I've known Alex for a long time, number of years, and in this regard, he deserves an opportunity to continue working with Drake number one, developing his play skills. Number two and then probably two A getting more talent in here.
Yeah.
Man, then we can see what he truly is capable of doing. Because I think we all know they've been told the best way to go about it right now is to play this a little bit more close to the vest because we extend ourselves, we're really going to pratfall. But now what we want to do is try to build toward a certain level. We've seen that from day one.
Whether we agree or not with the whole Drake may philosophy, the point is is that he's playing now, he's showing well, we're getting you know, bonnets and kudos thrown his way from you know, analysts all over the NFL, so that buzz is starting to catch hold. And I'm one hundred and ten percent in this corner. Yeah, do whatever you can to keep him playing well. Right that what you can score like you need to score in the offseason.
It's just a huge it's a huge developmental time for Drake made from going from year one to year two in the NFL, and one of the myriad of mistakes that they made with mac Jones was Josh McDaniels goes to the Raiders after Max's rookie year and Matt Patricia's name the offensive play caller his second season, and that was really the beginning of the end for mac Jones
in New England. And Drake's way more talented than Mac. Like, I'm not trying to make a comparison player to player, but right now AVP has Drake May playing great ball. He has him tied together, you know, is what I would call it eyes and mechanically, like he's going to right places with the football. He's playing on schedule, he's playing in rhythm. His feet looked great, which was obviously a big thing in the draft was his footwork and his mechanics. And right now he looks like he is
tethered together the offensive coordinator. And if you start pulling things out of that Jenga tower, you're just asking for things to regress, right You're asking for the unc footwork to come back. You're asking for him to stop, you know, seeing blitzes and reading field correctly and all these things that we see him doing right now at a high level. I would stay the course with the offensive staff for right now. I would say Van Pelt is somebody that
I think has done a really great job. I also wouldn't lose sight of their quarterbacks coach T. C. McCartney to today Tom Pellasaro named as an up and coming coach in the NFL on the offensive side of the ball.
And as a potential replacement someone down the line if the dominoes fall the right way when Black Monday gets here.
I just think that TC is someone that I'm going to try to do some more reporting on because he's someone that I think is close in age to Drake enough and has played quarterback himself, not at the pro level, but in college, and is clearly you know, every time that that may has asked about the coaching, he obviously talks a lot about a VP, but he's always is careful to mention TC McCartney as well. So I think there's a lot of good things going on in that quarterback room right now.
I really like the analogy of likening the Patriots to a Jenga tower.
Yes, so I'm big on this analogy, and I can't do do you know Dave Damashek with the NFL network. I know, yeah, I can't. I can't take claim. But David is the original Jenga tower guy, and I loved it since the day that I heard it where he usually talks about it with players. Yeah, so, like, you know, think of the Jenga tower like Juwan Bentley gets pulled out and then Christian Barmore gets pulled out, and you.
Know, and you're pretty soft in the middle. Ye yeah, yeah, it's it's wobbly. It's a really good analogy. I keep thinking of that. What is that the Popeye's Chicken commercial where the guy's pulling out you know, the Jenga pieces one by one until someone puts that big you know, chicken wing or whatever in this stase and just it's all gone. That's what I see when I think of that. So yeah, I'm gonna actually I like Jagga Jinga's fun.
It's a fun game.
Yeah it is.
What do you think, Marie Jenga?
You do Jinga?
Yeah? Okay, yeah, yeah, good stuff.
Show some talent, Thanks buddy, Appreciate you anytime, all right. The One and Only easy Lazar Evan Lazar here on the program. Hey, easy to drink, easy to enjoy, bud Light,
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We'll read some of those in a bit. It's podcasts plural po d C A S t S podcasts at Patriots dot com. You can also hit me up on x at JR Broadcaster if you like to do that as well. I want to go that route. We're going to visit with Doug Kyde coming up at about ten fifteen minutes when he joined us. Russell Baxter will join us at the top of the hour, and so now we've got some time for you. And so because of that, it looks like Patty's been hanging in. He's got a
little time on everybody else here. So Patty and aguam you're up next. Thanks for hanging in. Bro.
What's going on? Mister legend to steal a phrase from Eldred going on?
You know, whenever he says that, I laugh internally. You know, I've always thought, well, I'm a legend in my own mind, right, just somewhat kiddingly. But when when when Eldred says that, I got to admit, actually, it actually feels like there's some authority behind it. You know, moves a little bit, yeah, yeah, yeah, you know, the needle moves. Shut up Marine, Oh no, it's all right, it's all good. It's all good. I love talking to you guys. You guys are the best.
So I just wanted to throw something out there. About the Hall of Fame and a prediction.
Yeah, you know, I was going to ask Evian about that, but I but we we got actually talking into uh, you know, football stuff. But we should mention of course that uh. The final well, the semi finalists for the twenty twenty five Class of the Hall of Fame includes three significant Patriot names, uh not, the least of which are well Rodney Harrison, Adam Vinteri and oh crap, who's the third one? Thank you, Vince? How can I forget? Holy smokes? Yeah, those are the three guys on the list.
Now they'll they'll boil it down to the finalists I think in another month, I think it is, and then of course the class is probably going to be somewhere around four or five. I'm gonna be stunned, stunned, Patty if one of those guys didn't get in, and frankly, they all three deserve it. I just I would hope for two to get in. And here's my thing. The Patriots run of dominance, you know, since two thousand and one has is significant to the point where they have
been underserved. It took I think the Steelers of the seventies and the even the Niners of the eighties a few years to you know, to really you know, get their due. But the Patriots are still owed. I think, you know, some representation in the Hall of Fame based
on their their two decade run. And I know that there's a significant factor of media as well as you know, potential, you know, ownership, you know tied to you know, NFL ownership, and other teams that still are butt hurt over you know, things like Spygate and Flakegate for lack of a better phrase, And and all I'm going to tell you is is that, look, forget all that stuff. If you are a fan of Buffalo, or you are a fan of Kansas City, or let's say,
let's be even worse, let's let's go step further. You're a fan of the Eagles, who the Patriots beat, you know, the first time around, or the Panthers or the Rams. You know, you know, because we've known for years that you know, there there was a lot of hurt feelings
over you know that you know over that that era. Look, if you can't tell with your own eyeballs that these guys are Hall of Fame worthy, then I would question severely your ability to judge good football, because these guys are you know, they you know, you go back to Rodney Harris's days, you know, playing for the Chages. You know, Vince Wilfork, I mean, my goodness, he still had some life left in his legs when he went on to
play in Houston, you know. And Adam Ben and Terry good Lord, he said all kinds of you know, longevity records after he left New England to go kick for the Colts. So those guys are Hall of famers, every one of them. Based on they're the x's and o's. Based on the numbers alone, they all three deserve to be in. I just don't think we'll see a Patriot dominated class and all of them getting in at the same time, just because there just aren't that many slots
that will end up getting voted upon. But I'm hopeful that at least one of them is somewhat, you know, duly rewarded for their long, successful careers here.
Yeah, and I kind of have a hot take on that too, go I would not be I would not be shocked if Adam doesn't get in on first ballot, even.
Though I think he deserves it because he's a kicker.
A little bit wary about voters, yeah, voting for a kicker to get in the first time.
Well, and I would tend to agree with you, Patty, And I think this is where if anybody is deserving of breaking that mold, it is adam minitary most definitely.
And not to sound like a broken record, like I want to see Vince get in eventually, but just put Rodney and I mean he.
Yeah, there's Ed Reid, and.
Then there was like yeah, alamlu yeah Rodney Harrison, and then a tier below that. Like I've always said, like Briandkins, I'm sorry he's not as good as as Rodney Harrison made me the one big play in a big game that he made you can't because he never made it. But just real quickly to my prediction for this week, because like I said, don't want to get up so
other guys can get on the line. I really want to see our team just do it this week in Miami, John, I want to see may And and Mayo get up, you know, get their first win against it.
You know, I know, I know, Daddy, I loved, I love your eternal optimism, but it's just it's it's woefully misguided on these guys.
Yeah, I think it's going to be a close game, though I do have I think the Dolphins will probably win somewhere around like twenty four to twenty one or twenty eight to twenty four, something like that. But man, I just I just I can't stand the Dolphins the Yankees of the NFL. They always have that.
