In this episode of the Greg Bedard Patriots Podcast with Nick Cattles, Greg and Nick recap Drake Maye's debut game and discuss whether his performance was overrated. Greg shares his key takeaway, stating that the Patriots should have started Maye in Week 1, as his debut didn’t demonstrate a significant improvement over previous quarterback play. They also dive into the Patriots' defense and coaching, noting that little has changed in terms of their approach. Additionally, the episode includes a "Three Up, Three Down" segment, highlighting the standout and underperforming players from the game.
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SportsTranscript
00:00This is the Greg Bidard Patriots podcast with Nick Cavins.
00:07All right, a lot to get to Drake May to talk about Greg's ready.
00:13I'm ready before we get to it.
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00:17Use code CLNS get 50 bucks instantly when you play five dollars.
00:21That's code CLNS on prize picks to get 50 bucks instantly when you play five dollars
00:27prize picks.
00:29Win your game.
00:30Also take the guesswork out of buying tickets with game time.
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00:38Download game time today.
00:39What time is it?
00:40It's game time.
00:41All right, we're going to get into Drake May full breakdown from Greg.
00:44But first, some bigger NFL news happening just a little while ago, Greg, as we taped
00:49this on Tuesday morning, early afternoon ish.
00:53And that is the New York Jets.
00:55The New York Jets have acquired Devontae Adams.
00:58They picked up his entire contract.
01:01They have traded a conditional second round pick for Adams.
01:03The conditions, one of two things needs to happen if this pick turns into a second round
01:09pick.
01:10Currently, it's a third round pick.
01:11Either Adams has to be a first or second team all pro or he is on the active roster for
01:18an NF an AFC championship game or Super Bowl.
01:23Just your thoughts on the trade.
01:25And let's start with the price.
01:27Would you have paid that price if you were the New York Jets?
01:30Uh, yeah, if I'm the Jets, I mean, look, it's they're they're basically throwing everything
01:38at the wall right now.
01:39And they are.
01:40I mean, they changed out the head coach.
01:42They're going to bring in Devontae Adams.
01:45You know, they've gone all in on this season.
01:47They've gone all in on Aaron Rodgers.
01:49So, yeah, if I'm the Jets and I'm the idiots running the Jets, yes, absolutely.
01:55I'd do this because this is what the Jets do.
01:59You know, it looks like the team is like teetering on and I even heard Aikman after the game
02:04and I didn't watch a ton of last night's game.
02:05We had we had some car troubles going on here at the Bedard household.
02:11But I heard Aikman in the postgame and he said something along the lines of like, you
02:17know, this this is teetering on the brink of like they could like basically like give
02:21up on the season.
02:23And and of course, what are the Jets do?
02:26They go out and they overpay for an aging Diva receiver that, you know, Aaron loves.
02:33They haven't played together in a very long time who has, you know, hamstring issues and
02:39other things.
02:40So, you know, for the Jets, yes.
02:43I mean, if you're asking me in the context of like, you know, should the should the Patriots
02:46have done it?
02:47And I'm sure there are people out there be like, yeah, they should have gotten them for
02:50Drake May.
02:51You know, they he needs a weapon.
02:53He needs like, no, the Patriots are not in a position to get a guy like Devante Adams.
02:58We've said that all along.
03:00You do not.
03:01I mean, just just look at the issues that the Raiders had getting Devante Adams.
03:08And that was Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler.
03:10They brought him in.
03:11I mean, I understood it at the time, but, you know, given hindsight, you do not bring
03:19in a receiver who's going to have a microphone in his face and he's when he gets three receptions
03:25for 12 yards, he's going to be a problem.
03:28And the Patriots aren't there yet.
03:29You you want, you know, who knows?
03:31Maybe the rest of the season with Drake May, you see something and they're going to get
03:36a receiver or receivers after the season.
03:40But now is not the time for a team like the Patriots.
03:43Yeah, I think it's obviously an overpay.
03:46Is it a dramatic overpay for Adams?
03:49I mean, it's obviously not dramatic given the conditions of the pick, but paying his
03:52entire contract like the Raiders didn't really have any leverage and the Jets kind of just
03:57gave in and said, well, we'll take the entire contract and, you know, we want to stand firm
04:02on a third round pick, but then we'll we'll end up giving you a conditional second round
04:06pick.
04:07So the Raiders got, I think, as much as they could have gotten from this trade, especially
04:12financially.
04:13And this is a desperate owner and Woody Johnson trying to keep Aaron Rodgers happy.
04:18And here we are.
04:19We'll see if it unfolds the way they hope it unfolds, because Woody Johnson was speaking
04:23with the media today and he was certainly pushing this idea that there's still a lot
04:28of season left, which there is.
04:30And you know, there should be some hope there and that he's doing everything that he can
04:33possibly do to make this team a winner.
04:36Will it happen?
04:37I'm not so sure.
04:38Other guy in Vegas, Greg, that I want to ask you about Max Crosby.
04:42There's a video out there of him, you know, shoving a coach and yelling about, you know,
04:46trade me to Detroit or whatever.
04:49If you were the Patriots, would you be interested in Crosby or is it similar to Adams?
04:53And you say, we're not there yet.
04:54It's not worth, you know, paying that money and paying the price that it will take to
04:59trade for Max Crosby.
05:01Oh, that's interesting.
05:02I hadn't really ever considered that.
05:05I will just say this and a lot of it would would have to do with how much term he has
05:11left on his contract, because, you know, look, it's not about this year.
