Speaker 1 (00:03):
This is the Patriots Pregame Show fueled by dunky She.

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Just drawing your cat touchdown New England.

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The Patriots Pregame Show is your source for all the
news and information before every game.

Speaker 2 (00:16):
Hey, tuck into the house again, Eric Coaltrids.

Speaker 1 (00:20):
Tank Believe with Matt Smith, Mike you So, Paul Parrilla
and Tamara Brown O.

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The Patriots have won.

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There's six Super Bowl title.

Speaker 1 (00:29):
Patriots Nation. Welcome to the Patriots Pregame Show fueled by Dunkys.

Speaker 2 (00:37):
Good morning, everybody from a rainy, dreary, kind of chilly Foxboro, Massachusetts,
inside you let Stadium. Matt Smith to my left, Paul
Parrello to my right, Tamara Brown, and Mike dus As
we get ready to kick off. Well, Week six has
already kicked off, but the Patriots will kick off Week
six in a matter of moments. We're here to discuss
the game between the New York the New England Patriots

(00:57):
at one and four versus the four and one Houston Texans.
And it's the NFL debut of one Drake May. That's
reason to get excited, isn't it? Everybody?

Speaker 3 (01:06):
I think so.

Speaker 4 (01:07):
I think Jirameo said it this week that there was
a little shift and energy. I think I feel that too.
So excited to see what the kid has We watched
him all summer long, and you know, he certainly put
a lot of intriguing plays and uh, you know, athleticism
on tape, and I'm just excited to see what kind
of work he's done behind the scenes and how it
looks here. Five weeks later, after we lost on you.

Speaker 2 (01:29):
Guys go into the locker room, did you get a
sense that there was a little pipping their step? Maybe
this week?

Speaker 4 (01:36):
I get that Tom she was in there digging all
all week long.

Speaker 5 (01:40):
Yeah, I think there was a respectful shift.

Speaker 6 (01:42):
I think everyone has recognized that Jacoby Brissett was a
tough guy. He went in there, he understood his assignment,
and so I think that first everyone was respectful to
Jacoby Brissett, but then turning the page to Drake May,
everyone is excited for him. They've all talked about the
confidence that he displayed in practice, and that was both
sides of the ball. From Jonathan Jones. The first thing
he said, you can see the confidence in his eyes

(02:03):
when you're lining up against him. And then when we
talk to the offense, Kendrick Bourne, Pop Douglas. They also
use the same word confidence, and so it's interesting to
me to see that common theme, that word used across
the board from all the players that are excited to
see him go out there and play today.

Speaker 2 (02:19):
You told me not to ask you questions.

Speaker 3 (02:22):
Oh I'm sorry, Well, because I wasn't, you know, you know,
so just give it a little inside baseball. I guess
it's a decent time. I have not been in the
locker room this week, right. Things have changed. Things have
changed a little bit. We talked about this on on
Patriots Unfiltered. There's some new rules coming in and there's
no real locker room time. You're not as much locker

(02:43):
room time. Certainly no cameras in the locker room. So
I have not been in the locker room to sort
of judge the vibe. I absolutely you know, got that
that impression from Girodmeo on Friday and his press conference.
May and I were sitting together and we both kind
of looked at each other and we're like, he seems
to be talking about a renewed sense of energy a lot.
That seemed to be the theme of the Friday press

(03:06):
conference and my guess is that's been a topic of
conversational Let's get re energized and refocused here.

Speaker 2 (03:12):
Now I'm gonna ask you a question. Are you buying it?

Speaker 3 (03:14):
Oh? Yeah, I mean I have. Let's put it this way.
I am more into this game today, more interested in
what happens in this game today than I would have
if Jacoby Brissett were starting again. But I like the
way that Tamara said it like a sort of a respectful,
renewed focus. I agree with that because there's no reason to,

(03:35):
you know, trample on Jacoby Brissette's grave here. He did,
you know, everything that was asked of him, and he
did it in the utmost professional way. You know, it's
a production business. The production wasn't good enough, and they
decided to make a turn. And it's one that we
all knew was coming. We just didn't know when, except
for Fred Kersh, who nailed it right here in this

(03:56):
very studio last Sunday. I thought it would be the
London game. I'm watching the end of the first half
of the current London game. I thought it would be
next week. Fred thought it would be this week, and
Fred was right as usual.

Speaker 2 (04:07):
I thought I saw something in writing the Karen Garrigian
actually in August had this one circled. So kudos to
Karen if she picked the Houston game. All right, before
we get to the keys to the game, let me
ask everybody here this question. What's realistic to expect from
Drake made to day and his first NFL start.

Speaker 4 (04:22):
I would say a couple like splash plays or even
not even a play, like just a splash throw that
maybe doesn't even get completed. Or but you know, a
couple splash plays where you see some arm talent, some athleticism.
But I think there's also going to be a couple
of mistakes in there too. And I, as I said
to you Matt before in the pregame, before the pre pregame,
pre game, the pre pregame show, just don't.

Speaker 2 (04:41):
Don't go on to the stream, by the way, or no,
I don't think so okay.

Speaker 3 (04:45):
Let's hope not.

Speaker 4 (04:47):
But I just don't want to see, you know, blatant
head scratching mistake, which I mean, to be honest, going
back to Drake May in college, like he has been
known to kind of have some brain farts from time
to time in college, and I think we saw some
of that this summer too, So hopefully he's getting that
out of him and he's gonna develop some consistency. But
I think there's gonna be some good plays, hopefully, and
there's gonna probably be a couple of bad plays, and
we just have to, you know, let him make his

(05:07):
mistakes and learn from him.

Speaker 6 (05:08):
I think there's definitely gonna be some risk with putting
a rookie quarterback out there today against you know, a
really great defense that the Texans have, but there's also
gonna be some reward. You're gonna be able to see
him develop. I think we saw that in the preseason.
The more reps he got, the better he got. And
as you know, we talked about Drod Mayo kept saying
at the end of the preseason like he's outplayed Jacoby Brissett.
And I think that as he continues to get those

(05:30):
reps today, he'll continue to get better. So there'll be
some risk with putting him out there. He's gonna make
some mistakes, but I think the reward is gonna be
worth it.

Speaker 2 (05:36):
Paul A couple grizzled. That's like you and I finally
remember a person former number one pick referred to as
game day, Kenny Simms, Yeah.

Speaker 3 (05:47):
I don't hope this goes a little better than that.

Speaker 2 (05:49):
I'm not suggesting that that Drake's pract but he does
look different to me, albeit at the times that we
were watching with practice. For me in training camp, there
looked like to be a different switch that he hit
when he played in the games.

Speaker 3 (06:01):
So I would say to me, yeah, I would say
that there was a difference that started with the second
preseason game, the Philadelphia game. The practices in games until
the second one was sort of unimpressive in my opinion,
from that day that he went from the joint practice
on the Tuesday to the game on Thursday. He's been

(06:23):
on an uprood trajectory ever since. I thought every practice
after that he was better than Briset everyone after that.
And that's why I think that they thought long and
hard of about starting him right from the outset, and
I think they just they you know, opted to be
a little bit more patient. That's why i've sort of,
you know, sort of, I don't know, I've bristled at

(06:44):
this notion of like, you know, what what happened to
the plan? Why are they deviating from the plan? Because
the plan was to play Drake May when he was ready.
That was the plan. Like this identification as to what
the date had to be. I don't think was anywhere
near as big an issue inside the building as it
has been outside.

Speaker 2 (07:03):
Your show's for sure.

Speaker 3 (07:05):
Well, every media guy, every right, right, right, every writer?
Why are they panicking?

Speaker 2 (07:09):
Yep?

Speaker 3 (07:10):
Yeah, like he's gonna get hurt? I mean how many
times you hear that this week? You know why this
game against this defense, you know, with Houston with their
pass rush and blah blah blah blah blah, like because
they felt like he was ready to write? I mean,
I think it's a pretty I don't know if they're right.
I'm not telling you that what they're doing is right.
I'm just saying it's not really a deviation from quote

(07:31):
unquote the plan. They wanted to play Drake May when
they felt like Drake May was ready.

Speaker 2 (07:35):
And so for sixty thousand plus today at you Lett Stadium,
and for the hundreds of thousands more they'll be watching
on television, hope today there's hope in the form of
Drake May. And I think people are really excited about it.

Speaker 3 (07:46):
Sounds a little like the Rock there for the millions
and millions of fans.

Speaker 2 (07:51):
Now I'm more rockhead, rockhead, rockhead. And now let's get
to the keys of the game.

Speaker 4 (07:58):
Matt, You've waited all week for it. The whole teams
in the locker room right now just listening to this,
waiting to hear what you're gonna say.

Speaker 1 (08:07):
Here are the Patriots pregame socials keys to the game.

Speaker 2 (08:11):
So if Matt Morrell types up the format and has
my name at the top of the list for the
keys to the game, that means I go first.

Speaker 4 (08:17):
You're the host, Mat, you do whatever you want.

Speaker 2 (08:19):
Okay, all right. I just wanted to build a book
on that. I just wanted to go check on that.

Speaker 4 (08:23):
That's maybe that's a little antiquated.

Speaker 2 (08:25):
That's not a I'd like that. I think that that
would be a good way to go.

Speaker 3 (08:30):
All right. So being told that they're alphabetical, uh, in
that case, I will start and I say keep it clean.

Speaker 2 (08:38):
And that is everything to do with last week's performance.
The penalties were just atrocious last week. I have to
assume it's always a point of emphasis. It had to
be even more of a point of emphasis this week.
But you know, not many players can come in with
the horse collar headbutt h tandem in the same drive.

(09:00):
That was a tough one for key On White. Yeah,
got to get rid of the.

Speaker 4 (09:03):
Stupid play hit him in the wallets.

Speaker 2 (09:05):
Yeah. And if if you're gonna help a rookie starting quarterback,
you can't shoot yourself in the foot. They've got to
keep it clean today. That's their chance. Amongst they need
some other things to happen, but it's got to start there,
keep it clean.

Speaker 4 (09:18):
I would also connect that, Matt. I think you know,
it's a great one. I would connect it to to
seeing some development from the coaching staff and seeing some
situational awareness some of the end a half stuff, you know,
not necessarily clean along what you're saying exactly, but I
think it's in the same you know, universe of I
want to see them, you know, situationally taking advantage of things,
you know, playing playing right with those little details. And
that's that's some progress i'd like to see. On the

(09:38):
coaching side. Everyone's going to be focused on May, but
I'd like to see some spot strides from the coaching
what's the point.

Speaker 5 (09:43):
For because I might as well just not even do
my key Oh no, I.

Speaker 4 (09:49):
Was just setting up tomorrow.

Speaker 2 (09:50):
Well, I don't know what it is.

Speaker 4 (09:51):
It was a little you know, it was vague. All right,
go go you.

Speaker 5 (09:54):
He's still my key, Mikey.

Speaker 4 (09:56):
He wasn't even a key to I just was commenting
on mass.

Speaker 6 (09:58):
My key is, don't be a repeat offender. To set
this rookie quarterback up for success. The game plan, the coaching,
the game operation has to be better. When you look
at the last two home games, specifically, the way they
ended the first half was horrible in the Seahawks game,
but ended up with the Seahawks getting that field goal
the three points. I bet the Patriots wish they had
that back. And then last week they threw two passes

(10:21):
when they could have just ran the ball. They didn't
burn the clock, they gave the ball back to the Dolphins.
That cannot happen when this team has such a narrow.

Speaker 5 (10:28):
Path to victory.

Speaker 6 (10:29):
So I think when it's up to the coaches, they
have to set him up for success not being a
repeat offender. AVP said his play calling has haunted him,
so it has to be better across the board.

Speaker 2 (10:39):
And maybe I'm a stickler for being literal, but I
was looking at some of his quotes from the other
day and he was talking about the Jets game was
the one that haunted him. Yeah, I'm surprised he didn't say,
you know, he seemed a little defiant maybe to me
about the drive in the Miami in the Miami game,
and that was the one that was really like, he
seemed to be really pleased with those play calls. And

(11:01):
obviously I think we're all scratching our head.

Speaker 5 (11:03):
Over there, and he's too.

Speaker 6 (11:04):
And those two plays last week, it seemed that he
directed it more to Jacoby not getting it to.

Speaker 3 (11:09):
The wide receiver and the receiver not winning the route. Yeah.

Speaker 6 (11:12):
Right, it seemed like that's where the fingerpoorting went when
listening to his breakdown of last week.

Speaker 5 (11:18):
But who else?

Speaker 4 (11:20):
Okay, Mike, Yeah, So I'm gonna throw back to Paul's
guy Drew Bledsoe one of his all time great quotes,
go out there and sling it, And that's just you know,
it's the message to the kid, the quarterback, don't overthink this.
You're a really talented player. Uh, just go out there
and play, you know, play loose. You're gonna make some mistakes.
I think, you know, even the fans here today are
actually gonna be understanding of those mistakes. It's one of
those rare instances I feel like where Patriots fans will

(11:42):
be a little bit forgiving to him today. But you know,
I think in the past with you, Mac, you just
always knew you were kind of limited, and you know,
no matter what, he had to be perfect and everything
had to you know, match up well for him. Drake's
got a little bit of leeway with his athleticism and
his arm talent, So I just want to see him
play loose, have fun. I mean, it's kind of what
he said this week, you know, he said, I know
I'm going to be a little nervous at first, I

(12:04):
told the guys, but eventually I'll settle in realize this
is just a football game. Just having fun. And yeah,
Paul's doing my impression of Drake. I've been working on
my earlier press. Yeah yeah, but love the kid. Excited
for him. Just go out there sling it, you know,
respect to Drew of course, and you have some fun today.
That's what I want to see.

Speaker 2 (12:20):
Will they let him sling it like I where they
try to manage him, especially maybe in that first quarter
where you're talking about that. He himself said, I think
I'm gonna be a little nervous. Yeah, no, they try
to let him get his legs under.

Speaker 4 (12:31):
I think that's a great, great point to bring up, Matt,
And I think that you know, they want him to
play in structure, They want him to play in rhythm.
They want the ball to come out quick. They don't
want to have to see the let him sling it
kind of plays. You know, those ones might be more
later in the game when maybe you're down a little
bit you need a spark, and and those are the things.
Don't don't play tight, don't be worried about mistakes, like
you know, nobody's coming out here thinking that you're going

(12:52):
to lead the team to victory today is as you know,
as much as we'd all love to see that, and
it will be a great boost. But no, I think
that's a great point. I mean, and really, I think
the most promise thing would be to see Drake may
come out play in rhythm, getting the ball out quick,
you know, not getting hit, helping his offensive line, making
the right reads, knowing where the pressure's coming from. So
I think that would be the most promising thing of
everything today, rather than I kind of expect him to

(13:14):
launch a bomb that everyone's gonna make wow. It went
so far, Like I said, even if he doesn't catch
it down the other end, you know, it's going to
be a wow play regardless.

Speaker 6 (13:22):
I feel like we'll see some improv from him to
like using his legs obviously, if a crease comes open,
I expect him to use it, be safe with it,
but use it. And so I'm looking forward to seeing
some of that where play breaks down. You know, he
doesn't give up in the play, he makes a play
with his legs, that.

Speaker 2 (13:36):
Would be an off platform play correct, Right, Yeah, Okay,
we've heard about that. I just I just want to
make sure I have determined another lingo, right well.

Speaker 3 (13:43):
Hip, Yeah, I'm going to go with just overall protect
the franchise, and that's kind of all encompassing. I know
that we've talked a lot about pass protection in general
and pro that you know that needs to be better obviously,
but I'm even talking about some of the things that
all three if you have already mentioned just in terms
of he needs some support from the coaching staff as well.

(14:04):
You know, let's not set him up to fail today,
you know, let's put him in positions and I'm not
suggesting that you do the mac Jones thing where you know,
it's like eight weeks into the season before you allow
him to throw a ball into the end zone. Do
you remember that? Do you remember that in twenty one? Like,
you know how cautious they were. Now, I'm not telling
you that they didn't handle that right because he had

(14:25):
a good you know, Mac Jones had his best year,
his rookie year, so whatever, But this I just feel like,
you know, if if this score gets out of hand today,
let's let's not ask him to drop back, you know,
forty five fifty times and you know, kill him, go
help end for leather to try to try to catch
up good one. You know, so so different things like that,

(14:46):
like put him in positions to succeed. Let's not you know,
I wouldn't dial up, you know, I wouldn't be surprised
to see like a zone run, read a zone read run.
I should say, like like the touchdown he scored against
the Eagles in the preseason in the red zone. But
can we not ask him to have too many designed
runs today? You know Tamara's point about maybe you know,

(15:09):
skipping out of the pocket and moving the chains. Yeah,
I wouldn't mind that I would rather not see that,
like you know, eight ten, twelve times. Yeah, you know,
like like against the Jets, he took some big hits
running around. I I you know, I'm not it's not
about injuries. Before people start jumping on me for that,
for being hypocritical. I want to see him run the offense.

Speaker 4 (15:29):
Yeah, yep, I know.