Yeah, I know, you know, I totally I agree with that, you know. And the funny thing it is is that I was thinking of this last week is I'm watching Buffalo beating Kansas City. I'm thinking, man, Bills fans got to be looking at the rest of the AFC East and laughing their asses off. You know, it's like, you know, what,
what does the AFC East become? They're dominating kind of like the Patriots did a decade ago, and kudos to the to the Bills for turning it around after you know, it's kind of stumbling out of the gate and the subject for another day. Look, I kind of you know, I think the magic number here is is twenty. If the Patriots can get to twenty, they're in the game. They got a chance to steal it. But if they
don't get there, the Dolphins are gonna roll. You have to figure out a way defensively to hold the Dolphins between seventeen to twenty points max. To have a chance. If you let the Dolphins get to twenty two, twenty three, twenty four, you're not winning that game. You're just not Patriots, and Patriots are not explosive enough on offense right now. So the only way you can do that is you've
got to get some takeaways. You probably got to get a cheap score somehow, either on a short field after a takeaway or a pick six or a block kick, or you got to come up with something different. It's gonna take more than just doing your job. Oh goodness, I'm sorry, but you know that kind of has stuck on our tongue around here. You got to do more than just the basics to win a game on the road and get off the schneid in South Florida.
Yeah, and they're not generating pass rush against good teams. They're not slowing down the running game against good teams. And it's been five games John since they since they garnered a turnover.
It yeah, anybody, Yeah, and it's.
Got a change, and like eventually the worm's gonna turn I hope it's this week, but I'm not banking on it. But buck it off the line. It's always good talking to you, Johnny. I'll talk to you next week.
I appreciate you, Taddy, Patty, thank you for the phone call. I just I wish I was a little more confident about that. And I'm not being anti New England or anti Patriot or you know, you're not waving the pomp ponds or whatever you want you to do. I'm not doing that here. I'm just being real. You know this team has got flaws. We know this. This is week twelve in the NFL. You're three and eight, okay, so
you are what your record says you are. I believe one William Parcells said that years ago, and this team is improving. I think at times we can see that improvement. I thought, as I mentioned with Evan a little bit earlier, that they took a bit of a step back this last week because I didn't see the kind of adjustments that I think a high caliber NFL team needs to make in order to be successful against a high powered offense like the Rams have. I didn't see that kind
of adjustment. I thought that the game plan, regardless of what Evan was talking about. You know why it's difficult to guard the Rams in man demand because of the way they run the bunch roots and they set screens and picks and things like that. Regardless that there's a way to beat that offense. There's a reason why the Rams are a five hundred team, okay, and you didn't attack it well enough. And that's really the bottom line.
And then you're gonna remember the Rams were three and out what two of the first three possessions something like that, and then they ripped off what four straight touchdowns, And I'm just like, where's the adjustment? They clearly made adjustments. Where are yours? And that's what I failed to see from this team. So when you go up against the Mike McDaniel team this week, who we all know right now is coaching circles, dancing circles around the Patriots to
a tango via aloa dancing circles around the Patriots. Whether he's got up you know, you know, a toboggan that's screwed on straight or not. And I'm trying to I'm not really trying to make fun of that. I'm just being graphic, I guess because he's had his you know, concussion issues, but regardless of those, he owns the Patriots. What are you gonna do to stop him? You've got to go above and beyond what you've done in the past. You got to throw him something that he hasn't seen.
You're gonna run something hasn't seen. You gotta do something of the dolphins that make McDaniel is not expecting and we're not seeing that. We're not seeing that. If we see that, I might feel differently. But you know, as Eldred says, you got to show me first, right, isn't that right, Eldred? You got to show me first, right, mister Legend.
How are you doing today?
I love you, buddy.
How are you love you too? Man? I'm doing pretty good. I'm off the rest of the week.
Couldn't take next.
Week off because the Thanksgiving I had to take this week off, right, So, so.
Are you working on Thanksgiving week?
I gotta work. Do you want us to work on Thanksgiving Day? But I ain't doing it. He did it in fifteen U John ain't about to do it now.
Yeah? Yeah, Oh, don't don't feel don't feel sorry for me. I have to work next week too. But it'll be uh, yeah, I know, Matt. You want to tell him, Matt, you want to say he's working in the Bahamas elder. Don't let him.
Don't let them fool you Bahamas. Yeah, hey, are you gonna change Simon? I go down there on the beach, your step, He'll be right there with him.
Yeah, I know, right, I know, I know. Now the basketball tournament to the college basketball tournament called the Battle for Atlantis. I'll be covering that next week. So pretty good assignment, pretty choice assignment over the holiday.
Oh yeah, you gonna have you uh what do you see your Bahama Mamas and everything? Listen, I'll have me a glas of heitt.
That's exactly right, That's exactly right. So yeah, so yeah, it looks like we both might be working a little bit. But you know, if if you, you know, if you decide that's it, I'm not gonna do it, then by all means, I think you've earned that, right.
Yeah, So I'm not working thanks I worked to day after. I have to do that one, but I'm not working Thanksgiving.
You in a union job? Are you in a union? Okay? All right, I was going to say, you do you tell your well I was going to say, you just you can tell your you know, your shop Steward, you know, to talk to me. I'm gonna excuse you. But that's okay, So.
All right, but I'm hoping that Rodney get in. Matter of fact, I wish all three of them get in the same time.
I'm holding out. I'm holding out hope that you know, look, if you if you look at those three guys, based on their football talent alone and what they've accomplished, you know, over the last couple of decades, Yeah, they're all worthy. They absolutely are. I just don't think they're gonna Super Bowl win, yes, yes, And that that was part of the reason why I brought that up, because I'm like, you know, I don't think that you know, the Super the first Super Bowl era Patriot teams have gotten enough
do I just don't. And no, And so yeah, that's the one that started it all. So uh, I think it's time for you know, the voters and and and the people on the Hall of Fame committee to recognize, you know, the beginning of arguably maybe even in arguably the best, the biggest dynasty ever in NFL history.
I think this year too, you know, and just brent them guys in there, so them writers, Thurn Buffalo and all the other guys.
Oh you know that, you know that they will absolutely do anything they can to shove it right up the wazoo of the Patriots. And that's unfortunate. That's unfortunate. You know, you need to have people that are are are more interested in the sport and what the Hall of Fame actually means. The Hall of Fame is it's supposed to stand for talent and ability and and and whatever else the NFL wants to stand for. Is not supposed to stand because well, you guys cheated, you know, to you know,
to beat us so many years ago. That's not what That's not what happened, number one. But that's still the that that's the that's the hangover, Yes, that's the hangover from everything that.
Day here too.
Yeah, I know, but I would tell you, I would tell you also, elder that somebody who says that is just ignorant and they don't want to and they don't want to know the truth because this is an easy argument for for them to make. You know, we say, well we beat in the super Bowl, and they turn around, they looking and say, well, you cheated. I'm like, well, you're not very smart because you don't know. I don't care you cheated, you know. And I get that argument
all the time. It's like arguing with you know, it's like arguing with my six year old grandson. I don't care, Papa, I don't care. You know you cheat it, you know you bos the cheat. Okay, well, all right, whatever whatever. But you're right. They all three deserve it. They all three deserve it. I just don't think they all three get in. I hope I'm wrong.
I'm hoping you hope I'm wrong. I hope I'm wrong to me too. But all three do get in.
Yeah. Correct.
But I'm going, like I said, I'm gonna. I gave my my annsinence to to Evan the other day. Like I said, I'm still going to my jersey in my hat. As soon as I get it, I send it to them. You know, I'm a man of my word, you know. But uh, but this other thing is I don't trust. I'm sorry, uh Wolf and the guy uh grow because you was there with Bill and like I said, this
this class here, it's like the way Bill drafts. I'm sorry, you got the same guys as you like I've been saying for years, and y'all keep saying whatever, No, sir, you keep drafting the same guy. You don't go after that athlete or whatever. And then uh, I brought up this yesterday with pu that okay, Uh they said the Chargers, Uh after that traded, traded, and in the draft this year was the robbery. So they two got they three guys just produced and they seven and three. We three
and eight. Polk can't get more more pillowties. He ain't got what two touchdown the two touchdowns and two hand snaps and Baconon got nineteen snaps. But you got lab mcconty and that I read that, Uh, the guy at the corner. They got cam Hart and they playing and they started they play off ready, you know with the Chargers, and you let Thornton go, which I understand he haven't showed nothing. I don't still think they're coaching, right, you know.
