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SportsTranscript
00:00I'm joined by Robert Griffin, the third James Whitefield, Yates, Mina Kimes.
00:11All right.
00:12So first play, we're going to look at second into one of the Patriots first offensive plays.
00:21What's going on?
00:22Everyone.
00:23Mike Cadillac, Taylor Kyle's here for CLNS Media back with another episode of Pat's Daily
00:27here on the CLNS Media Network.
00:30We're powered by PrizePix and GameTime.
00:32More from them later.
00:34But today is transition day, Wednesday.
00:36Me and Taylor just got back from Gillette Stadium a little while ago.
00:40So there's some happenings down there as they get ready for Patriots versus 49ers.
00:45So what we're going to start to do, what we want to do on these transition Wednesdays
00:49is have you guys run the show a little bit.
00:51We'll answer some of your questions.
00:53So we have a Patriots versus 49ers mailbag coming up towards the back half of this episode.
00:59Some 49ers questions, some just relevant Patriots questions.
01:02So we'll get to as many as those as we can.
01:04I would also recommend throwing some questions in the chat if you have them, and we will
01:07get to as many as possible towards the back end of this show.
01:10But first, what we want to do here is clean up and get through some more of our film breakdown
01:17stuff that we did yesterday on the channel.
01:19We have a couple more stuff, not necessarily Jets-centric, but more so where the Patriots
01:24offense is at.
01:25And I know everyone's down on the Patriots offense.
01:27I know a lot of people are down on the offense, down on where the offensive line is, why Drake
01:33May isn't in the game, Jacoby Reset's pressure, all that stuff.
01:36But there is some promise, there is some hope with this Alex Van Pelt scheme.
01:39So Taylor did some breakdowns on it with three different packages and how they're using players
01:45in a positive way.
01:46So we're going to start with Hunter Henry as a fullback.
01:49So Taylor, the floor is yours.
01:50Take us through it.
01:51Yes, sir.
01:52So before I get into this, I just want to address why we decided that this was important
01:55enough to bring up.
01:56I know there's been a lot of people saying that Alex Van Pelt isn't very creative and
02:02really insulting his play calling because of what happened last week.
02:04And to a degree, I understand because clearly, and I will address it in this package, there
02:09were things that he absolutely could have and should have done better.
02:12Really that came down to sequencing for me and when he decided to call the plays that
02:16he decided to call.
02:17Because when you look at like Kyle Shanahan, if he's setting up a play action, it's not
02:21necessarily something that he set up weeks earlier.
02:23Like maybe it is because of a certain look, maybe emotion or something.
02:26But in the game, he'll make sure that he's run something so that you have seen it, maybe
02:30it worked, and then he can continue to build off of that.
02:33So it's kind of a thing where Alex Van Pelt, first time, full time play caller, he's going
02:38to have these kinds of learning moments.
02:39But really, the learning lesson is going to be how he builds off of them.
02:43And the intriguing things I thought were how, while again, the timing of these things
02:47could improve, you do see the thoughtfulness in how he's trying to use certain looks, certain
02:52motions to make things look the same, marry the run in the play action.
02:56I think he's done a really good job of that, and also including Pop Douglas.
03:00Because we know in the first game, Pop gets like two targets or something like that, maybe
03:04one or two, whatever it was.
03:06The next week after the offense was saying, yeah, like our guys are getting open, Pop
03:09and Polk are getting open, we're going to involve them more.
03:12Pop doesn't get a single touch outside of a penalty on a play that didn't even count.
03:16So the third week, we finally did see him get involved, and there were a lot of things
03:19that I liked.
03:20I'm not going to dive into all of them, but I'm going to basically show how Alex Van Pelt
03:23used formations and motions to make things look a little bit the same, and how at points
03:28it actually did benefit to Mario Douglas.
03:30Now, first of all, like you said, I'm going to start off with this Hunter Henry fullback
03:35package.
03:36This is something that they've been showing since the first week of the season.
03:39We saw it a decent amount against the Bengals, saw it against the Seahawks.
03:42But in those two games, the Patriots had never run out of these formations.
03:46I'm sorry, they never passed out of these formations.
03:48They were exclusively run plays, which is why I think Van Pelt thought that early on
03:53in the game, he would be able to call a play action and expected the Jets to bite on it.
03:57So first, I'm going to start off by showing you what this looked like, the specific look
04:01against the Seahawks.
04:02Now, this is 12 personnel.
04:04We've got a receiver on outside on each side of the field.
04:07Then we've got Austin Hooper and Hunter Henry on the same side.
04:11You're going to see that Hunter Henry is going to shift into the backfield as a fullback.
04:16So get your hands on your knees there, buddy.
04:18All right.
04:19And then the play that they're going to run is wide zone, but they're going to have Hunter
04:22Henry go opposite the flow of the rest of the run, make it really look more like a bit
04:27of a sift block.
04:28But he's actually going to climb up to the second level.
04:31This is the play that he used against the Seahawks to try to set up the naked bootleg
04:35against the Jets on their first play.
04:37So let's just see how this works.
04:38As you can see, Hunter Henry goes opposite the run action.
04:41Raimondre is able to get outside the tackle.
04:43Unfortunately, this was called a hold on Bedarian low.
04:46Now, next week against the Jets, this is the exact same formation almost.
04:51Only difference is Jalen Polk is closer to the formation, but it's a tight look, 12 personnel,
04:56three by one right now.
04:58And it's going to shift into a two by one because you get Hunter Henry in the backfield.
05:03Now Jacoby Bursette sees the look and actually checks to this play.
05:07So Alex Van Pelt didn't go out and say, we are going to call play action on the first
05:10play.
05:11I think this was originally supposed to be a run.
05:13It's impossible to know those.
05:15Sometimes there's two pass options, sometimes different run options.
05:18You can't be sure.
05:19But based on what we'd seen, I think this might've originally been a run, but he sees
05:23this look, checks to a pass, and it's going to end up being a naked bootleg where you're
05:27going to get Hunter Henry.
05:29They called it the slide, right?
05:31So this is him on a slide route going opposite the formation and the flow of the action.
05:35You're going to get Jalen Polk on this over route, KJ Osborne, basically just running
05:39a clear on this corner.
05:40And then Ramondre Stevenson is going to try to help fill the outside zone fake with Austin
05:45Hooper just basically coming out as a backup flat option if the defense covers everything
05:50up well.
05:51But the issue here is that Will McDonald is on the end of the line of scrimmage one.
05:55This is a tough technique.
05:56This is considered a wide nine, a very wide angle where, yeah, he could bite down and
06:02try to defend this run action and make sure that nobody can cut back.
06:06But I think the Jets plan was that we're going to try to stop the pass on the way to stopping
06:10the run.
06:11So as you see, he's not going to respect this at all because they haven't run play action
06:14on him yet.
06:15Now, I know people were saying, why didn't Hunter Henry chip him?
06:18I don't really think he's supposed to, one, and two, it's going to be tough to get there.
06:22Will McDonald takes, he doesn't really have a choice.
06:24Like if he tries to get any of Will McDonald here, it's going to ruin the play and you're
06:28basically just hoping that what happens, which Kobe does happens, and he can just barely
06:32get it off.
06:34Unfortunately, the Jets pursuit is very good and Hunter Henry couldn't go anywhere with
06:37it.
06:38Now, they ran this look in different place out of this.
