Transcript
Speaker: All right, guys, welcome back to the Savage Boston podcast. We are here today. i am Scott with SavageBoston.com, here with Brett with SavageBoston.com, and we got a recurring guest, friend of the pod, and our most frequent recurring guest, Michael Hurley from NBC Sports Boston. How are we doing, Mike?
Speaker: I'm doing great. Yeah, the pay is great, so I keep coming back. So, you know, those... You know, we're really competitive, actually. really Yeah, I appreciate it, so thank Yeah. All right, so... um You know, obviously lot happened on Sunday, massive game. We haven't had time to unpack it yet, just like online, like everybody's been kind of going through the film, going through the tape. So um before I start ranting and whatnot, I'll throw to you guys. Give me your initial impressions of of what you thought, and and then i'll I'll take it from there. So, Mike, why don't you start with your initial takeaways from the game? sure i have this weird one uh there's a ton of you know small minutiae but i just feel like it's kind of corny to say but i feel a shame about it and i feel like a lot of us should because i remember like i think it's been so long since the patriots had real expectations going into a season we kind of forget i remember writing a story whether it was like 2018 2019 and it was like hey can we all agree not to go crazy in the first four weeks and not overreact and panic and be like oh my god they're wanting to and they suck and they because
Speaker: I'm guilty of it, too. I watched them get shellacked in Jacksonville, and I'm like, ah, yeah they gave it a good go. so much for the So much for the season. And it's like a week later, you're like, the season's saved. And it's like, well, you're a dumbass. And I'm talking to myself. And I just think a lot of people are in the same boat. And I just feel like, damn, I thought we learned this, and then kind of forgot it. So there's obviously a ton of, like, the bottom line, real quick.
Speaker: is Drake may was the difference. Like his protection sucked. His receivers actually got worse because Matt Collins got hurt. Nothing was great for him environmentally. And he was excellent. It's like oh yeah, that's, he's still there. He's still in there.
Speaker: Yeah. Right. bret Where are your initial thoughts? Yeah, I mean, it was one of those weeks where, again, I felt so confident and then i picked against them. I was in the fan. I was basically like, I don't know what we're supposed to be looking towards. And as you looked at the prospect of this game, going into Buffalo and coming away with a loss, one in three, essentially down four games versus Buffalo, like,
Speaker: The division's gone. And just thinking myself as we were prepping for that game and and getting in towards it, I didn't think it was going to happen. i thought this was just the year of the curse where was just going to get ourselves back to the norm. And it was just a reverse of everything from last year, similar to what we talked about last week.
Speaker: And then... Yeah, Drake May happened, and I'll add the whole team just overcoming adversities, just injuries across the board. We still have an injury bug on the team, but finding ways to win and guys stepping up when we need them to step up. And I'll also say finally playing aggressive. Aggressive play calling, i think, was like – the other big takeaway i had coming out of it, just thinking in terms of how we play to this point, just challenging them because they were so conservative, saying, if you're saying you're confident in a guy like Drake May, why does the play calls not mirror that same level of confidence? You're playing very conservative. And then you look at how they played in the Buffalo Bills game. It's like way more aggressive, way more motion, way more opportunities for Drake to be Drake. And it really helped us to
Speaker: rebound our season and put ourselves back on the map to say that the season's not lost. It's not something where we're going to be four games back from Buffalo. We lost the division of week four. It's, it's a whole new ball game. I mean, I get why people, people went nuts with the concern with Drake. They're like, you know, whether it's Matt McCarthy or whoever saying, you know, Oh my God, the sample size, seven games. So terrible bubble. Like I understand the arguments playing good teams. They didn't play well. The offense didn't play well for a while.
Speaker: But I thought it got like really out of control. Like people last week saying like it's time to bench him. What the fuck does that do? What would that accomplish for anyone? for for What does that do for Drake? What would that do for the franchise? Like how does that help anybody?
Speaker: It would help Tommy DeVito's agent. yeah Yeah, the guy with the the fedora. Yeah. um But how would that, what does that do? You know, and I thought that was a real take people out there. like You got to sit them. It's like, for what? Like your whole fucking franchise is in shambles. If you can't play Drake May in year three, you're in fucking shambles. So I thought that got pretty outrageous. And and I know there's like a big pushback, like,
Speaker: there's a lot of like narrative shit going on. Like you either like hate Drake and he sucks or you believe in him and he's the MVP. And I don't like the narrative stuff. Like you can, you can say he wasn't playing well. You can say he's fumbling too much. Like all that's okay to say, but you can also in the same breath say that you believe in the player to accomplish what he, and get done when he needs to get done. And I think obviously he did that on Sunday.
Speaker: I mean, what did he eliminated every single narrative against him. He beat an undefeated team on the road, fourth quarter comeback. multiple scores, i you know didn't turn it over when it really mattered at the end of the game, and they win the ballgame. So I don't know. what else What more can we expect from Drake May in this instance? You what I mean? you know Yeah, i mean, he carried them. And I think back to the first drive of the game. They started their own three, and he gets out of it. The the pressure's on him. I think it was Will Campbell got bulrushed right into him, and he runs out of it. Didn't have a good game.
Speaker: He runs for 15 yards. They had 97 yards on that drive. Drake may accounted for 92 of them. He ran for 15. He threw for a quick math 77 and they rushed six times for five yards. So it's like that drive, the game start. You talk about benching him, the game starts and they're like, all right, Drake may is going superhuman for this drive.
Speaker: The biggest thing too, on that, if you look at the Romeo, the first Romeo Dobbs touchdown, he's in this left slot. He's just running like a skinny post sort of route route. And he gets to the top of that and he's selling it. I think it was Hairston on him and he's selling it like he's outbreaking. He's selling it. And then he plants that left foot to break to the post and the ball's already out.
Speaker: And it's just like the timing and confidence to throw to a guy who isn't open yet. You know where he's going. You guys practiced all summer and it was just not there for the first three games. That sort of anticipation and timing chemistry, I guess in a certain sense,
Speaker: more shame on us. Like these things take time to develop, but it's a professional receiver. It's a good quarterback. It was shocking to see them on such different pages. And then they were just really locked in there and that's right off the bat.
Speaker: And I think the last part at the end, would you would Would either of you have been like, oh, man, Rabel's an idiot for running it on second and third down and forcing the Bills to use their timeouts? Like, no, that's a safe move. Instead, they're like, damn it, Drake, you're throwing on second down. Oh, it's incomplete. Throw it again on third down and win the game. And that's just like to get there That was ballsy, dude. Yeah, and to get there in 60 minutes from wherever you were last week is crazy to me.
Speaker: Yeah, I mean, the the whole play calling was aggressive start to finish, which I thought was a huge improvement from where we were. I'll also add on that throw that he threw to Dobbs, he was getting pressure on the right side. Like, he got hit immediately after he threw the ball. So he stood in the pocket under pressure, under duress, and it made the throw.
Speaker: ah But, you know, going back to the play calling and just building the confidence, I think it was a situation where they clearly just said, Drake, we believe in you, kid. Go out there and and do you. But then at the same time, they also, they were putting guys in positions to be able to attack the Bills.
Speaker: Now, We do have to admit the Bills defense is not good. Their secondary is really, really bad. um So like that obviously helped for our cause when we're trying to weather the storm with having another wide receiver going down. and now we're relying on Chisholm, Pop and Dobbs to be basically all we have for weapons out there because Kyle Williams still very minimal on snaps here.
Speaker: It's a situation where. We had to figure it out and those guys figured it out, but we we stayed aggressive. We continued to attack. We continued to go for it on fourth downs when we wanted to go for a fourth down, doing QB sneaks when they're like, oh, we haven't really QB sneaked in these situations. Then we go ahead and go for a QB sneak.
