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EPISODE 49 - PATRIOTS WEEK 1! Pats vs Raiders. Peppers cut. Gonzo injured?
290 Plays4 days ago
Patriots football is back!
Christian Gonzalez hurt??? Jabrill Peppers suprise cut??
Belichick Smahsed at UNC.
Enjoy!
Recommended
Transcript
Game Week Excitement for the Patriots
00:00:01
Savage Boston
Alright guys, welcome back to the Savage Boston Podcast. We are here September 2nd, 8.30 at night and we finally made it. ah We are here, it's a game week, which is awesome.
00:00:12
Savage Boston
ah Very exciting. um And a matchup that should be a really good matchup and a matchup that the Patriots should be able to win. I hope they can win and they should be able to win. so But it's exciting that we're actually on a game week.
Introduction of Hosts
00:00:25
Savage Boston
Um, I'm here. I'm Scott host of the Savage Boston podcast with Snooty. Snooty Boston is here on Twitter and and our our pal Brett, uh, the OG crew. Um, you know,
00:00:38
Savage Boston
I think what we want to kick it off with is not necessarily housekeeping, but kind of the big news stuff over the
Jabril Peppers' Release and Reactions
00:00:43
Savage Boston
weekend. And I think this dropped on Friday was, you want to tackle like the Jabril Peppers release.
00:00:49
Savage Boston
And there's like, there's a few, there's a few angles here and there's been multiple comments in the last bunch of days about why basically the why of him being released.
00:01:01
Savage Boston
um And I've had between, you know, Vrabels come on himself and said, not a scheme fit. um Other things were at play. yeah have um you know someone like Mike Reese was on the radio today talking about how he actually kind of feels like it was a scheme fit. And because they kept Duggar, they had to get rid of Peppers. So I kind of want to get your guys' take first.
00:01:23
Savage Boston
um you know Snoo, do you want to kick it off? like why do you Why do you think that they had to release Peppers when they did at at the time they did?
Patriots' Safety Preferences and Peppers' Fit
00:01:31
Snooty
So the release in and of itself isn't entirely surprising when you consider that they don't want Duggar either.
00:01:36
Bret
you
00:01:38
Snooty
Right.
00:01:38
Savage Boston
Yeah.
00:01:38
Snooty
So they clearly don't value like the big box safety in the way that certainly in the way that Belichick did. So in and of itself, you're like, oh, OK, they're just getting rid of guys that don't necessarily fit what they want. They want more, little bit smaller, athletic and can cover, can certainly play some center our field, that type of thing.
00:01:53
Snooty
The timing of it makes no fucking sense to me because like you just, it's with between him and born. You just burned two roster spots. I mean, I guess you don't really care, but you burn two roster roster spots at cut down day for fucking no reason, apparently.
00:02:08
Snooty
And i mean, i find it hard to believe that, if they tried to shop him, they couldn't get something for him because he is a good player. um You know, scheme fit and all that. But like, it just seems like there has to be something more to it. Maybe, you know, Duggar took the demotion a little bit better than Peppers did. And maybe...
Frustration and Speculation on Roster Decisions
00:02:30
Snooty
you know, that's why he's going to buy in. He's going to be the good guy in the locker room. He's still going to be that, you know, an example of like how to handle business when things aren't going well type of thing. And maybe peppers wasn't going to do that.
00:02:41
Snooty
i don't know. It's just pure speculation. I'm not going to, by all, and by all reports, he was a good teammate before this. So.
00:02:47
Savage Boston
Yeah. Brad, what do you think?
00:02:49
Bret
I guess I'm in the camp where I'm more frustrated with how this went down than necessarily the fact that he was cut. Although i will say, as I've been kind of beating the drum and it's great to hear other people get on that same train of thought.
00:02:58
Savage Boston
Yeah.
00:03:05
Bret
We don't have depth and it's very apparent. So why are we cutting a guy that has NFL caliber skill set from the roster? So that, that pisses me off. But going back to the original, which is just the timing, it just makes me question about the plan here. Like, what's the plan? Like, what are we trying to do?
00:03:25
Bret
with our roster and the build and where it goes from like from where we are today to the next step. right And you talk scheme fit, people talk about scheme fit. I mean, the guy's a player, you can you can coach them to fit the scheme. like I just don't i don't buy that. i just
00:03:41
Savage Boston
Mm-hmm.
00:03:41
Bret
To me, I look at it and say, you you're basically going to try to train trade a guy like Duggar, and then you pivot from Duggar to then cut Peppers.
Impact of Roster Changes on Team Morale
00:03:53
Bret
So it's like, I don't know what's going on but so behind the scenes. I don't know where they're at like communicating to these guys, but... like just from the perspective of like working in and a workplace environment, like Doug is probably pissed. I recognize he's a professional, it doesn't mean he's not pissed. It doesn't mean he's not annoyed.
00:04:13
Bret
And like Peppers is going to be the motivated. And what sign does that send to like other players in the locker room? I know there's been like a lot of turnover and like you, you post it up, right? There's, there's the captains from last year all getting cut.
00:04:26
Bret
Right. So
00:04:27
Savage Boston
um
00:04:27
Bret
what What is the message that Vrabel is sending to the team? And like can he can he kind of like bottle it up? Because i just that's the part that I look at where it just seems like disorganized.
00:04:39
Bret
It
Lack of Clarity in Patriots' Roster Strategy
00:04:40
Bret
seems like there's really not an a clear-cut plan there because otherwise this would have happened before him.
00:04:40
Savage Boston
but
00:04:46
Savage Boston
it's funny that everyone has to come up with theories, right? Because it doesn't feel clear. You know, that's the number one thing. Like when they were about to trade Duggar, like, or trying to, like everyone understood. Like, yeah, that makes sense. You know, he lost a step. It's not the guy they want, blah, blah, Right. The contract's bad. Like you understand all these reasons, but Pepper's you're like well, the money wasn't bad.
00:05:06
Savage Boston
And he's the type of player you thought Vrabel wanted that violent downhill player. So we have to do this like digging thing and and theory crafting. And a couple of people have come up with some some good theories.
00:05:19
Savage Boston
um You know, i kind of like I kind of like the one that feels obvious, which is that when they couldn't move Duggar, they were going to move one of the big box safeties that they demoted. There are two veterans, right?