06:41Again, same look, the condensed 12 personnel, three by one with Jalen Polk, or I think it's
06:45actually Typhon Thornton this time, as the outside receiver, one of those two guys, Hunter
06:49Henry, pushes into the backfield once again, but this time they're going to not run a naked
06:54bootleg.
06:55They're actually going to run a straight drop back off of downhill run action.
06:59Now, this is a play, I was so mad I didn't tweet this before the game, and I told you
07:04because I knew, I was like, they're going to use play action because they've just been
07:06running out of this for two weeks straight.
07:08I had a feeling that at least one of these, because they showed this with the Browns with
07:11Harrison Bryant, was he would pretend to block, and then he was actually going to go upfield
07:16to try to catch the Jets sleeping.
07:17As you're going to see, that doesn't exactly work, but a big reason for that is that they're
07:22actually going to send Chuck Clark down late to blitz off the edge.
07:26Now, this is a tough look, to be honest, but you would like to Kobe Bursett and Antonio
07:30Gibson to see this and abort the run action.
07:33You'll see that sometimes, like the quarterback may go and do it, and then Ramondi Stevenson
07:36will say, oh, no, we got somebody coming, I got to pick him up.
07:39Neither one of these guys is able to ID it in time, they can't get it, and Jacoby Bursett
07:44gets sacked, a very quick sack, considering he's still standing up.
07:48I didn't like this call, I don't think anybody liked this call, should have been able to
07:52check it down to Antonio Gibson, but you're seeing they're at least doing different things.
07:56First, you showed all the run, then against the Jets, you have a naked bootleg, then you
07:59have the straight drop back play action, but the Jets didn't respect the Patriots under
08:03center looks.
08:04A big reason I think they need to go more towards their shotgun run game.
08:07And now it's going to be one more example of Hunter Henry in the backfield, no shift
08:12this time in a slightly different formation.
08:14Now it's going to be a twins look with both of the wide receivers to the same side of
08:17the field, and then a nub formation, which means that the tight end is the outside most
08:21receiver to one side of the formation by himself, Hunter Henry in the backfield.
08:25And not only is this a different look, it's a different type of play.
08:28So now you've run two straight play actions from this look.
08:32This is what I liked about Alex Van Pelt is that he understands when to mix in screens.
08:36And that's a big part of this offense.
08:37And this is one of the few big plays for the Patriots.
08:40So you're actually going to see like last time where he went up the field and it was
08:43an article route.
08:44He's going to have the same beginning to this route.
08:47And then you're going to have these guys basically clearing out because Austin Hooper is going
08:51to be on a delayed tight end screen.
08:53And this is going to completely catch the Jets off guard.
08:56Like I said, one of the Patriots few big plays of the night, Hooper reverses field,
09:01finds a lane, makes a guy miss and is able to get a chunk play.
09:06Really didn't see many of those from the Patriots offense.
09:09And so we talked about it a little bit later or the other day, actually on the crossover
09:14episode with Barth and Brian, and it's creative and I love it.
09:19And I like getting a fullback involved.
09:20And I think you agree with this here.
09:21And so it's kind of, it's kind of repetitive, but I still wish that they had run out of
09:26that formation first in this game in order to have the Jets see it.
09:31Right.
09:32Cause they see it on film, but you might be, I guess you might expect play action a little
09:35bit to be the first, the first run, because they know that, you know, that we've run this
09:40in the past and yada, yada, yada.
09:41So you still need to.
09:42That's what I thought about it.
09:43It's like, Oh, you know, we know, but we know that, you know, and it's just like, it's a
09:46double negative.
09:47Like every coach at some point is going to outsmart himself.
09:50That's part of this.
09:51They're very smart.
09:52They're at the top of their field.
09:54Sometimes you just think you're a little smarter than you are.
09:55You try to get a little clever, like Kyle Shanahan does it.
09:58There's very few guys who don't get bitten by their ego every once in a while.
10:01I'm not saying it was ego.
10:02I just think the intention was good, but in reality, the Jets showed you that like, we
10:07don't care.
10:08We're players.
10:09Like we're going to go a hundred percent and kind of do what we want.
10:11So yeah.
10:12And I like that.
10:13Yeah.
10:14I think he outsmarted himself.
10:15I like the idea, but I also liked that you mentioned too, that there's going to be growing
10:18pains with all of this.
10:19And we know that.
10:20Alex van Pelt hasn't had the reins of an offense to really call plays in a very long time.
10:24And so these are growing pains that he's going to have to go through too and work through.
10:27And he doesn't have anyone above him to say, no, we shouldn't do this.
10:30And here's why.
10:31He is the head coach of the offense.
10:33Jarrod Mayo is not going to, I mean, he may be able to give some input from a defensive
10:36perspective, but long story short, it's stuff they'll improve on.
10:40They're expanding the offense.
10:41They're using a full black a little bit.
10:42I think we like that in general.
10:44Also, to be fair, I was watching the 49ers Browns tape from last year and you want to
10:49say like, Oh, ADP doesn't have oversight.
10:51Well, the same thing happened.
10:53They ran a naked bootleg and the quarterback got smoked because I, Nick Bosa, I think,
10:57I don't think it was Nick Bosa.
10:58Somebody else just went right for the quarterback and they were like, I don't really care.
11:02I, I'm going to use my instincts and I'm going to attack.
11:04So, you know, just so we understand, and it happened even in the preseason, like this
11:07happens sometimes where quarterbacks need to throw at awkward angles because some of
11:11these edge defenders just aren't going to respect the cutback.
11:14They're going to try to go after the quarterback.
11:15Right.
11:16All right.
11:17Let's take a look at it from a KJ Osborne lens here, Taylor.
11:19Yeah.
11:20So these are going to be a little bit quicker.
11:22This is what I call KJ Osborne sniffer package.
11:24So a sniffer, as you're going to see after he motions basically is just when a skill
11:29player is between like really close to the line of scrimmage between a couple of players.
11:34Basically just allows you to insert and block at the second level with better leverage,
11:38because typically you'll see KJ Osborne, but he'll be like right here and then try to block
11:43inside for some of these gap concepts.
11:45But that can be tough because if this guy fires downhill and you're coming at him this
11:49way, that's going to be a tough pickup for you.
11:51And we see all the time that doesn't work.
11:53So he's going to get into this formation and the Patriots are going to run an RPO power
11:58play.
11:59So here you got to Mario Douglas on little bubble screen.
12:01Then you're going to have Michael Jordan pulling with KJ Osborne, taking this guy, Michael
12:05Jordan's going to get to the second level to take on this defender from Andre Stevenson
12:09follows his lead blocker.
12:10Then he's a bit of a cutback for, you know, solid gain in the red zone.
12:16Now against the Jets, we saw the same formation where you have the three by one initially.
12:20And then KJ Osborne shifting to that snipper spot between the tackle and the tight end.
12:26But this time they're actually going to run a cross dagger.
12:29So you have DeMario Douglas on the over, you got the dagger route behind him.
12:33And then KJ Osborne is going to look like he's blocking up to the second level, but
12:36he's actually going to leak out as a check down option.
12:39This was DeMario Douglas's best play of the game.
12:42MVP said he was going to start scheming opportunities for him.
12:44And this was one of the best examples in terms of an explosive play.
12:48Mario Douglas makes Michael Carter look bad, a lot of separation, one of the other few
12:53chunk plays.