05:14It's more about next year and the year beyond, right?
05:18You know, but yes, if Max Crosby to me, and this is a guy that I've watched a lot of film
05:25on that, you know, I want to say that I was I was pretty early to the party on Max Crosby
05:32before he became Max Crosby, you know, from watching the film.
05:37I love Max Crosby.
05:38He is a culture guy.
05:40He never stops.
05:41He is relentless.
05:42He's not going to I don't think he's going to bitch and moan.
05:46I think that if you can bring him in and be a building block, I also need to check, like,
05:51you know, how old he is and things like that.
05:53But if you think you can get three good years out of Max Crosby, 100 percent, I would bring
05:59him in because I just I think he's he's awesome and is is a real culture guy.
06:06Have answers for you.
06:08First he turned 27 in late August.
06:11So he's 27 years old.
06:13His contract, he signed a four year ninety four million dollar extension.
06:18Looks like it has an out after this season.
06:20So there could be some wiggle room to rework a deal and get him long term and make sure
06:25that he's happy financially.
06:27And if you don't do that, his contract is very manageable.
06:31When you look at what he's set to make, I mean, his cap hit is is it's it's large, but
06:37it's not crazy.
06:39million for twenty twenty five and then twenty four point eight and twenty twenty six.
06:42So the cap, it's not huge, especially with the with the space that you've got.
06:46So, you know, if you did bring in somebody like Max Crosby, you do have the wiggle room
06:51financially and he's twenty seven.
06:53So you could easily argue that this is a guy that has, you know, three or four more years
06:57left in the tank, at least.
06:58So just an interesting name to keep an eye on, because it seems like he's getting a little
07:02frustrated with the situation in Vegas as well.
07:05I a couple of Patriots things I wanted to ask you about, Nick Leverett released, is
07:08that a temporary move?
07:12I hope so.
07:13Actually, I'm just checking my text because I sent out a few texts about that.
07:17I have not received a response yet.
07:21You know, look, I know, you know, Nick didn't play well last week.
07:27And my read on it, Nick, is that it's, you know, it's a numbers game right now.
07:34And, you know, they.
07:36They have a bunch of injuries, I mean, who knows how long Lowe's going to be out, I
07:40wouldn't be surprised if he has to go on IR, you know, getting rolled up again, they
07:45have plenty of guards and Nick's really a guard.
07:48But, you know, I think he's done all right.
07:49And it's not like it's not like the Patriots have a ton of centers.
07:55I mean, I know they're going to get Cole Strange, you know, up to speed there.
07:59Who knows whether that that actually happens and he's able to play at center this year
08:05for the team? I would hope that he's my read on it is it's a numbers game and he'll be
08:11back on practice squad.
08:12But I don't know.
08:14I mean, maybe they just thought he was that bad.
08:17All right, we got to get to Drake May, but first, Greg wants to tell you about prize
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08:43correct picks. I missed this week.
08:47Thank you, Jalen Polk.
08:48I was somewhat close in a few areas, but we'll be better.
08:53We'll get back on the winning track, especially now that I can see a little bit, you
08:56know, what Drake May is going to do.
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09:02five dollars. That's code CLNS on prize picks to get $50 instantly when you play five
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09:13Run your game. All right, it's time, folks.
09:17I know you've been waiting for this.
09:18The the Drake May breakdown, I want to get into the good and the bad with with Greg in
09:24a minute, and I will say I read some other people that I respect and appreciate, you
09:29know, Andrew Callahan's piece and and Evan Lazar at Patriots dot com.
09:33Greg, a tougher, greater than those two guys.
09:36And I think that's been established.
09:37So we have to keep that in mind, that Greg is a tougher, greater than some other people
09:43who break down the film.
09:44But but before we get to, you know, the ins and outs and the minutia of it, Greg, just
09:48your biggest takeaway from watching Drake May on Sunday.
09:52I would say, well, there's I mean, there's a bunch of things, but I'll say this, I think
09:58number one, let me say this and get it out of the way.
10:01Drake May is a playmaker, you know, so he made place.
10:06It took him a while to get going in this game and it was sort of in spurts and a lot of
10:12it was sort of in, quote, unquote, you would say garbage time.
10:15But I don't really care because he's a rookie in his first time and the Texans are still
10:19playing people. So, you know, I don't really care about that.
10:22He makes place and that's what we he's a playmaker.
10:26And that, I think, was a breath of fresh air for people, especially Patriots fans, because
10:31it's been a while since they they saw somebody who can make plays.
10:36I thought I had him for 11, excuse me, 11 plus plays in this game, which that's that's
10:43a lot for a Patriots quarterback.
10:45That's May's 11 plus plays.
10:48And I give him a half a point boost for his touchdowns to Kayshaun Booty and to Mario
10:53Douglas. We're tied for the second highest in a game since 2021, since Mac Jones had
10:5812 in the 2023 season opener against the Eagles.
11:02So that's what that's what people expected.
11:06And on that front, Drake May delivered.
11:09I'll I'll say my other big takeaway, Nick, and this is sort of like a bigger picture
11:14takeaway, is. Seeing Mac Jones on the field and watching him on film.
11:22I do not see a huge difference from the Drake May at UNC, the Drake May in the preseason,
11:32I don't see a quarterback that you can just say like, oh, man, they've really they've
11:39really fixed his footwork, they've tightened his motion.