Speaker 3 (15:31):
I know he can run around. I know his athleticism
is there. It's plus athleticism that and I just can
to get all us plus we're gonna get all our
cliches out of the out of the way in the
first segment, So I know he physically has some some
characteristics that are going to allow him to succeed. I'd
like to see him run the offense because that's how
he's going to succeed. And then he can you know,
then he can do the Josh Allen stuff down the road.

(15:53):
But you got to get a B and C in
place first. So that's I'm hoping that there's some structure
to the offense. I'm hoping they don't put too much
on his plate, and I'm hoping that byoth you know,
quite frankly, the offense is better with him, you know,
better supporting him than it was for Jacoby Present.

Speaker 5 (16:07):
That makes sense. You have to crawl before you walk
before you run.

Speaker 3 (16:10):
Correct.

Speaker 2 (16:10):
We're a little bit past the top of the hour
here on the East Coast, two hours before kickoff between
the Patriots and the Houston Texans. You're watching and listening
to the Patriots pregame show fueled by Duncan. They will
do so in today's game, and there's everybody sort of talked.
You know, how do they handle him early? Is he nervous?
Let him sling it. They're gonna do sh without their
number one back and Ramondre Stevenson. I don't know how

(16:33):
much that goes into the game plan and what they think,
but they're certainly down their most productive offensive player to date.

Speaker 4 (16:39):
Yeah, no question. I mean that's a that's a blow.
I mean, there's no way you can. I always get overstayed, understate,
mixed up. Someone wrote in I write it and they're like,
you messed up over state and understate again. So it's
hard to say how much you know, reminder Stevens meets
this office, especially when he's going, and it feels like
that's when they're at their best. But I will say
I think Gibson's been pretty promising and limited work. I
don't know if he can execute the same kind of

(17:01):
production with a full workload. But I don't know if
he's going to touch the bubble. Paul and I we
love Terel Jennings. This year he got called up from
the practice squad. He's probably gonna be the third back.
I know, I'm not promising anything from him, but he's
one guy that runs really hard and breaks a lot
of tackles. And you know, if maybe if they need
to give Antonio Gibson a little bit of a blow,
maybe you do see a little bit of of of
Terrell in the early down so but yeah, it's a

(17:23):
tough blow.

Speaker 2 (17:24):
Not having Rounptain obvious here though. Don't they need that
running game? As we're talking about how do you support
how does your organization support Drake May? Don't they need
to support him with a pretty decent running game today.
That's got to be in the absolutely the job description
to try to win the game.

Speaker 6 (17:38):
Yeah, and I think an important part of them being
able to run the football today is the offensive line,
which it's trending towards them potentially having the same five
from last week.

Speaker 3 (17:46):
Which we go.

Speaker 2 (17:47):
Can you imagine that that's a red letter day?

Speaker 4 (17:49):
Yeah, I know, it's incredible.

Speaker 2 (17:50):
Same five.

Speaker 6 (17:50):
It's like for the first time all season, back to
back weeks of having the same offensive line.

Speaker 5 (17:54):
That'll be huge for this running game.

Speaker 6 (17:56):
Last week they are averaged seven point four yards per carry.
Antonio Gibson he averaged five point nine to carry by himself,
So I think relying on him isn't the worst thing
in the world. I think he'll he'll be able to
fill those shoes of Vermadri steven Seah.

Speaker 4 (18:09):
I would make one point too, Like you know, last week,
Dolphins were down their edge rushers, and I think everyone
came out of that feeling, you know, a little bit
encouraged by the tackle play. Well, they got their defensive
ends today. So if Darian Lowe has been making progress,
you know, if Jacob's on the other side, if they
actually are considered to potentially be answers, We're gonna get
a real good assessment today against Hunter and Anderson, who

(18:32):
are you know, just pressure machines. I mean they are
I think fifty plus pressures between the two of them.
Not a lot of sacks, but they are all over
the quarterbacks. So we'll get a real good sense of
where those two tackles are at today.

Speaker 2 (18:42):
As good a tandem for the defensive ends, pauls I
think you'll see around the league now.

Speaker 3 (18:47):
Yeah, I mean these guys are pretty good, you know,
Hunter and Anderson and they will come after you. And
I agree with Mike. They had, you know, like the
sack numbers were down like that. I think they had
two sacks in the first three and that was it
for sacks last week. But the pressure was pretty consistent
as to what it's been. I think it went from
like forty eight percent to forty four percent or something

(19:10):
like that. It was a minimal improvement. And Mike is
absolutely right. No, Jalen Phillips, no, Bradley Chubb, big difference.
It's a big difference of what you're you're dealing with today.
So that's something to keep an eye.

Speaker 4 (19:23):
I think, just to piggyback off that, Paul too. A
lot of pressure up the middle last week. So you know,
Nick Leverett back in there, another start for him. Can
they solidify things inside? Sorry I'm getting fitzied out there.

Speaker 2 (19:34):
Oh okay, sorry, So they obviously made left very difficult
for an established MVP candidate quarterback in Josh Allen last week.
I don't think this should be any secret and diving
deep into the Houston Texans game plan. But they pressure,
as Paul said, as much as anybody in the league.
What do you think that the prescription is going to

(19:55):
be today for them? Pressure more with a rookie quarterback.
Don't you think if they if they already do it,
aren't they gonna do it? And then some Yeah, I
mean I should think absolutely.

Speaker 4 (20:03):
I mean that's that's I mean, you know, I think
they said a girodd set. I'm sorry it was a
VP set it this week he said, yeah, a VP
it said, you know, early downs, they're kind of, you know, basic,
but on third down people are coming from everywhere, so
it's gonna put a lot of pressure on Drake Mane.

Speaker 3 (20:15):
They do it with coverage. They're the number one pass
defense in football with Derek Stingley leading the way. I
don't know that they got because I mean, I didn't
see any of that Bill's game last week. I saw
the numbers of nine for thirty or something like that.
I don't know if that was due to pressure. As
much as they can cover, and that's to me That's

(20:35):
what I would do to the Patriots is play man
and man and win those matchups.

Speaker 4 (20:39):
Yeah, you know which which I think would really make
for you know, a fascinating kind of matchup because they
could like to see Drake today like how how good
is his accuracy? How good are you know? We're seeing
some of these plays where they get put up on
Twitter all the time of all right, Douglas is open
right off the snap, you know, pop up, he's you know,
got some separation. Well, it's a good coverage team. Are
they gonna be able to is? Are they gonna be
able to uncover? And as Drake can be able to

(20:59):
do a guys said.

Speaker 3 (21:00):
Quickly and get the ball out quicker than Brissette was,
because that that is a knock on Jacoby Brissett is
he holds the ball too long. And the other part
of that is if they are going to play man,
that might open it up for things that Tomorrow was
talking about with Drake maybe being able to run, because
when you play man, obviously that say, if you know,
they'll probably have you know, as you know Evan will
talk about you know, man with a spy, you know,

(21:21):
robber coverage, you know, uh, whatever. You know, I think
they're talking. They're going to have to have someone probably
account for the quarterback if he starts to run and
make some place.

Speaker 2 (21:29):
And for a rookie quarterback, I think the guys open
versus the guy's NFL open, you know, And that's that's
a that's a big difference that I think he's going
to learn, especially Paul, as you attribute the Texans coverage
people that they have by yeah, and I have too
high by.

Speaker 3 (21:45):
Accident, right, And I haven't seen, you know, like I
haven't been watching the Texans all year, so I'm not
telling you. You know, maybe they've faced a steady stream
of bad offenses, you know, and their numbers look better
than they but you know, I haven't seen anybody do
that to Josh Allenson. Josh Allen was a rookie nine
to thirty or whatever it was. So my guess is

(22:05):
they're pretty good. Their secondary is pretty good.

Speaker 4 (22:07):
There were there were a handful of times in training
camp where I remember Drake would would make a throw
and it would be really close, and I remember Paul
being like, oh, that's a tough way to live, you know.
So there are some moments like that which you know,
On one hand, you're like, that's really close, so you
can kind of air on well, he got it there
and they did catch it, but it's like, you know,
you it's that close to being picked off. So we'll see.

(22:28):
I mean that's preseason.

Speaker 3 (22:29):
But they've had some then, they've had some injuries, you know,
injury issues.

Speaker 4 (22:32):
Back there to Diazelo Ross coming in, Uh Patriot.

Speaker 3 (22:35):
Is Lassiter's out right? Yeah? Is out?

Speaker 4 (22:38):
Yeah, So a former Patriots backup will be apparently getting
the start here, and you know, so a little bit
a little bit going the Patriots way Joe Mix and
it sounds like it's going to give it a go.
And I think he's a huge key part to this
Texans offense. And you know, if they're able to run
the ball against his Patriots defense, you know that that
could be a big key for them because New England's
I mean there we got some you know, only Taki

(23:00):
Taki coming off of pup or I r I think
he was on pup And what's Kyle Duger gonna do?
So those two kind of guys could maybe change the
equation a little bit. I'm just curious too with Marty Mapu,
with the amount that he played. Taki Taki and Dougar
kind of do both those things. So if both those
guys come back, how does Mapu kind of fit in?

(23:20):
Is Taki Taki able to you know, bring some mobility
to the second level and and and reinvigorate the run
defense because I haven't been really that impressed unfortunately with
the play that they've been getting from the guys you
know that have been in there to playing a little
bit out of position, McMillan playing a little bit more
than I think he probably should. So, you know, Ken
Taki Taki give them a little bit of boost with
some speed and some athleticism in the middle of the

(23:41):
defense and maybe help that run defense a little bit
interesting how it'll play out. Definitely eyes on Kyle Dugger
if he plays or not today.

Speaker 2 (23:47):
A little early for the overenders. But can we agree
that that Taki Taki is probably not going to come
in and pull a Mapu and go wire to wire.

Speaker 4 (23:53):
Yeah, I wouldn't. I wouldn't think so. But I'd love
to just see him involved a little bit and see
what he has to offer. I mean to be totally
honest with you. When they signed him, I kind of
looked at him like Mac Wilson, I didn't really have
high expectations of him coming in and really being a
Bentley kind of a guy. He's not built like Bentley,
but I do think we talk a lot about wanting
more speed at the second level and schematically, I think

(24:15):
Taki Taki is a little bit of that. But I
don't know. I don't want to overstate it because, like
I said, it's being honest. I didn't really see him
as this, Oh, this guy's the answer to.

Speaker 3 (24:23):
What I think. You're right, Mike. I mean, I don't
think he's you know, But I would have said the
same thing about Mapu. I wouldn't have said he's not
a seventy eight play guy or whatever it was last
week and he was terrific. So maybe we'll get, you know,
to see And I think he is like Mac Wilson,
but I think he's probably a better all around player

(24:44):
than mack Wilson. Maybe a little bit more physical, but
he's more I think he's more of a sub package line.

Speaker 2 (24:49):
Yeah, for a team that had that entered the season
with depth issues and just not a lot of bodies
and then losing a lot of bodies, I think anybody's
coming back is a plus. And I'm I'm not trying
to tell you this guy's going to be that's not
the expectation. But they need reinforcement help, and so any
reinforcement help they can get, I think is a positive. Absolutely, Okay,

(25:13):
No Nico Collins for the Houston Texans, and I know
early in the week there's some Patriot fianz are out there.
Oh this is gonna be a big break.

Speaker 3 (25:21):
It's not.

Speaker 2 (25:21):
I mean, he's a terrific player and is their leading
receiver or certainly their biggest home run thrill. But they
don't have huge break. But they don't have slouches. Uh
in the other wide receiver spots. Now big still has some,
doesn't you don't think, I.

Speaker 4 (25:35):
Mean Actor Diggs there, they're kind of I have a
lot of questions. I mean, it's probably a good question
for for our guests coming up here of you know,
what have you seen from Xavier Hutchinson Tank Dell?

Speaker 7 (25:45):
Uh?

Speaker 4 (25:45):
You know, I mean Tank Dell's exciting player to watch him,
mean kind of that to Mario Douglas tight mold of
you know, quickness, But I think you know something's been
missing since he came back off the knee injury, but
you know, not that's not entirely unexpected. And you know,
I would just say, having watched guys come off a
CL's you're only a game away where all of a
sudden it starts to look right.

Speaker 3 (26:00):
And I will say, yeah, I've been on you know,
Tank Dell hasn't really done much. But I think back
to week two in Seattle, Jackson Smith and Jay was
right and how many you know how many catches he
have that day, and you know that seemed to have
sort of, you know, springboarded his season. He's you know,
looks like he's a big part of the Seahawks attack.

(26:21):
I don't know if Tank Dell it's about his his health,
you know, just you see it sometimes, you know that
year coming off of the ACL, it takes a little while.
I don't know if it's health related or if he
just hasn't been effective and not been targeted as much.
But thirteen catches through five weeks, he's been a little quiet.
So I wonder if maybe he's, you know, looking for

(26:43):
a bigger day to day.

Speaker 4 (26:44):
I would just say sorry, Matt, real quick like. I
think that the matchups, at least on paper, look like, okay.

Speaker 3 (26:50):
Without Ego Collins, Yeah, palatable because you can make the
case that Gonzales on digs and key moments is okay.

Speaker 4 (26:56):
You know, Dell is a smaller guy, So I mean,
whether it's Jones or Marcus Jones, Jonathan or Marcus Jones
not really a seize miss point. So I just think
that the matchups are there if they're able to play well.
But again, I would put the focus on the pass
rush and getting after c. J. Stroud making him uncomfortable.
He's a really good player, and I don't really think
they can have success unless they're able to get to

(27:18):
him consistently.

Speaker 2 (27:19):
When the Texans get credit for their drafter last year,
which they deserve of course, by the way, with Stroud,
with Anderson, Dell is generally mentioned in that grouping as
well as part of their terrific draft class that they had.
So I think, you know, the injury is the injury.
But I think he's a he's a pretty good player,
and Nick Cassario and his team had a pretty good

(27:40):
draft and in keeping him as part of that draft class.

Speaker 4 (27:43):
I mean we were just talking about it on PU
this week. I Mean I remember going into that draft
being like This is kind of Nick Cassario drafting for
his job right here. It felt like, I mean, you've
gone through multiple head coaches, and you know, at that point,
did you really feel confident in Demiko Ryans. I mean,
they were going against the grain like the Patriots did
with a defensive coach. But I think, as Paul will
tell you, you draft the quarterback and all of a
sudden everything starts to look a little bit better.

Speaker 3 (28:05):
If Davis Mills was the was the quarterback right now
and Nico Collins and Tank Dell with two year receivers,
you'd be like, oh, you know, we got a couple
of decent receivers. Yeah now, But now Nico Collins is
arguably a top five receiver in the league statistically, So
you know, like that's not just because Nico Collins has
suddenly emerged as this great player. He is. He's a

(28:25):
very good player. I'm not taking it. We had this
talk during the week on PU He's a really good player.
But c J. Stroud has made him look better. I
mean that then he had looked previously.

Speaker 4 (28:35):
That was the thing with the preseason game last year too,
was like that was c J.

Speaker 3 (28:38):
Stroud.

Speaker 4 (28:39):
I mean he was the kind of what I mean,
how would you describe his performance in that? Like not
not very good right by luke warm, But I remember
being really impressed with Nico Collins, I mean.

Speaker 3 (28:47):
On that one. But I would also say, like the
first play, because that was the first play of that game.
How many times you think aj Brown was targeted in
like the Eagles preseason game, Like that's what he hit.
That's what Nico Collins is. Now he's one of those
guys like Justin Jefferson's not plowing over quarterbacks for preseason games.
But that's telling you where Nico Collins was when C. J.

(29:09):
Stroud got the job. And now see Collins is like
I think this is got like six hundred yard five
hundred and seventy yards receiving through five games. Like the
guy's been a monster for them. Okay, well, really good player,
and I think Stroud was a big part of that.

Speaker 2 (29:25):
Let's, uh, let's get an inside look at the Houston
Texans as we're joined at this time.

Speaker 1 (29:30):
You know the view from New England, but what about
the view from the other side?

Speaker 3 (29:33):
And that's why you're our favorite pregame show guests every year.

Speaker 2 (29:37):
He and no, you tell everybody that I was on
about you guys at twenty eighteen Thursday Night Football.

Speaker 3 (29:43):
Yeah, and I was voted out with the favorite game
for the show.

Speaker 1 (29:45):
No time now to go behind enemy lines.

Speaker 2 (29:48):
My god, it's got a right fore and with that time,
we're pleased to welcome Christy Weeken from the Associated Preston
Houston covering the Texans. Christy, thank you very much for
joining our as the Patriots and Texans get ready to
do battle here. I think we've been talking one of
the storylines this week. The Houston Texans have now become
the model for which the New England Patriots would like

(30:11):
to model themselves after, with Nick and with Domico and
with the quarterback. Would you say that that's fair to say,
Christy in Good Morning.

Speaker 8 (30:19):
Well, for a long time we used to say that
the Texans were kind of New England South because, for
you know, whenever they weren't good, it was like they
were trying to replicate what New England was doing when
they were great. I guess maybe now the roles have reverse,
while New England is rebuilding and the Texans are clearly
already done well with their rebuilds.