12:54And again, this is big because the Patriots weren't getting a whole lot of explosives,
12:58but where were they getting them off of that run action on looks that they had used previously?
13:03And I got one more to show you, but again, this continues that theme that I'm talking
13:06about him.
13:07I understand that Alex Van Pelt needs to do a better job of knowing when to call these
13:10plays that could absolutely improve.
13:12But the run action is working.
13:15Once the synchronicity comes in, once he understands how to use these guys and the timing, I think
13:18it's really going to open up and you're going to see the benefit of this West Coast offense,
13:23where the whole point is that you force the new respect to run, and then you make it look
13:27the same for those chunk plays on design targets.
13:29Yeah, for sure.
13:30All right.
13:31You mentioned Pop Douglas design targets.
13:32So where are you taking us now with Pop?
13:35Yes, sir.
13:36So this was a really fun one.
13:37This is one where they really haven't missed except for one play that should have been
13:40a touchdown, but was still successful.
13:43So they introduced a package against the Seahawks where Demario Douglas in this look where it
13:47was like a three by one with Demario Douglas as the off guy in the stack to that strong
13:52side would shift into the backfield on orbit motion, which basically gets you into the
13:58backfield.
13:59And sometimes, you know, you look like a running back.
14:01Sometimes you just do it to set up like bubble screens and things like that.
14:04So on this instance, we're going to see Demario Douglas go in that orbit motion, but it's
14:08actually going to be setting up a delayed tight end screen where Jalen Polk is going
14:14to make it look like he's running a vertical.
14:15KJ Osborne is going to make it look like he's running an over, which is a familiar concept
14:19they use.
14:20But like I mentioned with the other one, they're going to add another layer to it by actually
14:23having Hunter Henry as the screen recipient.
14:26And they help sell it because they're going to pretend that they're running a gap concept
14:30with Leighton Robinson pulling.
14:32That's going to be a continued theme on all of these where the motion and the pulling
14:36guard are going to the same direction as a form of misdirection.
14:39We're going to see how it works here.
14:41Demario Douglas backfield, same direction as Leighton Robinson.
14:44Oh, look, the defense is all flowing this way, but look where they're not.
14:48We're Hunter Henry's at guys got plenty of space to work with.
14:51Very good blocks.
14:52Another chunk play.
14:53If you look at the Patriots offense on a down to down basis, this looks insane.
14:57Like these kinds of plays are able to rumble and actually get positive yardage.
15:00All right.
15:01So this is another example of the package from later on in the same game.
15:05Same look, same type of ship from Demario Douglas.
15:08But this time they're actually going to run what looks like a play action concept, and
15:13it's not a screen where he's just going to delay and then come off the ball.
15:16This is going to be leaked where the entire defense once again is flowing to one direction
15:20because you've got the pulling guard, the orbit motion and all the play action flowing
15:24to the side.
15:25Hunter Henry is going to take a couple of beats, pretend like he's blocking, then slide
15:29underneath the defense for a big play.
15:32Now the downside to this, as you're going to see, is that whether Hunter Henry doesn't
15:36block long enough or late in Robinson takes too long to get out there or a combination
15:41of both, the plays blown up a little bit because of the edge pressure.
15:44But you can also see there's nobody on this side of the field to pick up Hunter Henry
15:49if he's hit in stride or Jacoby Berset can just get the play off the way it's designed.
15:54Look at this.
15:55This still has a touchdown.
15:56It's walking.
15:57This should have been an easy touchdown that they scored instead of top platform.
16:01Hunter Henry has to hit the aggressive catch button in space and it turns into a first
16:05down, but it should have been a touchdown.
16:08Now we saw a different look in type of orbit motion against the Jets, but it was also because
16:13they were setting up different things.
16:15So here you're going to see the Mario Douglas go in motion opposite the formation, but what
16:18they're going to do is actually run a gap concept.
16:21I believe this is a, this is a long trap with Leighton Robinson taking on this edge defender
16:27gap concept away from the orbit motion.
16:32It's not going to go for a great gain, but at least you understand the look they're thinking
16:36run because you've actually used a run.
16:39This was a, you know, it's like four yard game.
16:41Not great, but honestly it was good by reminder just to get through the line of scrimmage
16:44because he had to get some fancy footwork in there.
16:46Now that play was to set up another run.
16:49The Patriots first successful run of the game.
16:52This one with the Mario Douglas shifting into the backfield and actually staying there instead
16:57of continuing to go on that motion.
16:59Now he's the running back and he's going to get the ball on a pitch with I believe Caden
17:03Wallace pulling.
17:04Then you're going to get a crack block here from Jalen Polk with them pretending that
17:08they're running with Antonio Gibson, plenty of space for pop to work with makes a man
17:14miss gets a nine yard gain.
17:16So I say all this to say, you're seeing all these different types of motions, formations,
17:21Alex Van Pelt's whole philosophy is to make the pass and run game look the same mix in
17:26the screens.
17:27Keep the defense honest.
17:29We've seen, there were several big play opportunities that they had, but because of the timing and
17:34then also Van Pelt, the biggest issue I had with his script was calling a bootleg twice
17:38when you knew that they weren't going to respect it.
17:40And I wish that there had been some type of way they could have picked up the safety blitz
17:43a little better to give themselves a chance.
17:45But you know, that's my spiel.
17:47I understand the frustration with Alex Van Pelt and this is week four.
17:50He's got to prove that he is able to adjust week to week and improve the way that he's
17:54been saying the offense will and the players will, we'll see what happens.
17:57But this is why schematically I do like the things I'm seeing from him, the thoughtfulness,
18:01the creativity, just need to make sure that you're, uh, you know, you're, uh, what do
18:05you call it?
18:06Firing your, uh, firing your shots when the opportunity is for firing shots.
18:11Okay.
18:12I like that.
18:13I don't know why I always try to do that when I don't even know phrases.
18:15I don't, I don't know where I'd go.
18:17Kobe Brissett does that a lot at the podium.
18:19He'll try and articulate.
18:20Every press conference.
18:21He's like, did I say that right?
18:22And I'm like, all right, dude, this is getting old.
18:24Yeah, no, I, I agree.
18:26I like the, the, it's not even really trickery.
18:29It's just some misdirection, some, I like how you, you want to make the run in the past
18:33look the exact same.
18:34Cause that's really going to throw the defense off.
18:36Um, and I think there is glimpses of, of things and schemes and play calls that can succeed.
18:43Um, with a short up offensive line with a baby, more athletic quarterback who can make
18:49a little bit better throws and, you know, kind of do some different stuff, which we
18:52have Drake may, uh, in the wings here.
18:54And so like, I look at that, that, that leak play specifically, right.
18:58Where you, you don't, you can't get cute if it can't be blocked up perfectly.
19:03And whether it was Henry's fault, whether it was laden Robinson's fault, it was somebody's
19:06fault that, uh, reset couldn't get the throw off where you had a walk in touchdown, but
19:11you couldn't block or block it up.
19:12Right.
19:13And that kind of stinks.
19:14And so like, there is bits and pieces, you know, van Pelt is, uh, getting close.
19:19I would say that there are some things that are there, but, uh, I guess we talked about
19:23with the, you know, you want to run first, um, you want to be able to block things up.
19:26Like there are bits of pieces there that can work.