11:43He obviously has a much better understanding of NFL concepts now.
11:47I understand why they sat him.
11:52I did not come away thinking that I came away thinking this is the same guy that this is
11:57the same guy expected. I mean, there's ups and downs.
12:00He'll make plays. He'll throw balls to the other team.
12:02He won't see things clearly.
12:04His eyes will be in the wrong place.
12:06Largely the same guy I evaluated on film.
12:09So in that case, if you're not going to if you're not going to quote unquote stick to
12:13the plan and revamp him so that when he debuts, he's this drastically different
12:21quarterback that you've you've smoothed out the rough edges and give gave him a really
12:27good foundation to go forward, then I think they just should have started him at the
12:33beginning of the season. I don't I don't I don't think him sitting for five weeks
12:39really benefited outside of things that I can't account for, which is I don't know where
12:44he was in terms of reading defenses or dealing with pressure.
12:49They internally very well, they could be saying, you know, you have no idea where he
12:55started from. And I'm sure we'll hear some of that this week from people who are a
13:00little bit more friendly with the front office and the coaching staff.
13:03But to me, just in a vacuum, just looking at it, I don't see a revamped Drake May.
13:10I don't see Drake May 2.0.
13:12To me, this is Drake May.
13:13And if this is what you were going to be OK playing with, then you should have done the
13:19Josh Allen thing and just let him play from the beginning.
13:23So do you think that they haven't had enough time with him to to course correct some of
13:30these things, or do you think the coaching staff has failed him?
13:34Because leading up to this game, you know, we heard that, oh, he's taking steps forward.
13:40He's progressing.
13:41He looks better.
13:43And there was a lot of credit being thrown towards Alex Van Peltz before Drake went out
13:48there and played a game that mattered, saying that he is getting better behind the scenes.
13:52And we had all of these practice reports from fellow players and coaches.
13:57Do you think the coaching staff has not done enough with him given the time they've had
14:02with him or.
14:05Hey, look, you know, it was week six of the NFL season, his first NFL season, and if you
14:10wanted that Drake May 2.0, you probably would have had to wait longer, if not much
14:17longer than you did.
14:20I think it's to me, Nick, it's definitely the latter.
14:22I just don't think that's enough time.
14:24This is why I said in my draft evaluation of Drake May is he needs to sit for, you know,
14:31basically a season.
14:32He needs like the whole time to be broken down and built back up.
14:37And that just takes a lot of time.
14:40It takes a lot of practice reps.
14:42It, it, it takes all that stuff.
14:45And, you know, now seeing what we get out of Drake May, um, and, and look, we also,
14:52I'm not, I'll readily admit, I'm not good at this about putting things in context about
14:58grading on a curve.
14:59I, it's just, it's a weakness of mine.
15:01You know, the, the Texans, you know, yeah, we talked about them, like, you know,
15:07they're front, they're fast, they get after the passer, you know, all that stuff.
15:11I do think that their secondary was kind of crappy in this game.
15:14And I know they were down a starter at safety and they were down a starter at
15:18cornerback.
15:19I mean, Jalen Petry, I know he can come up and tackle and he makes plays, but
15:23Holy hell is he horrendous in past coverage.
15:27I mean, he, he was, the guys were open all day long on him.
15:31Those pop Douglas plays.
15:33There was a Hunter Henry play.
15:34Like, I mean, he's getting turned around like a top in the middle of the field.
15:38And, and so like, you know, I do, you know, where the Patriots coaches coaching
15:43Drake may to be like, look, these guys are good.
15:45They're fast.
15:45Just get the ball out.
15:47And I, you know, either get the ball out or run, like just make a decision
15:51like really quick could be, but I just think, you know, in my experience, you
15:57know, covering the Packers and seeing Aaron Rogers and where he went from
16:00coming out of Cal, you know, that was a three-year process, obviously.
16:05Um, you know, Patrick Mahomes sitting for, you know, the whole season.
16:10Um, he probably would have been Patrick Mahomes, but he, if he played, but I
16:14just think it's, I just think it's not enough time.
16:17If you, if you're going to say this is what we're going to do and he needs X, Y,
16:22and Z, then as I've said before, you need to stick to the plan and not deviate.
16:28And in that case, now, you know, if you really want to do that, now I'm on the
16:34side of, you had to aim higher than Jacoby Bursette.
16:37I mean, I resisted that for a while, but.
16:41Um, if, if you were dead set, if Elliot Wolf and Alex Van Pelt were dead set on,
16:48we're going to develop this kid the right way.
16:49He's going to sit.
16:50They needed a better quarterback option than Jacoby Bursette, because, you know,
16:54I think a lot of people could see this coming.
16:57I mean, there were a lot of people who've been around this team and around Jacoby
17:01who were telling me from the get-go, like he's just, he's not any good and you're
17:06going to see it the more and more he, he, he does really well in practice.
17:10But when it comes to the games, he's going to hold the ball.
17:13He's going to be overly conservative, you know, all this stuff, you know,
17:17they, they made, they should have gotten another quarterback to be able to keep
17:21Drake may on the sidelines longer.
17:23And so I think they've failed in that regard.
17:28All right, let's get into some of the good that you saw for may on Sunday, some of
17:31the plays that stood out to you and why they stood out, uh, you know, so like I
17:36said, um, Drake made a lot of plays in this game.
17:40I will take, I will say, you know, overall, you can basically put it in a few
17:44buckets.
17:46There was the last drive before the first half before that it was not good.