Speaker: We have to play that level of aggression. if we want this offense to be elite and gain the confidence and trust. And they're showing that they can do that in a hostile environment, a away territory. I mean, it's it's a it's a good win because you knew you had to convert on those because on the other side, the Bills offense is elite. And that is one of the highest power offense.
Speaker: Just to address this question from Pat's bowl bounds, who made a comment saying, any possibility possibility that we get booty back? You know, I think there's like a non-zero chance of something like that happening only because has nine receptions for an 0-4 Texans team. The problem is you're getting him back for what like one week of use? Like is that, you know what i mean? Like you need him for one week.
Speaker: Because, like, when's A.J. Brown coming back in week six against the Jets? So, like, you basically need an ex-receiver. You need an ex-receiver next week. Like, next week they are depleted. There's no question, dude. Like, it's a huge issue, actually. Matt Collins, like, first of all, have you heard any news on Matt Collins' calf?
Speaker: No, is nothing today. Crickets. So I have no fucking idea. Yeah. um The the AJ Brown thing is interesting, too. I wrote sort of an article that ended it didn't I did not set out this way. It ended up sort of being a doomsday thing. And it was looking at receivers, you know, that aren't 22, 24 that missed three weeks with a high ankle guys that missed six weeks with a high ankle.
Speaker: It's not great. And I think the the biggest example I had, ah i don't know why it's escaping me right now, is a player, a big-name player. Bear with me. He came back. ah Oh, man, I feel like an idiot right now.
Speaker: He came back, heard it again, and then was basically out of football in two years. So it's like, I think with A.J. Brown, if you're as invested in him, and he's still 29...
Speaker: Rushing back is the wrong idea. So if Hollins is out for, say, even three weeks, I don't think you're looking at and saying like, all right, AJ, we kind of need you week six. get up back Get back out there. I think taking as much time as possible with him is probably the smartest route. And if you put yourself in that position where it's like a need thing, I don't think it's it's this the smartest route. So i don't I haven't mapped out exactly. I'm going to look this up because I feel like a moron for forgetting who that player was. I wrote this story like three weeks ago. You'd think the brain would work. It it doesn't.
Speaker: But but i mean, I think booty though would be, if you think about a good solution for someone that would be a stopgap that, I mean, talk about stepping right in, you know, the guy knows your entire system loves, he's writing hearts on, on Instagram, you know, profiles, whatever pictures from Drake may he's doing like hearts. Like he's obviously like that meme of like getting a cat out of the building, whatever the fuck, you know, maybe people online know what i'm talking about, but like, He's basically like not being used well in the in the Texans, even though they're they're actually playing kind of – they're by far the best 0-4 team. They're actually playing well, which is weird that they're 0-4. But, yeah, like I think Booty coming back would be great. I mean, can you literally go to them and be like, hey, you want a 20-28-7?
Speaker: Just another like, you know, take back. Let's do it. Take backsies. And then because i think there's a massive need. Like who who are you throwing to next week? It's going to be, that's going a little bit dire. You know what I mean? I finally figured it out by the way. It's Michael. It was Michael Thomas.
Speaker: Oh, yeah. Well, Michael Thomas was amazing. I mean, he used to catch 150 balls a year, you know? Yeah. He was working 1,000 yards, like, constantly. Yeah. His first four seasons, he had 5,500 yards and 32 touchdowns. In his last four seasons, he had 1,000 yards and four touchdowns. so here's c So, Cleaver on X here, again, our guy Cleaver, who's an X dude, he basically is, like, you know, cop on the Marvin Harrison Jr. train.
Speaker: MHJ, I'm into that as like a long-term project. Like if you want to give a day three pick for a project player that you develop, but there's no way – MHJ can't just step in here and and like he doesn't know it. Like who do you be a way better player in the short term because he knows Josh McDaniel's system. Like MHJ has to learn the fucking system.
Speaker: you how many catches he has this year? Who? Am I shit? Yeah. I don't. How many? Five. Oh, gosh. How many days Kyle Williams have?
Speaker: Two? Three? It's two. It's two? That's 20% of last year. ah i Harrison, though, like that video that went kind of viral of him just dogging every route out in Arizona. I don't I don't know. Dobbs is like we're learning the most sort of chill guy in the universe, which can work.
Speaker: I don't know how chill you want your receiver room to be like you might need some sort of some more energy and pep if if that's your if those are your two top guys. You got him, you got Brown. They're all just like chilling, reading books. and We have a very zen wide receiver. I mean, I would love Diggs back too. kidding me? I would love Diggs. would love digs and i know of Diggs back right but what would be the incentive for Washington? Other than, again, they're kind of like a floundering – team a little bit. Like, I don't know what the incentive is for Washington to trade you. the The dude they had playing quarterback in London, I had legit never heard of us. Don't disrespect to the Rutgers football program. I did not catch any of their games last year.
Speaker: So if that goes sideways, but not to me, if you're Houston and if you're the Patriots, I can't see you getting back together and trading back a player from two months ago, just because it's so funny, the eggs on faces and Elliot Wolf made it pretty clear. Like,
Speaker: he he called it the Jalen Reed trade and was just like, we really wanted Jalen Reed. Now, granted, granted, we drafted a kicker in the six round when we could have taken this guy that we really, really wanted at safety. I don't know that you can go back on it. And like you said, it's, there's still a glut there. And,
Speaker: Chisholm's going to get some more snaps. Like, are they going to throw to? No, no, no. He, you know, talk about the mood or whatever attitude of the receiving room. I think part of why everyone got so up in arms about C.J. Gardner-Johnson is just like, Efton Chisholm is a nice young man. Like, you will be nicer to him. Like, don't disrespect him because he's like a corny-looking white dude. Like, yeah he's a nice guy. Be nicer, C.J. Gardner-Johnson.
Speaker: Well, and then Brayville had and a great response. What's this, his eighth team in four years? Like, I guess he knows the game. Good, solid response. But, no, I mean, our wide receiver room is a problem in the short term.
Speaker: I think the Raiders are more of a problem than we originally thought when we were looking at the schedule to start the season. But, you know, We'll see. I think the Jets after that might be a little bit easier. Not that their defense isn't a problem, but I'm just going to put up any points on offense. So all we got to is put up 17. We're probably good.
Speaker: So here's a problem with Chiz. So Doug Fresh commented on YouTube. He says, Chizom was actually open on someplace Sunday. I'd love to see him in the slot. He was open. He was open sometimestime like he gets open. He's actually kind of always gotten open. Preseason, he gets open. Every time he plays, he gets open. That's what I like about Chizom. He's not every he's got a burner, though.
Speaker: He wasn't even open on his touchdown, really. He just caught it anyway. That was obviously a phenomenal catch and just a phenomenal catch and throw. But, like, he had on the on the May fumble play, you you saw that one, right? Like, didn't you show that one where on May, the ball slipped out of his hand?
Speaker: I don't remember if was your video, but I did a video today. Chisholm was wide open over the middle. I mean, why? May was going to hit him for 10 yard in. Go watch a clip. Was that the one he scooped up and threw to Henry? No, that was the – no, no. This was the flip out of my hand. Like, hands to the face. Ben Brown get in the face. Yeah, I didn't actually look at that one. So, yeah. Look at that clip. Watch how open – I mean, he's literally staring Chisholm in the face. So, yeah. I think the story or topic this week is probably does he cut into Pop Douglas' snaps? Because it's sort of... Last year, Pop Douglas was a non-factor for the first eight weeks of the year. And you're well, guess McDaniels doesn't really like using Pop Douglas. And then he got a little more involved. But then this summer, it was like, Pop Douglas, you got three starting receivers. It's A.J. Brown, it's Matt Collins, it's Pop Douglas, no doubt about it.