19:28It's just going to have to get there eventually.
19:30So it, and how much time did we spend talking about how September was an extended preseason?
19:34Right.
19:35And now we're three weeks in September is not even over.
19:37And we're freaking out saying Alex van Pelt's a terrible coordinator.
19:39Like this is part of the time where you figure out what your guys do.
19:43You figure out where your personality is as a coordinator and as a play caller.
19:46And we've also, it's nice that we've seen that he is malleable.
19:49Like the first game, he listens to a leader on the offense and remind Ray Stevenson and
19:52decides we're just going to run duo.
19:53We're getting away from the outside zone.
19:55So like, I think we need to at least get this guy one more game so we can see how he does
20:00build.
20:01And even then October, December, like you're hoping that you're going to continue to see
20:04it grow and develop.
20:05So I just beg, I know this is not the Patriots fan basis strength, be patient, you got to
20:12be patient.
20:13It's it's the same thing with the rebuild that we talk about and let's just relax and
20:17let's let it work.
20:18And let's give these guys a chance.
20:19Like it's early yet for van Pelt.
20:21Like I understand that it's frustrating and we see Kayla Williams work and we see Jane
20:26Daniels work and Cliff Kingsbury is calling plays and this, that, and the other thing.
20:29Just give it a second, give it a little bit of time.
20:32It's going to be okay.
20:33And if it's not, we'll hold their feet to the fire then.
20:35But I'm not someone and neither are you who in week four is going to sit here and say,
20:39Alex van Pelt is already a disaster because that's just not the case.
20:42All right.
20:43Let's go.
20:44Remember what happened week four last year in Dallas.
20:45Everybody, everybody thought I was Mr. Sunshine and rainbows all the time.
20:48And it's like, no, I'm optimistic if you're just making me speculate, but if evidence
20:52is to the contrary and they're playing poorly, I will call them out.
20:55So I'm just, I'm just saying if they don't do well and Alex van Pelt continues to get
21:00these play actions blown up because they don't respect the run, trust me, we will address
21:04it.
21:05Absolutely.
21:06All right, let's get to our mailbag.
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22:38That's prize picks.
22:39Now let's get to the mailbag.
22:40Taylor.
22:41Here we go.
22:42Uh, cause people, uh, brought in the, uh, you sent in your questions on Twitter.
22:47So we're going to get to as many as possible.
22:48If you have questions as well, as we go through, make sure you put some stuff in the chat.
22:52Uh, and we can get to as many as possible before we get out of here.
22:55So let's start here.
22:57Taylor with, uh, from our friend Boris, he's very concerned about this.
23:01I know we pointed that out today.
23:02We were talking about the Patriots were very heavy cover too early in the season, weeks
23:06one and two.
23:07They scaled it back a lot in week three.
23:09Do you think that's game plan related?
23:10Do you think it's related to Bentley being out?
23:12Um, and they need a safety in the box or what, why do you think that's going?
23:16And why do you think they made that change?
23:18So I spoke to Jabril peppers today about the use of cover too, and he was like, I can't
23:22give you the state secrets.
23:23I'm like, I, I respect it.
23:24That's fair.
23:25Uh, but he did mention that it's a defense that keeps everything in front of you.
23:28And when you have all these disguises, that's a big part of it is you don't want the defense
23:32like we saw against the Seahawks to be able to slip past when you're trying to show them
23:36a little something different.
23:37And I do want to emphasize the cover too has been a popular coverage for them for a while.
23:41They typically have been more of a cover three to cover one, and then cover two is more of
23:45a shakeup, but now it's really primarily cover one and cover two.
23:49I think part of that is that they want to be able to play cover one primarily.
23:53They said they want to be a more aggressive defense.
23:55I think that's part of it because the way that they play cover too, it's really easy
23:59for them to disguise it and make one look like the other.
24:03The other, but to make cover one look like cover two based on the way things disperse.
24:08So I think that part of it was definitely the kind of players that they were facing.
24:13I think that they trust, especially Christian Gonzalez to be able to handle guys one-on-one,
24:17but at the same time, if you're just in one stale package against Joe Burrow, Gino Smith,
24:21Aaron Rogers, as we saw, they're going to pick you apart.
24:25Also I noticed that they played more quarters than they have in years against the jets.
24:29That was one of their main coverages, but they played everything.
24:32So I asked Peppers, is that more about the quarterback where you're trying to get bodies
24:35in the box for the run?
24:37Because one of the things about quarters is even though the safeties are deep, they have
24:41box responsibilities.
24:43So as opposed to like cover two, where they're deep outside and they're really just last
24:47lines of defense, they have run keys and they will try to get downhill in quarters.
24:51But he said it was really more about Aaron Rogers trying to show them different things
24:54and they play different types of quarters.
24:57They were playing man coverage on the outside and there was this, it's called poach technique,
25:01where if you see a three by one, the safety who's to the single receiver side, instead
25:06of basically providing help on one guy, they'll have that backside guy in man coverage.
25:11And then that, they call it a trick safety or a poach safety.
25:14He'll look for the number three because so many people like to run the over from those
25:18three by one formations, he'll come down on that.
25:21So they were doing that, but instead of having it from depth, you would see dugger near the
25:24line of scrimmage and dropping back, which isn't a very common look.
25:28So again, I think they're trying to show different things depending on who the quarterback is.
25:32I don't think that the cover two stuff was so much necessarily about who they were playing
25:36as much as it was.
25:37I think this may be a philosophical shift, but they're not really going to tell us directly
25:41and we don't know for sure.
25:43But I mean, their cover two rates are higher, but they're not drastically higher than what
25:46they've been in years past.
25:47It's really just that they're going with less cover two or less cover three and more cover
25:52two.
25:53And I think part of that is the fact that they can stop the run for the most part with
25:57just five, six guys in the box without having to load it up, which I think Mike McDonald
26:01said today, it's not a secret, but that's a huge advantage if you can stop the run from
26:05those two high safety books.
26:06I wonder if they just heard Mel Kiper bitching about cover two and the fact that it shouldn't
26:10be allowed in the league anymore.
26:12But no, I think it stinks because it stinks that we talk about, we have all this access
26:16and we want to get guys answers.
26:18And I agree, it's good to be able to ask guys, but a lot of the times they're not going to
26:21give us the secrets.
26:22You said you tried to ask your bill today and he's not going to tell you, but there's
26:25ways to look at it and kind of assume.
26:28And so I agree with basically everything you hit on there.
26:31So moving on, should the Patriots go for a veteran wide receiver right now?
26:35We talk about this all the time.
26:36Patriots, wide receivers, what they need.
26:39But someone like T Higgins, so they don't hit free agency next year.
26:43We're already talking about free agency, Taylor.
26:44It's week four.
26:45I know you're super excited about this, but if you trade for a guy, which there's a trade
26:50deadline question in here as well, it does avoid having to, uh, beat someone out index
26:56free agency because you can sign them through an extension.
26:58You get them here for the half a year, et cetera.
27:00So I guess using this question and the, um, the need for a veteran, tell us what your
27:07thoughts are overall about the wide receiver room and what you make of this wide receiver
27:11room.
27:12I don't think we've really gotten to see what they could do.
27:13I think X is still very much a problem.
27:15I think KJ Osborne has been pretty disappointing.
27:17He's had a couple of drops and I just haven't seen him get separation as consistently as
27:21I would have liked to.