Speaker 4 (30:39):
Christy big news this week obviously without Nico Collins being
able to play. We're well familiar with Stefan Diggs here,
but just want to ask you about Tank Dell, Xavier Hutchinson.
What do you expect from those guys that are a
little bit further down the depth chart today?

Speaker 8 (30:52):
Well, it was I mean, I'm sure y'all see stuff,
but I heard y'all talking about Nico and how he
has almost six hundred jars through five games, which is saying.
So when we were asking Demiko, hey, just take need
to step up? Does Xavier need to step up this week?
He's like, listen, everybody needs to step up. Nico is
one of the best receivers in the entire league. Like

(31:12):
one person isn't going to make up for him being out.
So it's you know, it's kind of kind of be
like it takes a village mentality, And I'm interested to
see if John Messi might get some get some targets
this week because people here love him, they're very excited
about him in camp, but he hasn't really got much
action action this year, and I'm wondering if he might
be one of those people in the village that could

(31:33):
help out this week.

Speaker 3 (31:35):
Christy, I want to talk a little bit about the defense,
in specifically the secondary. The numbers are really really strong
for Houston. Obviously we don't get a chance to see
them every week. I'm wondering your thoughts on how good
the secondary is or is it as much about those
two you know, really talented edge rushers up front. Is
there a lot of pressure on the opposing passes or

(31:55):
they're Derek Stingley in company really shutting it down in
the back end too.

Speaker 8 (32:00):
I think it's the combo. Of course. The past rush
is crazy. When they played the Bears, I can't remember
the exact numbers, but I know they I think they
rushed him almost on every time he dropped back, because
you know, Timiko, being a linebacker, he knows you know,
it's easier, of course to rattle a Rickie quarterback. But
having said that, Derek Singley is very good, and it

(32:21):
seems like he's getting better and better every week, to
the point where it's clear he's one of the league
sut down corners.

Speaker 2 (32:28):
Christian, I want to ask you about Nick Assario, one
of the good people here in the New England organization
who left Little Rocky start there the Deshaun Watson situation
certainly didn't help. But boy, I think Nick's grown a
little bit in this role and he's certainly done a
nice job in putting this team together. I wonder what
your thoughts are about Nick Cassario.

Speaker 8 (32:46):
Of course, yeah, obviously the Deshaun Watson stuff, you know,
wasn't great for anyone, but he with the situation going sour,
he was able to get such value in the trade
from him, and being able to get both the Day
and Will Anderson in that draft yesterday, I mean yet
not yet they did last year was insane. I mean,

(33:07):
two players of that caliber. You get the offensive rookie
of the year and the defensive rookie of the year
and one draft that's that's unheard of.

Speaker 4 (33:15):
Chris, you got Jill mixing back a practice on Thursday.
What is your expectation for him today? And do you
think he'll be limited and if so, who do you
seek filling in? And how do you think that'll go?

Speaker 8 (33:25):
I mean, the way he talked, I mean they're still
saying questionable, but it sounds like he's ready to go,
and I don't if he plays, I don't think he'll
be limited in any way. I mean, after not playing
for so long, it might be, you know, take a
minute to get him going, but him coming back would
be such a huge boost this offense, especially when they're
trying to deal with not having Nico. But the one

(33:46):
person is for sure coming back to Damian Pierce, and
he's you know, his backup, So like, not only for
the past few weeks have they not had him, they
haven't had his backup either, so they've been playing third
and forced four string running back. So to have one
or both of those guys back this week will be
a huge boost to the offense.

Speaker 3 (34:03):
Christy, what are your thoughts just in general on how
the Tecans of Texans have played. I know, at four
and one, you know, it's it's a really good record,
but I know there's been a lot of talk in
Houston maybe they're a little disappointed with the way that
they've gone about being four and one. What are your
thoughts on that?

Speaker 8 (34:20):
Yeah, I mean it's not I mean I can I'm
gonna say this based on what the players have been
saying and CJ and Tank dlle said this week, like yeah,
we're four and one, but the crazy thing is we
feel like we can play so much better, Like we
certainly haven't played our best ball yet. They feel like
like the offensive guys feel like the defense has really
been playing well, but they haven't really held up there

(34:41):
into the bargain as much as they should have. But
I think getting their running back to i mean running
game back to like full strength will really help kind
of make the offense more complete and kind of be
more of like what they were expecting at the beginning
of the season even without Nico.

Speaker 2 (34:57):
Good stuff, Christy. So we're gonna put you on the
spot now. A little weather maybe an element in today's game,
a little cooler than the indoor Texans maybe would like it.
Who do you like today? What's your pick?

Speaker 8 (35:07):
Ah? I mean, I've been really impressed with the way
the Texans have been playing, Like I said, with the
writing game being back to full strength, I think they
should win. So I'm gonna say Texans twenty seven fourteen.

Speaker 2 (35:22):
Excellent, Christy, Thank you very much. Christy Reekin from the
Associated Press. Enjoy the game that was behind enemy lines
that we have right now. A reminder, here's a question
for the crowd. If your team runs on their fans,
what do the fans run on when you kick off
your day with Duncan. We're with you all the way
to the end zone. Make a run to duncan Official
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(35:44):
right after this.

Speaker 9 (35:45):
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By the time this Patriots fan is finished drinking his pepsi,
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Speaker 9 (36:45):
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Game change well afflex this contours to it so the
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By the time this Patriots fan is finished drinking his pepsi,
you'll be fifteen seconds closer to game time. Patriots watching
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Speaker 9 (37:36):
Good good.

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Speaker 3 (37:52):
Come on from kickoff.

Speaker 13 (37:53):
To sign off, from first downs and touchdowns right to turnovers,
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Speaker 11 (38:00):
After review the past was incomplete.

Speaker 13 (38:02):
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Speaker 14 (38:16):
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Replacements were shipped with FedEx and with picture proof of delivery,
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Speaker 13 (38:32):
You've got to watch your NFL team every Sunday, and
Verizon's got you covered for all your team's out of
market games every Sunday afternoon. Come on from kickoff to
sign off, from first downs and touchdowns oh yea to
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Speaker 11 (38:46):
After review the past was incomplete.

Speaker 13 (38:48):
Nice, don't this season win every Sunday with Verizon. Get
a great deal on NFL Sunday ticket from YouTube and
YouTube TV, and a new phone excludes digital only games.

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Terms andbargo's apply.

Speaker 14 (39:02):
When someone accidentally threw away the school play costumes, oh no,
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Speaker 1 (39:18):
Join the conversation by calling into the TPX hotline at
eight five five pats five hundred, or email the show
at podcast at Patriots dot com. Now live from our studios,
here is Matt Smith.

Speaker 2 (39:31):
And we welcome you back inside Jillette Stadium for the
Patriots pre game social presented by Dunkin Donuts. And I
also want to remind you that Bridgetone is the official
tire of the Knowing of Patriots. They're proud to partner
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Visit Sulliventire dot com to find a location near you.
Electronic mail will kick things off from Seattle, Washington and Colin,

(39:52):
who says I'm loving the piano and bracing the throwback year,
even if it seems Paul missed the memo, Yeah, out right.

Speaker 3 (40:01):
I gotta be honest. I don't have any of that stuff. Paul.

Speaker 4 (40:04):
This was your this is your era, this is when
you came up right.

Speaker 3 (40:07):
I never liked that logo.

Speaker 2 (40:08):
Colin wants to know, do we expect the playbook to
open up significantly this week, lean more into a little
RPO game, or do we expect more of what we've
seen over the first five games From a play calling.

Speaker 4 (40:19):
Perspective, I would I wouldn't expect them to get too crazy.

Speaker 3 (40:23):
You know.

Speaker 4 (40:23):
I did ask our resident x's and o's expert, mister
Lazard this week of just is there one schematic element
you'd like to see a little bit more of this week?
And and he said in the pistol, which is a
you know, kind of split in the difference between being
under center and being in the shotgun. I think they've
run one snap of pistol to this point, not a
part of the plan. So if there's one thing to
look for, maybe it's that just to you know, take

(40:43):
the pressure off of Drake may having to be under
center a lot. But to be frank, I don't really.
I think they're gonna They're gonna try to do what
they do. That's that seems like what their philosophy is.

Speaker 2 (40:52):
Dan from Cambridge in the UK going at Paul so
this is a maybe we got a little un at him, Yeah,
maybe a little trend.

Speaker 4 (40:58):
He's wearing he's wearing Carolina fashion. He's not in Carolina blue.

Speaker 3 (41:02):
He's supporting jam every day. I wore this during the summer.
Someone made a comment, oh, you're sucking up to the quarterback.
I see you love it.

Speaker 2 (41:10):
Dean wants to know how can Paul say they would
play Drake you when he's ready, but not see that
they wouldn't have played Drake if Jacoby hadn't played poorly,
makes no sense. I'm not going to the extreme to
say this is a panic move, but of course this
is ahead of what they had in mind. Defend your logic.

Speaker 3 (41:27):
Please, I mean, I that's a fair email. It's a
it's a fair I believe that they would be playing
Drake if they felt like he was ready. Yeah. Like,
and I've said this before the season started, short of like,
well suddenly they broke out of the gates five and
one and Jacoby Brissett's like this MVP candidate's playing so well,
Like that changes your plan quote unquote, But if you

(41:49):
just played regular Jacoby Brissett football, which he did, I
think it was when Drake May was ready. Yeah, yeah,
you know when. But that's a good that's a really
I mean, that's a really good email, Like what if
they had you know, I got in a little argument
with my boys on my shows if if Jalen Polk

(42:10):
gets his foot in bounds, who's starting this week? I'm like, well,
I'm going to take them at their word and say
Drake May. It's a colossal mistake, Paul, and I think
they tried. I think Gerrod Mayo tried to set that
up the previous week by saying how winning the way
they won their one game was not sustainable, and then
when he was asked to clarify why, he said, you

(42:32):
can't win consistently being that unproductive offensively. Well, if even
if that last play was a touchdown to Jalen Polk
and the defense actually came up with a stop in
the last minute and they won the game, it still
was unproductive offensively for the day.

Speaker 2 (42:48):
To the calls, we go and Pat from Agawam joins us,
Good morning, pat, how are you this morning?

Speaker 3 (42:52):
You're on the Patriots previous morning?

Speaker 7 (42:54):
Everybody, Good morning, Good Martin, Martin, It's a great morning.
And I'm not just saying that because I got some
last night, but I had a statement and a question
for you guys. The statement is kind of stole my
thunder a little bit, Matt. I think a huge matchup
today is we I would like to see them just

(43:15):
play a lot of man And you got to cover
these guys, like you said, you know, Diggs and Dell
are no slouches, and Dalton Schultz, you know, you know
we've seen Douglas struggle to cover tight ends and he's
not fully healthy, so I'll be interesting. It'll be interesting
to see how they match up against them. And in
Drake May's first start, you don't want to get into

(43:36):
a shootout against c Ja Stroud. That's just my opinion.
And the question I have is, and I'll take it
off the air, do you think if if LeVert starts
to struggle, do you think he has a quick hooks
now that they have Ben Brown, who granted isn't super
super experienced, but he's probably got a little bit more
playing center under his belt. That's all I got and

(43:58):
I ain't got to work tomorrow, so I'll be so
you might get some cousin daddy.

Speaker 1 (44:01):
I'm the kid.

Speaker 4 (44:02):
Let's go baby next weekend of his life right now.

Speaker 2 (44:06):
Excellent question by pat On nick LeVert.

Speaker 4 (44:10):
I mean, I think it's a little surprising that they
didn't elevate Hudson Hudson like they did last week. Just
I mean, Brent Brown got here Thursday, so I mean
he's and he's still a rookie too.

Speaker 3 (44:19):
So oh so this guy has no experience.

Speaker 4 (44:21):
He's got no experience, So I'm a little bits.

Speaker 3 (44:23):
I defer to you guys on the Ford string Lineman.
I go to Evan and Mike for those guys.

Speaker 2 (44:29):
So you're not going with me?

Speaker 3 (44:30):
So this is not a no legitimate option.

Speaker 4 (44:33):
No, they've been I mean they've been turning over every
rock they can right now for centers. They also signed Hainesworth.
Sincere Hainesworth, excellent name, by the way, relation practice no
no relation as far as I know. So they've really
been trying to find, you know, another answer. Ben Brown
was a you know, career center at in college. So
I am a little bit surprised that they didn't, you know,
stick with Hudson who has at least experience within the

(44:55):
system and has been around a little bit longer. I mean,
the guy's got two practices under his belt. So to me,
that sounds like Nick Levertt through and through.

Speaker 2 (45:02):
Right, no shortleash, no short leash. Right eleven thirty here
on the East Coast, And that means ninety minute meeting
before the game, and that means the inactive list is out.
And so for that report, let's go out into the
field that you're led stadium where Tamara Brown joins us. Tamara,
let's go over the enactions please.

Speaker 6 (45:19):
Yeah, So we just got word that Drake May will
be without Taekwon Thornton and Javon Baker as far as
wide receivers, and so I know everyone's to know how
is this going to impact the Riki in his first start? Well,
this week I talked to Kendrick Bourne and Pop Douglas
and they said, actually for the past four weeks they've
been saying after practice, getting ten reps a.

Speaker 5 (45:37):
Piece with Drake May after practice.

Speaker 6 (45:39):
Kendrick Bourne of course hoped in last week once he
became active, and so they've started building this chemistry with
him for the past four weeks now so they could
be ready.

Speaker 2 (45:47):
For this moment today, Samary, you sounded a tad surprised.
It's the inclusion of those guys on the on the
inactive list, I might counter with with Kendrick Bourne back
and maybe get closer to full speed. Those guys haven't
produced on the field and it's time to see if
somebody else will. Is that a fair statement to me?

Speaker 6 (46:08):
That is an absolute fair statement to make. I know
Kendrick Bourne only played a handful of snaps last week,
but he provides a spark that this offense needs.

Speaker 5 (46:15):
He is the juice in my opinion, last.

Speaker 6 (46:17):
Year it's a noticeable difference when he's in the locker
room and on the field. So I'm hoping today he
can maybe get more of a workload, especially with Taekwon
Thornton not active today, and be really helpful for Drake May.

Speaker 3 (46:28):
It's mair.

Speaker 4 (46:28):
We gotta get a little weather report out there. Don't
get hit. You almost got hit by a ball right there.
I hope you're okay. It'smair. But tell us what's the
weather like out right now. I know one was missing
a little bit earlier, a little light rain.

Speaker 6 (46:39):
Well, I can happily report that there's no rain happening
right now. And I know it's pretty crisp outside, but
I would like to report I am in shorts and
a sweatshirt, and I think it feels pretty great outside.
I think it's a perfect temperature. If you're outside you're
working out like these guys are going to be doing
for the next four hours in the game.

Speaker 5 (46:56):
This is great weather. I know it's a little chillier
than last week, but I think it's great.

Speaker 2 (47:00):
Hey, here's a maybe this is a little more difficult
one to gauge. Tenara, but we talked at the very
beginning of the show about juice in energy and Gerard
Mayo saying he thought that there was a little bit
of renewed energy. It's early ninety minutes before they kick.
Do you sends any juice on the field in pregame
warmups as you watching the players go through their warm ups.

Speaker 6 (47:20):
Absolutely, the sea of red behind me right now. I've
seen the guys just fist bumping. There have been celebrating
after catches where you know it's just warm ups. They're
really excited. They're going through the fans right now giving autographs.
Kendrick Bourne is actually the main one going down the
whole line giving autographs. There is a may Day may
Day sign out here that the fans have that have

(47:40):
Drake May in the center rowing a boat and in
the water. It's all the wide receivers and he's out
to save them. The fans are excited that Drake May
is going to be driving the ship today and so
I can't wait to see what he does.

Speaker 5 (47:52):
Out there on the field.

Speaker 6 (47:53):
I do want to say one more thing before I
exit the field that when you're looking out on the
field today, I don't know if you can see him
out here, but as far as the safety perspective. We
had to rely a lot on Marte Maphu last week
without Duggar and Pepper's playing.

Speaker 5 (48:07):
Dugger is active, he was not on that an active list.

Speaker 6 (48:10):
I know, I only talked about the offensive guys, but
I do want to give some love to the Safeties
who have some reinforcements today with Dugger available. So that's
a huge break for this defense that was out without
two of their best players last week.

Speaker 2 (48:21):
Nice job by you there, Tamara and by Chris to
bring an active list back up, and that's a I
do not think that's an insignificant addition. That's great to
have Duggar back in the lineup.

Speaker 4 (48:31):
No great, great call out by Tamara there. I mentioned
it earlier. With Dugger back in as well as Taki
Taki now in the lineup. You know, how does that
affect map who I mean overall? You don't really care.
You just you want to have more guys, like you
said earlier, Ma, just you need reinforcements, you need options.
So it's great to get Dugger back. He's a huge
part of their secondary. He's tone setter, you know, big hits.