Speaker: And then here you are through 40 weeks, and it's like, is Chisholm going to pass pass Pop Douglas? So... he might have more trust of Drake may like Drake may and pop Douglas have never had a supreme connection. You know i mean? So perhaps that's where it comes in, but still, you still haven't solved your X receiver position because I don't know.
Speaker: I guess you put Kyle Williams out there, but I don't, that's, that's not really an offense. Just for people actually watching, I had to remove Brett just because his computer froze. So hopefully he was really, no i thought he was really locked into what I was saying. was like, did I say something wrong? Yeah. Yeah. I wouldn't want to carry it just by myself. um But yeah, no, I think, I think so naturally I think like Chisholm will probably play X or Z. Like he'll be on the outside and pop will stay pop will stay in the slot, but okay. Brett's back. um So, like, i don't i don't even think Chisholm is necessarily playing a ton of slot. I think he's playing on the outside.
Speaker: um I'd still want to see more from Pop Douglas. I don't know. i mean, Pop Douglas to me – I still want more. I want more all the time. I feel like he's so good against man. he should be open all the time. I don't know what's the limitation there, but it feels like a player that should, should have more catches in the absence of Hollins and Brown, you throw Dobbs out as your ex and just sort, he's big, he's big, but Dobbs is a big, sha won't probably be like the Z.
Speaker: Yeah, and then you just kind of got to throw the the mighty mites out there and have them run all around. You probably have to, you know, use your tight ends a little bit more. But it's going to be hard because their running game sucks.
Speaker: And that is a significant problem when you try to string together wins. Like, there's going to be games you're like, why is it seventeen fifteen in the fourth quarter? It's because they can't run the ball. Their best runs last week, Henderson barely got around on that reverse. barely got around that was an 11 yard run uh and then stevenson had a 10 yard run outside of those two they ran 25 times an average three yards per carry like it is abysmal and if you're short at receiver you have to be able to run and i don't know that they can it's been every game man they can't run
Speaker: I will say that end around, like, bad play design because it was just so predictable. They read that, and he had to get around two defenders because they just read it. It showed Henderson's ability and speed, yeah but it was a bad play design because they're like, whoa, Henderson's out in the wing. They never use him out there, so...
Speaker: we're going to go ahead and sit on this on the other side. it was pretty self-evident. ah It's the, the biggest problem i think with our offensive line is, is, is, is why we're seeing the issues with the running game. We really could only run it to the left side. Our right side was problem.
Speaker: I mean, Moses dealing with the foot injuries as a problem. Ben Brown, had some up and down moments I know he had some hands to the face situations like what happened on the fumble but like he had some abysmal series and he got to like totally turned around so our right side of line a problem right now and we're just not relying on that so we we pretty much run to the left a lot and we're not able to establish it so I agree. I think if our run game can ever figure itself out, this is now year two of trying to figure out a run game. If we can ever figure out a run game, it's going to open up everything else on our offense.
Speaker: Until then, it's just go to be hard for us to do anything with what we have for wide receivers to try to get open because they're just they're not concerned about the run. If they can still contain and then all they have to do is drop like seven people back, you know.
Speaker: i saw remandre stevenson was decently high on successful run plays i saw stat today it was like 12th or something like that on like run success and then you saw the statistic today with trevion henderson where he ranked 51st 51st out of 51 on like run success rate so like some like trigger and we watch it and again i joke around with it but ah being serious we watched the game And yeah, maybe they get him on a little reverse and that works just this this one time. most of the time he's running straight up the asshole of one of his offensive linemen. And it's like he sees the asshole and he's like, i'm going to put my fucking head down.
Speaker: In that, not to get graphic, but like, there's I don't get the lack of vision here. Like, it feels like, yeah are we not coaching it well? Is he not seeing it well? Because Mondria, to me, has just significantly better vision.
Speaker: And I mean, for all the explosiveness, everyone's like, oh, he could be Jameer Gibbs. He's not Jameer Gibbs. He's not Jameer Gibbs. I got a crazy number for you. This one's from Zach Cox, and it's a couple weeks old, so the the number's going to be a little bit off. But as of two weeks ago, this was the fact. 28.4% of Travion Henderson's career rushing yards have come on five carries.
Speaker: So it's just five home runs that account for – because you looked at his numbers at the end of the year, and it was like 900 yards. and like if he You look at it, and you say, oh, he wasn't that effective. People look at you like you're an idiot.
Speaker: On a down-to-down basis, he really wasn't. He's really just a home run threat that hasn't figured out how to hit that home run off. You don't need the home run as much as maybe he needs to learn how to hit the six-yard run and get drives going because it's it's it's painful. And then that's one more thing.
Speaker: When I mentioned earlier, they ran it on first down. Stevenson got hurt. And then they passed it. And then they passed it again. And I wonder how much they just figured Henderson would be running into the line where Stevenson had a chance to maybe fall forward and get half the yardage on one and half on the other. So I don't know how they feel about Henderson as the top. That's another guy.
Speaker: Is Stevenson okay? Because he did get dinged on the last drive. Yeah, that's a great point by Spencer Stratton here where it's a question of how they they worked out Jamal Williams today and if Stevenson maybe banged up. That would be a pretty big blow ah to an already not good running game. And, I mean, your team's beat up, man. And I think Drake's drake's good enough to carry a lot of this. You know what i mean? Like, that's obviously the the good news. Like, he can carry.
Speaker: um But you need someone to play well around him, right? You need someone. Like, he's just figuring out. He was dynamic. name I mean, again, I watch all his snaps. from the game again today. And I mean, he was ripping the ball. He was pocket movement was ridiculous. Like he had a few plays, not just scrambles. Like he was all around like Brady ask pocket movement on a couple of plays, no joke. And I'm not being a hyperbolic. I thought he was really excellent in the pocket. And so um you just need some guys to play well around them. Like, I think it is concerning. They can't run well.
Speaker: They didn't pass block really well. I mean, Will Campbell, this was not a good one, this game. Not good. Multiple times he got he got ripped apart. He was giving up. They were – it's just May's pocket presence was very good this game.
Speaker: People were, I tweeted a couple videos of Campbell getting beat during the game. People got really mad at me. I got some, people were saying curses at me as if like it was the referee to Trey McBride. And I was like, does he have like a posse? Or is this just because they're like, oh, one bad snap. i'm like, he had...
Speaker: eight bad snaps i don't like it doesn't mean he sucks he's had a really good start to the season this was not a good game for him it's narrative shit the injury thing is a little nuts because you look back at last year and it's like you lost antonio gibson for the year you lost will campbell for a few games you started without christian gonzalez so it's not like you were like perfectly healthy but you had no depth at tight end at safety at lineback well you actually ended up with jack gibbons but anyways you had such little depth and you had just basically you kind of cruised along in a sport as violent as this now you it's like aj brown uh mike and when you uh greg van roten like right already off the bat your your your third string fourth string on the interior now you're talking potentially stevenson you didn't play without christian gonzalez like guys are just going out you played a game without woodson and it's like it's
Speaker: It's almost I think it's more weird that last year this didn't happen than it is happening this year. But it just does seem like cosmic sort of coming around on that. I mean, we talked about it after week three where we were already more than 16. So we had 16 total injuries last year and we were already over that by week three. Like, and i agree, last year was more of an anomaly than this year. But we're we're getting the injury bug, unfortunately. and Guys are just getting banged up. and you know i don't know i will say from the defensive side of things i thought the defense played really well like this was a game where i was super skeptical seeing the fact that you didn't have gonzalez you didn't have barmore i was really skeptical about what they were going to do to try to contain the bills and i thought they balled man i mean they had they did a really good job they
Speaker: Basically contained Josh Allen from rolling right. They like overloaded that side to basically say, you're just not going to do this to us, which I think was so simplistic, but it obviously put him in a ah bad spot that he really didn't get loose and run on us like you historically see for Josh Allen. Now, he made some crazy scramble plays where you're like, that's just Josh Allen being Josh Allen.