00:05:30
Savage Boston
And then I like the theory too that potentially maybe Peppers didn't take it so well. You know, like, again, like, Duggar seems to be like, all right, I'll do this role. But, like, maybe Pepper said, like, I'm not playing behind Hawkins.
00:05:42
Savage Boston
You know, we don't know. Like, no one's had – we don't know what conversation was like with Vrabel. So I kind of like that theory. um Another theory, and I think this was Andrew Callahan that had this, was it's just Vrabel systematically removing all Elliott Wolfe guys from the room.
00:05:59
Savage Boston
which is really interesting, right? And again, he brought this up, friend of the pod, friend of the pod. He brought this up where he's like, you know, maybe Elliott Wolfe is next. And I don't think that would happen like this season. I think Wolfe is here this year. Maybe it's in his contract. But I mean, it makes you think like,
00:06:17
Savage Boston
maybe next off season, it's just a full removal of Wolf and it just goes straight to Cowden and stretch to build the roster. Because I just don't see like every single person that Wolf has basically tried to extend, they're trying to remove.
00:06:31
Savage Boston
You know, that's not I'm not going through every deal he made, like not like Michael Wenu and stuff, but basically like there was a lot of extensions and a lot of these players, they're not happy with these extensions. So I think there's some wild theory crafting, but um I mean, do you feel like Elliot Wolf is next?
00:06:48
Snooty
I mean, I think he's kind of been on the chopping block for a while now. I mean, it's not it's it's unusual that an incoming coach brings in ah basically a GM and and a de facto assistant GM amongst the other roles that Stretch has.
00:07:00
Savage Boston
Is that Kraft? Is he Kraft's guy in the room?
00:07:01
Snooty
It's like, yeah, it's like, you know what I mean?
00:07:02
Savage Boston
What's up with that?
00:07:04
Snooty
it's like that's And he clearly had issues with not having control of a personnel in Tennessee. That's probably ultimately what sowed the seeds of his, you know, leaving there ultimately, right?
00:07:14
Savage Boston
Well, they didn't trade A.J. Brown from underneath.
00:07:15
Snooty
Right, exactly. He was against a lot of that shit. I forget the name of the GM.
00:07:18
Savage Boston
Yeah.
00:07:19
Snooty
But whoever took over, like it was you know was bad. So, I mean, probably. i don't um I mean, aside from, hey, Wolf is building ah the infrastructure, like I don't really see what Wolf's role would be necessarily. I know Bedard's been all over this saying, no, Wolf doesn't do shit, basically.
00:07:39
Savage Boston
He
00:07:39
Snooty
It's like he may rubber stamp stuff, but he's not the one doing it.
00:07:43
Bret
Well, and again, so this is that' my this is just my point though about like the timing of it and like how we're doing it.
00:07:43
Savage Boston
just doesn't have to command the movie.
00:07:49
Bret
It just makes us seem disorganized. And yeah, it's going to create conspiracy theories like this, which could be valid. And if it's valid, it just shows even more that like craft. You got to get this house in order.
00:08:02
Bret
And yeah I think we all agree we made the right hire in getting a guy like Vrabel. But if we're still going through petty shit right now where it's so much so to the point that Vrabel's intentionally cutting guys that were formerly wolf guys and and grow guys and just doing it to send a message to ownership, like that's just a sign of a bad organization.
00:08:26
Bret
I hope it's not true, but like that's the stuff that... boils up and I look it and say like what the fuck are we doing like what's the plan
00:08:34
Snooty
I mean, it's not uncommon for this type of stuff to happen. It's just the peppers thing is a timing issue, right? Like getting rid of everybody else. It's like, no, that that's what happens, right? Like new guys come in and they just kind of clear house a little bit and scouts in front office. It takes a little bit longer just because of the nature of the timing of the hires and things like that. But um for the most part, like guys come in and they want their, they want to work with their people.
00:08:57
Snooty
And I think if you look at it, the only guys they really haven't gotten rid of that were core big name signings by, by Wolf, Henry, Barmore.
00:09:08
Snooty
And, you know, I mean, obviously not going to but get rid of Gonzalez or whatever, but it's like, in terms of like Bill or Wolf guys, it's like, you know, unless you're a blue chip, you know, above average starter, if you're anywhere close to anybody that they can replace you with, they're going to go with their guy.
00:09:21
Snooty
And that, that happens. Right. So,
00:09:23
Savage Boston
I wonder, though, like, ah honestly, it's I feel like they really should have been able to move a couple of players before the cut down. Like, I feel like they should have been able to do that. And obviously, I know that now, as it's been reported, um nobody liked our players.
00:09:38
Savage Boston
Right. Like nobody liked the players and you can't trade people people don't like. But what's the alternative? Like if you trade peppers for a sixth, is that better than just waiting a few days and releasing them outright?
00:09:44
Snooty
Thank you.
00:09:48
Savage Boston
Right. Like, why not try to get anything? Like, I don't think you're getting fifth-round picks for these players, but, like, you could get something. I even really thought, like, Kendrick Bourne was movable, but then he basically got injured, and then he became not movable. And now he's going to go sign with San Francisco or or Washington.
00:10:04
Savage Boston
And so I just think, like, you got to – the GMing of this situation – I think it was a good off season with acquisition of talent. They loaded up, they did their best. The draft, they seem to have done pretty well so far. It it seems solid.
00:10:19
Savage Boston
um You know, that that's, that's going to take years to really see, but like solid beginning, but like, i don't know, as far as as the roster cut down stuff, there's a lot of questions. It hasn't really been answered. I feel like Vrabel is a little like defensive at the podium and a little kind of,
00:10:36
Savage Boston
I don't know if he's already off-put or annoyed by the media, like questioning him. i don't know what it is, but he's, he's had some kind of interesting quotes. So I don't know. I just feel like this it's been really weird how they've kind of waited a day and then released people. I find that, I find that to be bizarre.
00:10:52
Snooty
Well, his comments on Micah Parsons and not being in on Micah Parsons, which, for the record, I wholeheartedly agree with, that actually gave me the most hope from a front office perspective.
00:10:52
Savage Boston
Yeah.
00:10:54
Bret
Thanks.
00:11:02
Savage Boston
Yes.
00:11:03
Snooty
Because he's like, first of all, they called it a bargain, you know, bargain cost acquisition.
00:11:03
Savage Boston
Yes.