And then they did not to use because if it got picked up the nixt day by Kansas City, now they got two four two guys on the outside or whatever, and watch how they use it and what and now I'm watching to see, Okay, if he flourished there. It's it's the problems in New England. It's the that's the problem. They don't know how to use They want to put him in the system instead of using the guys will be how they supposed to be used. Okay, you know, and that's my that's my biggest right But is uh
which car? It ain't that I was glad that they are competitive, but it's like Paul said the other day, can it be just your the other team that's better than players are better than what you got, you know, and they can't run with him, they can't play with And that's not ninety nine percent what the deal is.
Well, sure it is. And didn't even know how to draft, that's right. And and that's where I think that's the crux of the problem. The Patriots just don't have right now enough good players to be compared with the upper echelon in the NFL. It's it's real simple, and we've we've talked about this before. It will continue to be a topic of a conversation for the foreseeable future until the problem corrects itself. But this is a problem that began.
This is a problem, well, this is a problem that started, as we know, probably five to seven to even ten years ago with you know, some of the failures. So okay, even so you want to go back that far, we go back that far. But that's the problem that we had with the previous regime that we need to figure out a way to kind of nip in the butt now because it's sort of you know, I mean, it's stockpiled to the point now where other teams have passed
you by. You've hit on fewer selections, both the free agency and the draft than you did back in the early two thousands. That's how the Patriots built themselves. That's how they built two you know, Super Bowl, you know, decades,
you know, with those kind of players. And then the last several drafts have just, man, I don't know what it is, but listen, if I'm if I'm a player and I'm getting picked in the second round by the New England Patriots, and especially if I'm playing wide receiver, I'm running the other way, that's almost like that's almost like the Kids of Death. It's almost literally, it's almost like the Kids of Death. I mean, you know, Taekwon
Thornton gets released, Jalen Polk is struggling. I mean, I you know, I'm just like, wow, this is just you can't It's comical. It really is comical. I don't know. You couldn't try to be that bad if you really wanted to. And I think the Patriots just sort of like down for you. Well but but but when those pictures, but when those pictures, when those picts are made, elderd. I mean, honestly, when those picts are made, you're thinking, Okay, well,
you know, pretty good guy, blah blah blah. Maybe you had a favorite or another you know, type of player that you would have taken in that slot, but you can't really.
A whole lot better even.
Well, of course go back and check.
Okay, I'm saying it, and I'm staying it on the radio when they picked before it ain't a man. No, I'm saying it before they get them, when they get him into draft and before the draft.
All right, well then d they got harried then then, Eldred, I'm gonna nominate you for GM.
Heym. I kept saying, mister Kraft on your show, let me draft for you one time, one time. You don't have to pay me. I draft better than your GM that you got now in one pass and you have you have me come back next year and you still wouldn't have to pay me then my key.
All right, Well, you know when we get when we get closer to the draft this next year, all right, I'm gonna let you make the picks. All right, you can come on this program, you can make those picks, and then let's stand them up through the test of time through next year and let's just see how well you do.
All right, Okay, we're gonna do that. Okay, y'all kept saying it takes two to three years.
Two well, and and I agree with that. But I want you to pick who you want to pick, and then we'll see how the season unfolds. We'll keep track of it. Marine. We're gonna keep track of this for Eldred and yeah, absolutely once and for all. Let's let's let's let's figure this thing out. Let's see how you do with it, all.
Right, most definitely okay. And another thing, your boy a d Mitchell seemed to becoming a little bit more now that Richardon back in there. Ye you noticed that, yes, sir, yes, one of him before we got poked.
I understand that. And listen, believe me. I know, listen, I was a big fan. I liked A d Mitchell more than I like Xavier Worthy, and and and and Worthy has had himself a pretty damn good season for Kansas City. Of course, he's got my homes to throw to, you know, throwing to him too. But you know, I like both of those receivers.
So you know, I remember a couple of years ago. Yeah, I'll see it, Quentin Quinton Johnson, y'all, y'all laughed at me. But for San Diego, took him a couple of years and now he's producing. Of laugh, McConkie's on his on his side, and he's producing now on the end zone and stretching the field too. I'm like, damn s you know what I'm saying.
Right, Well, you're exaggerating because nobody laughs at you. Nobody not laughing at you. Okay, well, Paul can laugh at you. But I know better, I know I like your football judgment, Eldred. That's why I'm gonna let you. I'm gonna let you be. You know our playbook GM here okay, okay.
Glad to do it before right in the draft store all before the draft. Good, good, glad my board ready to right.
And you need to talk to Marine too, because frankly, we need more road tips from Eldred. We need we need more, you know, we need more road tips for Eldrid from Eldred. So we got to work on that.
I got one on. Ask the people I didn't, and maybe you too, mister mister legend. Why is it if you go down the interstate, you in the right lane, the slow lane. Yeah, okay, you're coming up on a ramp. You about a half a mile away from the ramp, you got idiots in the third in the passing lane or the sickle lane. Instead of them getting behind you and take that rent bright, they're gonna shoot all across four lane. They shoot across the.
I see that every day. I see that every day on my commute. I absolutely see that every day on my commute. And I actually have some set for the truck drivers. Yeah I do. I do, funny, but most most of the people who do that. And I'm well out on four ninety five, okay, when I'm I'm heading to you know, the campus on the day, and the cars that from the left lane go across the middle lane where the truckers are to get to the right line, to take the right exit. You know where they're all from.
You know where they're all from. They're not they're not massholes. They're no, they're all from Rhode Island. Yeah.
But the ones down here, they got enough kind of tags on. Some got Georgia, some of them got uh, Maryland. And I'm like, you know, if my truck went a little harder, i'd hit you. But see one thing, they keep with getting Campa people. Truck got cameras in it now, so you can't say, well, he used to vote. They got cameras now. Yeah, And I gotta keep killing everybody you get within one hundred feet the truck automatic stops and you're gonna kill somebody in the back of the truck.
So they're gonna make it Jack night, it starts to accident.
Eldridge, rules of the road, all right, you gotta we're gonna work that out with Marine. You the man. Happy Thanksgiving, Eldred, appreciate you a lot. My friend, Uh. Doug Kide covers the Patriots for the Boston Herald. Been a good friend of the program for a few years as well. Doug, thanks for hanging in. Really appreciate your being with us today for a bit.
Absolutely, there's going, John.
Good, it's going well. So do you see the same thing that elderd just described when you're on the highway and in denizens of the great State of Rhode Island, crossing in front of these trucks to make the exit on the next exit on the highway.
You know, what I noticed about Hode Island drivers most of all, is that they pass from like from behind people like they're they're coming up behind you, and then they pass you so that you can't see that they're passing you before they pass you. Yeah, it's everyone else. Everyone asks you that gets out out in front, puts the blinkers on, then passes you. Rhode Island, it's.
To you bash Rhode Island drivers. Ha ha, Come on, we're gonna bash somebody around here. And I called massholes for no reason. Well that's also true, and I'm a card carrying masshole and I'm proud of it too. All right, Okay, well, well we'll move on to that one. But you know, I just thought that was just kind of a little quirky thing as well. You know, hey, you know there's a little politeness involved before we tell people to go bleep themselves. So that's all. It's just it's just it's
what we do. So let's kind of pick it up with uh, you know, the at least the big event of the day. And I mentioned this with Evan a little bit earlier, but you know, Cole Stranger's return to practice based on you know, what Christian Barmore did last week and then he got into the game for twenty twenty one snaps this past week. Do you expect to see Cole Strange play this week? And where does he play?
I mean, with this regime, this seems possible, like and almost anything seems possible. Because Alex Ousner turned to practice few weeks ago and now he's finally been activated to the roster didn't play right away. But with Cole Strange, I certainly wouldn't be surprised. I mean, if Christian Barmore can play after you know, one practice having blood clot issues, one practice since last January or whatever it was, then
then yeah, it's possible with Cole Strange as well. And as for where he plays, there's a spot for him at left guard or at center right now. And you know, Michael Jordan and Ben Brown. Those guys have been holding down the ford as best as they can. Ben Brown especially, you know, really tough situation coming over from the Raiders
playing in a game after practicing just twice. But both of those guys, as far as I was looking at the PFF grade today, both of those guys really ranked near the very bottom of their position groups this season as far as the PFF grades have gone, they're really struggling in past protection. So I think that when Cole Strange is ready, when he's a full go, when they feel comfortable putting him in there, I would put him
in there at probably left guard or center. I might put him in at left guard just because that's position he's played before, that's the one he's more comfortable in, rather than forcing him in there at center. But I would start him absolutely before the season then.