Speaker: But by and large, are our defense balled in a situation where we didn't have our top guys going at it. I didn't think Milton Williams had ah a great game. But Yakis continues yaki consent used to show, Ponder's continuing to show.
Speaker: Guys just looking really good. I mean, it's it's crazy to think that those two guys that are young, rookie and a guy that's year two just trying to undrafted establish himself are basically our bell cows at defensive ends and they're carrying the weight and the team balled out and i think the defense was extremely encouraging because you know we're going to get healthy you know you're going to get guys back and those are going to contribute. And it's just our defense can hang with just about anyone. if you can How about Zach Corr, though, and, like, variable in the plan? Because, again, i think what I think is amazing, and this is, like, just a crazy status, Josh Allen had four yards rushing.
Speaker: Yeah. That's absurd. And, like, you see some of the ways they lined up against him? Like, you see some of the still images? Bro, he had not just two. He had three linemen on Josh Allen's right. And two linebackers, like an insane overload on that side. mean, Josh was like, even on one of the last plays of the game, like he could not roll out right.
Speaker: And it was just like, you know, you think about it, like that's brilliant shit. I mean, teams might look at that and be like, how do we play Drake May? I mean, literally like that's going to be how, like that's how you play these, or Patrick Mahomes. Like this is how you're to have to play these guys, you know, unless, because these QBs, these mobile quarterbacks, is what they want to do is get out of the pocket, escape and create. And, like, how you beat them, at least you try to, is keep them in the pocket, you know? And I think Josh didn't look that good or at least didn't look nearly as good as he normally would.
Speaker: Drake, to me, when he had a clean pocket, um i thought it looked great, looked fantastic. So I'm really encouraged by how Drake looked. And he threw over the middle. He had a couple fucking darts, dude. Like that dart turn that we talked about.
Speaker: The sideline one. No, the sideline one's two to Dobbs and Douglas. Both of those were like great throws. The Chisholm one. Chisholm was a dart. It was crazy. But one more defensive player I want to throw in is, i don't know if you caught Carlton Davis in the locker room last week getting pissy in a good way. When people were like, are you? are you ready to be CB one? And he was like, basically like f you, man. Like there's no such thing as CB one, CB two. And it's like, there, there is like, he's like, there's no such thing as, you know, wide receiver one, wide receiver. It's like, well, there is, but I understand that the sentiment of being like, I'm a football player and I'm going to play football. I've been in the league for what?
Speaker: almost 10 years like don't ask me questions like that and he went up he got beat early I forget who beat him might have been Coleman and I was like not looking CB1 and then he played lights out after that like he had I guess they gave the fumble the forced fumble display it was both of them punching it out he was aggressive he broke up that screen on third and five which got the crowd booing like it was a huge veteran game for him and without Gonzalez I think we all sort of said that's that's sort of not ideal and i know dj moore got hurt in the second half but that was i think he stood out to me too on the back end where it's like someone had to be that guy and he was yeah i mean carl i'll throw out a couple of names carlin davis i think it's been fantastic literally fantastic i mean absolute phenomenal player the last two weeks against jacksville he two blown up bubble screens it was incredible he's gonna get a super high like super high level play by carl davis seriously
Speaker: um Another guy, Chris Temple, comment from Chris Temple here on on the live stream says, Christian Ellis was a stud. Only athletic linebacker we have. I think Christian Ellis has been great. He's been really great. He's really – he is athletic. He's played really well. Spillane had a better game this week, not a good game against Jacksonville.
Speaker: um But he better. Ellis absolutely thudded Dawson Knox in the throat. Oh, my gosh, yeah. Like violent. Like in a way you don't see guys hitting. It was a shoulder to sternum. and it was like, oh, shit.
Speaker: I mean, I put it this way. Just 20,000-foot view, the Patriots shouldn't be out of any game. They should be in every single game they play. and this is why they should win, like, 11 games or something, right? Because, like, they should be in every fucking game. They only weren't in the Jacksonville game because of absurd turnovers, weird shit, and, like, having complete meltdown. Like, they gave literally the team gave up in the second half.
Speaker: That's why they they, like, they screwed up against Jacksonville. But they should be in every game because – The defensive coaching staff, whether it's Rabel, it's the front office, core, like they know how to game plan. Did you hear the quote from the fucking Saints defensive coordinator last night?
Speaker: Like joe Joe Staley or whatever? Like did you hear that? Oh, Brandon Staley? Brandon Staley. It's not a Joe Staley, not a lineman. Brandon Staley. Dude, Brandon Staley is like, yeah, we kind of knew it wasn't going to be good going in.
Speaker: Like he said that after they got blown out by the Falcons. Like that's fucking fireable, dude. That's fireable. Do know what I mean? Like, I don't, it's crazy. Like, can you imagine that from Vrabel and Zach Corr? Like, them ever saying something like that?
Speaker: Bill came close toward the end. i feel like Bill would say so many things along those lines. Yeah, Chris Temple I played football with 20 people. I actually know Chris Temple. i know i know more than twenty years ago I know Chris Temple as well. I didn't know you played ball with him, but I know Chris Temple. i um Yeah, I believe he played football. play I have no memories anymore in this. all Because, again, playing football, a lot of days. I don't know. We know another guy in common, but he's he's a really good kid. So thanks for tuning in, Chris. Appreciate it.
Speaker: I didn't know if that was the same Chris Temple, but he's a good guy. Yeah, the follow-up was was much appreciated. But, yeah, no, the Jacksonville game, and and you mentioned like turnovers, and I think that's another interesting point.
Speaker: There are there are there's going to be random turnovers like sometimes Ben Brown is going to get shoved into the quarterback. and The ball is going to come out. Sometimes Romeo Dobbs is going lying on the ground and flip the ball up somehow to someone's gut.
Speaker: It's um like that stuff's inevitable. It's that's why you can't have those. bonehead ones on top of it. And I agree with you. If Drake may doesn't throw the ball to Travis Hunter in the end zone, I don't think they lose 35 to six. I'm not sure they compete necessarily in that game for a number of reasons, but they probably lose by seven to 10 points and not 29.
Speaker: twenty nine Yeah, I mean, the big thing is, is like really good teams, they're going to have an off week where everyone just looks at like what happened. And even through the dynasty runs that the Pats had with Brady Belichick, we had a ton of examples of those where you're like, what is happening?
Speaker: What do we're you know, we're on to Cincinnati moments, right? And what happened here was is we just basically bottomed out against Jacksonville. That's the worst of the worst of the worst that we're going to look.
Speaker: And we basically said that's not who we are. Which is good because i that it you know circling back to what we talked about at the top, like do you believe in a guy like Drake May as being the player? and That's the same idea where you look at the entire team and say, well, do you believe in Drake? Do you believe in Brable? Do you believe in Josh? Do you believe that what they did last year was a complete fluke and this team's never going to be able to replicate? Or do you think...
Speaker: It was a building block, and now we're in the position where we're going to go forward and we're going to become back to form and be the top echelon of the AFC. And I think we're basically making it known that we are a good team.
Speaker: We're going through some bumps right now. But you're right. I don't think there's any team that I look at in the landscape of the AFC or really the NFL that I would say we can't hold a candlestick to this team. Like there's, there's definitely teams that have better rosters. There's better situations.