27:22Cause we saw he and Jacoby were set.
27:24We're like this for a while.
27:25It was like Hunter Henry and KJ Osborne were his dudes.
27:28And then we haven't really seen that from KJ Osborne, which has been discouraging, but
27:31pop looks good.
27:32Jalen Polk has looked good.
27:34They do still need that actual number one, but I'm just telling you guys, this is not
27:38a good enough team where like, think about it.
27:40If you're getting a true number one teams are usually going to try to accommodate the
27:44player that they're training because it's a really bad look at the guys put like three
27:48or four years in your organization.
27:50He's had success with you and you ship them off to a team like the Patriots who don't
27:53really have a shot at even making the playoffs.
27:56And they have a rookie quarterback.
27:57Like that is just, it's bad business.
27:59And then in the future, people aren't going to really want to negotiate them and they're
28:02going to feel like it's in bad faith.
28:04So I understand like Amari Cooper is out there.
28:06I know that's in the chat T Higgins.
28:08I don't think these guys would have any interest in coming to the Patriots, even if the Patriots
28:12are like, Hey, we're going to give you quality capital.
28:14And then even then based on what the trajectory that they're headed at right now, those draft
28:19picks are going to be way more valuable than Amari Cooper or T Higgins.
28:22So no, I don't see the, uh, the Patriots trading for a legitimate number one type option at
28:27wide receiver at any point.
28:28Yeah.
28:29It's something they need, but we talked about it too.
28:31The other day where a guy like, uh, Devante Adams, who is seemingly upset in Vegas, he's
28:36not going to be much more happy here on a team that isn't in a good direction and hasn't
28:40seen Drake may yet.
28:41And so I still think the wide receiver one talk is a next season and beyond issue.
28:47I think that, you know, they still need to fix the offensive line and things like that.
28:49But like a guy like DK Metcalf, who, um, Barth has really gotten me on the idea of maybe
28:54bringing DK Metcalf here, where Drake Drake may plays the end of the season.
28:58You see some promise there.
28:59He's not going to get, if he doesn't get extended in Seattle, he hits the open market or you
29:03have to make a trade in the off season, something like that.
29:06That's more likely to me than trading for a guy at this deadline.
29:10If anything, um, I wonder if they would be sellers at the deadline to grain more capital
29:14moving on through, um, through next season.
29:16But right now I don't think wide receiver one, you know, the IU stuff, um, that happened
29:21this off season.
29:22I think they're shut down on the trade market at least through this year and they're going
29:24to roll with what they have.
29:26But you mentioned the exposition, you mentioned Javon Baker.
29:28A lot of guys are asking in the chat about Javon Baker.
29:31We also got a tweet about it.
29:33So what do you think the plan is for Javon?
29:34Is he just drafted, drafted depth?
29:37Um, is he still working back from, uh, the, the Instagram video?
29:41Is he just not making it happen?
29:43We don't see practice anymore, so we don't know exactly how he's working out and things
29:47like that.
29:48But what do you make a Javon Baker?
29:49There's been a lack of Javon Baker, uh, playing time in this offense.
29:52Do you think it's a lack of experience thing?
29:55Is he not getting it done?
29:56What are your thoughts on number six?
29:57I mean, well, he's been active in the past two games, so he's clearly doing something
30:01right now.
30:02He isn't really seeing the field or getting targets a whole lot, or he's not getting targeted
30:06at all.
30:07He's not seeing the field very much.
30:08So I would say that behind the scenes, I think it means he's improving, but as we saw, there
30:13was a lot of inconsistencies in his game.
30:14So I think that's, what's keeping him off the field now, you know, I don't want to speculate
30:19on what's going on in terms of, you know, his behavior and all that, because that Instagram
30:23thing, like, honestly, I'm so over that.
30:24And I think the team is too.
30:25It's like three or four weeks ago.
30:26Let's cool it.
30:27Yeah.
30:28Yeah.
30:29I think they'd be like, why are we still talking about this?
30:30And I'm of the same mindset there.
30:31Um, I think the plan is, is they'd love for him to be the X.
30:34They'd love for him to be that one-on-one deep threat.
30:36And we saw it in the preseason where Drake may, every time he was one-on-one is throwing
30:39a Jayvon Baker, trying to give him an opportunity to make a play.
30:42That's the ceiling that he has is a very good, you know, not possession type, but a guy who's
30:46not going to necessarily be a burner, but who knows how to win in those downfield situations.
30:51But for now, I mean, you need somebody at X for sure, because like one, Thornton's basically
30:57just been a decoy and, you know, Jalen poke has really been the X in a lot of critical
31:01situations and he's not really well suited for that role.
31:04Um, and Jayvon Baker's a rookie also, like we're talking about the plan.
31:08I think the plan is like with all these guys, if they're not ready, be patient with them.
31:11That's why they signed all these veterans.
31:13We may not like them.
31:14They may not be the most talented or they may not be the most productive, but the reality
31:18is that we all understand this as a rebuild year.
31:21If Jayvon Baker's not good this season, fine.
31:23You're hoping that maybe obviously like in December or late November or something like
31:27that, he starts to make a turn, but really he's a long-term project.
31:31I was hoping that wouldn't be the case because he's so talented.
31:34Um, but you know, those were the rumblings.
31:35There's a reason he went in the fourth round and, uh, yeah, I think we just have to be
31:39patient with him as well and just see how things play out.
31:42But if next year we're having the same conversation and it's like Jayvon Baker's not
31:45getting involved, his hands and all that stuff still don't want to get too crazy because
31:50some guys don't break out till year three and all that, but you know, that would be
31:52much more concerning than him struggling as a rookie at a hard spot.
31:56Yeah.
31:56That's my thing on Baker in the X position in general is it's still early.
32:00So let's see how the next week or two or three play out.
32:04And I don't want to jump to giving Baker all of the X receiver reps just yet because
32:09he is so young and it might not be, you know, it might as bad as we think Taekwon
32:13Thornton's been and how uninvolved in the scheme he's been as, you know, just a clear
32:18out guy and a decoy and this and that they haven't gotten on the football.
32:22It could get worse with Jayvon Baker.
32:23Cause you don't even have that decoy ability, the deep threat ability to actually
32:27make safeties or corner second guests themselves.
32:29And so I do want to see him involved later on in the season when maybe Drake
32:34maze in there and they get more reps from Jalen Polk and things like that.
32:37And they really turn it over fully to this younger rookie class.
32:41But for now I'm definitely not panicking, but eventually you're going to want to
32:45see him and you're right.
32:46Once it gets to the end of the season and into next year, if he's still in this
32:49same, is he active?
32:50Is he inactive?
32:51Is he going to play?
32:52Is he just there as depth?
32:53Like that's when you start to be like, okay, well, what's wrong with this guy?
32:55What's happening behind the scenes.
32:56But until then, I think there's a plan for him.
32:59I think he's a depth piece for now.
33:01Um, but I'm not pushing the panic button on Jayvon Baker.
33:04Yeah.
33:04I'll just two things in the chat real quick.
33:05Cause they're relevant.
33:06Uh, is Taekwon Thornton finally a cut candidate when
33:09Bourne comes back next week?
33:10I don't think so.
33:11They play different positions.
33:12I think that, uh, Bourne is going to cut into anyone.