(48:54):
Let's see if you can get some hands on some
balls today. Make some plays that that's what you need
Kyle Dugger for. We'll see, you know, if the other safeties,
maybe Mapoo provides a little bit more flexibility for Kyle Dugger.
And you know, I think that's the thing with when
you used to have Devin mccordy, Kyle Dugger was able
to move around. I think that was when he was
at his most effective. You remember the pick six against
the Raiders a couple of years ago where he read
the quarterback and Derek Carrn just you know, picked it off.

(49:16):
So letting Kyle Dugger have some freedom, I think is
just a huge way to maximize the kind of player
he is.

Speaker 2 (49:21):
Look at Dougg as a playmaker. He's demonstrated that during
his career. Is it too much to say, based off
of what we saw last week that Mapoo has got
a chance maybe to be a little bit of that
Swiss Army knife move him around.

Speaker 3 (49:33):
You know.

Speaker 2 (49:33):
The defensive coaches talk a lot about being unpredictable and
showing different looks. I think Mapoo can give you that
in a couple different places, don't you.

Speaker 4 (49:40):
I too too, you know, And I'm trying not to
get ahead of myself because I think like Paul and
I were in the same boat. Just impressed with him
being able to come out and play as much as
he did when you know, we talked about it with
the defensive coaches. This week, I went to every single
defensive coach being asked about Mapo and you know, to
a man, Brian Belichick, Dante high Tower, across the board,
all those guys saying, you know, how much he stayed involved, invested.

(50:03):
You know, Ty Tower said this offseason he was out,
he gave Mapu his phone number. Mapho's texting him in
like the middle of April about coverages and things. So
you hear a lot around here that, oh, this guy's
a football nerd and he loves it, and he's always
in the film room, and you kind of come to
expect that most NFL players are, you know, like filmer,
at least around here, the players that they've acquired in
recent seasons. But Mapu really seems to walk that walk,

(50:25):
and he really really does seem like that kind of
coach on the field. So I'm excited just to see
how they mix him in. I think a lot of
people want him to be a linebacker, and you know,
and he does do some of that, and I think
that that's an interesting spot for him. He's he's but
he's got to learn to see it quick and he's
got to get experienced. He just didn't play all that
much last year. I think he had about two hundred

(50:45):
STAPs total on defense. Last year he had about seventy.
That's incredible, so almost half of what he played as
a rookie. So again, and then you're connected even to
what we're gonna see from Drake Made today. You just
you want to see those young guys get out there
to stack experience, to start to learn how to play
these roles. But as Brian Belichick said, a guy that
can play like that and play in all those different
spots just means so much to this defense and brings

(51:07):
so much value.

Speaker 2 (51:08):
So we're talking safeties, and I just want to make
a mention of this, so nobody says, well, you're glossing
over it. One of the safeties that won't play this week,
and he's not on the inactive list this week, but
Jabil Peppers won't play for the Patriots this week. He
was placed on the Commission's exempt list, which it sounds
like finally somebody decided to let reason get involved and
get him off the field. Players Association can't complain if

(51:29):
he's getting paid or not. He'll be getting paid, and
let's wait and see what happens in the investigation. Certainly
the police report is sickening, but in twenty twenty four,
there's due process that's involved. He will not play until
that investigation is over. So it's dugger and it's mapo along.
I thought Jalen Hawkins looked a little active last week.

(51:49):
You don't play well, you know, look it's it was
Snoop Huntley. So I don't want to sit there and say,
you know, what's the comp But I thought the secondary,
you know, I thought they presented themselves pretty well last
week with those group of wide receivers in the Dolphins offense.

Speaker 4 (52:04):
I think so. And I mean I connected also to
what Patty said about, you know, maybe playing a little
bit more man defense. I think this defense was really
constructed mostly by Bill Belichick. It, you know, originally to
play man, and you have the cornerbacks to play man.
I just I think part of the problem though, is
that they're worried about the pass rush and you try
to play a lot of man. Nobody can cover forever

(52:24):
and if the past we're really not getting there. It's
hard to play man demand coverage when you don't trust
that you're gonna have that pressure, you know, in about
two and a half to three seconds. So that's something
they're gonna have to deal with. But I do think
that their their cornerbacks, especially as I said at the top,
they match up pretty well with these receivers, at least
on paper. We'll see how it looks out there. But
that might be another curve ball that DeMarcus coming to
could throw today to switch things up a little bit.

(52:45):
On CJ strou.

Speaker 2 (52:46):
Eight five to five web radio is the number here.
Let's go back to the phones, and Christian from Los
Angeles joins us.

Speaker 3 (52:52):
Good morning Christian, Hey you.

Speaker 15 (52:54):
Guys, Good morning to you, and happy spun day. It
is a football glorious day and here we go. So,
so I have a question for you guys. If each
of you guys were to call Drake May's first five plays,
well would be And then secondly, secondly, what do you
think our plan is to shut down Stepan Diggs or
what stat line does he need to have for us

(53:16):
to have a winning day.

Speaker 2 (53:17):
Excellent questions. Christian Mike, I'm gonna let you start with
the first one on the scripted first place for Drake
pay Sure.

Speaker 4 (53:24):
I mean, make it easy on them, you know, make
him make me, let him get some easy passes, let him,
let him gain some confidence. I think you know he's
he's going to be a little bit nervous. So, uh,
if you're starting Antonio Gibson, you've got some options there.
I think he's a good receiver, you know, a little.

Speaker 2 (53:36):
Screen pass, you know, just want that depends on when
the ball, if the ball is in a you know,
twenty five thirty yard line or something like that. First
play pass?

Speaker 4 (53:45):
Sure, sure, why not, you know, I mean, I mean,
why go so cliche and just be like, oh god,
we're so scared. Just let him hand it off in
the middle, you know, get his confidence. Maybe, you know,
catch Houston thinking, all right, they're just gonna run it.
They're going to try to protect the rookie. Give him
a nice little you know, a slant to pop Douglas.
Those kind of things, get get his confidence going. I
don't know exactly how the first five go. You got
to get to the first three to really see if

(54:05):
you're going to get to five first, but yeah, you know,
make it easy on him, build his confidence. I think
that's a big part of the first quarter for Alex vanpel.

Speaker 2 (54:12):
Christian second question, which I also thought was a good one,
is what's what's a Stephan Diggs stat line look like? Well,
first of all, what's a plan on Stefan Diggs? And
do you think that that plan is exclusive?

Speaker 4 (54:23):
Christian Gonzalez, Well, I think I think it's going to
depend again on how much Man's only play. And I
think I would definitely say on third downs, I'd love
to be able to say, Christian, go take digs away.
I don't know exactly the stat line. I would just say,
no big plays, take the big place to Stefan digs Away.
He's also, I mean, over we've seen plenty of Stefan
Diggs around here. He just murdered us on third downs.

(54:45):
I mean, it was uncanny the way that him and
Josh Allen just had a connection. And you know, it
was almost like Edelman and Brady, where it's third and long,
we know it's going to Edelman, they know it's going
to Edelman, and it still goes to Edelman. It was
the same way with Josh Allen and Diggs. So I
don't know CJ. Stroud him quite have that chemistry just yet.
I mean, certainly Stefan Diggs is a great player, and
Stroud is quickly developing chemistry with him. But I would

(55:06):
just say not letting him get those third and long
catches and not letting him beat you with the deep ball.
Those are two great places to start. If he's got
a bunch of you know, short catches first and second down,
maybe gets you know, a little bit of run after catch.
It is what it is. But you've got to be
good on him and third on long, and you can't
let him get over the top, and especially you can't
let him have a big scoring play.

Speaker 2 (55:24):
We talked last week with the Dolphins, with Waddle and
with Hill that maybe the safeties would be playing in
Sharon as opposed to Foxborough. I don't think that's the
need again maybe this week, but do you expect that
they'll be a little bit Do you keep it in
front of you and whatever it takes, keep it in
front of you.

Speaker 4 (55:42):
Well, I think that's the first step for any defense
really is taking away the big play. And you know,
I thought early on in the season they were pretty
good and they've gotten hurt with some of those plays
as of late, so you relate some of that to
the safety health that they've had, so hopefully having Kyle
duggerback out there having the communication continue, but again you
know Doug's back. I don't usually get into the green

(56:02):
dot thing. I mean, some people are obsessed with who's
wearing the green dot, who's calling the plays. But when
it's a second year player who played two hundred snaps
last year and didn't really even play in training camp
comes in with three days of practice, then that interests
me that he's wearing the green dots. So who's making
those play calls, who's making sure that all the safeties
are on the same page on the back end, but
preventing big plays, it's the first thing you've got to

(56:23):
do as a defense.

Speaker 2 (56:25):
Back to the electronic mail, this is Dougie in Scotland
who echoes some of what we've been talking about so
far on the pregame show. I'm excited to see Drake
may start today and more importantly in London next week.
Do you think there will be a noticeable burst of
energy and buzz throughout all three phases of the team
to get him a win in his debut. On another note,
how many of all the podcast members are making the
trip over across the Pond to attend the Patriots party.

(56:48):
Keep up the good work. That's Doug from Scotland.

Speaker 4 (56:51):
So Fred will be there, Fred, Nevan will be out
and I think.

Speaker 3 (56:54):
I'm not a podcast member, but you'll be there too.

Speaker 4 (56:56):
Matt will be going.

Speaker 2 (56:57):
I will get there.

Speaker 4 (56:58):
Yeah know you won the pre games next week or
the postgame show.

Speaker 2 (57:01):
Yeah, there's been some talk about a little FaceTime, So
what I would like to see if we could make
that as opposed to FaceTime? Could we make it voice time?
Because nobody wants to see this face? What if it's
just the audio?

Speaker 4 (57:14):
Well I will What if we put you on the
field like Tamara is and you give it, you know
you give I can give you a weather report, give
us let's run that one up in there. Always great
to see you though, that'll be that'll be fun. I
know there's an event going on. I believe Friday night.
We'll get the info out to everybody, but definitely go
find uh Fred and Evan and Matt and harass them

(57:35):
and uh yeah, it'll be it'll be fun. I'm jealous.
I've never been to England, and Paul is nothing but
amazing things to say about the reception that the Patriots
and that we all received.

Speaker 3 (57:45):
That was when Paul's star turn, wasn't it.

Speaker 4 (57:47):
I mean he makes it sound like they were the
Beatles going him and Andy, So it was pretty.

Speaker 2 (57:52):
Much which beatle would Paul be? Probably Paul, really, see,
I think that's too obvious. He seems like a Ringo
kind of a guy.

Speaker 4 (58:00):
To me, Eric would have been Ringo.

Speaker 2 (58:04):
We're just trying to figure out which Beatle were you?
As you?

Speaker 4 (58:06):
Probably, I think Paul says to John Lennon, He's the
He's the creative. Maybe Fred's John Lennon, Yeah, and then
Fred's Paul. Paul's Paul, you know, writes a lot of
the songs, you know.

Speaker 3 (58:16):
Not a Beatles guy.

Speaker 4 (58:17):
He doesn't have the soft heart of public Cartney though.

Speaker 2 (58:19):
Not a Beatles guy. Let's go back to the phones.
Deshaun from Virginia Nois joins us next on the Patriots
pregame social fueled by Duncan. Good morning to Shawn.

Speaker 3 (58:30):
Hello, Hi DeShawn, how are you.

Speaker 16 (58:33):
Good? Good?

Speaker 3 (58:34):
How you guys doing great? Thank you?

Speaker 16 (58:37):
I want to say this is the fight, being very
you know, excited that Drake Maye is playing, and I
kind of been low key rooting for the pictures that
have bad against the total way he can play. But
with all that being said, the Patriots are really bad trenches.
That really the trenches. And that's I think that's the
reason why when you look at teams that have faced
the Patriots, that's one deepest out of the ball, the

(58:59):
deeper the line. It is horrendous. They're horrendous and control
and that sounds enough, get off block. That's why the
teams looks so good against them. So the strange thing
is that they're secondary of course, but it doesn't mean
you think they can't get pressures.

Speaker 4 (59:11):
I love you, I love you.

Speaker 16 (59:14):
Over shadowed by you know, by the defense having a
horrendous game because I don't think they'll have to talk
to Strout.

Speaker 2 (59:21):
It's a very fair point to Shawn, and thank you
for the phone call.

Speaker 4 (59:24):
The man. He's a man in my own take. I
mean that's you know, that's that's the thing. I mean,
I think you get good play out of Devon, gotcha.
But you know, Daniel Qualley was was I think better
last week. But you see what they've been doing. They've
been turning over defensive lineman. I mean they're bringing in today,
Eric Johnson's inactive, Jacqueline roy is gonna you know, it's
just got called up. I mean there's cut Chris, sorry,
just cut Tristan Hill. They've been turning those positions over there,

(59:45):
trying to find more there. I think they need more depth.
Losing Christian Barmer was a huge blow.

Speaker 2 (59:50):
Again and I sound like a broken record on this, Mike,
but we talked earlier in the show about depth and
the team that is lacking in depth. Daniel Qualay is
a depth kind of a player. He shouldn't be getting
the kind of snaps that he's getting when you look
at the Dolphins late in the game, you know, run
it down the throat. It's because those guys are gassed.
He's not used to playing those kinds of snaps. They're
probably asking way too much of him. They need bodies

(01:00:12):
on the defensive line. I think Deshaun is right on that.

Speaker 3 (01:00:14):
Yeah, so I will. They absolutely have some some depth issues,
you know there, but they they just got to play better,
like the.

Speaker 2 (01:00:26):
Well you're talking about from a discipline standpoint, and I
agree with you.

Speaker 3 (01:00:29):
Yeah, and I agree with a lot of the stuff
that that Deshaun mentioned. You know, it's like, you know,
is it a combination of these guys not playing in
the structure, you know, I mean I'm going by God
child now, like you know, like he seems to be
indicating that there's more than just performance. It's you know,
a lack of discipline, a lack of you know, the

(01:00:50):
ruling your job, you know, do you know? And I
think that that's that's part of it. Now. The other
thing is Texans offense. And we heard from Christy earlier
like the Texan's offen hasn't been great, So there should
be an opportunity for you to, you know, you shouldn't
allow the Texans to My god that the Jaguars are
like a comedy of errors. It's unbelievable how many times

(01:01:13):
they fumbled in this.

Speaker 2 (01:01:13):
Game Red Zone Paul after his show.

Speaker 3 (01:01:16):
So yeah, like I just think this is an opportunity.
And I think to c J. Stroud's terrific, Like I'm
not going to tell you, oh well, c J. Stroud's
not you know, you shut down c J. Stroud. He's
no good, No, he's really good. But for whatever reason
that offense hasn't been really good. You know, this year
they have they are a really good start where they
scored twenty nine in the opener and they've kind of
been Midland Midland ever since.

Speaker 2 (01:01:37):
Paul any analysis on the inactives that came out while
you're on your other.

Speaker 3 (01:01:41):
Show, just the thing that Mike touched on earlier, that
the new guy is active, and you know, I think
Mike made a good point about it. Just kind of strange,
like you would feel like Nick Leverett wasn't great last week,
you know, by some measures he allowed somewhere on like
ten pressures and the most in the this era of

(01:02:04):
the era nerd them. I just would would have thought
that they would have had some something a little bit
more reliable than someone who's been here for three or
four days. And that's not and it's Ben Brown, Ben Brown,
that's not his fault at all, right, you know, so
I was a little surprised by that.

Speaker 2 (01:02:23):
Easy to drink, easy to enjoy bud Light, the official
beer sponsor the New England Patriots. Back to the phones
and let's check in with Courtney from Houston, Texas.

Speaker 17 (01:02:31):
Good morning, Courtney, Hey guys, thank you for taking my call. Paul,
I wanted to bring this back to you for a
second because you had mentioned, uh, you've been pretty tough,
not tough on Gondo, but you've been really waiting for
that that that next step up moment. Interest and interestingly enough,
I saw an interview where Tyler Coyle had talked to
his personal coach and they had mentioned that actually that

(01:02:54):
they had been waiting for Gonzo to kind of maybe
show more, maybe potentially do more in that man coverage,
because it does seem like they may be transitioning to
where Gonzo is going to be a man cover corner
and then everything that's around him may be his owne.
So do you guys anticipate seeing him get to a
point where he's going to be one on one, for example,
with Stefon Diggs and really just check him out, or

(01:03:15):
do you guys still see they're going to try to
do this unnecessary use of cover too or any other coverage.

Speaker 3 (01:03:21):
Thanks. Guy, That's a great question, good football questions, A
great question. I would absolutely turn Christian Gonzales loose, and
you know, I would just very slightly and he kind
of I think he Courtney got to it, like I
haven't been hard on Gonzo. Just been wondering why.

Speaker 2 (01:03:35):
You haven't been effusive like the rest of the media have.

Speaker 9 (01:03:38):
There.

Speaker 3 (01:03:38):
I want to know why he's not being asked to
do those things. Is it because they're making mistakes as coaches,
or is it because they don't feel like that he
is suited for it. That's the only thing in my mind. Okay,
have based on the body of what he's been asked
to do. I think he's done very well based on
the body of work through five games. Do you think
he has demonstrated the ability go lock him down?