Speaker: I would probably think they would have a better chance against us. And I wouldn't be feel slighted if the odds went in their favor, but I also feel like we should be considered in that kind of top echelon of the AFC. And we should always be in contention with any team.
Speaker: I can't wait for that chiefs game around Christmas time. Cause I think they actually match up. I'm going to call this now. I know it's so insanely early to predict she Patriots preview. Chiefs pass. Let's do the Chiefs pass preview seven weeks in advance or whatever. But I think they match up really well against the Chiefs. I know I'm saying it now. I think actually Andy Reid has said on multiple occasions that he doesn't like playing against Mike Vrabel.
Speaker: And I believe he's lost to Vrabel in the playoffs when that when the Chiefs were a wagon. He lost to the Titans. They beat the Titans in 2019 in the AFC Championship game. Oh, it's like the Titans. going out eat it Oh yeah. That was a massive lead. Right. and you're like, oh, oh. And then the chiefs just kind of did the chief thing. I think that was when my homes introduced the I'm running out of bounds psych and moving up the sideline. And Jim Nance was like, what an amazing play. It's like, um Can I do a little remember when because you were just playing and bread about how like every every year there's like random losses.
Speaker: One of my favorite things in the world, the 2003 and 2004 Patriots, arguably the best two year stretch any team could ever have like that roster, the performance, everything. They lost four games total.
Speaker: One was to the 15 and one Steelers. The other ones in 03, you lost to Washington and you lost to Miami teams that went, I just look, Oh, sorry, sorry. Buffalo. Sorry. 03 was Buffalo in Washington, Buffalo finished six and 10 Washington finished five and 11.
Speaker: The next year you lose the Steelers on Halloween that ended the 21 game streak. They were, they went 15 one and the dolphins, the Monday night football one, when Brady's throwing interceptions off his ass, that team went four and 12. So you have a four and 12, a five and 11 and a six and 10 team.
Speaker: We're 75% of the dynasty Patriots losses. Well, and the Buffalo one was like a 31-0 or something like that. First-hand of the year. yeah Lord Molloy. Yeah. The whole world is coming down. Yeah.
Speaker: And then all of a sudden. Sam Adams with the touchdown. The guy was like 600 pounds. it was a bet But then week 17, they beat the Bills 31-0, which I think is – I don't know how sports work sometimes.
Speaker: Yeah, yeah, that was that was very poetic. at that um I mean, we remember that team and, you know, That team, again, see it feels – it's different than now, but, like, the team was never out of a game. It felt like the Patriots dynasty just – you just thought they'd win every game. You just went in and you're like, they're going to win this game.
Speaker: You could never pick against them because you knew they'd be in every game. And that's the dream of creating this this team. And, again, I've been over this too. It's like how the Chiefs morphed into winning their last two Super Bowls is they became a defensive powerhouse while they still had Mahomes doing wacky shit. And that's how they ended up like winning their the back-to-back Super Bowls, right? They became – they were one of the best defensive teams in football. They were absurd. its and It's bags. They were incredible.
Speaker: No one gave them credit. You know, Chris Jones, Hall of Famer, like theyre they're really good. So, um you know, again, that's how you have to build it out. And I think the Patriots are actually doing that now. I think they're they have the dynamic young quarterback.
Speaker: They just need to keep him developing. That's it. You have to keep Drake developing. You have to just make sure Drake is comfortable. They try to put weapons around him. I think Dobbs people are going to end up really liking. He's going to be a really good, consistent receiver. Once AJ Brown comes back, you're going have a lot more dynamic options. But, you know, they're playing obviously the Raiders this week.
Speaker: You i think we all think they're going match up fairly well against the Raiders. I don't know. i can't imagine the Raiders coming in and scoring a crazy amount. I know they beat you last year, but it just feels like it should be, again, like, I don't know, seven to ten point win for the Patriots, at least to me. How do you guys feel about the matchup?
Speaker: I'll let you go first. I'm stealing all the first answers. No, it's all right. Yeah, – Well, again, i think the Raiders are better than we thought they were. So it is going to be a situation where we're going to have to, our defense is going to have to show up again.
Speaker: I think offensively, We're going to figure things out, but ah the Raiders defense doesn't really scare me too much. The offense, I think, is is a problem. I think they have a potential to actually put up numbers. I mean, they've had some high-scoring games against the Chiefs and the Saints, so they clearly know how to work the ball. i mean, Kirk Cousins has definitely been able to kind of bring that team kind of together and make that work. So...
Speaker: We'll see. I think if we can contain the run game, keep Jenty in check, turn them into making Kirk Cousins do plays to try to shut us, you know, put points on. If we can somehow contain that and keep them sub, I would say 24, 21.
Speaker: twenty four twenty one I think we're probably in good position because I think our offense is going to be able to score enough on the Raiders. I just don't, I don't think their defense is that good. And I think we're going to,
Speaker: Be able to figure that part out, I think it's going to continue to be another growth game for Drake and the offense just continue to find ways to be confident and and move the ball. So I think it's going to be a high scoring game, and I think this is probably going one where the pass put up like 31 to get to like 3124 something like that.
Speaker: There'll be some good ah juju in the building, too, because it's the 25th celebration of the 2001 team, and it's like the Raiders are going to be there. It's going to be – Brady's team. Yeah, bru Brady won't be there. He's got to work. He's a working man these days, you know, putting his lunch pail to work. But there's a concern there, and Jenty's the thing, because hear me out on this. I think Joe Brady's a little beholden to Josh – Allen, in the sense that it looked like Cook was starting to gain yardage on a defense that was maybe wearing down late in the second half. And I just checked the numbers to to confirm that.
Speaker: Here's what starting at the last play, of the third quarter, James Cook for eight yards, James Cook for 17 yards, James Cook for 10 yards. Doesn't see the ball again that drive. It's Allen pass, Allen pass, Allen pass, Ty Johnson run, Allen pass, Allen pass. They kick the field goal.
Speaker: And then the next drive, he starts it off with 16 yards, gets six yards. Then Allen hits Coleman for the long touchdown. So that one worked. And then the last drive, a minute 50, all three timeouts.
Speaker: I might've given him a chance if I knew Josh Allen was going to sling the ball into Craig Woodson's chest. So if the Raiders are a little bit more, I mean, I don't think they're going to crap, we got to let Cousins cook.
Speaker: They're going to say, well, whoever's working. And if Gentry is running well, I think that is a threat. So I can sit here and say the Patriots defense did a really good job to hold James Cook to 75 yards. But there were signs that there were some some holes that just weren't being exploited exploited that you have to be aware of in this one. And if it's any consolation,
Speaker: I don't think Trey Tucker worries you about. You always have to worry about Bowers. I think Michael Mayer might lead them in receiving right now. So, like, guys you should be able to handle. Mayer's big.
Speaker: Bowers is special. You're going to have to put a lot of attention to him. receiver-wise, I don't think even even the more Coleman combo might be better than what they're working with there in ah Vegas. So ah that's – The concern is the run game, but can a running back beat you if you can score over 24? That would be shocking.
Speaker: Well, and don't they? Kubiak's not going to go away from the run. He's going to continue to run it. But, yeah, I agree. You started to see Cook. come alive in the fourth quarter and really gash us. And I remember in our group text, I i texted and basically said, like, Cook's becoming a problem. This is going to be something scary. And it just kind of went away. It reminded me of the Baltimore when all of a sudden they just stopped handing it to Derek Henry. Yeah. you Like, thank you. Appreciate it. The defensive line has an issue with they they still should have brought back Kyrus Tonga. They still, like, need an extra, like, big body in there. And occasionally when, like, the Bills are a really good running team. They're a really good blocking team. Like, they changed how they were running. They changed their scheme a little bit. and cook started using his vision and bouncing it back. And it was unstoppable for a minute. Like he looked phenomenal and see he's not only is he a great running back, they block really well.