00:11:08
Snooty
I'm like, all right, relative to the you know scale of the player, I suppose, but like... it's two first round picks. Like it's not exactly like, you know, cheap, but they're the team is simply just not in a position where it's ready to acquire a talent like that. And I know he's younger and, you know, but like you have no depth, you need draft picks to get depth. You need premier draft picks, which you probably will have.
00:11:30
Snooty
You could potentially have, top half of the first round draft pick this year. Right. And you need those picks to get shots at premier talent. That's generally where you can get that.
00:11:42
Snooty
So you can't waste that two years of that on a single player to position that relative to the rest of your roster.
00:11:42
Savage Boston
yeah
00:11:50
Snooty
Isn't particularly shallow on talent.
00:11:53
Savage Boston
Also, like those two first round draft picks for Green Bay are going to be probably between like 24 and 30 or something.
00:11:53
Snooty
Right.
00:12:01
Snooty
Right.
00:12:02
Savage Boston
They're going to be low first round picks. and Then you look at the cost. You're like, oh, actually, that was a pretty nice move by Green Bay. Like they're in that position to get that player. But ah if we do that move and we're given up like 10th overall or something, you'd all sudden be like, Ooh, that's, you know, we're, we're it's we're in a different position. Obviously you want the player, you want Micah Parsons, but I never wanted to give up really two first round picks. It's not something I was ever in love with.
00:12:25
Savage Boston
Um, but again, like different teams, different, different areas, Green Bay decides they're in NFC's week and they can make a push.
00:12:26
Bret
Thank you.
00:12:31
Savage Boston
I don't know, but you know, good for them. Um, To bring up, you know, kind of the big injury concern for this week, the shift to this week slightly is Christian Gonzalez, who I think it's been pretty reported. And as variables, even said that he thought Gonzalez would be healing quicker than he is.
00:12:52
Savage Boston
People are speculating there's like a hold-in element. I was like, that doesn't make any sense to me. He can't even be extended until next year. So why would he be holding in? That makes no so makes no sense. So I don't agree with that at all. But I just find it like you get concerned. The soft tissue thing, hamstring and stuff for such an athletic position that I'm definitely i'm definitely concerned about Christian Gonzalez at the moment.
00:13:17
Bret
Well, I mean, it's hard not to be concerned just because...
00:13:17
Snooty
Yeah. yeah
00:13:21
Bret
I mean, it's we're going into week one, and he's the best player on defense. So we got to we gotta to get our best foot forward. And I just think not having him out here obviously puts us at risk because, again, we don't have a lot of depth. We don't have room for error here, right?
00:13:39
Bret
I think we we've talked about this before, right? The ceiling is probably 11 games, which is putting them ah into playoff contention. But that's like the max ceiling of everything going right.
00:13:50
Bret
so like Gonzo being an out week one is not everything going right. i mean There's there's a chance we lose to the fucking Raiders, which is bad, but when you don't have your top cornerback out there, like that's a real possibility. so I'd like to see him out there. We've got to get full strength.
00:14:07
Bret
um so yeah it's not It's just not a good sign, and we're not hearing much about it.
00:14:13
Snooty
I'm less concerned with this week specifically because the Raiders aren't overly strong on the outside. Right. I mean, they just signed Amari Cooper, like Jacoby Myers, like, you know, good receiver, whatever, but you should theoretically with Carlton Davis and you you do have some depth at corner. You should more or less be able to match up. Okay. With a team like that.
00:14:33
Snooty
Bowers is a completely different story than you'd love to see Gonzalez and Bowers, particularly on, you know, big passing downs, that type of thing. But it's long-term, right? Like, he's been out five weeks now, right? He's been out five weeks. Like, it's going to take him a couple weeks to ramp back up.
00:14:47
Snooty
So, like, if he misses two games, like, you know, and could this linger throughout the season? Like, that's more of my concern. Like, you know, one week one, you know, you certainly don't want to rush him. You don't want to, you know, have a setback or anything like that.
00:14:59
Snooty
But, like, long-term, like, this whole season, like, is this going to be a thing? Every fucking week we're going have to sit here and say, is he playing? Is he not? Like, is this is it the difference?
00:15:07
Savage Boston
Now, if that happens, honestly, that would be not not just horrible from him not playing perspective, but like you're supposed to give him a monster contract, going to make him the highest paid corner in football.
00:15:07
Snooty
Yeah.
00:15:18
Snooty
Yeah.
00:15:18
Savage Boston
And there's no way you're doing that if he's out an entire season with a lingering hamstring. like They can't because it's such a risk.
00:15:25
Snooty
Especially since he missed the first season with the shoulder.
00:15:25
Savage Boston
and Yeah, missed the first season with – you know what mean?
00:15:28
Bret
you
00:15:29
Savage Boston
that would be a disaster. So it would be getting to the point where like if he if he's out this whole season, then you're go be like this is an injury-prone player. And that would suck and that's not something you want to see. But if you miss two out of the first three years, that's a massive fucking problem, obviously.
00:15:44
Savage Boston
And, you know, people can talk about that and get mad about it. Like, you know, everyone wants to hype up players. I get it. Like, he is elite. When he's healthy, he's elite, elite. And he's guy you need on the field. um But sally and at this point, just just sit him week one. Like, don't rush a single thing. Like, you need sit him week one. As you said, like, Alex Austin can come in and he can play a bit.
00:16:04
Savage Boston
Yeah, you wanted Christian to maybe like shadow Brock Bowers and just even play man on Brock Bowers. Like, I don't know Like, to me, again, no one's going to be able to cover Brock Bowers. I don't know. Unless they have an amazing game plan and, again, you just do the Kelsey treatment where just bracket the player or like what or like will you do with like Dallas Clark or something back in the day. Like, you have to figure out how to handle Bowers because I like Myers, obviously, as a player.
00:16:30
Savage Boston
Cooper's – Not who he once was at all. But Myers is a good player. But, I mean, Brock Bowers is an animal. He's an animal. And he is a fantastic player. I think, again, he's going to be like the premier tight end. Him and McBride in football, they're going to have like 12 teams. Like he's going to an elite player this year. So, um so yeah, I think he's going be difficult to cover. um I mean, how else do they how else do they handle him in this game?
00:16:57
Snooty
bad role safeties and as many coverage linebackers as you can, I guess, Adam. I don't know. I mean, they don't have a huge corner to be be able to match up with him.