And one of the things that we kind of mentioned earlier was we kind of feel like the coaches to have as it presently, you know, exists likes Michael Jordan in that spot. So do you who's whose position? Do you interrupt here? Do you you come in and start snapping even though you're learning a new position basically for you know, for Ben Brown, or do you come in and you know, move Michael Jordan around and make him
the swing piece. I mean, there's you're finally starting to get at least some semblance of continuity on this offensive line after you know, juggling balls the entire year, and now this is actually the best problem you've had for the offensive line in a long time. Is how do you figure out a way to put your your first round pick from twenty to twenty two back into the lineup.
I think it would be a left guard because you do remember a few weeks ago when we saw Michael Wenhu playing at left guard. See that didn't stick for a game, but that tells me that they were at least willing to experiment a little bit and willing to take Michael Jordan out of that starting lineup if it comes down to it. So I do think that this could be a good opportunity for it the offensive line,
just it has to be better. In general. They've been a little bit better with Drake Maye quarterback than they were earlier in the season with Choby Perscat, but there's still absolutely room for improvement there. So you know, I would put him in there at left guard. If they really like Jordan, then I would certainly sit them at
center as well. But it just seems like a better fit firm there at left guard, and then you can get some decent athleticism there too, between viderian low left tackle and cool strangle left guard that it could be helpful.
Sure, I don't disagree with that. I'm just you know, listen, the versatility of someone that's always been preached about that offensive line. And that's how teams really help themselves with depth, as we all know, is to have guys play multiple positions. So here's a guy that can play, apparently now multiple positions, even he's been working out with David Andrews, like has
been reported or alleged. Where do you put him? And yeah, I would think you'd want to try to put him with a position to strength, But listen, we've seen this coaching staff do things that you know, quite frankly, I don't. I wouldn't have expected Barmore just came back a week ago. I would never have expected him to see him play first week back, and yet there he goes, and he gets twenty twenty one steps and I guess, mixed bag,
you know, in terms of review from last week. But the fact that he's in there playing you know, up, I guess, and getting his feet wet and learning how to kind of do things all over again. I think it's great that he's kind of learning on the fly kind of takes me back. And I mentioned this earlier on the show today, But you know, it's the same philosophy really that I've always described to when it comes to playing Drake may I wanted him to play so
he could learn on the fly. And it seems like kind of like that's what Barmore did a little last week, and maybe what a guy like Cole Strange ends up doing. So there's a little imbalance there in terms of philosophy, I think in terms of putting guys in the lineup.
Yeah, I mean with Bill Delichick at head coach, you could always kind of anticipate that you would bring guys along slowly. Yea, when they were coming back it would take a few weeks for them to get back in there. But yeah, no, one hundred percent. It seems like with Drawd Mayo, they're much more willing to thrust guys in there learn on the fly. I think, you know, alex
Am Pellt plays in it as well. And I mean, like you said, I never would have expected Christian Barmore to play twenty plus snaps with one practice under his belt after missing whatever it was, ten eleven months of football, going through the you know, a health situation, health related situation with blood cloths like I wouldn't have thought that was possible, but clearly they thought he could and he did it. And you know, he came out of it,
like you said, mixed results. It didn't make a major impact in the game, but he wound up with three tackles. He was able to contribute, you know, rotate in there a little bit. And now I think that we'll just see his his uh, you know, his role grow. It goes along now too.
Sure, Doug, what was the biggest reason in your estimation you think that the Patriot lost that game to the Rams last week.
I mean, when it boils down to it, it was the defense. I think the defense really failed them in that game. You know, Jonathan Jones said after the game that he's got to be better off for the Patriots. He was certainly someone that should have played a lot better. He got burned by Cooper Cup on the sixty nine yard catch. Obviously you can throw coaching in there as well, since they called it zero blitz and he had no safety help over the top, But he also got burned
by Cook Nakula for another touchdown the game. I personally disagreed with the philosophy of, you know, having Christian Gonzalez play the majority of the game on the boundary and did not match him up with either or Cooper Cup. It was a it was a plan that worked well against the Bears, and for me that it worked well because there wasn't a weak wide receiver that the Bears could put on on Christian Goanzalez. Between DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, and Romo dun Day, someone was going to be worthy
of that coverage. When you put Christian Gonzalez on the boundary against the Rams and they can just throw DeMarcus Robinson in there and get just kind of like set it and forget it, I think that's where you into issues because then you can let your other two wide receivers run free. So that's another big element. So I do think it was a majority of defense and really coaching on defense as well. I think there were some decisions that Droug Mayo might want to have back on
offense too. But I mean Drake may performed certainly the interception at the end in help, but may it really just does boil down to the defensive performance.
Sure, And I think there would be a lot of people that would agree with you. And of course you mentioned Drake's performance, which was you know, he had you know, his best numbers yet coming off I guess overall his best start thus far. Is there a danger for him to maybe hit a plateau here just because of the
personnel that he has surround him. How can maybe this coaching is to have best keep him moving in an upward sort of curve here in an effort to be able to attract others to come to this roster in the off season.
I think one big thing would be having some continuity a wide receiver, And I think we're getting closer that where Kendrick Bourne had a big game on Sunday to Mario Douglas performed well, Kayshaun Boody stayed pretty consistent and then obviously targeting Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper in the passing game as well. So for me, I think to
continue that upward trajectory. I think there is a potential plateau with his supporting cast on offense just because it is one of the weaker offensive lines in the NFL. It's on the weaker wide receiver groups. But if you can keep those starting three of Kayshaun Buoy to Mario Douglas and Kendrick Burn and Drake May can really start to develop some chemistry with those guys. He talked about it a little bit today, where he wants his wide
receivers to be playing football. He doesn't necessarily want them to go exactly what's on the play call sheet. He wants them to see what he's seeing at some of the same stuff that we talked about with Tom Brady. And I do think that that was probably the cause of that interception to Marto Douglas, where maybe de Mario Douglas was doing what was on the play call sheet.
He was running the exact route that was called, but Drake May expected him to do something different on that play to cut in in front of the state sees behind the linebacker hit him over the middle there. So I think that with more continuity, with a little bit more predictability at wide receiver you will start to see that and it thinks that maybe a guy like Jalen Polk or Javon Baker doesn't play as many snaps if
that is the case. But overall, I think it is about developing Drake May and like you said, it's about developing. It's about attracting other talent this offseason and maybe not having to overpay so significantly for a guy like Kee Higgins in creation.
Yeah, you fly out, gotta want. You got to have guys that want to be here because you know you I mean, I wouldn't say you're going to get you know, pennies on the dollar for him, but still you still have guys that are motivated to be here, to play with a talent that can put the ball in their hands so they can do what they do best. And you know, everybody's always look, you sign a contract, but everybody,
we know, everybody's always playing for the next deal. The contract that you want to be wary of is a guy who's, you know, signing his last deal. You want somebody who's playing for his next deal. That's when you're going to be able to really maximize I think the want to in terms of being in a particular place.
Yeah, absolutely, And I think that one one kind of underrated element is you start to see last week after the game against the ram Sean McVay really talking up Drake May. Today, Mike McDaniel from the Dolphins, he's really talking up Drake May. When you see the analyst guy like guys like dann Er lobsk Here, any of these other quarterback experts that are out there really tweeting about Drake May, talking up Drake May. I think that's the kind of stuff the players see at this point too.
So I think that anything like that is going to be helping to attract that talent. Like you said, those guys who are wanting to play for the next contract and say, hey, that's a quarterback who's.
On the up and up.
That's someone that I want to play for. So anything like that right now is just really beneficial to the Patriots.
Well as far as this game is concerned, I think we certainly can see it, you know, right out there in front of everybody, that the Dolphins need to win to keep whatever flailing post season hopes they have alive. They certainly looked a little bit better last week against you know, the Raiders, and getting a win, even though they fell you know, flat in the previous few weeks. But there definitely is a pathway for them to play
their way back into serious postseason contention. And you would think that the last thing that they would want to do is be able to, you know, stumble at the hands of a team that Franklin they've owned over the last couple of years. I mean, you know, I think you know, Tua can almost call the Patriots his daddy.