Speaker: And again, maybe they did go. I mean, I think Joe Brady will do anything Josh Allen wants basically. And we'll see how that relationship goes. I don't know. We've been saying it before it going into the season. I don't think their defense is going to end up being good enough to win anything. I think they're going to give up a ton of yards against a lot of teams. So we'll see with the Raiders though. Like,
Speaker: I'm not necessarily afraid of them as much as I'd be afraid of the Bills offense, only because i think Cousins, like, he's been good. He's he's solid. But, man, he's so slow.
Speaker: Like, it's like the opposite of Josh Allen. Like, Josh Allen, you're don't let him out of the pocket. Don't let him move. Don't let him scramble. Like, Kirk Cousins is a statue. Like, I watched him scramble. He can't fucking move.
Speaker: He can't move his body. he's what You have to get him off the spot. Like, blitz him. You know, I get to see the metrics, but, like, you got to blitz him, bring pressure, get him to move, and that, to me, will will open it up. And, then again, they're, like, comparable-ish to the Bills in their weapons. They have two tight ends. They're throwing at two tight ends. I mean, what do the Bills do? They throw at two tight ends.
Speaker: You know, except again, they have worse receivers. So like, yeah, you got to find a way. Do you just put Christian Gonzalez on Brock Bowers? If he plays this week, just one-on-one. Here you go, buddy. Just shout a shadow Bowers.
Speaker: Probably take him away. You know, like. Yeah. I like that. I actually throw that in the book. Like Carlton Davis answer, like was sassy. And I like that throw a Christian Gonzalez after week three, when they beat the stairs, like, when did you know you'd be on DK Metcalf all day? And he was just like,
Speaker: yeah It's like the second I saw on the schedule came out and it was yeah it was pretty cool. He doesn't talk a lot. It doesn't talk a lot of trash. So i I'm just looking at, uh, yeah. Kirk cousins is 38, which made me say, damn. And like the Kevin Hart, Don Cheadle video, like damn 38, 38. Yeah. He's one year. He's younger than me. yeah We're running out of people, but yeah. Bowers at six, 35.
Speaker: I mean, Gonzalez is tall enough to cover him. Is he strong enough with a shoulder injury? I don't know. I bet that'd be a nice tweet. He's probably quick enough to, it won't be a problem, but yeah.
Speaker: I mean, if if it's a you know jump ball where Bowers is just going to get body position, then yeah, I think it's a problem. yeah but that's not the way gonzo plays like gonzo's more savvy about it like he's not a he's not a physical corner like he can play physical on some of the bigger wide receivers but like that's not his game like it's not like he's trying to rough guys up at the line and try to go through like he just he just knows how to reroute sits on routes right and cut the angle he glides he glides right with them it's crazy Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker: Well, I think this is ah you know, the stretch. We've been talking about this, dude. It's like somehow you survived the first four games. Like this is what we what we all wanted, basically. If you're like, you go, all you had to do is go two and two.
Speaker: So everyone said, go two and two in the first four games. And then yeah let's see. like Would you say this next stretch of games is harder than we expected? Yeah, I would. Did you see Case Keenum on – was that Monday night or Thursday night last week? Yeah.
Speaker: The Bears, that concerns me. And I kind of – I thought the Bears would be the team coming back to earth when, in fact, it was the Texans, the Chargers, the Patriots to a degree. The Bears look better than last year, even without Caleb Williams. So that one, to me, looks harder. I think the Jets – The Jets suck, but they're competitive. Like that's not, they're not a pushover. They're not the Dolphins. You know, they, they've played some games. They, they went to overtime against Detroit, right? They lost to the Packers in the last minute or something that like maybe flip those. I get my Jets games confused, but like the Jets, you should still beat them. But I think that game's harder than I, I thought that would be a joke.
Speaker: ah The Dolphins game is still easy. Like, but maybe the Packers and Lions both are a bit easier than you expected. So I think it'll probably balance out. Did the Jets, though, against the Bears, I think the Bears had the ball um like of the game.
Speaker: are Sorry, not 42%. I forget. Oh, my I don't know where I got 42 from. But, um God, I forget the number. The Bears had the ball 42 minutes. Oh. Minutes. like I'm like, where the fuck did I get 42? I know I'm right on something. They had the ball 42 minutes of the game, and the Bears defenders came out of the game the locker room afterwards and said, wow, that was one of the easiest games I've ever played in. I have to correct you because I just brought up 42 minutes in 45 seconds. So almost 43 minutes like 43 and a 17 split.
Speaker: How many plays did they did the Jets? get Not many like 28 on offense. They had 15 passes and they had 14 rushes. So, again, when I say free to the Jets, like to me, and it how's the Bears' defense? Like I didn't think that was really the focal piece of that team. So, like, I think if you learn the playbook on the Jets, man, like I'm not – you shouldn't really be that scared of that offense.
Speaker: um They're not a really well offensively coached team. um And the Raiders, you beat the Raiders, beat the Jets. And then, again, like Bears on Thursday night, anything happens. I don't know if Caleb Williams plays in that game.
Speaker: um i just think like i don't know i think you're a better team than the bear i think you're a better team than the bears i i do i think you know how about this how about this this is actually this is a you don't want to give away your plans tomorrow at work i plan a put this together like mapping out kind of like what i started where everyone was riding the roller coaster early here's how to not ride the roller coaster you have these six games coming up four and two is i think the target I think four and two is fit like it's five and one would be great, but I think four and two should be like your baseline.
Speaker: Yeah. And then you have the bye week and then it's chargers, bills, Vikings, chiefs, jets, Broncos, dolphins. There's three automatic should be automatic wins in there in the chargers, the jets and the dolphins. Right.
Speaker: So that's at worst three and four. And then can you win one more of those? That's four and three. So that gets you to 10 wins. Yeah, I think 10 is a good magic number. I think if you could i think they could hit 11.
Speaker: That's my guess. They could get there. I think 10 is a good magic number, and 9 should be your absolute floor. um It should be the floor. But, like again, how are the Vikings going to play at that point? like Again, these are like this is a mystery. like They're 4-0 right now because Flores is a maniac. and like But their quarterback is playing like shit.
Speaker: They're not that good on offense. They're playing close against bad teams. It's a short week in Foxborough, too. So they got to travel on a short week. Yeah, short week in Foxborough. Again, like the Lions and pat the Packers have looked like dog shit. The Lions defense is horrific. Like like there's so much. a The Lions make everyone look good. They make every quarterback look excellent.
Speaker: Everyone. um I don't trust the Chargers look like dog shit. yeah Then you get the Bills at home. Then you got, you know again, the Chiefs are huge game. That'll be a lot of fun. And then i don't know what the Broncos look like. What if the Broncos are out of the playoffs at that point? I know one talks about this shit. The Broncos had a flip schedule too. All a sudden, they have a much harder schedule right now than people gave it it credit for. Let me look up their schedule because I know it's a lot harder.
Speaker: But like they might not be in the mix. The Bills have a hard schedule too. Yeah, the Bills do like We don't know. like The Broncos are playing the Chargers this week. Maybe it's a get-right game for the Chargers. Who the fuck knows? Then the Seahawks.
Speaker: They hey still have to play the Chiefs. The Panthers are really competitive. Steelers. Can I throw the next four Bills opponents at you? Ready for this? What? At the Rams.