17:50And by the way, it's not just migrating.
17:54I watched, you know, JTO Sullivan, the former quarterback who has a QB school and
17:58a member of his Patreon, uh, club.
18:01And he did a breakdown of actually it was the whole Patriots offense.
18:04It wasn't just Drake Mase dropbacks.
18:07And, uh, I will say largely his evaluation of may was in line with mine and along
18:13with the, the offensive system, which he was just like, what are we doing on these
18:19routes?
18:19What are we doing on these concepts?
18:21Like what the hell is going on?
18:22This is a rough offense.
18:23Like I, so, um, so may, may, I would say the end of the first half he did really
18:31well.
18:31And then starting with the last drive of the third quarter, um, I thought he did
18:37really well, you know, outside of that, before those stretches, it was, it was
18:43pretty rough.
18:44Um, you know, a lot of decision-making I didn't love, but you know, let's, you
18:49know, the, in the first half, the plus plays that I had, uh, the little eight
18:54yard pass to, uh, Kendrick Bourne.
18:57That's when the DT jumped the snap.
19:00Uh, may he got his arm in there, may bobble the ball a little bit, loved how he
19:04kept his cool.
19:05And he found Kendrick Bourne in the flat.
19:07That's, that's a nice play.
19:09The, I would say the first sort of wow play, or I wouldn't say wow, but kind of
19:17made you sit up a little bit was the 22 yard pass to pop Douglas.
19:23It was just a little past in the flat, but with, there was traffic bearing down on
19:28he was on the left hash.
19:30He threw it all the way across the field.
19:31He, he threw it flat footed.
19:33He threw, he showed off his arm strength.
19:36I mean, pop made most of the, the play.
19:38I mean, it really should have been a five yard play and the defender
19:41sort of whiffed on the tackle.
19:42Um, but that was when you were just like, okay, okay, here we go.
19:47Drink me now.
19:48Now we're starting to play a little bit.
19:50Um, you know, the, the first pass that Jalen Polk dropped, uh, I thought that
19:57was really nice and I gave him a plus, even though it was an incomplete pass.
20:01Um, because there was a safety, there was an all out blitz coming,
20:04a safety coming from way back.
20:06And luckily he was coming from way back there.
20:09He couldn't quite get home, but you know, that guy's bearing down right in May's
20:13face and he delivered the ball to Polk before he really got out of his break.
20:18That was an NFL really nice play.
20:21And then of course, you know, the case on booty pass.
20:24I mean, you know, it was, it was great protection.
20:27Great job by booty stacking his route.
20:29He got on top of it, a perfect throw by may.
20:32And he threw it before booty was, you know, even open, um, put a lot of trust
20:38sort of, you know, gunslinger type thing with may I'm glad it worked out.
20:43I'm glad booty booty won his route.
20:45I'm glad may absolutely dropped a dime in the bucket because DeMario Douglas
20:51was wide open in the middle of the field on the exact same route that.
20:56He, he got like 30 yards when may threw a little bit behind them.
20:59And then he scored, it was the same thing, the same coverage
21:03and Douglas was wide open.
21:05So, you know, I'm glad it worked out and it did.
21:08And so those in the first half, that's, those are the plays that stood out
21:12where you're just like, it gave the, and I understand, I, I I'm trying to
21:17stay away from a lot of media content in, in the wake of this, because I knew
21:22what was going to happen and I don't want to be colored by it.
21:26Uh, but you know, I do know that Patriots fans came out of this game with hope.
21:32Um, you know, for the first time in a long time, and I don't,
21:35I don't disabuse them of that.
21:36I mean, I think, I think that, um, you know, those type of plays and
21:41his playmaking overall was really good.
21:45You see that you see the good and you're just like, all right, as long as he can
21:49start to minimize the, the, the minuses, the, you know, the, the rougher plays,
21:54which he had a lot of, I gave him 17 in this game.
21:57Um, but it's his first start.
22:00So if you can, if he can keep making plays and even make more plays as he
22:03gets more comfortable and then minimize the mistakes, you got something.
22:08Yeah.
22:08Given the level of competition.
22:10And again, Greg's not grading this on a curve.
22:12He lets everybody know that up front.
22:13You know, given, given the competition, given the situation with the team, uh,
22:18the fact that I think he was in there a little bit earlier than the team
22:22anticipated, he probably anticipated, as you said, he, he probably needed
22:26to, uh, bake a little bit longer.
22:28I thought he was, you know, he was pretty much as far as a player, what I
22:33anticipated, which was some splash plays, couple turnovers, some plays that
22:38leave you scratching your head.
22:39He'll miss some easy throws.
22:41We know that that's who he's been.
22:43Uh, productivity wise, he did exceed my expectations going against Houston,
22:48but overall kind of big picture.
22:50Uh, we, we saw a lot of, of what we saw at UNC and what we saw in the preseason.
22:57Uh, so it's just whether or not he can continue to improve and get better as
23:01he plays, as the bullets are flying.
23:03And you know, that, that is still to be determined.
23:07I was encouraged by Sunday overall, thinking about the circumstances and
23:12the competition, I thought you walk away from that game feeling pretty good about
23:15him, but understanding it's only one star and there's a long way to go.
23:19Uh, some of the stuff, as far as the bad, Greg, I know you mentioned
23:22the footwork and the misthrows.
23:24I just want to ask you one question.