33:14KJ Osborne's playtime, because like I said, he's done the dirty work and I
33:18really have a lot of respect for KJ Osborne.
33:19One is a person.
33:20He's a tremendous human being.
33:22Uh, but also, you know, he does the things that not a lot of people want to do as a
33:26wide receiver where you're playing.
33:27Like you saw in the snipper role where you're literally behind the
33:30line of scrimmage as a receiver.
33:31Not a lot of people are built like that.
33:33Uh, but Kendrick Bourne is more of that Z receiver type who can sometimes be
33:36in the slot and two receiver packages.
33:38So I don't think Thornton is going to be a cut candidate also because he's
33:41the only veteran X you have, uh, because K's John booty is still young.
33:45And obviously Jayvon Baker is the other one there.
33:47And then can pop Douglas be the X he can not, uh, they have used him outside at
33:52times and he honestly is so because he's so shifty, he does work pretty well
33:56outside as long as guys don't get their hands on him, but he just doesn't have
34:00the size to line up there consistently.
34:01So, uh, no, if anything, you know, he'll be the outside most receiver in some
34:05three by one looks where that three receiver side he's out there, but I
34:09wouldn't expect to see him as a solo kind of guy very often.
34:12Yeah.
34:12They, they started, um, they started their season.
34:15I believe they kept six wide receivers.
34:18Um, if I have that correct.
34:19And then, yeah, cause they kept Jalen maker originally.
34:21So they had six, they knocked it down to five.
34:24Uh, they currently sit with five.
34:26I just did the quick math here with, um, with poke Osborne,
34:30Douglas Baker and booty.
34:33Um, I wonder if booty becomes if a, a cut slash practice squad guy, I know he is
34:39more of an X, but what that does also on the depth chart is add depth at Z with
34:44K uh, KB coming back, but it would also move Jayvon Baker up the depth chart.
34:48So I wonder if in turn KB coming back would maybe give, uh, Baker a chance.
34:53You wait for booty to potentially come back on the practice squad.
34:57If he doesn't, uh, if he doesn't go claimed, I don't know if they may just
35:00keep six and they may make a move elsewhere.
35:02I don't know what your thoughts are there.
35:03Cause Keisha booty was the starting X or not the starting X, but it was clear
35:06backup X Drake went in, it was K Sean.
35:09Right.
35:09It seems like they really do like K Sean and they don't want to expose him to
35:13waiver.
35:13So I think they'd probably just end up biting the bullet and having
35:15to cut somebody somewhere else.
35:17Yeah, I agree.
35:18Um, speaking of roster management, I want to, I want to answer this question, uh,
35:21quickly, just why Joe Milton is not active on game days.
35:25If Jacoby Brissett gets hurt, um, it's, this is kind of roster management stuff
35:31that kind of gets in the weeds with people.
35:32And everyone sees like, everyone was making a fuss about Russell Wilson being
35:36the emergency third quarterback and all that.
35:38Like he kind of had, and like, why is he wearing a Jersey and all that?
35:42Do you remember that in week one?
35:43And everyone's like, of course, Russell's wearing a Jersey.
35:45He's such a heart.
35:45Oh, it's like, no, he's designated to take snaps in case of an emergency.
35:49And so the NFL has this rule.
35:51Uh, Joe Milton doesn't need to be active because if Jacoby gets hurt and Drake has
35:57to go in and then Drake gets hurt, Joe Milton can come in in that case of
36:02emergency.
36:02And so that having three quarterbacks on the active roster, unless they have a
36:07special package or plan for Joe Milton would be a waste of a roster spot.
36:10And on a team that is desperate for good play and good talent, they really can't
36:14afford to keep three guys active.
36:16Uh, this came through.
36:17So I just wanted to answer that one quickly.
36:18No.
36:18And then to add to that today, Gerard Mayo told us that Drake may is doing well
36:22enough in practice.
36:23Like he said, it's still practice, but they don't have any interest
36:26in bringing in a veteran.
36:27It's been very clear that they're, and they've said it out loud.
36:30They think that Drake is their number two quarterback.
36:32Even if the offensive line is bad, he gives them the best chance to win.
36:36At the end of the day, that's gotta be what it's about.
36:38I do sincerely think they believe that at this point, Jacoby's that guy, because
36:41he isn't turning the ball over.
36:43Drake may, we broke it down on our film review.
36:46He still has things he's got to work on.
36:48And, you know, he may play next week, who knows, but I still think that it
36:51would be a bad look if they had Joe Milton be the backup because they
36:55didn't want Drake to get hurt.
36:56Because one, you're having Joe Milton, another rookie be a sacrificial lamb,
37:01which is another sacrificial lamb.
37:02After what your co-worker said, basically already is right now.
37:05And at least your Kobe, like, yes, he technically is in a way the sacrificial
37:09lamb because of what he's had to go through, but that's not how they, they
37:12don't see him as they're just sticking the guy out there to take hits.
37:14They really do think that he can minimize those and at least, you
37:17know, protect himself in the ball and all that good stuff.
37:20But yeah, you have to think about how the team would respond to them.
37:23Like signing Bailey's happy off of the chief's practice squad and then
37:26playing him at Jacoby got hurt.
37:27It'd be like, what the hell was up with Drake?
37:29Like he's the one in practice doing well enough, you know, just so under, so
37:33everybody understands Drake may is the number two, because if they put in
37:36anybody else, I think the team would see that as a very disrespectful
37:40move to that player and to them.
37:43And, you know, you have to, especially as a new regime, make sure that you
37:46maintain that morale.
37:48I think they did a good, great job of that, but putting in, you know, a
37:51literal sacrificial lamb would not, not go over well.
37:55Totally.
37:55I'm with you there.
37:56All right.
37:56We're going to get to the rest of your question, but first a quick word from
37:59our friends over at game time.
38:01Taylor right now, Levi's stadium at San Francisco, 49ers Patriots versus niners.
38:07Little is 115 bucks right now on the game time.
38:09Not too bad.
38:10If you're making the trip out there, if you didn't buy your tickets yet, uh,
38:14wait a little bit more, but use game time.
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39:25What time is it game time?
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39:42All right.
39:43Um, back to the old line.
39:45Cole strange comes back.
39:46Hypothetically.
39:47I don't know when, I don't know at some point I asked Taylor this
39:51question when we got it earlier.
39:52He wasn't too thrilled about it, but do you think Cole strange could be the
39:56missing piece to this battle line right now?
39:58I understand the sentiment.
39:59Like I, I get the question.
40:01I don't mean to, you know, be a jerk or anything, but Cole, by the time
40:05he probably comes back, we'll have missed almost a year of football.
40:09And last year we saw how long it took for him to adjust when he missed the summer.
40:13So if you miss about half of the season and then you come back and it's going to
40:17take you about three to four weeks to get better, I don't know who you're really
40:22helping now that said, we are sweet.
40:25Like today at practice, we saw Demontre Jacobs who they picked up after roster
40:29cuts as a waiver wire claim was playing left tackle.
40:32So I understand that it could be a dire situation where Cole, you know, on one
40:37leg has to go out there and play guard, even though, you know, obviously if
40:40they're putting him out there, he's past test and, you know, health wise, he can
40:44play, that doesn't mean that he's going to be as comfortable.
40:46It doesn't mean his technique is going to be as good.
40:48We saw mentally in that Miami game.