Speaker 9 (01:03:59):
No?

Speaker 2 (01:03:59):
Ok, but I would do that.

Speaker 3 (01:04:01):
I want to see him demonstrate that he hasn't had
the opportunity.

Speaker 2 (01:04:04):
To hasn't been asked to do it correct, right.

Speaker 3 (01:04:07):
I want to see him have the opportunity to just
say Mike's thing, Mike's favorite receiver in football? Stefan did
just take him out of this game. I want Stefon Diggs.

Speaker 5 (01:04:16):
Like, is he really your favorite?

Speaker 4 (01:04:18):
No, he hates I don't care for He flicked off
a bunch of Patriots fans after scoring a touchdown here
once and I never forgive him for it.

Speaker 6 (01:04:24):
There.

Speaker 3 (01:04:24):
It is, I just I just would like to see
I'd like to see that. I like to see him
just take digs all day today and then you you
had it all mapped out. You have the you know,
the smaller guys Jonathan and Marcus Jones, you know handling
Tank Dell and maybe John Metchichi or someone you know
which the other guy, Xavier Hutchinson. Yeah, he's a little
bigger I think though, isn't he Yeah? He is.

Speaker 4 (01:04:46):
I mean I would I just echoed the same point
they made about ten minutes ago of just you know,
you play man. No one can cover forever. So if
your pass rush isn't getting there, like Gonzales could be
great for about three and a half seconds on Diggs,
which is usually what you'd require, but when it gets
to force, it's like he's gonna get away, you know.
So I just I connected a little bit to the
pass rush too, and that connects to the last call

(01:05:06):
we had that they've got to get after the quarterback.
They got to get off blocks, they've got to play disciplined,
and they've got to get key on White you know,
inside and have him win and get you know, get
some sacks. They need that to happen for the whole
defense to flourish.

Speaker 6 (01:05:18):
When talking to Devon Godchaw this week in the locker room,
he said, it's been so hard to you bring these
guys in off of other.

Speaker 5 (01:05:24):
People's practice squads.

Speaker 6 (01:05:25):
He said, it's been hard to teach them how we
New England Patriots play football when so many guys have
so many different assignments. Especially last week he was talking
about I think his name is, last name is Roy.

Speaker 4 (01:05:37):
I don't want to that's Jaquelin.

Speaker 6 (01:05:39):
Yeah, he talked about him. He was like, last week
was his first start. He car, I don't want to
mess it up. He's talking about how you know last
week was his first start, and so he was like,
it's so hard when you're bringing a guy in from
another team teaching them our defense.

Speaker 5 (01:05:51):
They have so many different roles.

Speaker 6 (01:05:52):
He's like, that's why you know our run defense has
fallen off the past couple of games. There's so many
new guys playing, and of course you know Bentley's not
playing as well, so you know this week Taki Taki,
he's another addition to this defense that'll be playing today too.
So it's like, until this team can build chemistry and
actually learn how New England plays football, it's going to
be a long.

Speaker 2 (01:06:09):
Road back to the electronic mail and Johnny and Madtown rights.
I love May's potential. The big army ability to throw
out of the pocket is enticing, but I'm most excited
about having a quarterback that can not only escape the
pressure and scoot for a first down, but also have
a quarterback for designed runs.

Speaker 3 (01:06:25):
Two.

Speaker 2 (01:06:26):
I don't think the Patriots would have done much better
in the first five weeks with me a quarterback, but
the mobility that May provides is intriguing in terms of
what it could mean for an offense that wants to
run the ball. And then how about this for an
ending note? He feels squirrelly today Patriot's twenty four text
into twenties for the upset.

Speaker 6 (01:06:44):
I don't want design runs like for Jalen Hurts Lamar Jackson, Yes,
do that, put design runs in for Drake May. I
don't want him doing that. He doesn't need to do that.
I mean, look at Josh Allen like he doesn't need
to be doing that. Of course he still does it anyway,
But I think every now and then, if a crease
opens up, Drake make sees you can extend to play, sure,
but designed I'm not here for it.

Speaker 4 (01:07:04):
It's pulse thing. It's in the red zone, read option stuff.
You know that's and that's just a nightmare for defenses too.
And there's not you know, you're talking short yardage. It's
not you know, he's not going to take a big
hit if he gets in the end zone. That's the spot.
But you know it's it's also everybody's covered, get out
of the pocket, you know those kind of things. But
I'm all set, like Tamara said, with overall middle of
the field design runs.

Speaker 2 (01:07:23):
No thanks, I'm here for these kind of emails. And
this is Brett and Lemonster who says, I hate to
disagree with Deuce, but Eric would have been Peter Best
not around when the band was great. What do you
get for email of the day in the pregame show
matter anything? A key get to wrangle the keys or
something like that.

Speaker 4 (01:07:43):
Matt Amelia Dynamite Melia T shirt that never gets there?

Speaker 3 (01:07:48):
Excellent?

Speaker 2 (01:07:49):
Uh is it a Patriots and field a T shirt?

Speaker 3 (01:07:53):
Yeah?

Speaker 4 (01:07:53):
Yeah, we don't have pre impost game T shirt, so
that'd be pretty cool. Those would be in high demanded.

Speaker 2 (01:07:57):
Okay, l from Wisconsin Rights. Today is the day exclamation point.
I love the exclamation point, the first day I've had
hope in the quarterback position since Brady left.

Speaker 4 (01:08:07):
Well, this is a good spot to be right now,
because I said it many times this week. It's the
it's the great unknown, you know, it's nothing good or
bad has happened, and maybe everything's going to be great.
And you know, I think we'll be probably most likely
in the postgame show talking about here are some exciting
things he did, and here's the stuff that he's going
to have to clean up if if they're going to
be able to, you know, really take a step forward

(01:08:28):
with Drake. But that's okay, you know, that's that's part
of what you have to accept with once guy's play,
you start to get real information that you have to
you know that you go off of. It's not just
living in fantasy land of like he might be the
greatest quarterback of all time. We just don't know.

Speaker 2 (01:08:40):
And just to finish the email, l rights, I'm not
expecting to see anything crazy, but I'm looking for a
couple throws. It has me saying may can be the
guy and ends with a little l FG. Brady and
LFG in the same email.

Speaker 4 (01:08:53):
I like that.

Speaker 2 (01:08:54):
I like that.

Speaker 3 (01:08:56):
I say that's what we're all looking forward is to
a couple of plays that you know, you can say,
I see it. And this is what Mike and I
did every day this summer. We basically looked at each
other said that was one, right, that was one, and
you know as the as the summer went on, it
was more and more of them. So it was yeah,
I think that's how we're all watching it.

Speaker 4 (01:09:14):
I mean, I just want to hammer the point though,
like what we'll have me most excited is not that
if he hits one sixty yard bomb and the restless
like crap. It's that opposite if the if, the if
the offense is in time and rhythm and he won't
back ball out. You know though, that rhythm, that's what
will be most exciting to me. If we come in
here and he executes a couple drives where you you know,
he's not dropping back and you know the he doesn't

(01:09:36):
know where he's in the pocket and he's throwing this
with you know that kind of drops back, little step
to his left, unloads it quick. You know, that's the
stuff that I'm going to come back in here and
be fired up about because then you feel like that
is sustainable.

Speaker 3 (01:09:47):
So how about this for you know, do a little
to do it.

Speaker 4 (01:09:51):
Do it right now. I know what you're gonna say,
do it.

Speaker 3 (01:09:54):
I know, I don't even know what I'm I don't
know what I would just you know, watching the the
Jags just completely fall apart with turnover after turnover to turnover.
No no, no, no. Next week, I know we're in We're
in London. I would love to see them beat them back.

Speaker 5 (01:10:13):
I'm just going to say, this defense will eat him alive.

Speaker 2 (01:10:15):
That would be uh, that would be some added juice
to this game.

Speaker 5 (01:10:20):
I forgot what game it was.

Speaker 6 (01:10:21):
It was earlier in the season, but people on Twitter
were like, put mack in because Trevor Lawrence is doing bad.

Speaker 5 (01:10:26):
They put Mac in and it was.

Speaker 6 (01:10:27):
A strip sack immediately, Yeah, first of one. So I'm like, what,
why are you calling for this man to play?

Speaker 2 (01:10:32):
Exactly Tamara Travis from West Virginia doesn't call you out
by name, but I do believe you were talking about this,
and writes and I realized that off platform throws and
extending the player all the rages these days. But I
have no interest in seeing that. If you get flushed
out of the pocket thirty five times a game. You're
doing something wrong. That's from Travis in West Virginia.

Speaker 3 (01:10:52):
What Travis? Why does it have to go from I
have no interest in it to thirty five times? Yeah?
I agree with Travis. I don't want to see it
thirty five times.

Speaker 2 (01:11:00):
That's a little particular.

Speaker 3 (01:11:00):
Patrick Mahomes gets out of the pocket every once in
a while and wins a game. Yeah, right, like I
don't want to see it thirty five times? Right? Uh?

Speaker 2 (01:11:09):
Cody Destination Unknown rights in. You guys all look great
in the throwback outfits with a fire emoji. Joe Mixon
not on the inactive list. Does this change the way
the game please plays out? For the text our throwbacks?
I hope so.

Speaker 4 (01:11:24):
I hope that's why me and Samara tras that we
kind of match. I feel like we could be like
throwback catalog right modeling.

Speaker 5 (01:11:29):
I love it right, Matt does too.

Speaker 4 (01:11:32):
Now, is that is that a new throwback matter or
an throwback?

Speaker 2 (01:11:36):
How would you define that?

Speaker 4 (01:11:37):
Because if you previously own it for twenty ten?

Speaker 2 (01:11:41):
No?

Speaker 3 (01:11:41):
Really a pro shop?

Speaker 2 (01:11:44):
All right?

Speaker 4 (01:11:45):
Well, they did a good job because it captures the
spirit of the.

Speaker 6 (01:11:48):
I was going to say, it's giving thrift store to me.
I thought he has originally, Wow, it's giving.

Speaker 2 (01:11:54):
Dig I think, get our friends at the pro shop.
Let's just finish on the Joe Mixon thing. Does that
Does his in the lineup today change the way the
game is played?

Speaker 4 (01:12:02):
If he can go? I mean, how effective is he?

Speaker 9 (01:12:04):
You know?

Speaker 4 (01:12:05):
But I mean yeah, potentially potentially? Yes, I mean what
they did?

Speaker 3 (01:12:09):
They run it?

Speaker 4 (01:12:09):
Yeah, well that's that's Paul's whole thing. But you know,
if they're able to run for one hundred and eighty
yards again like they did last.

Speaker 3 (01:12:15):
Week, then and score fifteen points. Joel, and I'm telling
you that's a correlation. Rushing yards go up, score goes down.

Speaker 2 (01:12:24):
Yep, yep.

Speaker 3 (01:12:25):
And that's what the Patriots need. That's how they need
to play.

Speaker 2 (01:12:28):
Yep. Joel from Ottawa writes what level of disappointment will
there be if the offense doesn't look any better than
it did with Brissette. I will be extremely disappointed if
the play calls resemble what AVP tried with Brissette. I'm
really hoping to see a different level of play within
the a VP structure. It sounded well rounded question by Joel.

Speaker 6 (01:12:46):
I think someone asked this in the press conference this week,
but he it sounded like they're gonna adjust it based
off of May's skill set, or at least that don't
just have to I hope.

Speaker 4 (01:12:55):
So I just think there's a difference between better and different,
Like better is one thing, but if it doesn't look
any different, and it's that throw the ball out and
you know it's just stagnant and it's three and out
after three and out, you know, like that, that will
be disaccounting.

Speaker 3 (01:13:09):
And that's I don't think that there's much of a chance.
Like I don't think they have a whole new playbook.
We all don't think they're going to be running a
ton of like zone reads, right, No, you know our
pos they'll probably be some, you know, and that will
be different. But otherwise they're going to ask him to
execute the offense better than Brissette was. And this play
calling thing, like and we go back to that sequence

(01:13:33):
at the end of the half, it's second and two,
he takes a shot down field, the receiver doesn't get open,
the quarterback doesn't make a good throw, and two plays
later you're punting. Like that's not necessarily because they're not
taking any chances or trying to get the ball downfield
in any way, you know, like they just haven't been
able to do it. I think it will look better

(01:13:54):
if May plays well, because I think May's better than Brissette.
That's what I'm hoping for.

Speaker 2 (01:13:58):
Paul, I think you're gonna yell at me this, but
that's okay. I've on myself.

Speaker 3 (01:14:01):
I don't yell anymore.

Speaker 2 (01:14:03):
Is it wrong of me to say, when thinking of
an expectation for Drake as we hear Gerrod Mayo talk
frequently about the fundamentals and getting the basics down, that
I'd like to see a clean operation in and out
of the huddle, not chasing the play clock down, knowing
how much time is left to get the call in,
making sure the line calls, you're working with the second
string center, making sure that I don't think he's going

(01:14:25):
to bat a thousand on getting all the line calls,
get him lined up in and out of the huddle efficient,
get them lined up so they can run the play
as designed, and then let's see where it's going. Like,
That's where my kind of expectation. I want to see
him perform those duties.

Speaker 4 (01:14:39):
You know, I thought of it this week.

Speaker 2 (01:14:40):
I'm concerned about that at all. No, that's what I figured,
but I don't.

Speaker 3 (01:14:43):
That's not that I don't want to see him do it.
It hasn't been a problem in the first five games.
I'm I'm assuming it's not gonna be a problem in
this one either.

Speaker 2 (01:14:49):
The assumption is that the rook that he would not
be elevated if he couldn't perform those tasks. Is that fair?

Speaker 3 (01:14:55):
Yep? Okay, That's why I'm not worried about it.

Speaker 4 (01:14:58):
One thing I just kind of occurred to me this
week is, you know, Jerrod Mayo is coaching what this
like the sixth game of his life right now as
a head coach his life. I mean, it's it's kind
of rare, like you're kind of an unprecedented territory. How
many times does an NFL coach become a head coach?
And he's never been a head coach before in his life?
I mean, you know, I know there have been coordinators
and stuff like that, but he really wasn't even a coordinator, right, I.

Speaker 3 (01:15:20):
Mean it was may I wasn't a co and.

Speaker 4 (01:15:22):
How many years was he a coordinator? Even a court
I mean, he was insideline back.

Speaker 3 (01:15:26):
He's got a scary small amount of experience in general.

Speaker 2 (01:15:29):
So it's absolutely as opposed to Bill, who you snarkily, No,
I'm just saying I don't think a lot of head
coaches in the NFL were her coaches somewhere else before
they got to be head coaches.

Speaker 3 (01:15:38):
But some are.

Speaker 4 (01:15:39):
But but I mean, you know, just to comparison to Bill,
Bill was a position coach, a defensive I mean, like, yeah,
fifteen years, Yeah, fifteen years.

Speaker 2 (01:15:46):
In the league of a couple of decades.

Speaker 4 (01:15:47):
I mean, you know, Girod had four or five years.
So it's I don't think it's unreasonable to say that
it's been a little choppy for them from a coaching perspective.
But rookie the same thing with May and any rookie,
whether it's a player or coach. Eliminate the bad football,
eliminate the mistakes, start to lock in on the on
those key part with those key moments, you know, the
got to have at moments. I think you know, back
in the day, those were some of the moments where

(01:16:09):
the Patriots won so many games. And I'm not saying
the last handful of years, but you know, going back
a little bit farther that you know, able to execute
in the key moments and that's what they have to
learn how to do, and didn't Dave Davis with a
second drop to day and didn't beat themselves.

Speaker 2 (01:16:24):
Oh okay, this is Charlie from the UK our UK
followers get ready for you, Matt coming?

Speaker 3 (01:16:30):
Did they get a hold of you next week?

Speaker 2 (01:16:32):
Well? Uh, this is Charlie who's saying a huge fan
of the show, Matt. You're doing a great job, especially
now that you're actually letting the good, bad and interest
segment finished. Lo bar Charlie, But I appreciate it. I
mean he's heading over watch the NATIONALE game in a
few weeks, and I'm so relieved that Drake is playing.
I was at the Patriots Chargers game last year and
couldn't stand the thought of flying over just to see

(01:16:52):
another dull game like that. That was dull. Quick question
considering you can get starting centers in the later rounds
and as a ud F A isn't our lack of depth?
They're even more embarrassing and avoidable than our tackle depth.

Speaker 4 (01:17:06):
I don't know.

Speaker 3 (01:17:06):
I mean, where does Jake Andrew Andrews's injury I think
was part of this, right?

Speaker 4 (01:17:11):
Yeah, and so and you Leverett has played some center,
so I mean that, you know, I mean generally that's
you can't have a whole thing for just you know,
you can't have three centers on you know, it's just
that's a hard position. And you're assuming David Andrews has been,
you know, mostly a workhorse in his career. So you know,
it's just a.