23:25Cause I think it's something that's overlooked when I look at other
23:29breakdowns, there seems to be, uh, you know, more emphasis from you on the
23:36pressure that Drake may took on Sunday and how much that was on Drake.
23:41And the sacks that he took, how much of those on Drake, you know, the 17
23:46minuses, there are a number of plays there that are minuses because he took a bad sack.
23:51So just kind of break that down.
23:53Uh, like, you know, how you look at it and what you grade saying, all right,
23:59that was on the old lineman that was on Drake and what you saw Sunday,
24:02as far as that protection goes.
24:05Uh, yeah, I mean, it's, it's, it's a good topic for discussion.
24:10Um, I will say, say after watching J T's breakdown, there was one sack that,
24:15and by the way, basically, you know, on the overview, um, I gave Drake may
24:21partial responsibility of all four sacks that were in the game, JTO
24:24Sullivan disagreed on one sack.
24:26So I might be wrong about that.
24:29Uh, but you know, for an example of.
24:32You know, something that I graded them down as a minus where I'm
24:36sure a lot of people wouldn't.
24:38Um, you know, he scrambles, I think this was near the beginning of the
24:42second quarter may scrambles up the middle for 11 yards.
24:47Okay.
24:47To me, that was UNC Drake.
24:51May he did.
24:52He didn't give the chain.
24:53He didn't give a chance to the play to develop.
24:56He just decided to take off before, you know, Hunter Henry was coming open on.
25:02Uh, this route concept worked all day.
25:04The guy in the slot against Jalen Petri or whoever, you know, the other safety,
25:09it was the same exact play.
25:11Hunter Henry was going up.
25:12The seam Petri had turned around and Hunter was about to cross his face.
25:18And it could have been like a really big game, but by the time that happened,
25:21Drake may was already trying to leave the pocket.
25:23Yeah.
25:23He got 11 yards, but I don't want him to do that.
25:27I mean, the play was there.
25:28The protection was there.
25:30Um, he needs to throw that pass.
25:32So I didn't like that.
25:33Let me go through the sacks.
25:36Um, okay.
25:38Drake may sacked at new England 33 for minus seven.
25:42Will Anderson.
25:42That's when Vidarian low was injured on the play.
25:45Um, this is, this is third and 11.
25:49Uh, this play was all sorts of screwed up.
25:51I'll be, I would be very interested to see how the coaches viewed this.
25:55So this is the play where may move to Michael hasty from his right to his left.
26:02And, and it even looked like Jamaica was like, are you sure you want me to do this?
26:07And by the way, let me just, let me just say this, the Patriots backs have not
26:13been good in past protection this year.
26:15Uh, you know, without, especially without Stevenson and Stevenson
26:18isn't great at it either.
26:19Gibson was really bad last week.
26:21Um, hasty, I would say hasty is their best at it.
26:25Um, the other Terrell Jennings who came in, oh my God, he's freaking
26:29horrible past past protection.
26:31But anyways, so this is a play where may flips to Michael
26:35hasty from his right to his left.
26:37Now in this, this type of thing happened multiple times in the game, and this is
26:41something that got to get sorted out.
26:43So, but on that play, Hunter Henry's already on that side and he's chipping the end.
26:51Like, you know, I, the, the Texans were, it was threatening to bring an all out
26:56blitz and I'm sure it didn't look like may had the number sorted out, right?
27:00I, you know, he just should have left hasty on his right and then he could
27:05have helped out with will Anderson.
27:07Um, but maybe because of that, maybe because may realize he kind
27:13of screwed up doing that.
27:14His eyes were never down the field.
27:16He looked at the rush almost immediately.
27:19Um, Henry's wide open after his chip for a check down.
27:24His eyes never get over there.
27:27Um, to me that was, that was half on may.
27:31It was half on Jacobs.
27:33Um, he also nearly fumbled on that play.
27:36Um, three 31 left in the game.
27:39Um, may sacked, uh, for minus five will Anderson, uh, after the RPO fake
27:45Hooper is wide open may starts to throw it, but pumps and, and the sack.
27:50He's just, he's gotta get that.
27:52He's gotta get that ball out.
27:53Um, Hooper's open.
27:55I don't understand the whole RPO fake thing.
27:58It was also very messy.
28:00Um, I did not like the design of that.
28:03Um, let me get to second half.
28:06So the strip sack fumble.
28:09Um, again, in a, in a criticism that I have of Alex van Pelt, this is one of my
28:15big ones, just not enough help for these guys, not enough chipping, not enough
28:19keeping tight ends in not enough, especially, you know, when you have
28:24Drake may out there, um, born's coming open and sort of a second window.
28:30This is why this type of play is why Drake maze there.
28:33I've seen him make this throw.
28:34It's similar to the pop Douglas throw against the jets.
28:38Um, he has an under and an over, um, he has born coming on an in cut.
28:43He has Hooper right behind them.
28:45They're right there.
28:47Um, booty was also way.
28:49Oh, if he didn't like the numbers to the right booty was open on the left.
28:53Um, this is a tough play, but may has to realize my
28:57tackles aren't getting any help.
28:59I can't hold the ball.
29:00It's gotta be boom, quick decision, get the ball out.
29:04And also the pressure was coming from his open side.
29:07Like he has to, he has to sense that better.
29:10And if he takes the sack, he's got to protect the football.
29:14So that was that one.
29:16And then, uh, Oh, the, the last one was definitely on May.
29:22He wanted a home run past the Douglas, but the Texans were kind of lurking.