Yeah, I mean, it's it's a matchup that I don't necessarily expect the Patriots to win, but they have at least proven that they can stay competitive a game against the Rams. I think it does help a little bit that you played last weekend, Sean McVay. Now you're playing against Mike McDaniel a little bit more of a similar offense that those guys are running, So maybe you don't make some of those same mistakes that he made against the Rams and Matthew Stafford this week against the Dolphins.
But no, I mean, this is definitely a highly motivated Dolphins team, a Dolphins team that wants to prove that they are legitimate, a Dolphins team that definitely is is you know on the trajectory potentially to make the playoffs if they can continue stringing together these wins. So the Patriots really have to come in with the mentality of trying to play spoiler, and it's tough to do. They have not played well in Miami over the last few
years or really historically. It's a little bit easier obviously in November than it would be in September, but it's still a place historically, even even in December that gives the Patriots fit. They've got to get over that hump and maybe you we'll see with Rod Mayo and there it will be all look different. But no, I mean, they they definitely have to prove that they can win in Miami because that is a really tough stuffre Yeah, I.
Just I'm just curious to see your observations. Why has it been so hard for them to win there? Why?
Why?
Why do they have this this phobia.
It's it's a really good question. I mean, I'm sure that the difference in heat doesn't help, even even when you're even when it's like December and maybe it's a little bit more mild in the seventies or low eighties, still going from from Boston to there certainly doesn't help. I don't think it's a massive like, I don't think it's crowd noise so much. I don't think it's necessarily any specific thing about the teams or the stadium because
it's been different regimes, it's been different coaching staff. So it's a really good question. The only thing I can possibly, you know, come to the conclusion on it is that it's got to be weather related. And even that, I mean, Bill Belichick tried that in the past of having them stay down in Miami for the weekend and it still didn't work.
So I don't know.
It is very interesting that that specific place, where that specific team gives them so much trouble.
Yeah, sure, they sure do. And you've got to motivated Miami team because they don't want to stumble. They've got tougher games, allegedly tougher games on down the stretch that they're going to need to win in order to stay, you know, right in the hunt for a potential wildcard spot on down the line. So it's a it's an important day for the Dolphins. The Patriots are definitely going to have the target on their backs. Doug, thanks so much.
For spending a little time with his day. It's all appreciated, absolutely anytime.
John.
Great talking to you, you too, Thank you, buddy. Doug kyde k y e ed in the last name it's at Doug kyde on X follow his stuff from the Boston Herald. Good guy and uh, you know, accurate, very accurate, hard to argue with just about anything. Uh with uh, what he's gone through, what he's what he's what he said about this team and the way that they've got things set up for, you know, for the foreseeable future. I mean, look, it's all kind of laid out there right now. You want to do what you can to
keep Drake moving forward. Uh. You want to try to get back some of your walking wounded, which they're doing slowly. You want to try to continue developing younger players, the few that you have that seem to be willing to be developed.
Uh.
You want to see if you can get anything at all out of the ones that are disappointing. Jalen Polk, you know, step to the front of the line on that one.
Uh.
So you know, there are still things to accomplish for this year before we get completely to next year. And I know so many want to turn the page. I got asked that today at school. I like, you know, you know, guys coming up and say, well, so, what do you think they should do about next year? What should they do about you know, the receiver? What should they do about this? And I'm like, hey, I'm going to worry about that in the off season. What's this
year is over? Right now? What I want to see is I want to see continued improvement, and not just from the players. I want to see continued improvement from the coaching staf. I want to see adjustments made. I want to see, you know, the light bulb go being on top of the heads of the coaches and the players. And anytime I get that light bulb to turn on, I'm going to feel like, okay, now you're making that step in the right direction. And we just haven't seen
that often enough. That's a big reason why the team is three and eight thus far. You're going through some growing pains here and nobody's used to them. There is a way to get out of those growing pains. You need some more personnel, but you also need to coach them up better. So it's a two pronged fork right now, too, ProMED. One prong is gott to help the other, and if one prong stays bent, you're not gonna be You shouldn't
tolerate it. You shouldn't tolerate it. That's why, you know, how this team ends this year and how they address the off season as soon as the off season occurs, it's hugely important for the immediate future of this team in this franchise. Let's go back to the phones here and our buddy Todd in North Carolina with us.
Hey Todd, Hey John, how are you doing today?
Good buddy, good?
Two hear.
So I'm driving and I'm watching and every time I see a Virginia license plight, I would like to hit the dirt and you know, find a place to call and hide because they go too fast. And yeah, they're the types that will not only come from four lanes over, but they'll be behind you, honking go over four lanes, come back and cut you off. Get the off round.
Just yeah, I understand, just to push off. I get that. That's kind of like Rhode Island drivers around here, So yeah, I understand that completely. What I want to do is I want to put eldred uh, you know, on route four ninety five here and where you're traveling as well. I want to put Eldred in a tank.
That'd be cool.
Yeah, I'd be very cool with that. I think we want to put a we wouldn't want to put a camera, you know, on the front window of that tank, just so we can you know. Yeah, I think that would be you know, justice duly served.
And the reason I called in is is exactly because of Eldred. Okay, I'm I'm wagering a Bertie's peanuts selection of peanuts. He can briddle whatever that he get against I don't know, offer T shirt or something that he can draft better than the Patriots draft team for the next year's draft.
Well, okay, well we're we're okay. That's fine, and and and we can accept that, I guess as a show here. I I like that. I I will we'll at what Eldred does with what the team does, and we'll we'll see how he fares, because I think it's time, you know, for him to achieve you know, legendary status in his own right, don't you.
Oh heck yeah, I love There's nobody who has the passion of Eldred. He just he's so tuned into the team and he's got that. I don't know if it's a sixth sense. He said, he'll tell you stuff like the team's gonna end up feeling in this area this year, and all of a sudden you look and it's like.
Dang, yeah, it was right. Yeah, no, no, no word of a lie. I agree with you. And I've known this about Eldred for how many years I've been doing this show now, twenty four, twenty five? Almost yeah too, Damn, Mini is exactly right. But I have fun doing it because I get to talk to you, guys like you, and Eldred and and Patty and and a lot of the others that have been regulars on the show throughout the years. I enjoy this. I look forward to it because, frankly,
I value your opinion. You follow the team closely enough to the point where your your opinions and the statements you have to make have validity because you watch the games. That's what I'm interested in. I'm not interested in just you know, straight pom pom waving. I want to know why you think the way you think.
And with respect to Polk, didn't Booty have kind of a similar first year I know he's a sixth round draft pick and we shouldn't be comparing the two. But I seem to remember when Booty first was doing his thing. They loved him in the preseasons, like, oh my god, look what he can do.
Look what he can do.
Yeah, and then came around to the year and he's like, uh, because I think the game is so different. The NFL game is so so different than the college game. Yeah, it's faster, it's it's more complex. Well, it requires just a higher level of execution. You may have just don't think that that young guys are.
Ready for it. You may have just answered your own question. I think that's part of the reason why we saw him struggle last year, because he just wasn't quite ready for the professional game. But now that he's had a year and a half now to learn how to be a pro, we're starting to see a little bit of production out of him. So, you know, he you know, you know, I had a few things hanging over his
head before he got here. But I think he's I think I think he's in earnest, working his butt off to try to be a better player, a better professional. I think we're starting to see that, so I think you kind of answered your own question.
Well see, I think that's why I'm getting too is I want to wait for both. I want to give both at least one more year, okay, just to see if he can have that development. I know there's a lot putting on him, a lot.
Expected of him.
Yep.
And you know, I think I kind of agree with Aldrid. We always seem to get this weird, kind of a slow pondering guy for the outside, which I just I think that's the old school game. I think, just think in eighty seventies.
You know.
That just doesn't work anymore. I think you need those fast guys. I think you need the guys that stretch the field, and not only north south, but can stretch a field east west. But how many times they put tyra key on nail in motion and your defense has to find him, just move it. And that's what the Rams did it to us, too, right, they got guys with speed and skill they could move latterly. So you've got to be able to stretch the field in all directions.
And I just the only person I can see doing that is our wonderful little swat guy.
And that's it.
It's the only guy that I think we got right now with.
That kind of speed and.
Ability to you know, unless we get our dB to place more offensive snaps, that's just.
Hard, John, I know. I actually think you hit the nail on the head right there.
Yeah.
And with respect to defense, I was predicting this year that they regress, and I think that's kind of what's happened there. They just don't have They just didn't have the core people. We used to have depth, and the depth just kept getting eroded and eroded and eroded, and I was gone, John, is just there's no depth there. We take an injury on either side of the ball and it's over, and that's kind of sad. I don't know.