00:17:03
Savage Boston
Double every play.
00:17:06
Snooty
He's basically a big, really big receiver, right? Or a really small tight end.
00:17:09
Savage Boston
Yeah.
00:17:10
Snooty
He's not huge. He just kind of looks like a...
00:17:11
Savage Boston
he's like he's like what kelsey He's like what Kelsey was. ah hes
00:17:15
Snooty
He's smaller than Kelsey, though.
00:17:17
Savage Boston
Is he?
00:17:17
Snooty
Yeah, yeah. Yeah.
00:17:19
Savage Boston
ah How big is Bowers? Isn't he like six four like 2-something, 240? I don't
00:17:23
Snooty
thought he was like 6'2". And I thought Kelsey was like six five
00:17:25
Savage Boston
but think he's that small. um I don't think he was that small, but But, I mean, Kelsey was never a blocking tight end, obviously.
00:17:36
Savage Boston
um
00:17:36
Snooty
Oh wow, he is 6'5".
00:17:37
Savage Boston
Yeah, he's 6'5", 240.
00:17:38
Snooty
Alright, I think he was shorter.
00:17:41
Savage Boston
He's not exactly tiny.
00:17:41
Snooty
Ah, well, this is, this is
00:17:43
Bret
Small guy.
00:17:44
Savage Boston
And then what's Kelsey?
00:17:44
Bret
Pretty small.
00:17:46
Savage Boston
Yeah, small guy, 240. Kelsey, 6'5", 250. So I'd like to say they're a pretty similar comp.
00:17:55
Snooty
Yeah.
00:17:55
Bret
That's 10 pounds.
00:17:55
Savage Boston
Thank you.
00:17:56
Snooty
I thought he was smaller.
00:17:57
Bret
That's 10 pounds, man. huge difference.
00:17:59
Savage Boston
Seven pounds difference makes them not a good comp.
00:18:02
Snooty
He's probably a better blocker than Kelsey.
00:18:02
Savage Boston
ah Yeah, he's probably better. I mean, but you remember, you know, prime Kelsey was and was elite elite in that system. He's obviously a premier receiver at tight end ever, um you know, and so I think Bowers is now what Kelsey was.
00:18:21
Savage Boston
um So we'll see how that plays out. But and don't know. I've heard people talk about now they think the Pats going to be able to put up some points on the board, some serious points. for some people predicting they can go 30 plus in this game.
00:18:37
Savage Boston
How do you feel about the offense in this game?
00:18:41
Snooty
Everyone keeps talking about skill guys and Chisholm and blah, blah, blah, blah. None of that fucking matters if you can't block. Right? It all comes down to the old line this year.
00:18:49
Savage Boston
Yeah.
00:18:50
Snooty
If you can block, you're going to put up a few points. Simply by the... That's just universal. Right? If you can block, any team can block and you'll put up points. Right? Like that's the... What was it? The Penny Sewell, that draft.
00:19:00
Snooty
You know the meme where it's like the quarterback throwing to anyone, you know.
00:19:02
Savage Boston
Him or yeah getting sacked. yeah
00:19:05
Snooty
Like, that's that's just how it works. You can you can put up points, run the ball, viewing whatever. um I know Crosby typically, I think Crosby typically lines up at left end. So he's going to be on probably Moses more than anybody.
00:19:17
Snooty
um That's if he stays there. I know he moves around, obviously. He's an animal. He's a fucking monster.
00:19:22
Savage Boston
he's a biggest Yeah. he's He's a big kid.
00:19:23
Snooty
He's a monster.
00:19:24
Savage Boston
Very good player.
00:19:25
Snooty
um You're going have to scheme that. I think they're going to come out. lot of short stuff, lot of screens, and run the ball. Just to get the O-line to settle down. Expecting lots of twists and stunts and blitzes and shit to try to confuse the two rookies on the left side.
00:19:38
Snooty
And, you know, you're just going to have to hope that they hold up long enough that you can get some points on the board. I'm not expecting 30. think that's a little ridiculous when you averaged like fucking 14 last year or whatever the hell it was for two like three years in a row.
00:19:45
Bret
Yeah.
00:19:49
Savage Boston
does classby Max Crosby is only 28 years old. chad I thought he was like over 30. He's still really young too. Like he's just prime, just prime of his career.
00:19:54
Snooty
Yeah, he's very young. Yeah.
00:19:57
Savage Boston
So, um, really, really dominant player.
00:20:01
Snooty
I don't see 30, but...
00:20:01
Bret
yeah
00:20:01
Savage Boston
Um,
00:20:03
Bret
Yeah, I'd be shocked if flu we got 30. I think what you said kind of in the mix of there, like we're going to be challenged on the left side. We have two rookies on the left outside. That's going to be super interesting to see how Oakland attacks them, especially early on I have to imagine that schematically it's going to be, there's going to be some support for those guys. You know, they're going to drop someplace to help support them early on because, know,
00:20:29
Bret
you know Oakland's going to try to attack them and try to get at Oakland. Vegas is going to try and attack them to try and get in there and disrupt that. so ah I don't know. i mean I'll be happy if they break 24.
00:20:44
Bret
I think that's probably like a benchmark that I'm looking at from an offensive perspective. If we can start to get to that level, it lets me know there's a little bit more competency with the team. so I'm shooting for closer to that.
00:20:57
Bret
and yeah i mean I'm expecting like a big Henderson game. you know I think this is going to be a guy that they're going to try to get him out and from the backfield, get him in space, and you know it's an easy option for May to throw to. So that's where I think he's going to have a good game, and and I think they could get to 24 mark is what I'm shooting for.
00:21:18
Savage Boston
When you look at the matchup though, like I really feel like the Patriots should have a really good opportunity to win the game, not just the opener at home, but like they, they match up, I think. Okay. Against this team, especially with Gonzalez probably going to be out. Like, like you said, the receivers aren't great.
00:21:32
Savage Boston
Gentry is pretty talented back. He hasn't, didn't do much preseason, but that's preseason. So don't get him into space. But, and I think the run defense is probably one of the weakest parts of our team right now. um But like,
00:21:43
Savage Boston
Yeah, I think you match up pretty well. And Geno, you know, Geno has been a pretty good serviceable quarterback, like ah top, i don't know, maybe at 15. Like he's been a solid-ish quarterback, especially for Seattle. And then you got Pete Carroll coming in. So I don't know.