Speaker: At the Raiders. Bye-week. Home versus Baltimore. At Minnesota. Yeah. That's a tough road. Could be like two and two. Yeah, it's ah that's a tough road. that's That makes the Patriots win even bigger because you could be neck and neck after the next four weeks.
Speaker: No one has it as bad as the Chargers from the last time I checked. to Basically, for the next bunch of games, they have lined up. yeah is They have the Broncos, the Chiefs, the Rams, and then the Texans, and then the Ravens, which is like they could they could be like – I don't know, one and eight. Yeah. So if they're one and eight, they're virtually eliminated.
Speaker: And then, then you have to play them when they're almost eliminated later in the year. Do you know what i mean? That's huge. So that could be big too. There's a lot of like gamesmanship here with the schedule, which I enjoy the schedule talk. but Now let's get back to what we're doing, which is Chiefs Patriots week 15. Chiefs Patriots prep. let's Let's get on it.
Speaker: All right. Give me your – Hold like nimple again though Come on. hey He's like hitting what I've been asking for for like a year and a half. A year and half I've been asking for this. Did you guys like the little flip the little flip to Henry? we have We have not seen that in the Patriots offense. did like that. That was a modern play. I was like, oh, man, but Josh did a modern play.
Speaker: like It felt like that was an Andy Reid play. Unfortunately, it was to Henry, so we only got four or five yards because he can't run. and i really watching that like I was watching that game with my wife, and she goes, wow, he really is pretty slow.
Speaker: He's lumbering, but you know what? The Bills fans are crushing. Who was the corner that didn't catch him on the game ceiling? the final play? Yeah. i don't know. Wasn't C.J. Gardner-Johnson? No, he's fast as as hell, whoever he outran. So when he's still got a little something left, just not 60 minutes of it. By I'd like to see Eli Raritan stopping on the injury report after every single game. I think that needs to be something that happens. He's got a different injury every game of the season.
Speaker: Yeah. it's it's Remember the first – help me out. the the The Seahawks have so many mutant defensive linemen. One of the first snaps of Raritan's career, he came around to block, and I think it was – ah Was it Lawrence on the Seahawks? That just absolutely gave him everything he had. And Raritan stood his ground, but you could tell his whole body absorbed that. And I just think yeah that's something when during training camp, when he talked to the media, they were like, what's it like? He's like these guys are big.
Speaker: And there's just... That's why you don't want to lean on a rookie tight end because not only do you have to understand the offense and know everything, but like you're literally in the box against DNs and linebackers and bodies are flying. like The physicality of it, I think it takes time to adapt to. So that's probably why you're seeing them on there.
Speaker: They pulled him across the formation. I remember the play because it was like, oh, he just got blown up. I don't think it was necessarily like Byron Murphy, who's a freak show stud, or Leonard Williams. They're both incredible players. But he did hit someone coming across and and and got blown up. i By the way, I walked next to Eli Raritan in person down at Patriots practice. like Right there, i was like, this kid's huge, too. like He's a big kid. Oh, yeah, he's big.
Speaker: super tall kid. And then you don't realize how powerful defensive tackles are. It's like the most powerful people in the field, just freak show position. Like you cannot move them. It's, it's unbelievable. So might've been to Marcus Lawrence.
Speaker: Yeah, maybe i have either way it was, he got blown up. Yeah. Yeah. But the Hunter Henry though is crafty, but slow as hell. And, you know, I think like maybe he's here a year or two. I'm cool with having a crafty tight end.
Speaker: But it's it's not it's certainly not dynamic. I mean, it's schemed. it's just But if he does what he did great in this last game, he's just crafty. He's making little crafty moves and getting open. and you know It's kind of like Kelsey-ish, which is what i all I ask for him. You've got to learn how to run the routes, sit in zones, you know get open.
Speaker: That's what Kelsey does when he's slow. Do you see Josh Allen missing Dalton Kincaid leaking out in the two point conversion? wow That was crazy. And he's just. locked in the airring left he goes the other well There's three, there's three defenders. He tries to fit it into a window, maybe that big. And it's behind the receiver. It's like, dude, you gotta, you gotta be a little bit more aware.
Speaker: that was too gunslingery for me he really like did get a little too much psychotic uh can i bring up did you guys see the play of nick imanwari against the chargers oh rushing at like edge no one was lined up on the left end he gets in a four-point stance yeah and he wins and he forces a throw away from herbert and it was like freak freak i mean he's big he's like six four twenty five that no that wild Winning against Joe Alt, right? Like it was a legit rep. And it was like, what the hell? That's also Mike McDonald being a nut. Like Mike McDonald's like, hey, we're going to bring you down on the side and just have you go one-on-one here and see if you can speed rush the tackle. Like that Mike McDonald being a freak show because he is.
Speaker: If it was planned, but he is still nut either way. No, he's three. That was my favorite play of the year. Give me your um score prediction for the game. Official score prediction for the game. I had the Bills 40 20 last week so. 30 to 20.
Speaker: if wait well start twenty Yeah. What do you want from me? I don't know. I think the Patriots should win, but I don't, nothing's a given. They're banged up. We'll see. The injuries are a problem. I think it's going to be more like 24, 21 grind it out again, but I like, I like your experience a little bit better than them.
Speaker: Yeah. Brad, what do you got? Yeah, I i said that earlier. I think it's going to 31-24. I think it's one of those situations where it's going to be high scoring just because I think we're going hard time containing the run. i think the Raiders, yeah, I get it. They don't have a ton of weapons on offense, but they they're showing they're a pretty good offensive team. Kubiak's a good offensive coordinator, now head coach, and Kirk Cousins has been around the league. I think he's going to be able to do it. and We'll see what a health looks like on the defense by the time that comes around. So I think 31-24, our offense is going to continue to grow and and build.
Speaker: um I'd like us to establish a run game this this game. I don't know if it's going to be that, but I'd like it to happen. We'll see. i'll I'll take the Pats 27-17.
Speaker: think that's a fair. I gotta got a cover. i don't know if the spread is. It's probably like five and a half or something like that. but You think it is? Yeah, probably. I would guess three or two and a half even. I think i'm be more than that. Here, you you look at it up fast. You're faster than me. um I don't know. Yeah, we yeah I'm going to guess five and a half. That's my guess. What's our two stats prediction? Of all the times for freaking Google AI results to not just give me an answer, it's right now. So...
Speaker: Why can't I find it? Oh, there it is. They are. what It opened eight and a half. Eight and a half? there's three there aren They're even more bullish than me. Holy shit. It says three and a half now. It says it opened eight and a half. ESPN, i think, is wild now. It says it's three and a half now. There's no way it moved five points.
Speaker: No way. that's That can't be right. ESPN fucks up too often. Yeah, I'm going double check that because I don't. Yeah, it's three and a half. yeah No one has eight and a half. Okay, okay. that's That's more fair. I thought it'd be like. ESPN. I'm going to write A little bit disrespect.
Speaker: I'm going to have to write a letter. Unless the Raiders were like, we're not getting on the plane to New England this week. I don't know how it could have ever been eight and a half. Well, we're wrapping soon. Anything else you guys want to cover before we wrap it up? Anything else? Can I ask you guys a question?
Speaker: Sure. Because I assume neither of you like have to do things like watch a Craig Breslow press conference. i Like, who's that for? The press conference? I don't get who that's for because theoretically you're talking to the fans. i don't know any fan that's going to sit through whatever that is.
Speaker: So I didn't comment a lot on this only because obviously it's Patriots season and the Red Sox people have been everything. So kind of glum and the fan base is, is pissed again. So I didn't address it a ton other than the, a couple angry tweets, but um I don't know. It's for the media. It's for themselves. It's for like to have this shit on record, what they say it's to, it's basically auto fellatio.