Speaker 3 (01:17:24):
Couple of things from Friday too that we haven't mentioned yet,
you know, one of them specific to this the center stuff.
Drodmeyo did say that they're gonna look at Cole Strange. Yeah,
that came out of left field when well he was
asked about it. No, I know, I thought that was No,
that's been It's like and I'm not blaming you because

(01:17:45):
you're not like doing mail bags with like Mike and
I do every which So you're seeing that's a very
common question.

Speaker 2 (01:17:50):
Okay, good to know learn something new.

Speaker 3 (01:17:52):
It's a very common question. And that he was asked
about it in the press conference and he said, when
he's ready, it is something we're going to work with.
Mike Reese kind of followed that a little bit expanded
on that by saying David Andrews was going to be
sort of part of that possibly, Oh my god. The
Jaguars just dropped touchdown after touchdown. If I would Trevor Lawrence,

(01:18:14):
I would go off with a shirt like the guy
fish at Save Pittsburgh Trade me, Tucker, look at this.

Speaker 5 (01:18:26):
If Mack would have thrown that, that probably would have been
a pick short.

Speaker 3 (01:18:30):
So he I guess Andrews is going to try to
sort of help that development when he's ready to do it.
And I don't anticipate Cole Strange being ready physically for
at least another month or so anyway. But that's one thing.
The other part, which I think is more exciting, is
Gerard sort of expressed some optimism that Christian Barber might
be able to play this year.

Speaker 2 (01:18:51):
That's a nice nugget.

Speaker 3 (01:18:52):
So, I mean, I think that regardless of you know,
like forget about what it means to the team this year,
it means a lot to Christian Barmore, sure, and it
would be nice to have peace of mind that, you know, okay,
he's back, he can play, you know, heading into twenty five.

Speaker 4 (01:19:07):
If that's able to actually ga him a big contract
and you know, you know, in the long term he's
not going to be shut There.

Speaker 5 (01:19:12):
One more thing on center before we turn the page,
from that.

Speaker 2 (01:19:15):
I had another question, but you'll go for on center
about that, you go first.

Speaker 6 (01:19:18):
So I was talking to Nick Lerett because obviously he's
steering the ship now, and I asked him, you know,
how do you feel about the chemistry with.

Speaker 5 (01:19:24):
You and Drake May?

Speaker 6 (01:19:25):
And he's like, well, honestly, like we were both getting
the second team reps all summer long, like it was
us two working together a really good point. And so
now he's like, you know, now that we're both elevated
and we're both starting, he was like, I feel really
comfortable about it. This week, I was waiting in the
hallway for him to talk to him, and he was
the very last person off the field. He's like, nobody's
happy with where we are. The whole offensive line stayed

(01:19:45):
behind to get better. He's like, we have to control
what we can control, and staying after to get those
reps together is only going to help us.

Speaker 2 (01:19:51):
He's a pro. So tell me if I miss this
in his uh, you know, Blue Ribbon book or whatever.
H what's the guy's name, Dean Blueberr or something like that,
Dane Dane something the Beast did The Beast did did
strange play center at South Chattanooga Tech or why why
is this? Why is this strange? Playing center? How was

(01:20:15):
that coming out? Does you have the body for senior
that is actually too tall? I mean I think when yeah, right,
that's what it would seem like.

Speaker 4 (01:20:20):
I think a lot of people when they saw him
coming out, thought he would he would, That might be more.

Speaker 3 (01:20:24):
He He's more of a he's a pretty athletic. He's
a pretty in which I think people like Mike just said,
sort of look, okay.

Speaker 4 (01:20:32):
Some intrigue for me there.

Speaker 5 (01:20:34):
I cannot get path past South Chattanooga Tech.

Speaker 2 (01:20:39):
Some nondescription I shouldn't say that. That's that was rood
of me. All right, this one, this one one would
be right for you, Tamara. This is from Brett in
Denver who writes very important question for you. Will be
the judge of that. With Taekwan being a healthy scratch today,
does it mean they're getting two ham sandwiches and three
from a potential trade partner? That does not bode well

(01:21:01):
for Taekwon Thornton's Patriots career. Does it a healthy scratch?

Speaker 5 (01:21:04):
It does it?

Speaker 6 (01:21:05):
And I was expecting kJ to be out today in
Taekwon to be playing today just because you haven't really
seen much of kJ since he heard his shoulder. And
actually today when I was out there waiting, he was
the only person that wasn't in red. Really, yeah, he
was like doing his own little warm up on the side,
and he wasn't wearing the red that everyone.

Speaker 5 (01:21:23):
Else was wearing.

Speaker 6 (01:21:24):
He was wearing navy blue, and so I thought that
was very weird. And that's why I thought he was
going to be inactive because everyone else out on the
field was wearing red, which is interesting. And I would
have thought Taekwon would have played today because I think
I thought he was making some strides at least, But
now mourning, are we going to see more of kishon
booty today more than just you know, blocking for run plays?

Speaker 3 (01:21:44):
Yeah?

Speaker 2 (01:21:44):
Well, I mean, well that was a heck of a play,
by the way.

Speaker 5 (01:21:46):
Yeah, I mean it's valuable, it's important. I don't want to.

Speaker 2 (01:21:48):
I'm old enough to remember when the ability to block
by the wide receivers was considered a very important trait
for the players that were in that position. So I
think that did a lot to solidify his spot on
the game day roster simply by blocking that guy. And
it was a heck of a block.

Speaker 6 (01:22:03):
Yeah, and I will say, like Kaishan Bouty, I know,
he's probably taken a lot of heat since last year
when he didn't have his feet and bounds and wondering
would he ever get back on the field.

Speaker 5 (01:22:13):
And I feel like he's slowly.

Speaker 6 (01:22:14):
Quietly, you know, making a point that he has use
on this team. And I know something outside of the
locker room, they talk about a lot no block, no rock,
and so he seems to be fully embracing that.

Speaker 5 (01:22:25):
Like it and we'll see where it leads him.

Speaker 4 (01:22:27):
I think he's, uh, he's taken over the fourth receiver spot.
He's played much more than Yeah. Yeah, I mean, and
I like his hands, you know, I just of all
those receivers, nobody really has a standout trade. I mean,
I'm talking about the lower end kind of you know,
Thornton's Baker is clearly still working through it. I mean,
you know, they talked about that this week with a
VP of his, you know, learning to line upright and

(01:22:47):
all those kind of a VP. We call him a
VP alien verst predator. But you know, I just think
at the end of the day, it's ultimately pork pork.

Speaker 3 (01:22:56):
Pork, pork poke, what's wrong?

Speaker 4 (01:22:59):
With pork Bone, Polk Born and Douglas. I forgot how
to talk there for a second, but I think it's
those three guys with the guys.

Speaker 3 (01:23:06):
And was one of those guys before he got hurt,
like he missed one game because of injury. Like he's back,
so thenton's out like it's yeah, I mean they played
one play last week, one snap, one time.

Speaker 2 (01:23:19):
I'll tell you what.

Speaker 3 (01:23:20):
We had one lesson on.

Speaker 2 (01:23:22):
Friday, had a chance a little plug for a future
All Access episode. We do a feature call, allow me
to introduce myself on a team that doesn't have a
lot of stars. I think Patriot fans would like to
know a little bit about what makes some of these
guys tick. And we sat down with Jalen Polk. That
kid is mature beyond his years. I don't know what
traits he brings to the table as you sort of

(01:23:43):
brought up, Mike, but he's a mature kid. I think
he cares and I think he can catch. So those
things are good qualities to have for a wide receiver.
Let's see if he can get some separation and maybe
he and Drake can get on the same page because.

Speaker 3 (01:23:55):
He's a good kid.

Speaker 4 (01:23:56):
Yeah, I just I mean, we can get caught up
in the X Y Z one two three of it
all in separation and you know, all the nuance that
you used to break down a receiver. I just I
think he's a football player. I think he can be.

Speaker 2 (01:24:06):
Part of the solution.

Speaker 4 (01:24:08):
I said that, yeah, and that's you know, you don't
have to you know, drill down on Oh well is
he this is he that?

Speaker 9 (01:24:13):
Like?

Speaker 4 (01:24:13):
I just I love the way he plays. He's been
consistently around and available, and he's got good hands and
he's a physical kind of a guy. I just I
think that they have the makings of the lower part
of the receiving core that you need.

Speaker 3 (01:24:26):
And if he was like on the Eagles or like
the Bengal, he'd be a terrific player.

Speaker 4 (01:24:33):
Yep. This is just a great way to put it,
you know. I mean, you get caught up in some
of the details of it all, but him, Douglas Born,
you add one more alpha dog to that group, and
all of a sudden, that's a pretty good one more
one x one.

Speaker 3 (01:24:48):
That's how Edelman, you know, sort of flashed like the
first handful of years of his career. He was never
a regular player, but every time he got an opportunity,
he took advantage of it. And I think that's what
Hulk can be on a really good team. Problem is,
he's being asked to do way more than that in
my view, and I don't know if that's necessarily Now

(01:25:08):
he's played five games. I'm gonna you know, I'm gonna
reserve judgment until I see him play a couple of
years before I say, Okay, that's too big of a
role for him. Right now, I'm figuring out what he
can and can't do.

Speaker 4 (01:25:18):
Yeah, I mean I think too, like what does it mean?
I don't know, But hanging around after practice with Drake
all summer long, good start, you know, there's just part
of me that wonders, is Drake gonna hit some of
these throws to Polk that we saw Brissette miss over
the first few weeks of the season. You know, I
think there were some plays to be had with Polk
that that Brissette wasn't able quite to make happen. I

(01:25:39):
think Polk's probably feeling that way. I think, you know,
Pop Douglass probably feeling that way too, that that Drake's
skill set maybe we'll match them a little bit better.
And maybe we see their production increase of take.

Speaker 2 (01:25:49):
We are a wonder one hour before the Patriots will
host the Houston Texans at Jillette Stadium, And let's get
too over Unders, please, Matt.

Speaker 1 (01:25:59):
It's time for this week's edition of over Unders.

Speaker 3 (01:26:04):
All right, well, it says here we all went five
and one last week, which has the season standings as follows.
No Socks continues to maintain his slim lead at twenty
and ten. Right behind is me at nineteen and eleven.

Speaker 4 (01:26:21):
And Mike, what am I doing? I'm fifty? Would sucking
high tea?

Speaker 3 (01:26:26):
Sorry, Matt, it's actually I believe that's suckling. Suckling.

Speaker 2 (01:26:30):
Wouldn't it be suckling? Wouldn't that be suckling? Hind mediocrity?
You're fifteen and fifteen?

Speaker 4 (01:26:35):
Oh there you go, thank you every y.

Speaker 2 (01:26:36):
Okay, let's kick things off with the over unders with
the CJ. Stroud passing yards at two forty three and
a hey two forty three and a hey.

Speaker 3 (01:26:46):
Paul, what do you think I'm going to take the
over on that? I feel like they're going to have
to sort of throw the ball and get a lead today.
I think they'll get off look to get off.

Speaker 4 (01:26:57):
To a good start over as well, Mike, I'm gonna
get crazy. I'm gonna go under.

Speaker 2 (01:27:03):
Okay, next, this is an interesting one. Drake may passing touchdown,
touchdown and the number passing right. The number is a half,
meaning he needs to throw one touchdown in order to
beat the number. Michael, will he throw a touchdown?

Speaker 4 (01:27:22):
I can't. I can't chake something day. I gotta say
he throws a touchdown. Place goes nuts, Yes, yes, yes.

Speaker 3 (01:27:26):
Ohhall, I'm gonna take the over as well. I think
he throws a touchdown.

Speaker 2 (01:27:31):
Three four three late, three four three. I'm with you
on that timing as well. The longest completion of the day.
It seems like this number has been around this area
for the last several weeks, and it's at thirty five
and a half. Thirty five and a half for the
longest completion of the day. I am going to go.

Speaker 3 (01:27:49):
Under on that. So it's a little bit of a
switch that I don't know. If you guys are paying attention,
I'll play Matt Morell.

Speaker 4 (01:27:56):
He's sneaky, sneaky.

Speaker 3 (01:27:58):
This is a completion, So no Socks takes the under.
I'm gonna take the over because you know, why Mike,
follow the trends. Yeah, follow the trends. This has gone
over three weeks in a row. I'm gonna stick with it.

Speaker 4 (01:28:11):
Well, I was about to go under until Paul told
me that's I'll go.

Speaker 8 (01:28:14):
Over to.

Speaker 2 (01:28:16):
Stefan Diggs receiving yards. Mike's favorite player at sixty five
and a half.

Speaker 4 (01:28:25):
You're gonna make me do it first, yes, and he's
your favorite player under all day, Christian Gazalez. Gonna shut him,
shut him down even in zone defense.

Speaker 3 (01:28:32):
You heard it here first.

Speaker 2 (01:28:33):
I think that that number can go under, and it
could be the Digs even has a couple of scores,
but their shorties, you know, like red zone touchdowns.

Speaker 3 (01:28:41):
Paul, Yeah, I'm gonna take the under because I think
Diggs is done.

Speaker 2 (01:28:44):
Oh wow from your lips, I'm want to happ into
the show and you're just now starting out with that.

Speaker 3 (01:28:50):
Well, I said they don't have a lot of receivers
without Nico Collins.

Speaker 2 (01:28:53):
Okay, all right, as you were watching and listening, well
not listening, you wouldn't be able to hear the fact
that the warmups are starting. The Patriots are in there,
nice crisp throwback reds, and there is Drake May with
the other quarterbacks. I think I'd like to know if
there's a nice, long, loud ovation out there for him.
With the most of the people who are still tailgating,

(01:29:14):
I would think. Okay, moving on, Joey Sly kicking points
five and a half. Hmm, let's go Paul first, All right,
tough one.

Speaker 3 (01:29:25):
I'm gonna take the over.

Speaker 4 (01:29:29):
Yeah, I'm gonna go with Paul on that one. Two
field goals, maybe a field goal and three extra points.
Just kidding, I'll go two field goals.

Speaker 3 (01:29:37):
Yeah, a lot of turnover save for the Texans. Don't
need to be that rude.

Speaker 2 (01:29:42):
I will go over as well. The last number in
the over under category is the total score of being
thirty eight points.

Speaker 3 (01:29:51):
Mike, you go first.

Speaker 4 (01:29:52):
I got to see it to believe it. I'm gonna
go under on that one.

Speaker 3 (01:29:56):
I concur umm, I'm gonna take the over.

Speaker 4 (01:30:02):
Oh, Paul, exciting be fun? Points scoring a little dinner,
a little dancing.

Speaker 3 (01:30:09):
Not gonna be fun yet, Okay, not gonna be exciting.

Speaker 2 (01:30:13):
There were your over unders the pat Don't forget that
The Patriots pregame show is brought you by Draft Kings,
who are responsible for those numbers. Stay tuned because you'll
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We'll be back with more from Jellete Stadium right after this.

Speaker 11 (01:30:29):
You've got to watch.

Speaker 13 (01:30:30):
Your NFL team every Sunday, and Verizon's got you covered
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Come on from kickoff to sign off. From first downs
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Speaker 11 (01:30:43):
After review the pass was incomplete.

Speaker 13 (01:30:45):
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Speaker 3 (01:30:55):
Turns in Embargo's apply.

Speaker 14 (01:30:59):
When someone accidentally through a the school play costumes, Oh no,
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Speaker 13 (01:31:15):
You've got to watch your NFL team every Sunday, and
Verizon's got you covered for all your team's out of
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Speaker 3 (01:31:22):
Come on from kickoff to sign off.

Speaker 13 (01:31:24):
From first downs and touchdowns, oh to turnovers, no and
overturn plays.

Speaker 11 (01:31:29):
After review, the pass was incomplete.

Speaker 13 (01:31:31):
Nice I know this season? Win every Sunday with Verizon.
Get a great deal on NFL Sunday ticket from YouTube
and YouTube TV.

Speaker 3 (01:31:39):
And a new phone excludes digital only games. Turns and
Nebargo's apply.

Speaker 14 (01:31:45):
When someone accidentally threw a the school play costumes, oh no,
replacements were shipped with FedEx and with picture proof of delivery,
everyone could focus on the perfect opening night FedEx Where
now it's next for residential believe only.

Speaker 13 (01:32:02):
You've got to watch your NFL team every Sunday, and
Verizon's got you covered for all your team's out of
market games every Sunday afternoon.

Speaker 3 (01:32:08):
Come on from kickoff to sign off.

Speaker 13 (01:32:10):
From first downs and touchdowns, oh yea to turnovers, no
and overturn plays.

Speaker 11 (01:32:15):
After review, the past was incomplete. Nice I know this season?

Speaker 13 (01:32:20):
Win every Sunday with Verizon, Get a great deal on
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Speaker 3 (01:32:27):
Terms and Inbargo's apply.

Speaker 14 (01:32:31):
When someone accidentally threw away the school play costumes, oh no.
Replacements were shipped with FedEx and with picture proof of delivery,
everyone could focus on the perfect opening night FedEx where
now it's next for residential delivery.