00:21:59
Savage Boston
You know, we don't really know what they're going to look like, but I think it's ah it's a favorable matchup for the Patriots. I really do. And I think, you know, I think the Patriots defense, like, this is is now go There's no more practice. No more, like, you're putting in your best plays out. And, like, for Josh, here's Josh's time to shine. Like, you've got to scheme up Drake, too.
00:22:19
Savage Boston
Like, you've got to start him slow. Like we said, you can't have him go out there and start ripping shots first drive. i don't think they should do that because he's so – yeah, not, like, ripping drink shots.
00:22:29
Bret
in
00:22:29
Savage Boston
Like, ripping – this is doing some jack first drive. Hammered on the sideline. um No, I think they should, like, you got to settle them down, right? Just what you talked about the preseason. For some reason, Drake was so jacked up in the last preseason game, he threw his two very high balls. One should have been picked clearly.
00:22:47
Savage Boston
So you can't do that. So I'll do anything, like. couple quick outs, you know, ah when they're in zone, have pop go out, just do a little sit route, you know, like get it to the back a bunch, a little screen. Like you got to do something, bubble screen, whatever, but you got to do something to get him chilled out.
00:23:03
Savage Boston
Then you take a couple reps.
00:23:05
Snooty
I wonder if they don't throw it to Pop at the beginning because he's so little.
00:23:05
Bret
Thank you.
00:23:09
Savage Boston
He's too fucking short.
00:23:10
Snooty
Because he's little. I wonder if they target like Hollins and Henry to start. Guys with bigger catch radius. No, I'm serious. Like, you know, like, all right he's a little bit wild.
00:23:15
Savage Boston
No, I, I, I agree.
00:23:17
Snooty
Like, all right, maybe don't throw to the fucking 5'8 slot corner. You know, running across the middle.
00:23:23
Savage Boston
It comes out, we know he throws high, and he's just ripping it at Pop Dog.
00:23:27
Snooty
You know what mean?
00:23:27
Savage Boston
goes
00:23:27
Snooty
Like, I don't know, maybe throw it to the fucking 6'3 receiver whatever it is.
00:23:28
Savage Boston
We
00:23:31
Snooty
and You know, the 6'5 tight end who can, you know, get up and catch the ball if you throw it high a little bit. don't know.
00:23:36
Savage Boston
haven't seen much from Diggs. I mean, like, this is going to be Diggs really playing. I mean, you haven't seen Diggs. What's Diggs capable of in this game? know what mean?
00:23:46
Bret
Yeah, i I just want to see the offense with Diggs in it because we really haven't seen a lot of it, right?
00:23:46
Savage Boston
Like, what's this offense capable of?
00:23:51
Savage Boston
Yeah.
00:23:53
Bret
I mean, we got little glimpses of it during the joint practices, but we haven't seen Diggs in this offense. So I see... <unk> I see Diggs as kind of a decoy guy. And again, like I think they're going to do a lot of dink and dunks, at least through the first quarter.
00:24:11
Bret
See some draw plays, shit like that, to just kind of slow down what they're doing from a rushing attack and and see if they can figure that part out and make it easy on May. So I'm expecting a very modest first quarter.
00:24:24
Bret
And then, yeah, Drake May ripping shots in the second half. Let's go.
00:24:27
Savage Boston
yeah Start ripping them. Everyone on this going get a shot ski out. Start ripping shots. um Yeah, I mean, i don't know. Like you said, it's it's favorable.
00:24:38
Savage Boston
I'll be there. Can't wait. i think it's going to be awesome. But it's ah it should be, ah I think, a relatively favorable matchup. And I think, again, like, just we need to see for the season, like, how how much time do you give Drake um until you expect pretty good performances? Like, how much time does Drake get?
00:24:57
Snooty
um I would say down the stretch is like when I would expect it to be probably
00:25:03
Savage Boston
Like half the season, you know what mean? Like how...
00:25:05
Snooty
three quarters the season. Because to me, it's a he switched up the scheme. So it's it's new personnel, things like that. And I can't, like, but again, I keep coming back to it.
00:25:14
Bret
Thank you.
00:25:16
Snooty
Like, he didn't play that much in college relative to, like, and it's not even just relative to his draft class.
00:25:19
Savage Boston
Yeah, they're not.
00:25:22
Snooty
Like, historically, if you look at it, there's a certain benchmark number of starts where, like, I think it's, like, 25. Where it's, like, if you hit 25 starts or more, the percentage of, like, being a hit, quote-unquote, in the draft are higher as a quarterback.
00:25:33
Snooty
And he was, like, 21 or 22.
00:25:35
Savage Boston
yeah
00:25:36
Snooty
So you're kind of like, okay, but it's not terrible. He's not like Trey Lance with, like, I don't know, six whatever the hell it was. But like, he, he doesn't have a ton of playing experience post high school.
00:25:46
Snooty
Really. When you look at it, he needs time. He needs reps. So I'm, I'm not going to start. I won't even, I'm never, I'm not going panic this year unless he looks and completely fucking lost, which I don't think is going to happen.
00:25:51
Bret
Thank you.
00:25:56
Snooty
but
00:25:57
Savage Boston
Yeah. I mean, like, I don't know what even even would take you to panic. You know, he would have to be, like, really abysmal. He would have to be throwing, like, three picks a game.
00:26:02
Snooty
Yeah.
00:26:03
Savage Boston
Like, he would have to be really bad. And, like, I trust Josh enough to not put him in that position. Like, he would – you can scheme up, play, you know. But if you're third and third and long every every time, you know, and he has to really read the defense or throwing confusing stuff out there, then, yeah, it's going to get more likely you throw a turnover.
00:26:13
Snooty
Yes.
00:26:21
Savage Boston
But, i you know, I just – I'm hoping Josh puts him in a good in a good position because I believe he will.
00:26:27
Snooty
what Yeah, i mean, if you're down every game and your O-line's getting its ass kicked and it's third and long all the time and you're kind of forcing stuff because you're trying to make a play, right, look, like I'm not going to bust his ass for that.
00:26:38
Snooty
You know what mean? Because it's like, you're trying to make a play, you're in a shitty situation. But like if you're getting coverage and guys are getting open and making and you're still, like like that, as an example, like that fumble against Washington in the preseason, if it's shit like that, it's like that's just completely unacceptable.