29:26It was sort of trap coverage.
29:28He had two checkdowns wide open underneath.
29:32Um, he just tried to be a hero and held onto the ball too long.
29:35So, um, you know, maybe we can quibble with one of the sacks, but I would say.
29:41Uh, a vast majority of the sacks, Drake may had a hand in it.
29:46And this is, you know, some of your worry about playing him,
29:50the AB, the AVP stuff is driving me nuts.
29:53Uh, you know, he, he did it with the Bosa matchup.
29:58He continues to not help out as tackles when you have like your third or fourth
30:02string tackle out there and you're going against those two edges.
30:06To me, it's just unconscionable to not help those guys out more than they did.
30:11And it's, it's simple stuff.
30:12I don't, my brain feels like it's broken when something so simple that we talk
30:18about, that seems obvious to the rest of the world and you're paying AVP,
30:22whatever you're paying him.
30:24And you know, he's game planning the entire week and he doesn't do something
30:28as simple as, Hey, we're going to have to help out trade Jacobs a little bit more.
30:32It just, it defies logic.
30:34It defies any kind of common sense.
30:37I don't get it.
30:38All right.
30:38Before we get to the defense, uh, Greg wants to tell you about game time.
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31:46What time is it game time?
31:49All right.
31:49Defensively.
31:50Let's start here.
31:51What in the blue hell is wrong with the run defense?
31:55Uh, uh, I don't know.
32:00I don't know.
32:00I don't know.
32:01I don't know.
32:01I don't know.
32:02I don't know.
32:02I don't know.
32:02I don't know.
32:03I don't know.
32:03I don't know.
32:03I don't know.
32:04I don't know.
32:04Uh, um, I, look, it's just, and I, I don't want to hear any crying about,
32:14you know, personnel and injuries and all this stuff.
32:18And what was me like good, good, capable run defense, which the Patriots run
32:24defense is getting worse by the week.
32:27And Gerard may, I can go on, you know, whatever and say, well, you
32:32know, it was just a 50 yard runs.
32:33Well, you know, that's great.
32:35You know, besides that, how was the, how was the play Mrs.
32:38Lincoln, um, you know, let alone the 20 yard run touchdown run
32:43where he barely gets, um, touched.
32:46Um, you know, good run defense is all about being, you know, assignment
32:51sure, and holding up your block and everybody doing their job.
32:54And there's just, it's just disjointed.
32:57I will say, you know, a lot of it, you know, almost every time there's
33:03something different, wrong, there's like, you know, somebody doesn't get
33:06the edge and somebody else, somebody else, you know, compensates for that.
33:10And then, so they're out of their gap and I will say, I would blame
33:14most of it on the linebackers.
33:16I don't think that they're hitting the holes enough.
33:19I would say the first big run of the game, you know, Keon white, anytime I
33:24see him in a three point stance at right defensive end or at defensive
33:28end, instead of standing up, I'm like, oh boy, um, I'm a little, I mean,
33:32he's not as bad as like Dietrich wise used to be as a younger guy, but he got
33:36completely blown out of his gap and that, you know, that allows the linemen
33:40to get up on the linebackers.
33:41Like, it's just, there's not a lot of, uh, synchronicity in the Patriots play.
33:47And when you don't have that, when you don't, when I think it's a, it's a
33:51by-product of some of the things that are going on with this team, whereas,
33:55you know, some guys are just doing their own thing.
33:58I mean, they, they just, they have to be in sync.
34:01Everybody has to do their job.
34:03And when one guy doesn't, the potential is there against a good team and a good
34:07back like Joe Mixon, uh, to hit a big play.
34:10And they, you know, I would say the big thing is I think, you know,
34:14Rayquan McMillan has been really poor.
34:16Uh, I thought Tavai had a tough time in this game as far as his run defense.
34:22This was one of his worst games actually now just looking at my sheet.
34:25Um, but you know, there was some of it with the safeties and the cornerbacks
34:29as far as edge containers, it's just, it's just not good.
34:33And to me, it's about coaching.
34:35They have to coach these guys up.
34:37They have to get them to buy in and be unselfish and do their job.
34:40And right now that's not happening, which is, it's unusual for New England.
34:45I think, I think we can all recognize that
34:48statistically and analytically people will tell you that Devon got
34:51y'all has been pretty damn good.
34:53Uh, run stuffing teams are awesome in this game.
34:56Awesome.
34:57Yeah.
34:57And teams are accounting for that.
35:00They now know he's like the one dude and they're like attacking everybody else.
35:04And it's not good.
35:05And what's even more demoralizing is that you're giving up these performances
35:08back to back 190 plus yard rushing performances against two offenses that
35:13had not run the football at all until they played you, Miami had one of the
35:17worst run games in football, and all of a sudden they found the magic elixir.
35:21And that was the Patriots run defense Houston.
35:24They got Joe Mixon back.
35:25He had been out.
35:26So obviously that plays a role, but this offense, this offensive
35:29line was not good blocking the run.
35:31I mean, when you look at run block, win rate, and some of the other
35:34statistics, they just weren't good.
35:36And then same magic elixir Patriots run defense.
35:40They got to figure it out.
35:42Uh, do you, do you make any personnel changes, Greg?
35:44Do you look to maybe play McMillan less or not play him at all?
35:49Uh, it tough to say because one of the few snaps that talkie talkie got in,
35:54he completely overran the play and they got gashed on the backside because,
35:58you know, he wasn't there.