40:50Remember how many blown assignments he had because he just hadn't
40:52been out there in a while.
40:53Like that's going to be tough.
40:55I don't see Cole strange having a legitimate role on this team until maybe
40:582025, where you hope he can kind of learn center because right now you've got your
41:03guard spot.
41:04You're hoping it's Mike and Wendy with either city.
41:05So related Robson opposite him.
41:08Um, so yeah, I, as much as we're rooting for Cole, we all are.
41:12Um, he is really ended both of his two seasons on a high note where he struggled
41:17early on and then was able to improve, but I don't think it's realistic to expect
41:21him to contribute unless there is a legitimately dire situation.
41:24And even then, you know, I don't know how much you're going to be able to get out of
41:28I agree.
41:28I think them, uh, drafting a guy in later Robinson and also, um, Signing Mike on
41:34when new and then originally, you know, moving him back at guard and tackling right
41:38right now he's a tackle, but I think like you said, their main goal is to have him
41:41that guard, they have city, they have laid in.
41:44I think they know, uh, that the writings on the wall for Cole's career here, at
41:49least as a, as a guard and maybe he'll play center and maybe something else will
41:53happen, but, uh, overall I'm with you.
41:56I don't think Cole strange is the savior here.
41:59I think the interior offensive line is okay.
42:01Uh, and they just need more help at tackle and Cole strange coming back.
42:04Doesn't really help them there.
42:05So, um, all right.
42:07I want to take this one in the chat really quick.
42:09Uh, looking at the Matthew Jude on trade who won Patriots, Patriots,
42:13Patriots, Patriots won the trade.
42:15The Falcons are wanting to, yeah.
42:17Jude on has looked okay.
42:18He's at a sack and a half, 15 tackles.
42:20I'm looking at it right now, but long story short, Atlanta doesn't look as good
42:24through three weeks as I think they'd want to.
42:25I don't know how much he's helping their pass rush and the Patriots
42:28have a third round pick like Matthew Jude on lame duck year.
42:31Wasn't going to get paid.
42:33He was going to be here for this season on a year.
42:35They're rebuilding.
42:36It's simple.
42:37The Patriots won that trade.
42:38And I don't think it's really that close right now.
42:40Did you see he was in the Rizzler's comment section saying
42:43he couldn't dance or something?
42:45I'm just like, bro, it's one thing when you're DMing like other
42:48athletes and everything, but I'm like, that's kind of a weird move.
42:50Yeah.
42:51That was kind of DMs or not DMs, but it's comment section.
42:54That was a little, yeah, that was.
42:56I think the Patriots.
42:57Yeah, for sure.
42:58All right.
42:58I want to ask you this Taylor.
42:59Uh, John Jennings had a career day last week for the 49ers, three
43:02touchdowns, uh, over a hundred yards.
43:05What do you think the Patriots plan for him is and Iuke?
43:08Will they shadow Gonzo or will they shadow Iuke with Gonzo?
43:12Will they put John Jones on Iuke and will they put Gonzo on
43:14Jennings who played well last week?
43:16How do you think they do this from their secondary?
43:18Um, I don't see them going against the strategy that they've had recently,
43:22which has put Gonzalez on the best wide receiver.
43:25Um, and then have Jonathan Jones take the next outside guy.
43:28Now, last week, the struggles with tackling against Alan
43:32Lazard obviously are huge, but we also keep saying that was a short week.
43:35Jonathan Jones is not someone who's known for missing tackles.
43:38You know, never like, I feel like the Packers game in 2022 was the biggest.
43:42Kind of glaring issue where you saw like how they're being undersized
43:45hurt them more like Jack Jones, Marcus Jones, and John Jones.
43:48You're just getting bullied at times.
43:50Now there might be times, especially with Jennings being such a physical
43:53player, where he's able to kind of have John Jones kind of right on his back
43:57and be able to get more yards after the catch.
43:59I don't think that's significant enough though, that you're going to put John
44:02Jones on a guy like Iuke as good as John Jones is Iuke is one of the best receivers
44:06in football point blank period.
44:08Uh, my buddy at next gen stats even mentioned that Iuke has only once in his
44:11career had someone shadow him on 70 or more percent of his, uh, routes and
44:16Gonzalez, the only time he's not following guys is when he's usually as a cloud
44:20and that guy's either in the slot or he motions to the other side of the field.
44:24And then if he were to Gonzalez were to motion, it would just kind of mess
44:27everything.
44:27It's like in Madden, you know, when you try to flip the play or something and the
44:30defense just doesn't know what's happening and you have like a defender playing on
44:34the other side of the field, you know, that kind of thing.
44:36So, um, yeah, I think it's going to be a hundred percent Gonzo on Brandon.
44:40I that's going to be a really fun battle to watch.
44:42I think that's going to be another one that's back and forth.
44:44Um, and yeah, Juwan Jennings, uh, against John Jones, unless like he really eats
44:49his lunch with, I mean, John Jones is a professional.
44:51I don't do that.
44:52I like this matchup for them.
44:53I think.
44:55And now granted, I, you hasn't had a great start to the season.
44:57So I think that's why I like guns.
44:59I want him more, but he's also going to start to hit his stride eventually here.
45:02Right.
45:02He, he missed a lot of training camp with the holdout.
45:04So it was going to take him some time to get with it.
45:07And that's why I don't think he's been great.
45:09I think, frankly, that's one of the reasons along with the flurry of injuries,
45:13um, is a reason why they're one and two right now, but there's going to be a time
45:16where I get his, and he gets back to the, you know, a thousand plus, uh, 10
45:20touchdown wide receiver who was last year, but I love the matchup with guns.
45:23So I think that's going to be extremely fun and as good as Juwan Jennings was
45:27last week, um, in that game against, against LA Jonathan Jones, I like how
45:32you mentioned that that's a professional, that's a guy who can take on a Juwan
45:36Jennings who had a good week last week, but has really been a pedestrian
45:40veteran bounce around guy.
45:41Now he's come on strong for the 49ers the last couple of years, but I think
45:44he can take them and I think that's the way they ultimately do this.
45:47Um, a couple more before we get out of here, Taylor, uh, our friend, Andrew
45:51De Silva asked us this on Twitter today, and I wanted to get your thoughts on it
45:54because I forget what side of the aisle you are on, but I know you were very
45:57strong on whether Mapo was a linebacker or whether he was a safety at one point
46:02in time and Mayo mentioned him as a potential fill in help in the linebacker
46:07room, someone who can come back down there once he gets healthy with Bentley
46:10being out.
46:10So where were you on that?
46:12Do you think he can continue playing linebacker safety?
46:14Just, I want to use this question to flesh out your thoughts on the linebacker
46:18room, safety room, and where my term up more Marte Mapo can eventually come in.
46:22Yeah.
46:22So my biggest thing was I thought that I didn't like the idea that Mapo was one
46:27thing.
46:27That was what irritated me because they didn't use them as one thing.
46:30They use them as a deep safety.
46:32They use them as a box safety.
46:33They use them as a linebacker where it looked like a big nickel, but really he
46:37was just playing linebacker and they used him as a big slot or it's a big nickel
46:41corner.
46:41So that was the part that I didn't like.
46:43And then everyone's saying he's strictly a linebacker.
46:44Like I know what the senior bowl, he had some really good plays where he put his
46:47shoulder in the guys and made plays coming downhill and he can maybe be effective in
46:51that role.