00:26:52
Savage Boston
that That was unacceptable. That's a ridiculous play.
00:26:55
Snooty
Yeah, like that just can't happen.
00:26:57
Savage Boston
No.
00:26:57
Snooty
That just cannot happen.
00:26:59
Savage Boston
No, I hope he doesn't. Don't do anything like that.
00:27:00
Bret
it's It's the turnovers with May, right? that's That's what we have to see cleaned up this year. We got to get more consistent play from him without the turnovers.
00:27:11
Bret
So I'm less concerned with, like, how many yards in completion, what does the completion percentage look like, et cetera. I'm more concerned with, like, the decision-making and ah the turnovers because I do recognize the fact that, like,
00:27:29
Bret
Yeah, we've improved on offense, we would imagine. and We still don't have elite weapons. And we really don't know what we're going to get from this offensive line. So...
00:27:40
Savage Boston
you
00:27:41
Bret
I'm um probably more concerned with the offensive line and if that speeds things up for May. And then if he's getting sped up, then he's forcing it and getting the turnover. So it's to me, it's how does he react when the offensive line breaks down? Because it's going to happen, especially when have two rookies on the left-hand side.
00:28:00
Bret
And does he force it in the right spot? is he you know Is his initial reaction tucking and run? And you know when he starts running, does he slide? like it's It's almost like how is he reacting in the breakdown periods when things don't go right is where I'm going to be most intrigued with Drake Mays' development versus you know he he makes a throw in a play where he's getting the right protection, throws it to the quarterback, and throws it to the wide receiver, I mean, and like they don't make a play. Yeah.
00:28:30
Bret
I think those are going to be given. It's more along the lines when things speed up, what is his reaction? Where does he go to? Because historically, he tucks the ball runs too early and doesn't slide, gets a concussion, or he forces it into coverage and throws a pick.
00:28:46
Bret
And that's the shit we got to see progress and cleaned up this year.
00:28:49
Savage Boston
and is it
00:28:50
Bret
And I expect it midway through the season.
00:28:50
Snooty
Yeah.
00:28:52
Savage Boston
That's what Ernie Adams said recently, too. He's like, you know, in Drake May's development is you you want to see him, like i said, when he tucks the ball, like you don't want to see him talk to be a runner. You want to see him on the move still look to be a passer because you'd rather him throw for 15 yards than run for 15 yards.
00:29:08
Savage Boston
So you just, you know.
00:29:08
Snooty
yeah
00:29:08
Bret
Exactly.
00:29:09
Snooty
I think it was Garigian had that piece, right? And she was saying, like, I think Ernie Adams was saying, year one, you want a guy to show potential, which clearly May did.
00:29:13
Savage Boston
Yeah.
00:29:18
Savage Boston
Yeah.
00:29:19
Snooty
Year two, you want to see, like, big steps and improvement. And that's that type of thing. Like, it's it's cleaning up all the shit that's going to, like, cost you games.
00:29:26
Savage Boston
like I still want him running the football.
00:29:26
Snooty
year three but Year three is where you want, like, year three is where you want him to, like, all right, I can win you games.
00:29:27
Savage Boston
like I think get out run. like It's okay.
00:29:33
Snooty
You know what mean?
00:29:34
Savage Boston
yes that's the josh allen That's the Josh Allen year where you want him to win it for you.
00:29:34
Snooty
Like, year three is like, okay, no, I'm a legit guy. Like, I'm a guy.
00:29:40
Snooty
That's a, yeah, that's, that's, that's what you're doing. Okay. Look, that I, as long as he's not, if he, the other thing is if he's getting worse as the year goes on, then that's a very, very bad sign that might cause you to panic.
00:29:50
Savage Boston
Yeah. I think that would just explain like people have watched tape. They know what he can't process. But like again, I just don't think that's going happen. I think where he's going to mess up is taking weird shots and back to taking shots. He's just making poor decisions. Not reading the defense well, making poor decisions. But from all accounts, he's a really good processor.
00:30:11
Savage Boston
So it's just like does that Brett Favre gene, does that silly gene where you need to just ah the gunslinger gene, does that take over too much that he makes poor choices? Because the processing they say is there.
00:30:20
Bret
Thank you.
00:30:22
Savage Boston
He's not like I like Anthony Richardson, they say off the bat, he just like can't process what's happening. and you know and like And there's some quarterbacks that don't see it well, like Sam Darnold on the Jets. Obviously, between the coaching he was having and what he was seeing on the field, it wasn't working, right? He wasn't seeing it well. So you just need to make sure Drake's seeing it well, i and I i think he will. I think he'll he'll process well.
00:30:44
Savage Boston
I'm still concerned, obviously, about the line. I don't know what's going happen there. We've got just like wait and see. like I think Campbell's going to be pretty good this year. I think he's go be really serviceable. um I hope Jared Wilson plays better than he had in the last few weeks of camp.
00:30:56
Savage Boston
I don't trust bad Bradbury at center at all. But like I do think the line, just just so important that they play well. And it's the week link it's a weak link of the whole offense. so And if they don't play well, it's ah it's a massive problem.
00:31:10
Bret
the whole team.
00:31:10
Savage Boston
Yeah.
00:31:11
Bret
The whole team is a weak link.
00:31:12
Savage Boston
Yeah. Well, yeah i mean will I think the receivers are serviceable enough. like If you had a really good line, the receivers would be okay. If you had really, really good receivers, really good quarterback, then the line can be a little – you know what I mean? like you can't It's hard to have them all be good. Not everyone's the fucking Eagles.
00:31:28
Savage Boston
and Even then people would argue like Hurts isn't that great even though he's played pretty darn well. But, like, you know, you can't – it's hard to have every skill group be good at the same time. But you do need it to be serviceable.
00:31:41
Savage Boston
And if the line is not – I heard people saying, like, the line is going to be 70% better on a bunch of clips, like at NBC Sports Boston, or the random questions like this. Like, don't know. What you basing that? Like, does that mean they're going only give up 33 sacks instead of 52?
00:31:56
Savage Boston
Like, you know,
00:31:56
Snooty
ah but But but that's but that but like they can be 70% better and still be and still not be good, but that's that has nothing to do with them.