I think we're gonna have to be patient and give them a year, two or three to get that back up.
Two or three, two or three, Todd won't do it. You got a year. This is a very competitive league. It's all about winning now. You're in the business to win games, which has disturbed me about a lot of the philosophies that we've heard from this regime. You're not here necessarily to develop, you develop by winning. It's a little bast awkwards maybe, but to me, that's what it's always been.
Uh.
And you know, and maybe that's unfair. It could very well be unfair, but that's just the business of the NFL. And I think the Patriots sometimes I feel like sometimes the Patriots kind of a loose sight of that. So that's why you know, we opining the way that we do.
Yeah, well that note, John, I can get my boy to piano class.
All right, you got it, Thank you, Todd, appreciate you, uh very quickly. Bridged on the official tire of the New England Patriots is proud to partner with Sullivan Tire, New England's headquarters for quality Bridgestone tires. Visit Sullivantire dot
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It's time to go around the NFL with football guru Russell Baxters.
Now what.
Your name is? Flounder? On Patriots Playbook, the one and only Russell Baxter joined us here decided to playbook. Good afternoon, Russell, how are you today?
I'm good? Now, you did a Bridgestone promo but before me? Does that mean you're.
Tired of me?
No? But yeah, I know there's always a dad joke.
In that Listen. That's okay, because when you're a dad, you're you're expected to do dad jokes. I finally that sometimes it's really tough for me to do dad jokes anymore. Do they have granddad jokes?
No? I just know that dad jokes rhyme with dad jokes.
Well that's also very true. All right, So you know, let's let's kind of start. The first thing I actually start with is non Patriot related, but I guess it kind of is, because you know, this team is you know, you know, is A is a neighbor in the AFC East. But man, the Jets seem to be you know, they just can't get out of the way for making news that just can't be anything but negative, because you know, you fire the coach at mid season. They let the
GM go today. And now there's reports out there from several sources, is that the owner suggested benching Aaron Rodgers after the head coach was fired and didn't get what he wanted. And so who's running the show?
Well, to me, it seems like what he Johnson is running the show clearly, And I don't know. Here's what I don't understand, Okay, And I know, listen, I know for some of our media brethren, their favorite game to cover is the blame game.
Yep.
And they tried to pick one person. And I know Aaron Rodgers is an easy target and I'm certainly not absolving him of anything that has gone wrong this year, But riddle.
Me, this.
Was Aaron Rodgers around in twenty ten when the Jets last made the playoffs.
In twenty ten, when they last made the playoffs, that was fourteen years ago. Yes, yeah, so he was yeah, yeah, he would have been yeah, sure, yeah.
He was the Super Bowl winning quarterback.
For Green Bay that year. Yeah, of course.
Okay, and that year the Packers almost faced the Jets in the Super Bowl, right, and if the Jets lost to Pittsburgh in the NFC Titlekay, So my point is this, and you will you understand this more than anyone else. If you're going to finger Jerry Jones for the ineptitude in Dallas and the failure to get back to a Super Bowl or even an NFC title game since nineteen ninety five, nuts, why isn't the finger pointing more at the owner of the Jets for the longest active layoffs throughout the league.
No, that's that's fair. That's very fair. So that's kind of why I let into it, because it does seem like Woody Johnson is He's doing all the string pulling here, and for the life of me, I can't imagine. I don't know if they even want to, but I can't imagine Aaron Rodgers going back to that next year.
Well here's the other thing too. If Aaron Rodgers is doing or has done everything he's been accused of, in particular by one media person, and I won't get into his name, Okay, if that is true, and I mean there's been no source to this whatsoever, it's just pure speculation. If he isn't able to do this, john who would be the only person to empower him to do that? It would be the owner.
Well, yeah, because he's the one that writes the checks and yeah, sure.
Right exactly, So who's the you just said it? If Woody Johnson is indeed running the show and this team can't get back to the playoffs in a league where everybody gets back to the playoffs for the most part, and now Denver's not been there since twenty fifteen. Okay, I get that the Raiders haven't won a playoff game since two thousand and two. I get all that, but again, the longest active drought, numerous head coaches, numerous starting quarterbacks,
one winning season. They haven't had a winning season since twenty fifteen when Todd Bowles was there and they finished ten and six but missed the playoffs. So this is the miserable stretch. And the idea that this franchise was going to bring in one person to save the ship is ludicrous because that's never happened. It's never been one person come in and save a franchise. Okay, you were a better chance of a coach coming in to save a franchise than you do a quarterback at defensive end.
I mean, how many times you remember this? In the late eighties, I kept on hearing this, the Minnesota Vikings are one player away from getting to the super Bowl.
Heard that a lot right like.
Merriweather was a big trade for them. Herschel Walker, we know all about that. Well, I'm still waiting for the Vikings get back to the super Bowl. They haven't been there since ready, nineteen seventy six.
Crazy, I was a junior in high school. Yeah, so was last time.
They never even appeared in the Super Bowl. Okay, Miami hasn't been to Super Bowl in forty years.
Jesus.
So the idea that you.
Can fix things and this isn't just football, this is all sports. Okay, maybe even the exception of the NBA because they only have five players on the court. I understand that, and you'll have a limited roster. But the idea that one person is going to come in, you know, walk on water, raise his hands and we're going all the way, it just doesn't happen. We have seen some of the greatest performances in history by an individual and they've gone on to win the league MVP that year
and it doesn't translate. So I always talk about that's now only happened one time in fifty eight years that a quarterback led the league in passing yards and won the Super Bowl the same season. I was actually Patrick Mahomes in twenty twenty two. So this is not a
one man show. It's not a one man fix. But you're right, they can't seem to stay out of the news as more and more of this gets on the earth about what has gone wrong and what is really fascinating, and you are I'm not going to again mention names of certain people I have worked with, who are in the media, who are flat out New York Jets fans, and they are calling this the worst season in franchise history.
It's not. It's not even that.
Of course it's not.
They've had a bunch of them.
Yet there has I remember one in fifteen yea, which is pretty awful. Sure, okay, but the fact that they are so ingrained and so personally involved in it has them saying. I mean, I heard one person say this was the most uh disappointing season by a franchise in sports history. Now, I wasn't around for the first Olympics, Okay, I'm willing to bet there was probably some disappointment there probably Okay, no, I mean the craziness, but again, that's what we live in. We lived the click fix and
all that stuff. And meanwhile, let's just talk about the teams that are in the playoff mix, because we had some craziness last week. We had two we had two one point games, we had a two point game, you know, Chris Boswell and in Pittsburgh is now Pele, Okay, and you know, we had the showdown that the Chiefs are not undefeated anymore. The Cowboys are headed south the Lions and god forbid they play another ADFC team.
Yeah, they're totally dominated. Yeah. Right.
By the way, later in the year they played the Bills.
Which I'm going to love to see.
Wow, boy, that's got just fun written all over.
I'll be honest with you. I really like and I'm not saying this to be anti Kansas City at all, because I think the Chiefs could Definitely I think they've got a legit shot at three pete and I've thought that all year long, no matter how much Patriot fans don't want to hear that. I would love to see a Detroit Buffalo Super Bowl just for the fact that somebody's got to win it, and it'll be the first time they've ever won it, right and for.
The Lions, who are the only team in the NFC never to go. You know, they haven't won an NFL title since nineteen fifty seven, right, which was two years before I was even born.
Same here, same here. So now that I'm going to tell you how old.
We are, right, well, like older than twenty one?
Yeah, times three?
Do you know this?
In the nineteen fifties that the league was dominated by two franchises since I've never been to the Super Bowl, the Cleveland Browns and the Detroit Lions, right right almost, and we played each other for the title. They both won three championships in that decade. Now, that's when the Browns finally joined the NFL when they were in the A, the All America Football Conference, where they dominated all four years that was in existence. So but yet a Lion's Bills,
I can you know? I can you think about this, the Lions fan base and Dan Campbell, the Bills and their fan base jumping off tables and eating wings in the city of New Orleans.
Yeah, that'll be wild. If you ever go to a super Bowl, or ever wanted to go to a super Bowl, especially where your team isn't involved, I would say the Lions Bills, if it gets to be, that would especially in New Orleans, that'd be a good one to go to.
Right, I had to go off the top of my head, and I'll probably get this wrong. The last time two teams met in the Super Bowl that neither one of them had won one. And it might have been it might have been okay, and again I'm gonna get this wrong because I'm just doing it to win job here. It might have been Patriots Bears.