Speaker 1 (01:32:46):
Only join the conversation by calling into the TPX hotline
at eight five five pats five hundred, or email the
show at podcasts at Patriots dot com. Now live from
our studios. Here is Matt Smith.

Speaker 4 (01:33:00):
And there you go.

Speaker 2 (01:33:01):
You're looking at him number ten in red.

Speaker 4 (01:33:03):
He looks good.

Speaker 2 (01:33:04):
Well you do. You were looking at him right out
of the shoot, and that was Drake May he'll be
starting quarterback today.

Speaker 3 (01:33:09):
Why it was very friends?

Speaker 4 (01:33:12):
Why was Drake's getting the staff from Ben Brown?

Speaker 3 (01:33:14):
I didn't notice that's going to be a change to
the starting lineup.

Speaker 2 (01:33:17):
Is it?

Speaker 4 (01:33:17):
Is it?

Speaker 3 (01:33:18):
Is it?

Speaker 2 (01:33:18):
Not pression, not prescients, that's the wrong word. Wouldn't you
want him to get snaps with every potential person who's
playing center today?

Speaker 4 (01:33:24):
I don't know. At this point, I'd be like, you're
starting with him, let's get warmed.

Speaker 2 (01:33:27):
Up every single step.

Speaker 4 (01:33:28):
I think.

Speaker 3 (01:33:29):
I don't know.

Speaker 4 (01:33:29):
I think I maybe we just saw ONCENAP. Maybe we'll
get back to them and he's over Paul, which, by
the way, uh the Twitter account on what is it
Patriots unfiltered out of context. Clipped our story this week
about the center talk, and you referra to all your
various centers from Everett that you had your hands under
their butts and received snaps from over the year.

Speaker 3 (01:33:49):
John Shanna would definitely. So. I finally, you know, I
was driving home and I went Dennis O'Donnell another butt.
That was my senior year. He was a junior. I
remember Dennis was exal went too.

Speaker 2 (01:34:01):
But stuff there, Mike from Wilmington.

Speaker 3 (01:34:03):
I don't appreciate the tone.

Speaker 4 (01:34:04):
Good stuff.

Speaker 3 (01:34:05):
I don't care for it. I don't care for the tone.
If you can't participate in the reindeer games, we're gonna
have to go in another direction.

Speaker 2 (01:34:13):
Oh look at this. We got Matthew Judon junior.

Speaker 3 (01:34:15):
He he can't participate in reindeer games. Mike.

Speaker 2 (01:34:19):
Sorry, I'm sorry.

Speaker 3 (01:34:21):
We'll see what happens next week when you're you're in London.

Speaker 2 (01:34:25):
I hope Gibbson it doesn't mean he's as a fraud
like Judon was.

Speaker 3 (01:34:29):
Oh wow, he really is. Fred As soon as they leave,
the rocket shots come out. I think I said it
when he was here. Yeah, but not on the air.

Speaker 2 (01:34:37):
Maybe well, I didn't have a role at that point
in time. Mike from Wilmington Rights and Hey, crew, I'm
going on record, speaking of record, that I think we're
making a mistake playing Drake early in the season because
I'm afraid he's going to develop bad habits from having
to open over compensate for a bat supporting cast. But
and the butts and Capitol letters, the decision has been

(01:34:59):
made and I'm on board.

Speaker 3 (01:35:01):
I'm rooting for me.

Speaker 2 (01:35:02):
To overcome the adversity, and we'll be cheering for every pass,
Go May and go pass. That's a good Patriots fan
talk right there. Doesn't like it, but he's gonna be
behind it. That's what a fan should do.

Speaker 3 (01:35:12):
You have any choice.

Speaker 4 (01:35:13):
I know, well, you think if.

Speaker 2 (01:35:14):
He plays he could be against it and be busy
about it.

Speaker 3 (01:35:17):
But then you're not a Patriots fan, Okay. I mean,
if you're a Patriots fan, you need him to play well.

Speaker 4 (01:35:22):
Right well, and if he plays well, together are all
the people who are scared to play, I'm gonna be like, Okay,
I guess it's all right now, like.

Speaker 2 (01:35:28):
They'll just wait till next The.

Speaker 4 (01:35:30):
Still shouldn't be like, oh my god, he's gonna get
die right right, Yes, it's a very violent, physical game.

Speaker 3 (01:35:38):
Guys get how many times a week in the press box? Mike,
do I look at you and say it's a violent game.

Speaker 4 (01:35:42):
No, that's my favorite thing to do on any even
when you're not around now, Paul, I just like it's
a violent game.

Speaker 2 (01:35:47):
But by the way, if Ryan of the field operation
crew ever needed any extra help, if they would down
to people, just go up to the press box because
they've got people who can move goalposts better than anybody
in the business.

Speaker 4 (01:35:58):
Right, that's good man, I like that.

Speaker 2 (01:36:01):
This is a question about the offensive operation from Emery,
who writes, Hi, guys, is AVP someone who will be
in Drake's here up to the fifteen second mark telling
him what coverage the defense is showing. Do you think
he should engage in that level of handholding or do
you want Drake to have to figure that out for himself?
And don't teams change it the fifteen second mark. Isn't
that part of the disguise.

Speaker 4 (01:36:20):
Hasn't got to help him as much as you sure?

Speaker 2 (01:36:22):
And the second part of his question is do you
think the Patriots will use more tempo with May starting?
If they can move the ball better, it might help
slow down the pass rush. Hadn't heard that thought yet
on tempo, and I thought, and I think it's an
interesting one.

Speaker 4 (01:36:36):
I think it's it's just a little hard, you know.
I think that's one of the biggest things we saw
and heard from May over the course of the summer
with you know, as a rookie, Like I remember him
being like I got to talk a little slower in
the huddle. Even heard it this week. I felt like
in his first press conference where you know he's excited,
he kind of starts to do what I do sometimes,
start motoring a little bit, moving your hands, well with
your mouth, you know, spitting, spitting it out, making sure

(01:36:58):
everybody's got the play call. Those are, you know, easy
ways to get everybody kind of discombobulated. So I would say,
let's just be calb. You know, you're not going to
try to push the pace just yet.

Speaker 2 (01:37:09):
Okay, did I hear somebody say it's mccorky time.

Speaker 3 (01:37:12):
He's in.

Speaker 4 (01:37:12):
McCorkle is in for the Jaguars.

Speaker 3 (01:37:15):
So my my feeling would be on the tempo offense
is you can't complain about how little you've possessed the
ball and then want to possess it less, like whatever
they do, they need to execute better. They can't have
Mike five three and outs. Yeah, like so if you
better make sure that you execute it, because if not,
you're just gonna end up with a lot of quick

(01:37:36):
possessions in having your defense out there. And I don't
buy the whole they they were fatigued and ran out
of gas nonsense, like I didn't buy defense. That's not
why they beat Cincinnati in the in week one and
I lost last week. But they didn't take them to
the hill, couldn't take them to the But but the
I just think you have to be careful with with tempo.

(01:37:58):
I don't know if that's something that you want to
throw something extra on a guy's plate in his first game.
You haven't really run this much, but you're gonna go
out and do it.

Speaker 2 (01:38:06):
Oh Mac Jones, as you're looking at the pregame war
us and of course when I'm gonna mention something, we
switch off with it. That's okay, that's okay. Hunter Henry
in the Sharp Red unis not a lot to talk
about him, but he could be Drake May's best friend
today if he can uncover, which is another fancy way
of saying get open. But I would think that Hunter

(01:38:27):
Henry could really be a nice that could be an
asset for Drake Mays.

Speaker 4 (01:38:31):
Yeah, that's the thing. I wrote that in my tend
to Watch today. I mean, that's kind of a cliche
of the old wiley veteran tight end who can find
the holes in the zone and sit down and give
him the easy plays. But I think there's a lot.

Speaker 2 (01:38:41):
Of you could use some of those.

Speaker 3 (01:38:43):
That's just looking at bad guy right there to Mario Douglas.

Speaker 2 (01:38:46):
Bubble screen, no scrossers, crossers.

Speaker 3 (01:38:50):
Like get him in space and have those the fourth
and ten against the Jets. You know, remember the fourth
and ten against the Jets is one of the best,
one of the five best players, the Patrion. It's bad
this season, Yes, I know, it was in garbage time.
I want to see a few of those today.

Speaker 4 (01:39:04):
Yeah, me too, Me too.

Speaker 2 (01:39:06):
Okay, let's let's take a look at the lineup around
the league today as we do our Sunday six pack.

Speaker 4 (01:39:13):
This is the Sunday six pack, So kick back and
listen up positioning.

Speaker 2 (01:39:16):
I'm getting to getting the pits back. You better bring
a big stack, get a mixed jack.

Speaker 4 (01:39:21):
Came to win it yet this is the Sunday sixth bad.

Speaker 2 (01:39:24):
It looks like a lot of mediocrity record wise here
Paul on the Sunday six Pack.

Speaker 3 (01:39:29):
Yes, yeah, that's the whole league. Everybody is with his
two undefeated teams and no one winless anymore.

Speaker 2 (01:39:36):
Right, Well, Jacksonville was the last one, weren't they.

Speaker 4 (01:39:39):
Yeah, yeah, I think that's right.

Speaker 3 (01:39:42):
So it's a lot of a lot of two and
three three and two teams this week. And yeah, that's
that's what you got. Pete Roselle special.

Speaker 2 (01:39:51):
Did you want to say who was in the lead?

Speaker 3 (01:39:53):
Oh? Sorry, last week Mike and No Socks went three
and three and Paul and Paul went too and four.
So No Socks has the lead in the six pack fourteen,
fourteen and two. Thoroughly adequate in your adiquocity. Yes, that
might at thirteen fifteen and two, and Paul and I
catch like the picks contest on pu Paul is just

(01:40:16):
all out of so it's this season for whatever reason.
Eleven seventeen and two.

Speaker 2 (01:40:20):
Okay, I can't pick my nose, so anything that I
hit is actually blind luck. But we'll kick off with
the one o'clock games, where the Tampa Bay Buccaneers traveled
to New Orleans. They've been in New Orleans for a
while thanks to the hurricane. What a story that was,
you know, them leaving on Tuesday to get there and
everything like that. I think I read something the other
day not to TVA, but I do like a little

(01:40:41):
weather here and now that Tampa was spared that they
didn't get walloped like people were fearful of the place
where the Tampa Bay Rays play.

Speaker 3 (01:40:48):
I think is gonna be a tough one to have
a game in April. Bu Yeah, the roof is yes,
no longer there.

Speaker 4 (01:40:53):
Yeah, I'm not going to get into millibars. But I
did hear the hurricane took a hard right, and that's
okay of Tampa Bay like that.

Speaker 2 (01:40:59):
I'm here for that talk to anyway, Tampa at three
and two goes to New Orleans and they've been in
New Orleans. Who are two and three in New Orleans?
Is without the great?

Speaker 4 (01:41:07):
Is it?

Speaker 9 (01:41:07):
Which?

Speaker 3 (01:41:08):
Which car is it?

Speaker 2 (01:41:09):
Derek? Derek Cars another another rookie quarterback going today. Since
I'm talking, I'll go first and say I like Tampa.

Speaker 3 (01:41:21):
Okay, ye, go ahead, I want to make sure you
have no problem.

Speaker 2 (01:41:23):
Well, I know that that's the only number that matters
is the last number, Tampa by three and a half.

Speaker 3 (01:41:28):
You go in Tampa.

Speaker 4 (01:41:29):
No, so yeah, and put Duce down for Tampa as well.

Speaker 3 (01:41:32):
Please, uh yeah, I'll make it unanimous. I won't be
able to pick up a game on that one. But
I like the Bucks.

Speaker 2 (01:41:38):
I know people are out there saying, don't miss this game,
Washington against Baltimore. I will miss it and miss it gladly.
But Washington is at Baltimore Battle of the Beltway, where
I didn't say that.

Speaker 3 (01:41:51):
That's generally the no.

Speaker 2 (01:41:53):
I just over over hyping a game between Washington and
Baltimore in Week six doesn't do a lot for me,
But that's me.

Speaker 3 (01:41:59):
I would say it's the second best game with the
schedule this week.

Speaker 4 (01:42:01):
Okay. Vince Will for wearing the old throwback hat. That's
a that's a that's a beauty shot Vince.

Speaker 2 (01:42:06):
That practiced earlier this week when he was with his
former teammate Errodemeyo. The four and one Commanders travel not
a long trip, by the way to the three and
two Ravens. The Ravens are a touchdown favorite.

Speaker 3 (01:42:18):
Six Mike, not seven six seven touchdown. In case you
were in the American Football and you think the touchdowns
is beating with seven.

Speaker 2 (01:42:26):
So kick it off.

Speaker 4 (01:42:27):
I'm gonna I'm gonna take Washington plus six. I still
think Baltimore gets the dub, but I think it's it's
gonna be close. I'm gonna take the points.

Speaker 3 (01:42:36):
Uh yeah, I have a hard time laying that many
points with the Ravens. I'll take Washington as well. Does
the Ravens defense think, yeah? Do they?

Speaker 2 (01:42:45):
You know, just to be different, Let's go Ravens and
I'll give in a giving mood at one o'clock four
pm games.

Speaker 3 (01:42:50):
I hope you are right.

Speaker 2 (01:42:52):
This is a AFC West barn burner where the two
and two Chargers take on the three and two Denver
Broncos at Mile High and the Clippers are two and
a half point picks. Huh wow.

Speaker 3 (01:43:04):
Yeah, neither one of these teams has much offense, but
I'm gonna take the lack at Mile High.

Speaker 4 (01:43:12):
That sounds like Herbert's healthy. But I mean, I don't
those high ankle sprains. They they don't get better in
like a week and a half. I agree, it seems
a little strange. I like Denver's defense at home. I'm
gonna take them. I'll take the points.

Speaker 2 (01:43:22):
I am going to ride with Michael Ducett and the
Denver Broncos defense. Good call their duce I like Denver
in that one. Paul's Super Bowl favorite team, the Detroit
Lions at three and one, go to Dallas to take
on the three and two Cowboys. I think Brady might
be doing the Dallas game.

Speaker 3 (01:43:36):
I heard another terrible another terrible team that Matt can't stand,
Lions by three. I will take the Lions, Mike, Uh.

Speaker 4 (01:43:45):
Yeah, I'm I'm gonna take the Cowboys in this one.
I don't know Dallas at home. They're they're kind of mercurial.
I know it's weird to take them. They seem like
they're up against it, But I don't know. One of
those weird ones where all of a sudden they clicks
for them randomly one week and they win.

Speaker 2 (01:43:57):
Who did Dallas beat last week? Was is a decent word?

Speaker 3 (01:43:59):
Yeah?

Speaker 2 (01:44:00):
I mean Pittsburgh's not what they were were saying undefeated
coming into the game. No, okay, the.

Speaker 3 (01:44:07):
Game, okay.

Speaker 2 (01:44:08):
I like Dallas. It was a good win on the
road for Dallas. I like Dallas this week at home
against the Lions. Monday Night Football has the three and
two AFC East leading Buffalo Bills going to the Meadowlands
to take on the two and three New York Jets
without Robert Sala, Buffalo a two and a half point pick.

Speaker 3 (01:44:26):
I like.

Speaker 2 (01:44:28):
The Bills to get back on track.

Speaker 4 (01:44:31):
Yeah, I'm tempted by the Jets, just with that new
coach bump kind of thing that that tends to happen.
But they've just looked disjointed to me for a while.
Her Bill Belichick on one of his shows, talk about that,
saying similar things just looks a little off to him.
So I'm gonna go with the Bills.

Speaker 3 (01:44:44):
Bill on the road, Bill was critical of the Jets. Yeah,
it wouldn't be did see that coming. Yeah, I'm gonna
take Buffalo too. This is a good defense for the
Jets offense to get right against the Bills not stopping anybody.
I don't know a lot of injuries. I don't know
how Buffalo scores against that defense. But I'm going to

(01:45:05):
take Buffalo. I just feel like they're a little bit better.
But no Shakir like yeah not, I don't know. If
I don't think James Cook is playing, I don't feel
great about it for sure, I don't feel great about it.

Speaker 2 (01:45:19):
And finally, the last game on the list, one o'clock
today from Jillette Stadium, the throwback uniform New England Patriots
hosting the fore and one Houston Texans.

Speaker 3 (01:45:28):
Paul, Yeah, I mean, I am really going to focus
on Drake May and less on the actual game itself,
because I don't think this is going to be a
good one for the home team. I just feel like
you're asking a lot of a rookie to come in
and jump start an offense that hasn't been able to
do anything so far in five weeks, and I think

(01:45:48):
it'll take some offense to compete with Houston. I'm going
to say the Texans have enough to win here. I'm
going to say twenty seven to thirteen.

Speaker 4 (01:45:59):
It's close, I feel, echoing Paul's thoughts, it was a
similar kind of score. I'm gonna say Houston twenty seven seventeen,
but a couple of touchdowns, hopefully one of those Drake throws,
and you got something to build off a little little
bit of juice, little momentum.