00:32:00
Savage Boston
and still not be good?
00:32:05
Snooty
That's just how fucking abysmally horrible the line was last year.
00:32:11
Savage Boston
So the offense should look better almost no matter what. It should look more sensical with this offensive coordinator. He should know, and Josh knows this, you need to sustain drives. I feel like we haven't had a team that sustains drives and since Brady.
00:32:27
Savage Boston
I mean, like, you have to keep your defense off the field. Let them rest. Sustain drive. You know what i mean? The time of possession. All these things that they haven't done.
00:32:33
Snooty
Yeah, flip the field.
00:32:35
Savage Boston
Like, they've done it horribly in the last five seasons. Yeah.
00:32:39
Snooty
Like, so I used to like cheer last year for like the last couple of years when like the ah offense could at least flip the field. It's like, okay, they, they, they punted.
00:32:46
Savage Boston
Yeah, you get like a three first downs and punt.
00:32:48
Snooty
You got the ball. You're 20. I'm like, all right, guys, like just at least flip the field.
00:32:52
Bret
Thank you.
00:32:52
Snooty
So you're not like giving up a score immediately. And like, they'd be like, get a couple first downs. You're like, all right, they did it. They punt. Okay, cool. Me you' at least making the other team go 80 yards, 85 yards instead of fucking 60 yards.
00:33:02
Savage Boston
Yeah. Yeah.
00:33:04
Snooty
It's like, well, no shit. going to give up points. Like, you know,
00:33:08
Savage Boston
Yeah. No, that was ridiculous. I want to bring up too. ah before we get too far too far into the pod. um Bill Belichick last night, I don't know if you've heard this.
00:33:20
Savage Boston
He's now the coach of UNC. Don't know if you've heard this. ah Didn't have a great game last night where it was the first time in his coaching career he gave up his team gave up points,
00:33:32
Savage Boston
um which came in a game where it was basically like a giant jerk fest for Bill, his family, UNC, Mike Lombardi. And like I was rooting for Bill to win. I just – I don't know. He was here for a long time. Obviously, you appreciate everything he did. I think it's ridiculous, everyone's narrative, that he somehow was not contributing to winning Super Bowl. Like don't know. People have gotten so out of hand with these Brady versus Belichick narratives. It's silly.
00:33:58
Savage Boston
But like just an awful night – for unc and him and if he i know they have two cupcake games coming up in the next two games but if he doesn't start winning man like he could be out and out soon i mean think of the headache for that university that he's brought on and all the noise to just get smashed in the opening game just a total total debacle in my opinion so i don't know what do you guys what do you guys have any thoughts on uh on belichick and unc
00:34:10
Bret
Thank you.
00:34:26
Snooty
ah So to me, I don't think it's... My take is I don't think it's entirely dissimilar from when Deion Sanders went to Colorado. Colorado was in a much, much, much worse spot than UNC was, but UNC was not very good. That's why Mack Brown got fired, right? Like they went where they go six and I think six and seven last year, including their bowl game, right?
00:34:49
Snooty
There wasn't a good team or a good program that he inherited.
00:34:52
Savage Boston
No.
00:34:52
Snooty
So I understand they hyped it up. They, you know, a lot of it's self-promotion. They're doing all this shit. Um, But this isn't a good team that he inherited. And I know they brought in a lot of transfers and stuff, but like that's, it's like a stopgap type thing.
00:35:06
Snooty
Like they're, they're not going to be great, but, like I just think people are like, oh, they're going to win nine games because they got Belichick. now it's like No, that team sucked. like They weren't very good in the ACC, which isn't a super strong conference.
00:35:16
Savage Boston
but
00:35:20
Snooty
I also think Mark Bertrand's wrong. He was on the radio saying that teams in the ACC, you can't you can't be a national player. think that's horse shit. um You just have to find the right coach who can generate the right type of support, especially at a school like UNC.
00:35:33
Snooty
But I've got to ask.
00:35:34
Bret
Well, I don't know if you heard, but they brought in 70 new players to the team this year versus last year. So, no, I mean, look, I bought in.
00:35:41
Snooty
Yeah.
00:35:44
Bret
I watched the game last night. I thought it was pretty cool to have a Monday night football game in primetime. And obviously, Belichick was the reason that game was a primetime game. like Let's be real. There's no way that game would have been a primetime game in any historical years had Belichick not been there.
00:36:00
Bret
yeah. He's bringing the program relevance ah for a program that has had no relevance forever from the football side. So there's step one.
00:36:12
Bret
Obviously, step two is then building a reputation of being a winning program. And last night was not a good sign. Obviously not great results. I think most alarming is defense's inability to prevent anyone. I mean, yeah.
00:36:28
Bret
Worst loss as a head coach, letting up 48 points, is not a good mark that you want to lead off with in your opening college campaign. And to me, like...
00:36:40
Bret
It's just, like, I still, it's so fucking wild to me watching Belichick coaching college football games and, like, doing it at North Carolina.
00:36:52
Bret
Like, i just, I don't know how fully invested the guy is in the the program and where it's going to go.
00:36:59
Savage Boston
there's that There's bad stories coming out.
00:36:59
Bret
I mean, it's, yeah, like, and that's,
00:37:03
Savage Boston
There's going to be some coming out. just saying. What I mean by the record with behind the scenes and like recruiting and and like lazy shit, like I don't think it's going to get prettier as it goes.
00:37:10
Snooty
yeah you
00:37:13
Savage Boston
Just saying.
00:37:14
Bret
but And that's what I look at where I i say to myself, like, you know, ah he's not an incompetent coach. Like, he knows how to coach the game.
00:37:25
Bret
But, like, is he getting the right people and doing the right things to do it at a college level? No. Early signs are, no, he's not. Which then I say, like, what the fuck are you doing, Bill?
00:37:36
Bret
Like, why are you even doing this? And we've talked about this before. Like, i I said at the beginning... we were going through this, i was like, this is going to tarnish his image as an NFL coach. And as much as the guy acts like he doesn't care about his image and how he's perceived, like he absolutely 100% cares about how he's perceived from a coaching, like tree stature and like his standings amongst all coaches.
00:38:05
Bret
And like, this is not helping his cause.
00:38:06
Savage Boston
He cares.
00:38:08
Bret
It's just not.