Uh yeah, both teams.
Yeah, Now, the Bears had won NFL championships, they'd never been to super.
Bowl, super Bowl. That's right, that's right.
Obviously, the Patriots like the member three road wins to get to the super Bowl in the playoffs over the Jets, over the Raiders, h Matt Millan and where Patrick Sullivan won't be having any coffee soon? Is that?
Do you remember what happened? I remember, Yes, I'm.
Sure you do.
And then them going down to Miami, which I think they hadn't won a game down and they're like since the mid sixties. Yes, and they beat and they ran right if they're running game and Sea and that was a really opertistic team.
Correct.
Again, We're gonna check it after I get off the air here with you and said, but it might be New England Chicago.
Yeah, okay, that's a good guess. Anyway, that's a really good guess.
Well, I mean, listen, you know what you know, lack of social life?
All right, all right, well you talk. You mentioned you know, teams that are head in the other direction besides the Jets, and I look at it. Look at the schedule this week. There are four games that I that I've looked at that I'd say are potential difference makers for the remainder of the season. In other words, it could you or let's just say separation games. You could separate the haves from the have nots in these games this week, in
Week twelve in the NFL. You know, it just so happens that you have three of them in the NFC. One in the AFC. I got forty nine Ers Packers, because the forty nine ers are you know, they're teetering, they're at five and five overall, I got I got the Cardinals and the Seahawks, who you know, Cardinals are six and four and maybe a little bit better than people give them credit for Seahawks five and five. And you got the Eagles and the Rams. And the Rams
who we just saw this past week. They still look mighty potent on offense when they want to be, especially when the Patriots, you know, come up with a really semi silly game plan defensively that really helped the Rams, I think in that game. But you know, both of those teams need to win to stay in the hunt. And then in the AFC that's the Monday night game this next weekend, you got the Ravens at the Chargers separation games. Is that an accurate assessment you think? Well?
I think so well, especially the three you talked about on Sunday, John, because they all involved all four af NFC West team, which if you haven't seen the standings, Arizona is six and four and the other three they're all five and five.
Yeah.
Okay, so you talked about the forty nine ers teetering. I have some pieces coming out in the next couple of days about ranking the playoff teams from a year ago their playoff chances this year.
Okay.
And it's not based on percentages of them getting in. It's based on other factors, you know, such as who was left on their schedule, not you know, not strength to schedule, but the opportunity. For instance, Buffalo is all but in the playoffs because of the fact that they've won nine games and the rest of the division has
won ten. Okay, you know, and even though Kansas City has the better record, Kansas City, could you know, if they drop another game, they could wind up in the dogfight in the AFC West because Chargers and the Broncos are both above five.
Hundred yep, charging hard, Yep, absolutely that.
Meanwhile, Baltimore has already lost as many games as it did all last season. They're on the cusp of already giving they can up the fewest points in the league last year, John two eight, they've given up two seventy one already. Yeah, okay, And they have the Chargers this week, and they don't have a great record in the conference. And that's the kind of stuff. I mean, they're four and four in the conference, Okay, so when you start
getting bunch up. Now, they did beat Denver, which is obviously a plus for them, Okay, but they lost to Cleveland. They obviously just lost to Pittsburgh. They did beat Buffalo, okay, but they lost to the Chiefs. So there's so much to solve here. And that Monday night game and we just saw the Chargers get out big on Cincinnati, let Cincinnati tie the game. Yep, okay, which was funny. The Chargers had not given up more than twenty points in
the game all year. But I don't think they scored as many as they did the other night either, so which I think speaks volume about the Cincinnati's problems on defense. But the end NFC West is really intriguing. Go back to the forty nine Ers for a second. This is obviously a playoff rematch from a year ago when they met in the divisional round. The Niners came back and beat them twenty four to twenty one. Sure, San Francisco is one in three within their own division.
Man, Okay, yeah, you got to win it. Yeah.
They lost the Seattle, they lost the Rams, they lost the Seattle at home, and he lost Arizona at home. Okay, So now we're just starting to thinking about and I know seven teams make it in each conference, but you know, here's another conference game for the forty nine ers. I think it would. I think it would surprise people to know you're ready for this jump. The Niners are two and five versus NFC teams.
Jeez wow, So they've been feeding on AFC teams. That's crazy.
Yeah, they're you know, they're doing okay against the A see okay, but that's not a good sign when you're starting to get down to this time of the year in terms of tiebreakers and so on. So another conference loss would drop them to five and six and then about two and six in the conference. And that's so when you say what you said about the Sunday games and so on, you couldn't be more spot on. And
we'll see what happens with Seattle. Seattle's reeling. I know they came back and won the game the other day, but up before that day had lost what five or six after their three and oh start. They're still a very erratic team. They've got a first time NFL head coach, so it's going to be very interesting to see. And again Monday night the Chargers, who should be able to take advantage of that Baltimore defense. I know Baltimore didn't give up a touchdown last week, but of course they
also turned over the ball three times against Stewarts. Pittsburgh somewhat has Lamar Jackson's number for lack of lack of a better word. But there's so much pressure on that Baltimore defense or Baltimore offense now because the defense has been and it's not really a shock if you look at the off season this year and how much they lost on that. You know, Patrick Queen went to the Steelers, Gino Stone Pro Bowl Safety went to the Bengals to
Davian Clowney left, their coordinator left. So as much as they have Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson, they're piling up big numbers. Okay, it's it's been a different story on the other side of the ball for them, and it's it's not really a Ravens team who were used to seeing.
Right, No, it's not.
Uh.
I want to ask you obviously about the Patriots and the Dolphins you know, this week, but you know, overall, before I get to that point, what are your No, I've lost my computer, just Frozier, I had a question for you and I just I just lost it. It figures, right, old age doesn't help you sometimes, but when your computer fails you you're completely lost.
Nowadays, right, the answer is to get to the other side.
Listen, this chicken ain't going anywhere, trust me.
It's to listen.
That's always the fallback.
Just like if you can't get somebody's phone number, you just say eight six seven real.
Nine, Yes, exactly right, Jenny, Jenny, who can I turn to? All right, let's go ahead and get to the Dolphins and the Patriots. You know the it's run on the tip of my tongue too, and my computers is not helping me here. Okay. So at any rate, last week, what we saw with the Patriots against the Rams, and I think the Rams kind of figured themselves out a little bit more. The Patriots didn't adjust as to what
we thought they might adjust. The Dolphins, this team, you know, has certainly had it over the Patriots over the last few years. Might be Daniel Tool We know that, you know, he you know, has had great success in his young pro career against New England. But now the Dolphins have something legitimately to play for. They need to continue to win because they've got a bit of a pathway to
a potential playoff spot. And I'm just wondering if you think that really matters in the overall scheme of things, especially with the Dolphins really still being an imperfect team.
Oh, I say question about it. Listen, they went through not having two to Tagolowa for four games. They've had a problem as of late, especially the last four games. They've given up at least two hundred yards of offense in the second half.
Yeah.
Yeah, but they've managed that. They did something they hadn't done all year last year, John, they won two games in a row. And listen, they've got some rough spots ahead. Okay, they have a obviously this week. And I'm not going to say it's not easy to sweep a team, because we know contrary, it's easier to sweep than it is to split, especially when you beat the team seven at eight times, like they have the Patriots. So they're trying
to crawl their way back. I mean, I posed this question a couple of weeks ago that could we see an eight to nine team in the AFC, because you know, and now we have seven winning teams because what at Denver did to Atlanta last week, and then the Chargers et cetera, et cetera, so yeah, they obviously. Now I do know they have to go to Green Bay on Thanksgiving night, yep. And I don't even know what the temperature is going to be, but I'm guessing it's not
going to be seventy five. Yes, okay, And you know, I'm not going to get into the whole numbers about them playing in cold weather and so on. But that's a tall task for anyone is to go up there at lambeau Field, except if you're a team in the division. Because one of the things that has Green Bay a little behind the eight ball, and they're seven to three, as you know, but they lost it home to both Detroit and Minute two divisional home losses. Now they beat
the Bears in Chicago last week. That kind of even things out. But you know, this could be one of these year or someone you see in like an eight to nine or nine and eight in the AFC, and maybe someone in the NFC wins ten games and doesn't make it.