35:59Um, I think they're going to have to, let's see how he comes out of this game.
36:04Uh, but yeah, I mean, I, I don't know.
36:09Yeah.
36:10I think about, you know, do you put, do you just put Kyle Duggar at linebacker
36:14and just say, just go do your thing, which we, we all recognize that like him
36:17coming forward, um, and you know, I want to see him the way he hits the gaps.
36:23Do you worry about him?
36:25Um, you know, taking on offensive lineman.
36:29I think back to when, um, Adrian Phillips was here in his early days
36:34with the Patriots, like he basically had to play linebacker all the time
36:37and he just threw his body around.
36:39Um, peppers would be an option if he wasn't going through his troubles.
36:44Um, but yeah, I think, I think they got to, I think they got to figure out what
36:50they're doing in a bunch of different spots.
36:52I mean, look, gotcha.
36:53I was really good.
36:54You know, I heard, I heard Callahan last night on TV talk about how like Devon
36:59Godchild's being targeted and like, you know, wham block, like, you know, to me,
37:04those plays weren't about that and credit to Devon, he realized like nobody's
37:09blocking me, like most dumb ass defensive tackles just charge up the field.
37:14And then there's even a bigger hole, but he kind of held his ground and did
37:17his job, which is take on the block.
37:19Only somebody's supposed to be there to fill the gap and it's, and it's not there.
37:24It's it's, it wasn't about the play on Godchow and you know, that they're going
37:28to run away from Godchow anytime they can.
37:31It's guys filling the gas, but yeah, I think they need to figure out who's
37:36going to be, who's going to play run defensive end on both sides.
37:40I don't want it to be Keon white.
37:41I want him on the edge wrecking people.
37:45Uh, and then at linebacker, I think they need to figure out like, you know, you
37:50know, maybe you put to Vi on the edge, maybe it's Duggar and talkie talkie, but.
37:56Yeah, it's, it's got to change.
37:58Cause it's not good.
37:59McMillan's been atrocious.
38:01Maybe, maybe Marty Mapu gets a shot here and there.
38:05Uh, I will say at least, uh, at least they did play more man defense man coverage.
38:10It didn't work out great, but they, they did at
38:14least go in and play some man coverage.
38:16Uh, or I just quick thought from you, Greg, before we get to the three up three
38:20down, as far as overall coaching performance, you've brought this up, the
38:24AVP stuff, some of the defensive stuff.
38:27Uh, is this staff getting any better?
38:31No, I don't think so.
38:32That's where my frustration was.
38:34I understand Patriots fans were excited by the bright flashing lights that Drake
38:38may is, and they certainly going to up your entertainment value, uh, on Sundays.
38:43And he's going to pull some plays out of his rear end.
38:46It's going to be fun.
38:46It's going to be a rollercoaster, you know, with Drake may, hopefully, you
38:50know, you smooth out some of the, the rougher spots, which is, you know,
38:53what you're, you're anticipating as he goes along and plays and the game
38:58slows down for him and he gets used to the NFL speed and plus he's going to
39:01be playing the Jaguars team this weekend.
39:03That has been horrendous in past coverage.
39:05So, you know, he could be even better, uh, over in London, but.
39:10You know, basically my takeaway from this game and, you know,
39:14they ended up, they lost by 20.
39:16Uh, penalties are still a problem.
39:18The run defense is still a problem.
39:20The tackling, I will say watching it on film.
39:24I didn't think the tackling was that bad.
39:27Um, I know, I think PFS had them for another seven missed tackles on film.
39:31It didn't really stand out to me that they were missing a bunch of tackles.
39:36Um, you know, some of the issues, like there's busts in past coverage, the,
39:41the, I think it was the Joe Mixon touchdown Tavai gets rubbed and Kyle
39:47Duggar's just watching and he doesn't bump out and the guy's wide open for a
39:51touchdown, um, to me, Nick, and I don't know how you feel about this, but.
39:57You know, I came out of this game being like, all right, you know, Drake may is
40:01fine, but what's really changed with this team to me, nothing, I think they're
40:04getting, I think they're getting worse by the week we hear Gerard Mayo talk
40:08about, you know, he's frustrated about, it's the same thing game after game.
40:13Well, you're the head coach, you're in charge of this.
40:16Like, what do you think?
40:18It's just going to get solved.
40:19Like, you know, if yeah, you could say we're telling them this and we're doing
40:24this and yeah, but it's not working.
40:26So you need to figure it out.
40:28And I, you know, I've, I heard something, Michael Lombardi mentioned
40:30something about, um, Dan Campbell when he, you know, he started in Detroit
40:34and we've heard Gerard Mayo mentioned Dan Campbell and Kyle Shanahan
40:38about how they started slow.
40:40That is correct.
40:41But you, I think it was the lion started Oh 10 and one, um, uh, his first
40:48season, Campbell's first season in Detroit.
40:51Um, but largely they got better.
40:55You look at the scores, they were close and like, yeah, obviously
40:58they didn't have the talent and you know, it's similar position to the
41:02Patriots, but you know, they got better as the season went along, even
41:07if they weren't winning games.
41:09To me, I don't see that.
41:10I see, I'm looking for Gerard Mayo.
41:14We understand the personnel issues.
41:16I'm looking for Gerard Mayo and his coaches to impart to, I thought they
41:20were going to build a foundation of culture that they can build off of.
41:24And they would be getting better and better every game.