00:38:10
Savage Boston
He cares a lot. I just think he's made like almost the perfect run of stupid moves and stupid decisions in the last like year or so. I mean like we've talked about it and the the whole story is out there with having a really, really young girlfriend who runs his businesses and is now – trademarking the term gold diggers and stuff. And you're like, dude, that's like a week before the story breaks a week before your first game where you get blown out the worst loss in your career.
00:38:37
Savage Boston
And it's like all these things together. And then he's got like the weird, like colorful balloons on his backdrop that you know she designed. And you're like, then going to be the head of that university. He's going to sit there and be like, why did we do this?
00:38:49
Savage Boston
Why did we it? Like you thought you're getting Dion. Like that's who they think they're getting Dion. He's going to bring in people, bring in talent. Maybe just Dion is just hungrier. Or Dion had a at ah at ah at an avenue to Travis Hunter and Shader, right? And was able to bring them in quick. And maybe Bill is, is this is it. But like, and think you're going to hear a lot of stories. I've heard it alluded to, like Pablo Torre already had that huge thing on him, like is alluding to how there's some stuff behind the scenes here where maybe it's in his behaviors, not been great with recruits. And this is supposed to be the the guy that's going to get you to the NFL.
00:39:25
Savage Boston
So, I'm not optimistic about where this goes. Yeah, he's going to beat a couple like pretty poor teams. I just don't know where this goes. ah But it's Bill.
00:39:35
Savage Boston
And I think it's funny. If you're just in a vacuum with it and ignore the girlfriend, ignore it. like Bill is a great football coach. He loves football. He loves coaching. And he has been a defensive mastermind forever.
00:39:47
Savage Boston
People forget he won two Super Bowls before the Patriots.
00:39:47
Bret
Thank you.
00:39:50
Savage Boston
as it One of the greatest defensive coordinators ever with Lawrence. It's absurd how people are are pretending he's not a good coach is insane to me. So I think people just being contrarians. but um Final thought in the efforts of time.
00:40:05
Savage Boston
Before Bill Belichick was at UNC, there was another player that brought some serious relevance to UNC. His name was Drake May. I'm not sure if you remember, but in 2022 when Drake May was 20 years old,
00:40:18
Savage Boston
At UNC, because he went there over Alabama, made through for 38 touchdowns and seven picks and had 157 rating at 20 years old in UNC. So talk talent.
00:40:30
Savage Boston
Drake Mays got the fucking talent. Obviously. And I think May is going hopefully elevate and kind of still i fulfill the destiny, you know, go where we think he can.
00:40:41
Savage Boston
Because when I i remember seeing him that year, reminded me of um Herbert at Oregon, just like prototypical passer, athletic, did everything.
00:40:42
Snooty
Thank you.
00:40:49
Savage Boston
So I think there's just, there's so much there. And like, yeah, I don't know. I think there's there's there's lot to come.
00:40:54
Bret
ah
00:40:56
Bret
I'm just frustrated because I feel like we just lost an entire fucking year with a guy. So I'm so looking forward to this year.
00:41:02
Savage Boston
Yeah. Yeah.
00:41:04
Bret
I just think... He's going to grow. He's going to show development. I do think he'll clean up those. But, like, he's going to show... him We're going to see more flashes of him just being elite.
00:41:15
Bret
Like, i just... He should have been starter day one. Like, we should have had much better, competent build around him. Like, it's just... We... Thank God we got him.
00:41:26
Bret
I really think he's going to be, like, legit. But we just lost a fucking year. And you think about all these other guys that come out rookie year, have all the hype, and then they, like, they flash. Like, Jaden Daniels getting all the love in the world. And and people, i think, are overrating the guy at this point. But it's one of those things where I'm like, well, at least he had the opportunity.
00:41:45
Bret
Drake, like, barely had the opportunity.
00:41:46
Savage Boston
He had much better – yeah, he was way more experienced and had a much better situation. Jaden Daniels was way more –
00:41:52
Snooty
So here here's the thing, though. Yes, we wasted a year last year. But think of two alternate scenarios. Gerard Mayo stays on for another year, and then you waste two years.
00:42:00
Bret
He wouldn't
00:42:03
Snooty
Or Belichick doesn't get fired that year. He gets fired one year later. Belichick would not have drafted Drake May. He would have traded down and taken fucking Dallas Turner for the DN from Alabama and fucking, i don't know, a guard or something.
00:42:18
Savage Boston
Who would have been quarterback?
00:42:19
Snooty
i doesn't I don't know. They waited till fucking July to sign Ken Newton.
00:42:21
Bret
you wouldn't care
00:42:24
Snooty
They would have found something. But I'm telling you, that's what that's what would have happened. You would have get fucking six picks for this guy. like ah We would have been with the Giants. We'd have fucking some DN from Alabama and whatever. like That's what would have happened.
00:42:36
Bret
So,
00:42:36
Savage Boston
I mean, some, some, these people are going to realize that sometimes it does take a special player and a special quarterback to win games.
00:42:43
Savage Boston
And we know that as fans and, I think some coaches get a lot of hubris and and obviously ego ego tripping and they think they can coach up anyone and make anyone, yeah as Belichick said.
00:42:52
Snooty
um
00:42:54
Savage Boston
And it's just like being on a job with ah a hyper egomaniac boss who says everyone is replaceable. Some people aren't. And that's just the way life works. You can pretend they are and you think you can fill every role and and everyone's going to the same job, the same effort.
00:43:10
Savage Boston
And not true. yeah. All right, well, let's wrap it up here. um Again, final final number of wins per year. I'm going with – I'm ending with was nine. just um I think nine wins.
00:43:21
Savage Boston
That's my final.
00:43:22
Snooty
2721, Pat's.
00:43:23
Bret
right. I've said nine for the jump. I'm not changing that. But what's this what's the final score on Sunday?
00:43:27
Savage Boston
Okay.
00:43:30
Savage Boston
Ooh, final score. 28-24 twenty eight twenty four path
00:43:37
Snooty
twenty seven twenty one pat
00:43:40
Bret
2420, Pats. go. Peace.
00:43:42
Savage Boston
All right. We'll get kind of middling competitive twenty s football games. We're so back. We're back, baby. All right.
00:43:51
Bret
let's go
00:43:51
Savage Boston
We'll see you guys next time.
00:43:53
Bret
hey
00:43:53
Savage Boston
Let's go.