Yeah, yeah, I can see that. That's and that's part of the reason why I went that direction, because I know that the Dolphins, anything short of the playoffs, that's going to be a miserable disappointment for a team that so much was expected of before this season started. I mean, they were actually I think kind of considered a division favorite,
with all due respect to the Bills. But over the year started, and of course then Tua got you know, his his block almost knocked off, and then you know, they've had some other injury issues and teams have adjusted and and I don't know if Mike McDaniel really deserves the heat or if he's just trying to kind of learn on his own because he's a young coach. But they need to win this game. If they lose this game to New England, that could have far reaching repercussions for this franchise.
I don't think there's any question about it. And they're going to already need help obviously to get in And you know, Denver's sitting at six and five, and the game that could wind up really coming back and haunting Miami is that lost in Indianapolis.
Yeah.
Now the Colts are five and six, Okay, So if it's a two team tie breaker and it's head to head, the Colts would go in place of the Dolphins. Now, you know, I'm not going to try and project, but the Colts play the Lions this week. Okay, and that's that could be more like the Lions versus the Christians, except for the instead of the Lions versus the Colts.
As I was pointing out and something I'm writing this week, the Lions have played three teams in the AFC South and a score to combine one hundred and thirty points.
Well could grief.
They put fifty two up on Tennessee, they put fifty two up on Jackson Bill right, and twenty six against the Texans when they were way down.
John, I know you know this.
The Lions had six hundred and forty five yards of total offense. I had to look at it twice. I thought it was Michigan State.
Yeah right, that's crazy.
Six hundred yards of offense is not something you see in an NFL game, No you don't.
But they're capable. That's why I love the Lions. I think the Lions are very entertaining football team.
Yes. Oh, and by the way, I have to go back and correct myself. The Niners are not two and five in the conference. They're actually three and four.
Three and four s okay.
They have a losing record in the conference.
They're teetering and the lost.
The Green Bed could really set that one in three divisional record is mystifying because of how good they've been against their NFC West rivals the last two or three years and the fact that they lost two of those games at home. Now, I know it's it's been a battered roster, and you know, Christian McCaffrey just got back, But watching Seattle drives the field on them rate in the game, Gino Smith and Seattle's got some offensive talent.
Watching them drive the field was very much like Arizona did to get the game winning field.
Goal about a month ago, right for sure? Hey, Russell, I remembered what it was. I was going to ask you, Okay, it was about the Steelers. How the hell are they eighting two?
Because they have found ways to win on offense, on defense, and special teams.
All three phases of the game, right exactly?
Okay, In fact, I was just writing, and again, who knows what's going to happen? Last year, Chris Boswell was twenty nine out of thirty one for the season in field goals. That's pretty good, wouldn't you say?
Yes, Absolutely, no question about it.
In ten games? Is yuear he's already twenty nine out of thirty. Okay, now I bring that up because the NFL record for field goals in the season, any idea, Yeah?
No, wait, no, no, I don't.
Actually, I'll give you a hint. It was with a guy who was more known for one team, and then he wound up going to another team and he kicked forty four field goals okay in twenty eleven.
Yep, with David Acres Acres. Wow. Yeah, okay.
Ors Boomer used to call them David Greenacres.
Yeah, Greenacres, which is a good nickname. Yeah, Russell. I appreciate you as always. We won't be here next week the day before Thanksgiving because I'll be an assignment on the road for college basketball duties. So I'm gonna wish you and yours a very happy Thanksgiving and we'll try to we'll reconnect two weeks from today if that works for.
You, Lulie. And I've said this on your show for I think for all twenty three or twenty four years. If you're betting on Thanksgiving, take me and.
The over, yes, sir, Yes, sir, I will totally concur with that one. Thanks buddy. I always appreciate you.
You too, have a good day.
Thanks you too. The one and only Russell S Baxter at Backs Football Guru on X get all of his stuff on fans side and that's where he puts all of his work out there a couple of emails that I wanted to read real quick before we wrap up the show. I'm just kind of looking here. People are looking for the you know, the the newsletter that Fred's putting out and out, so they're putting their emails out here.
I want to wed through it a bit. Here's one that comes from Daniel who says, guys, feels like a lot of the Patriots defensive lapses are stemmed from problems with schematics and matchups. Why is Tavai even matched up with Nikua once during the game. Is that something the Rams are doing or something that DeMarcus coming and is failing to see It's honestly, I'm thinking it's a little of both. To be honest with you, I don't think
he's failing to see it. I think that, you know, this is something they wanted to try to see if they could get it to work. It clearly didn't. My biggest issue, and I mentioned this at the top of the show failure to adjust or not failure, yeah, but at least slow to adjust, not recognizing enough to adjust, or stubbornness to stay. You know what it is you're doing. I guess you could describe it in any way that you know that suits you. But I just I didn't see.
I didn't see. I just didn't see any adjustment. Just didn't see an adjustment. This one I wanted to read real quick because it has my name in it, Tyler from Ludlow. It says the twenty twenty four Patriots Thanksgiving Dinner Awards below our awards to be given by John Rook, the Patriots player the best match the dish descriptions for the twenty fourth season. Did you see this one? Marine? Okay?
He says. An example his Grandma's green bean castrole. Grandma took the year off from cooking after this being a dependable dish every year, and you miss it now that it's gone. And a player that might receive this award is Matt Judhan. Mom's mashed potatoes is dependable as it gets. They rarely let you down, but are not the main course that everyone will be raving about. Burnt dinner rolls. You were disappointed overall, but you just have to throw them away.
And move on.
Baked mac and Cheese. This dish is new to the table, but it's a welcome edition that you hope to see annually for years to come. And Cousin Bird's Brussels sprouts. Cousin Bird must have a cooking class, because last year this dish was just meh. But Thashier has improved greatly and smoked turkey the show stopper, the MVP of the meal. All right, if I've got to give awards burnt Grandma's green bee castrole, I'll go with Jude on mom smashed potatoes,
dependable as it gets. I gotta dependable Christian Gonzales because he's good and so were Mom smashed potatoes. By the way, Burnt dinner rolls. Disappointed overall, you have to throw them away and move on. I could get in trouble with this. Jalen Polk Baked mac and Cheese. This dish is new to the table, but is a welcome edition that you
hope to see annually for years to come. Drake may first name that pops into mind, right, Okay, Cousin Burt's Brussels sprouts cousin Burt must have taken a cooking class, because last year this dish was just this year is greatly improved. Keishan BOUDI smoke Turkey, the show stopper, MVP of the meal. Ah Drake's gonna get a second one on that one. What do you think? How'd I do? Is it? Okay? Mareen? Hey? Really good email? Okay, really
good email? Thank you, Dan, appreciate that. Appreciate the thought, all right. Our thanks to our thanks to Russell Baxter, our thanks to Doug Kaide, Easy Lazar, Evan Lazar and Chris Perkins from the Foul Florida Sun Centinel for joining us of the program today. As I mentioned a little bit earlier to Russell, no show next Wednesday because I'll be away on college basketball duty. So but we will have programming here on Patriots dot Com at Patriots dot
Com Radio to preview the Colts game next week. Then I'll be back in time from you know, my sojourn for the game on Sunday, and then we'll recap the Colts and talk about the bye week two weeks from today. That'll be our next live edition of the Patriots Playbook. So that's what we'll have and when we'll have it. Happy Thanksgiving to all who celebrate. To everyone who tunes into this program for taking the time to listen to us, either live here on Patriots dot com or download the podcast.
Whatever it did you do, I thank you for taking the time to spend a little time with us. You're always welcome to the program. You're always welcome to sending me a note where you think I'm full of it or not. I'd love to hear from you, all right, Marine, Thank you as always for putting it together, Same patch, time, same pats channel. Two weeks from today will be our next live edition of the Patriots Playbook see it. Thank you downloading this podcast.
Subscribe on Apple, Google Play, and everywhere else you listen. Like the show, Please rate and review us. Listener comments and ratings help keep us high in the podcast rankings so new listeners can find us. Be sure to check Patriots dot com for more news and more podcasts.
Patriots Unfiltered, the world's original podcast. Patriots Unfiltered brings you inside Jillette Stadium for rousing conversations on everything New England, Patriots, and NFL. Join host Fred Kersh alongside Patriots dot COM's Paul Parillo, Mike Deso, Evan Lazar, Tamara Brown, and Alex Francisco as they bring you in depth coverage of the team.
He's a redshirt rookie at that point, so it's really that's his work. He season essentially too, so now we're really not talking about them really knowing.
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