41:28Well, you know, at a certain point, we're now six games through we're
41:31through extended preseason.
41:33Does anybody see anything on this team?
41:35That's getting better week after week.
41:37Do you see any players that are getting better week after week?
41:40You could make the argument that is Demario Douglas, but yeah, I would make
41:45the argument that, you know, if they were better on offense, he would have
41:48been doing this from the get go.
41:50And it's not really about his improvement.
41:52It's about, you know, just being able to function more and make more plays on
41:56offense.
41:57So that's where my, my overall frustration lies is like, okay, yeah.
42:01Drake may is nice.
42:02He's nice window dressing, but the, the, the, the, the problems that are at the
42:08foundation of why the Patriots are one in five, they're not getting better.
42:11They're getting worse.
42:14They just don't really have an identity.
42:16You know, you're six, you're now going towards week seven of the season and
42:22they don't really have an identity.
42:23I mean, they, they want to be a runoff fence when they're going against
42:26defenses that they can run against.
42:28They decide not to run the football nearly enough because of Alex van Pelt.
42:32Uh, when they try to run, uh, they, they, they weren't able to run this past
42:36weekend, their run game was atrocious.
42:38Uh, defensively, it seems like they're still trying to figure out if they're a
42:41man coverage team or a zone coverage team and, and how exotic they want to be upfront.
42:47Yeah, you've had a month and a half now you've had a month and a half to figure
42:50out what you do well and to lean in on what you do well, and it feels like they
42:55don't, and of course, you know, you, you changed the quarterback, so that's going
42:58to change some of the offensive stuff, but it just hasn't been nearly good enough.
43:02And they've got the Jaguars jets and Titans coming up.
43:05And I know the jets will likely have Devante Adams, but I mean, these are
43:09games, especially Sunday, you, you gotta, you gotta be competitive if, you know,
43:14if not win a couple of these games coming up because Jacksonville is awful.
43:18They look lost as, as, as lost as you've looked at times and the
43:22Titans are going through things.
43:23Will Levis has been just abominable.
43:26All right.
43:26Check them out.
43:27BSJ, but Dargie already 50 bucks for the year.
43:30Don't forget to download the prize picks app today.
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43:45All right.
43:45World's fastest three up three down.
43:47Greg, what do you got?
43:49So I'm going to do this a little bit differently.
43:51I'm just gonna, I'm going to give sort of like guys who were thumbs up for
43:55me and guys who were thumbs thumbs down.
43:58Um, I am not this week going to put Drake may in this.
44:05I mean, I I'm sorry.
44:05I mean, you know, I, he had, I put one interception on him.
44:10The tip interception wasn't his fault.
44:11It was Zach Thomas's fault.
44:12The left tackle for not cutting the end.
44:14Um, that's not his fault.
44:16You know, he fumbled.
44:17Uh, you know, yeah, they produced three touchdowns.
44:20I definitely give him credit on booty and pop Douglas.
44:22The Hunter Henry moment is just a complete bus by guess who?
44:25Jalen Petry, because he blows.
44:28Um, so for this week, Drake may is not on my list, but I anticipated,
44:34I anticipate him getting there.
44:35So, um, Michael Jordan, I only had him from one knockdown.
44:40That was my only minus play in this game.
44:42I think he's been terrific to Mario Douglas.
44:45Awesome.
44:46Uh, booty.
44:47Okay.
44:48I mean, he had to touchdown, uh, had some nice routes.
44:51Didn't get the ball at times.
44:53Uh, because may wasn't seeing the field quite right.
44:56Uh, I thought Hunter Henry was good.
44:58Devon.
44:58God shall was awesome.
45:00Keon white was really good.
45:02Uh, I wanted to get his name, right?
45:05Uh, Jaqueline Roy.
45:07Yeah.
45:08Yeah.
45:08Number 94.
45:10Outstanding.
45:11Um, oh, I will also, I want to mention Ben Brown, the center, you know,
45:15I thought he did a good job in this game.
45:17He was much better in pass pro than he was on the ground.
45:20Um, actually he didn't, I don't think I had him giving up, uh, pressure.
45:24So, you know, I know we, we criticize the personnel department a lot, but credit
45:30those guys for finding Ben Brown and Jaqueline Roy, who I thought did a really
45:36nice job, uh, and that would be it for the ups, the downs, uh, Terrell Jennings.
45:44He stinks.
45:46Uh, Zach Thomas, tough spot, but he was not good.
45:52DeMontre Jacobs.
45:53Not good.
45:54Jalen Polk.
45:55Terrible.
45:56Austin Hooper can have that fumble, uh, on the defensive line, nobody down.
46:05Uh, Jelani Tavai was terrible in this game.
46:08Raekwon McMillan was not good.
46:11Uh, Jonathan Jones had a really tough time in this game.
46:15Uh, I know there was some conversation about like, oh, Gonzalez got owned and
46:19he definitely got owned on that, the digs route on the touchdown, but I thought
46:23Jonathan Jones had a much tougher time and they sort of picked on him.
46:27I didn't think, uh, Gonzalez was great in this game and that would do it.
46:36All right.
46:38That does it.
46:39Greg is off to, uh, Felger and Maz.
46:42I am off to, I don't know, doing something in Virginia beach.
46:46Uh, everybody enjoy the next couple of days.
46:48Of course we will have the Jaguars preview coming up soon for you.
46:51He's Greg, I'm Nick.
46:52Peace.