Speaker 2 (01:46:13):
This one picked with his heart and maybe not his head.
I think Houston's going to win the game. I think
they're gonna be in for a battle. I think New
England gives a good test today and they bounce back,
cleaner game, hopeful game, and uh, it'll be a fun
one to watch.

Speaker 4 (01:46:27):
You know, it's gonna be weird watching Taki talks over
a red.

Speaker 3 (01:46:30):
I don't ever pick scores, Paul, So who are you taking?

Speaker 2 (01:46:33):
I like?

Speaker 3 (01:46:34):
I like the Patriots with the points.

Speaker 4 (01:46:36):
I was about to say, it's gonna be weird watching
a Red sixteen Steve Grogan Jersey playing linebacker today with
takie talkie as we saw earlier.

Speaker 3 (01:46:44):
Red War fourteen.

Speaker 4 (01:46:45):
Oh what the heck am I thinking about?

Speaker 3 (01:46:46):
I don't no idea, And this is why I wonder
what I did.

Speaker 4 (01:46:49):
I just take my Patriots card back? Right?

Speaker 2 (01:46:51):
Can I go back?

Speaker 4 (01:46:52):
I'm going into.

Speaker 3 (01:46:52):
Eighties, go back in time and redo that use it
was zo. It's like it's a lost draft.

Speaker 4 (01:46:58):
Was wrong with me?

Speaker 2 (01:47:00):
You want to take away from him?

Speaker 3 (01:47:02):
No? I want to be draft and not hire him.

Speaker 2 (01:47:04):
Oh that's a little harsh, but I think it's definitely
worth the wrist ler.

Speaker 3 (01:47:08):
Probably a little harsh.

Speaker 4 (01:47:09):
What about all we've done on PP and the dues
we did?

Speaker 3 (01:47:13):
We did?

Speaker 4 (01:47:13):
I deserve the creditism on that one fourteen with Steve Grogan,
and I saw him play in person quite a few times,
and I take the l on that one.

Speaker 3 (01:47:20):
But your greater point is of value.

Speaker 4 (01:47:23):
That's a sixteen on defense, right, Why is a sixteen
wearing defense?

Speaker 2 (01:47:26):
I'm just getting the defensive linebacker.

Speaker 4 (01:47:28):
Yes, I'm just getting used to single digit upset about that.

Speaker 3 (01:47:31):
Tom Brady, it's a lot on defense. He really had
a tough time.

Speaker 4 (01:47:37):
It's so ridiculous, right, suck it up.

Speaker 2 (01:47:41):
Less than thirty minutes or so before kickoff between the
four and one Texans in the one and four New
England Patriots, and most people's eyes will be on the
rookie quarterback and not mine. Break may Drake May. I
think it gives everybody a little hope today, and I
do think there's a bounce in everybody's step.

Speaker 3 (01:48:01):
I'm looking forward to it very very much.

Speaker 4 (01:48:03):
So, well, look at the Barris, I mean embarrasses posted
a thirty five sixteen win. Caleb Williams through four touchdowns.
You know, had a bad pick in the middle of
the game, which you know, like so you can you
can make those mistakes. But the progress is starting.

Speaker 3 (01:48:16):
To happen a lot of people are telling you that
Ben Brown, by the way.

Speaker 4 (01:48:19):
Is lining up at center it stot in the game.

Speaker 3 (01:48:21):
So I mean when you said that that he was
taking a staff room, I don't know any other reason
why you would do that if he wasn't going to play.

Speaker 4 (01:48:28):
Interesting.

Speaker 3 (01:48:28):
This is really interesting to me.

Speaker 4 (01:48:30):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (01:48:30):
I think they just want to have that factoid of
having a different starting line.

Speaker 2 (01:48:35):
So I'm sorry that I don't know the answer to
this question was levered on the injury report.

Speaker 4 (01:48:41):
I don't have it in front of me. He has been, though,
he has been. Yeah, I've lost track here over the
last couple of days.

Speaker 3 (01:48:47):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:48:48):
Is that the Twitter army out there? Offensive line groupings, Paul,
Is that where you're getting that?

Speaker 3 (01:48:53):
Yeah? Yeah, Variant Lowell, Michael Jordan, Ben Brown, Michael Wnhu,
Demontre Jacobs left right. Can I change my pick?

Speaker 2 (01:49:03):
No, I just that's a tough spot to put may in.
Somebody must like Brown, huh.

Speaker 4 (01:49:08):
Yeah, I mean that's yeah, Barth and everybody reporting that,
so uh yeah, we'll see. I mean I also stood
out to me that you saw Ben Brown had that
giant armbrace on too, So I mean maybe he kind
of seems like he might be dealing with something. I
don't know if that's just see this is the kind
of thing.

Speaker 3 (01:49:22):
Can I do what I do? Please? Please? When I
pick on my colleagues, please Chris Price, who you know,
love him? Mean it? Great guy? Been trending this way
with Brown the last few days.

Speaker 2 (01:49:33):
He's only been here for a few days.

Speaker 3 (01:49:36):
You got a ton of work at Center on Thursday?
Then why didn't you tell us that?

Speaker 4 (01:49:40):
Yeah, it's out of nowhere for me?

Speaker 3 (01:49:43):
Why didn't you tell us that? Right? And maybe I
apologize to Chris if I missed it, But that's relevant information. Yea.
If someone told you that he was getting a lot
of work at Center, you should like that's that's really
that's good reporting.

Speaker 2 (01:49:55):
It is good reporting. But I would have liked to
have known it before you saw the offensive line configuration
during pregame warmps Right, all right?

Speaker 3 (01:50:04):
You know what?

Speaker 2 (01:50:05):
You just jogged something in my head, Paul that I
have to ask about. And a big fean of Devin mccordy,
and McCarty's getting dragged a little bit, or at least
he's being His tweet is being amplified this week because
mccordy tweeted, when did when was the decision? Made Gerard
told the players Monday night it was an announced on Wednesday,
and Devon wrote something on Twitter saying, Jeez, wouldn't it

(01:50:28):
have made more sense to maybe keep this one under
wraps and let the Texans think about who might be
starting a quarterback. I'm surprised at his take on that
number one and with the quarterback. I'm not saying that
you have to do it this way, but I don't
even think you know, when Bill would used to like
keep under wraps for the sixth string long snapper for

(01:50:49):
competitive reasons, I don't think he would do that. So
I'm wondering your thoughts about Devin saying.

Speaker 4 (01:50:55):
That, I based on being in the locker room, being
around this team, it's impossible, Like, how could they have
possibly done that?

Speaker 2 (01:51:01):
You know, because you need the coach needs to send
a message to the team. Is that why you're saying that.

Speaker 4 (01:51:04):
Well, yeah, I mean it's gonna get out somehow. I mean,
he's gonna start getting the first team reps and you
know he's still gonna roll out per set on Wednesday
as the starting quarterback. You know, there's just a lot
of things that go on that I don't know. I mean,
and and Devin knows probably better than I.

Speaker 2 (01:51:17):
Do, much better. But no disrespect to you.

Speaker 4 (01:51:19):
I know I'm une taken. I mean he's he's been
in an unfall locker room for you know, however long
his career was twelve thirteen years. So yeah, it's just tough, tough.
I mean, maybe they just did it with the center
though that was there, that was their big surprise.

Speaker 2 (01:51:31):
Paul, did you see it in your reaction?

Speaker 3 (01:51:32):
Yeah, I saw Devin, you know, tweeted about it. I
just don't really think it's I mean, not that this
doesn't mean you can't do it that way, but I
don't think it's done that way. You know, the Raiders
made a quarterback change and similarly announced it early in
the week. I think it's so especially in this situation
where with the rookie era parent, I think it's sort
of like kicking off like a new era in your team,

(01:51:55):
and I think you embraced that. I think you go
forward everybody. I think it's a strong state, like we're
not trying to hide anything. We're telling you we feel
great about this guy, and we have confidence in this guy.
We're making the move, we're going forward, and we're not
afraid to tell you what we're doing. And you know,
I think it sends a message.

Speaker 2 (01:52:11):
Right, and I don't think that that's part of Gerard's
mo o, the skullduggery, you know, and we're gonna keep it.

Speaker 3 (01:52:16):
I just don't like. I just don't think it's generally
done that way with quarterbacks. I agree with you, you know,
agree with you. You know various spots. You know, if
if you have like a wide receive, you know, Nico,
let's say Nico Collins was.

Speaker 2 (01:52:29):
A meantime decision.

Speaker 3 (01:52:30):
Yeah, okay, fine, don't tell us like, you know, make
sure the other team is preparing for Nego Collins all
week and when I get it, but you're you're preparing
for the quarterbacks. You're preparing for the offense. Now, if
it were I could, I could understand if you were
really trying to fool someone and keep them in the dark.
If it was like the backup quarterback for the Patriots,

(01:52:51):
it was, you know, Tom Brady's the starter and Lamar
Jackson's the backup. Okay, now I have a reason to
maybe keep that identity of the starter on of wraps.
And this happened to the Patriots one hundred years ago.
Matt will remember this because Matt's a psychotic, like I
am in it in Atlanta with the Falcons and Michael Vick.

Speaker 2 (01:53:12):
Oh, Bill was pissed.

Speaker 3 (01:53:14):
Oh, Michael Vick was supposed to be the supposed to
be the quarterback all week, game day, in active out
of nowhere, no one knew anything about it. Matt Schaub
was the backup and threw for like three hundred and
thirty yards of contract with the textans ripped him up,
and Bill was livid that I can understand why you
would keep under wraps two entirely different styles, right.

Speaker 2 (01:53:34):
What and what if? Can I throw another one out
of you? To just say? What if? And I mean
this with no disrespect, what if your choice between quarterbacks
is a backup versus another backup like the guy.

Speaker 3 (01:53:46):
Gardner Minshew and Aidan O'Connell right now with the Raiders
right who cares? Right?

Speaker 2 (01:53:50):
You know? But even then Antonio Pierce said that Conn's
started right away.

Speaker 3 (01:53:55):
He named O'Connell the starter.

Speaker 2 (01:53:56):
The way there was a benefit that the whole team
knows what the doing and it's tough to keep that
under wraps.

Speaker 3 (01:54:03):
Yeah, I agree? Did you guys like the whole timeline.
You guys confuse it all about the timeline with Mayo,
Like on Wednesday he said they spoke with the quarterbacks yesterday,
and then later in the week people were saying he
told them Monday, Like, what does.

Speaker 4 (01:54:17):
That all have?

Speaker 2 (01:54:18):
I thinks I missed that much Ado about nothing, I think,
and I think.

Speaker 3 (01:54:22):
What to do about something? I think he was mad
about it. I think Mayo was upset on Wednesday about that.

Speaker 2 (01:54:27):
Okay, you mean because what the reports were? Yep, okay?
And I think what Mayo said And I don't have
the transcript here in front of me, but I think
what Mayo said I informed the quarterbacks the other night,
I think is what he said.

Speaker 3 (01:54:38):
I believe he said last night. Don't know what he
says on the transcript. I believe he said last night. Okay,
can we drill down just a bit on this Ben
Brown thing? And what do you think that means?

Speaker 4 (01:54:46):
I mean, is that a is that a reflection of
how they feel about Leverett?

Speaker 2 (01:54:49):
Do you think did not play well last week? Right?

Speaker 3 (01:54:51):
You know?

Speaker 4 (01:54:51):
Do you think it's a reflection that they wonder about Brod?

Speaker 3 (01:54:55):
I wonder if Matt's right and that it's it's a
health thing.

Speaker 4 (01:54:58):
He's banged up, and maybe then that's part of the
reason why he had some struggles last week. He's dealing
with something. Maybe, But I mean again, we we talked
about how crazy it was that Mapu just came in
and played. I mean, Beer hasn't even been with the team,
you know, so and especially.

Speaker 3 (01:55:13):
In it sits e squhere you're and he's never played
like he has like a guard.

Speaker 4 (01:55:18):
Yeah, this is his first NFL start, and you know,
we heard about how important the center position is. Jacoby
Brissett talked about David.

Speaker 3 (01:55:23):
Ms flies When you first started talking about it, I
didn't even think it'd be an option because he hasn't played.
He's a rookie, hasn't played, and now he's starting like
it's It's odd to me, absolutely.

Speaker 2 (01:55:34):
And wonder if it's a similar situation again on the
list of problems or concerns that you have for the Patriots,
I think this one is well down the list. But
City so guts it out and plays against the San
Francisco forty nine ers then doesn't play. You're wondering, is
did he play? Because they had nobody else to play
in that San Francisco game and when you got somebody

(01:55:56):
up like Jordan and he's healthier, might not be better,
but healthier, you put the healthier guy in. Is it
possible that could be going on at the center position?

Speaker 3 (01:56:05):
Yeah? I mean, so Leverett is on the injury report
with an ankle. He was limited all all three days
listed as questionable, So that's possible City Soow is no
longer on the injury report.

Speaker 4 (01:56:17):
I mean this also then flies a little bit in
the face of like, well, don't start Drake when you
know David Andrews isn't.

Speaker 3 (01:56:22):
Going to be there.

Speaker 4 (01:56:23):
I mean, now, this is as extremes as you can
get for a center starting with a rookie in his
first game. So I think this just it adds a
whole new dimension to this game a little bit. How
much is Ben Brown able to hold up? I mean,
who is this player? We haven't seen him at all.
I mean, you spend all summer watching all these guys,
you develop all these opinions, and then all of a
sudden you get to this game and you know week

(01:56:43):
six and it's like surprise, you have a new center
who's starting like out of nowhere, right.

Speaker 2 (01:56:47):
So methinks that there's something that might have happened here.
Is it possible he tweaked it on Friday and it
got worse because I think there was I mean, Girod
joked about it a little bit on All Access where
you said, yeah, five eight weeks are the only team
in the NFL, and it's been five different line combinations,
and he was looking forward to the fact of running
the same five guys.

Speaker 3 (01:57:06):
And now that adds further context.

Speaker 2 (01:57:08):
You know, and I and Vidarien Lowe, another guest on
All Access this week, said sort of the same thing.
Continuity is important. It'll be nice to have the five
guys out.

Speaker 4 (01:57:16):
I wonder if he tweaked something, and I mean based
on that, right, it doesn't see my deal. It doesn't
see mydeal, and especially with just how important the center
position is to this offense, and you know the calls
that he's gonna.

Speaker 3 (01:57:29):
They signed Wednesday night, So I wonder if he tweaked
something Wednesday.

Speaker 4 (01:57:33):
At practice and I had to go get go, get.

Speaker 3 (01:57:35):
Which would have been after we talk.

Speaker 4 (01:57:36):
But again though Bran Hudson, I thought came here, you know,
not not in training camp. But I mean again, like
at least that guy's kind of been here. I mean
he's got at least some kind of knowledge base.

Speaker 3 (01:57:46):
I mean, so, I I just this guy has some
familiarity with the West Coast system. Correct.

Speaker 2 (01:57:51):
Maybe yeah, yeah, we'll see not suboptimal.

Speaker 4 (01:57:57):
How about that suboptimal but an opportunity. And if if
he plays okay and doesn't allow ten pressures, then then
maybe say.

Speaker 3 (01:58:03):
Well, I think that's what you're gonna get with Drake
May today. I think you know. My feeling right now
is the postgame show is going to have more optimism
than not because I feel like, even if it's the
same exact offense that we've seen the first five weeks,
it's going to be perceived better.

Speaker 2 (01:58:20):
Well, because you're gonna get a splash. You're gonna get
a splash play here, You're gonna get a splash.

Speaker 3 (01:58:25):
Saying, even if you get the same offense you got
the first five weeks with no splash plays, it's gonna
feel better because he's playing.

Speaker 2 (01:58:33):
But don't you think if they get that, the offense
could be similar. But he's gonna pop here or there.
You know I love that one.

Speaker 3 (01:58:39):
Well, if he pops, it's better because they have not
popped at all. Correct, they've gone to pop pop, right,
No one's pop pop, pops poke pop a couple. I mean,
they've had a couple of you know, a couple of
explosive runs. How are your explosive runs, Mike.

Speaker 4 (01:58:59):
After Mexican food?

Speaker 2 (01:59:00):
Not too g don't.

Speaker 3 (01:59:02):
Tell me when to wrap. I'll wrap when i'm done. No,
but they had the thirty three yard Touchdow or whatever,
thirty something yard touchdown for Stevenson. They had the fifty
yard run by Gibson. Gibson had another like twenty five yards.
So they've had some popping you know who, pops. I've
had some runs that have popped, but not really any
any plays in the passing game at all.

Speaker 2 (01:59:21):
Well, let's hope that Drake pops today for all the
right reasons. The one in four Patriots are hosting the
four and one Houston Texans. Boy, how what a role
reverse will remember the days with the letterman jacket and
everything like that, and now here come the Texans is
a seven point favorite. Drake May's first NFL regular season
start a lot to look forward to when we will
wrap the whole thing up on our post game show.

Speaker 3 (01:59:41):
Enjoy the game, everyone.

Speaker 18 (01:59:43):
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Speaker 12 (02:00:05):
M