Speaker: It's it's you. You're basically just um they literally had quotes saying like how much they appreciate the front office. It's like, that's you. You just talk about like you appreciate you. Is the press conference talking about how much you love fucking you?
Speaker: that stupid? Because like, why are you cool with mediocrity? I mean, I can do a full pot on and the Red Sox. It feels like. There's an element of like, these people are dumb. Let's talk to them.
Speaker: Let's talk to these dumb people out there because they're too dumb to catch. Like, we're so smart. And it's just at a certain point, I don't know. Sometimes I think I'm too much dug in as like a media thought, like the way my brain works.
Speaker: But sometimes I'm like, i don't I don't know anyone that is buying this. But that's the way they've been talking to us for years, whether it's Breslow, Sam Kennedy, like you name it.
Speaker: That's just the way they constantly come out. And people sit there and say like, oh, fire the PR. blow No, they that's how little they think of the fan base and how much they really don't care because they're – The biggest takeaway I have from the whole thing is it's just going same old, same old.
Speaker: Like they're trying to sell us the product that just failed another year. Like, limped into getting into the playoffs and then got bounced.
Speaker: And they're like, oh, no, like we are we're building something here. All of these guys are going to be healthier and we're going to be better and all this stuff without like we're not doing anything to address our needs.
Speaker: So why are they? happy Why are they so why are they so satisfied with mediocrity? Dude, they're not mediocre. Did you not listen? Yeah, like they were mediocre for four of the six months of the year, but that doesn't mean they're mediocre because they weren't mediocre for 37 games.
Speaker: Suck on that. They just suck on how much they love the summer. They're like, had a great summer. They're in the sweet spot of being like the 10th or 12th spending team in the league, making the playoffs, and then getting bounced. in the Bro, they are the Mike Tomlin. They're the Mike Tomlin Steelers for the last decade. yeah That's who they are.
Speaker: Good news, bad news. The Dodgers won tonight. So that they're up 2-1. They're one step closer to advancing. The Dodgers winning, I think, is is good if you want the idea of spending leading to winning. However, will also lead to no baseball next year.
Speaker: So yeah like Brewers Rays, maybe there's no lockout. I don't know if the the magic of ah small market, small money teams can make that happen. But yeah, I just the the sort of to go up at a podium and say like, well, we swept the Yankees.
Speaker: Yeah, once. And then when the season was on the line in September, they beat your ass three out of four. And it's like, what? Like, ah I don't know. I know some of this is me, but yeah, it's it's not bonkers. And then the Rays are going to beat the Yankees, who are like ah yeah juggernauts payroll versus small payroll, and that makes people angry. It's like, why is it that a team with a $90 million or $60 million, whatever they are, $60 million to $90 million payroll, why is that team able to beat a team with a $350 million dollars payroll?
Speaker: Shouldn't those be different? Why aren't the Rays considered a bigger underdog? Why are the Rays the favorite by far in this series? but is love I do always love Felger when he says we have dumb nerds. We need better nerds. um I put Cam Schlittler's playoff stats because I think this is a big thing too because I think the Red Sox will sit there and be like, ah, you run into Schlittler sometimes. He has four playoff starts. Two are against the Red Sox. One's against the Blue Jays. One's against the Rays.
Speaker: In two against the Red Sox, he has 22 strikeouts. In the other two, has four strikeouts. So is it him being a playoff monster or do you, are you on, do you not have a playoff lineup?
Speaker: I think it was a cutter is King on, on X, you know, cutter is King. Yeah. Like he's, I think he said he's like, he's like Cam Schlatter's just a Red Sox merchant. Basically. Like he just wrecks the Red Sox and just smoked against anyone else. His, whip, I mean, it's such a small sample size, but like his whip is tripled in those other two starts. It's a, it's almost, it's a 0.588 whip against the Red Sox and it's 1.5 in the other two games and small sample size. Last night he got like nickel and dime to get to death. It was insane to watch that many runs score off balls that didn't leave the infield. But yeah I just, I just had to scratch that itch. So thank you.
Speaker: No, that's cool. And I just want to know, like, I don't, I don't, I don't know the vision. for the team I don't see the, I see the vision of the Patriots. I see where it's going. I see what they're trying to accomplish. I see, you know, trading for the right players. you know, I, I, you can see the vision happening.
Speaker: I don't, it's kind of the Bruins. I don't necessarily see it with the Bruins. I don't understand what the vision is. I kind of understand what the Celtics had to do and where, you know, I get, I try, I do trust that front office. I think they are really smart. I think they're a great front office. Great nerd. Great nerd. Great nerds.
Speaker: Really great nerds. He is, but the, the Red Sox, I don't know the vision. I do you want to believe June, June Lee, who wants to just talk about private equity and they're complacent, um, getting, getting big profits and, and being mediocre, just making the post season like, um, Like the Bruins used to always love just get in and that was all you needed to do, right? i don't know. i don't know what the vision is. If the vision is to win championships, I'd say the Red Sox are pretty far away.
Speaker: say That's why this this you know this wild card system is really bad if you're a Red Sox fan because they can sit there and be like, we're a playoff team. It's like, no, you aren't. You didn't win a playoff game. You're one and four in the playoffs in the last two years against teams that don't go on to win the World Series. Like these aren't like the Yankees have not been the best team in baseball.
Speaker: It's not like you got a bad luck draw. You're the third best team in your division. You've, you should, there, there once was a time when this ownership strove to be better than that. And now it's like, well, we're in the playoffs. they're They're, they're clearly not. And clearly the young kids who they were going to pull up to try to be big players. um They thought that they were going to develop and they haven't at all. And Roman Anthony can't stop being injured every second.
Speaker: I mean, you can't, you can't expect him to swing. without getting hurt. This is like every time he checks a swing, he's like, he's like fucking like a superhero. like Three swing injuries is not good.
Speaker: No, no. So yes, I don't know We have to go too on about the Red Sox, but yes. yes Sorry. No, that's all entirely my fault. No, you're good. No, no, you're good. You probably have to write about this stuff. You don't get to just write about the Patriots. You have to write about everybody.
Speaker: Yeah, and it would have been a nice... I love playoff baseball. I think there's there's little better than playoff baseball, and especially in Boston. And it's been really, really absent for too long. 2021, they talk about as if they won the World Series because they almost forced a Game 7 in the ALCS. The last, I think it's 18 innings of that ALCS against the Astros, they got outscored like twenty to two And it was non-competitive, but they're like, we almost made the World Series. It's like...
Speaker: There used to actually be a desire to win the World Series, not convince people and gaslight people that you almost got to the World Series. It's it's really stark. And I feel crazy because I feel like Red Sox fandom has become like more happy-go-lucky and sort of celebrate everyone. and It's not what i the city I grew up in. It's, it's strange.
Speaker: I would say the Patriots fandom feels old school still. And I would say that in a way that I think it's incredibly critical and, and ferocious. And I think the expectations are extraordinarily high and I'd rather it be that way. I don't want to go back to Mac Jones, Bailey's happy times where you just get to fight over who should be the starter. That's ridiculous. I'd rather be like, no, we're trying to win every fucking game.
Speaker: Like this is what it was for so long. Bruins fans are sort of the, they're like the flag bearer in that. Like there will be fights in the balcony of Bruins fans arguing about who sucks more on the Bruins. Like that's that's the peak of this sort of mindset.
Speaker: Yeah. Bruins fans are very good fandom for real. They have great fans. But yeah. all right. Well, i won't keep you forever. Thanks Mike for coming on. And and yeah, we'll we'll we'll check you guys next time. We appreciate you tuning in and we'll see you next week.
Speaker: Peace. Peace.