46:52But we saw last year and obviously players get better and I'll eat crow for sure if
46:55I'm wrong on this, but Marte Mapo is not built right now to be that type of like
47:00Kyle Duggar or even Jabril Peppers type in the box.
47:03Like, I just don't think he's that kind of player.
47:05So on rundowns, I do not want to see Marte Mapo a linebacker.
47:09I think that's where you have Jelani to buy Raekwon McMillan, Sione Taki Taki whenever
47:13he comes back.
47:14And then on passing downs, that's where I do like Marte Mapo as a linebacker because
47:19we've seen that they have their big dime package where it's three, sometimes even
47:23four safeties, where usually you'll have two safeties on the back end, the strong
47:26and the free.
47:27And then one of the linebackers, usually it's Juwan Bentley.
47:30Now it's going to be Jelani to buy.
47:31And that guy next to him is Marte Mapo.
47:34Marte Mapo got that.
47:35He ripped the ball away on that interception last year from the linebacker spot, almost
47:40did it.
47:40I don't think it was at linebacker.
47:41He might have been at safety, but he had a similar play against the Cowboys in the red
47:45zone where he was just reading the tight end to see what happens.
47:48So with this playmaking ability, you definitely want to see him close to the line of scrimmage.
47:51I just think it needs to be in those passing situations where his range can show his coverage
47:56ability, being able to go one on one against tight ends.
47:58And then also with Jalen Hawkins, like he was a third safety, even when Marte Mapo was
48:02healthy.
48:02And when Mapo was healthy, he really was more of just the dime linebacker.
48:05So I foresee that being his main role.
48:08I don't think you're going to see him as like, you know, okay, now Jelani Tobias in the Bentley
48:12role.
48:12And now you're going to see Marte Mapo in the Tobias role.
48:15I don't think that's how it's going to shake out.
48:17Yeah, I'm with you, but let's end today's mailbag episode.
48:20Taylor, also real quick, because I see the comment section and it's relevant.
48:23Go.
48:24Devin White is not good.
48:30The thing he's been best at in his career is blitzing.
48:32But like, if that's all you can do, it's very hard to keep you on the field because
48:36it's like, all right, we know what you're doing.
48:38You're not really going to scare us.
48:39So yeah, Devin White, there's a reason he's not playing.
48:41Like Zach Braun is Zach Bon Bon or whatever Zach Bon going over him.
48:45Yeah.
48:45So I understand because it's a name and not everyone's watching tape.
48:49Like I'm not going to pretend like I've been watching Devin White film, but I do know that
48:53for years I've had the same opinion on him and I've had no reason to change it.
48:56It's like the reason why a lot of like everyone wants us to go get all these tackles that
49:01are out there in free agency.
49:03There's reasons why they're free agents.
49:05And Devin White, there is a reason why he not a free agent, but is a trade target.
49:10Why someone who's been a healthy scratch for a few weeks now out there.
49:13So, all right, let's end it with this Taylor.
49:15Our favorite question ever right now.
49:17Why shouldn't the Patriots start Drake May this week?
49:20They're bad at home.
49:21So you shouldn't do it against Miami and the 49ers are banged up.
49:24What say you?
49:27No, no.
49:28Like I at least.
49:30That's the Monterey Jacobs have nothing against him.
49:33Obviously, it's just the reality.
49:34I don't think the Monterey Jacobs would feel comfortable with Drake may be behind him right
49:38now.
49:38So if you're talking about a line that has him and city, so who hasn't played in weeks,
49:43a brand new left side combination in the, I think this is going to be the fourth one
49:47that they put out there.
49:48Yep.
49:48Obviously, hopefully Caden Wallace or Darian Lowe will be healthy enough to get in there,
49:52but you don't start them because one side of your offensive line is brand new.
49:56Leighton Robinson is still inconsistent.
49:58Mike and one who had a really good bounce back game last week.
50:00I will say he had the one miss on the blitz where he left an unblocked rusher into the
50:05B gap, but you know, that's not the kind of mistake that you see from very often.
50:09Uh, but yeah, I just don't think there's enough consistency on the offensive line.
50:12If they can get a combination like the top guys where it's low in city and then city
50:16has at least been solid.
50:17Like he makes his mistakes, but none of them are so glaring that he, you know, blows up
50:21plays.
50:22Then I feel more confident with Drake in there.
50:23But right now with a backup, a rookie, potentially two rookies at Caden Wallace goes in there
50:29anyway.
50:29Like, I think that's a really tough spot to put Drake may in now, obviously at some point
50:34he's going to go in and injuries are going to hit probably.
50:36And he's going to have to be behind the kind of line that I'm talking about, but it's one
50:39thing when you've already had, you put him out there originally with a solid unit and
50:44then, you know, injuries happen like that's football.
50:46And I do think he needs that on-field experience, but you talk about putting him in a position
50:50to succeed.
50:51If he's ready behind the scenes, sure.
50:53But I would just feel much, much better if he at least had some stability up front when
50:59he gets out there for the first time.
51:00This ain't the week.
51:02This isn't the week to do it.
51:03The 49ers are good.
51:04They have a good pass rush.
51:05They're one of the better teams in football, even if they're one and two, uh, banged up
51:09offensive line.
51:10Like it, it makes no sense to throw him out there in San Francisco.
51:14I don't really understand the idea of them being bad at home would be a reason to not
51:18put like if Drake may is in there just because they're in Gillette stadium, doesn't mean
51:22they're going to be worse.
51:23Uh, I think if city, so has a good week at left guard this week, they can continue to
51:26get a guy like vicarian low, healthy, maybe push Caden Wallace to right tackle.
51:30If he gets healthy bump, Mike in that guard, you have a stable inside, you have a better
51:34outside.
51:35Then you're cooking with gas and week five against Miami.
51:37That's the earliest I see it happening.
51:40I don't think it's going to happen this week.
51:41Um, or I know it's not going to happen this week because she always spoke with us today.
51:45It's not happening this week.
51:46I don't think there was good reason to do it yet this week.
51:48Next week feels like the earliest.
51:50I still don't know if they'll do it there.
51:52I think a lot's going to have to depend on, uh, what happens this week against San Francisco,
51:56how healthy those guys get.
51:58Um, but yeah, that's kind of where I'm at, uh, at this and I'm sticking to it.
52:02Um, all right.
52:03I think that's going to do it for our mailbag episode today.
52:05So we appreciate you joining in, uh, taking the time to not only ask these questions,
52:10uh, but also stick around and listen and watch our film and all that good stuff.
52:15Uh, we'll be back.
52:16We have, uh, behind enemy lines coming up with Ted Nguyen, uh, 49ers reporter out on
52:21the West coast.
52:21We'll get, uh, we'll get that up and running.
52:23We'll have some insight as to what's going on out in San Francisco.
52:27And then we'll also have, uh, whether it's a standup, whether it's a podcast, myself
52:30and Taylor are going to do go back to the classic, how the Patriots can beat the 49ers.
52:34Cause there's always a recipe.
52:36Uh, we just got to figure out how, so we'll get on and touch and I'll touch on all of
52:40that.
52:41Um, but until tomorrow, thanks for watching.
52:43We appreciate it.
52:44Take care of yourselves.
52:45Take care of each other.
52:46Go Pats.
52:47And we'll see you next time.
52:48Peace out, everybody.