LIVE Patriots Daily: Patriots vs. Chargers Recap + State of the Team Q+A

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The New England Patriots suffered a 40-7 defeat to the Los Angeles Chargers, leaving their season record at a dismal 3-13. CLNS Media's Taylor Kyles and SI's Mike Kadlick go LIVE to recap the loss and discuss the state of the team heading into the final week of the season. ************************************************ Patriots Content Brought to you by.... 💰 Prize Picks - https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/CLNS Download the app today and use Code CLNS at PrizePicks.com/CLNS & Get $50 instantly when you play $5!  🎫 Gametime - https://gametime.co Take the guesswork out of buying NFL tickets with Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code CLNS for $20 off your first purchase. Download Gametime today. Terms apply. What time is it? Gametime!

Transcript

00:00:00I am joined by Robert Griffin III, James White, Field, Yates, Mina Kimes.

00:00:07All right, so first play we're going to look at, second and two, one of the Patriots' first

00:00:11offensive plays.

00:00:15What's going on, everyone?

00:00:16Mike Kadlik here.

00:00:17Taylor Kyle's there for CLNS Media back with another episode of the Patriots Daily Podcast

00:00:23powered by PrizePix, powered by GameTime, powered by a ring light on my end, and powered

00:00:27by a new setup on Taylor's end with a new microphone, a new camera, and we are ready

00:00:31to rock to take on the Patriots' final week of the 2024 season.

00:00:36Patriots lose 40-7.

00:00:38As you guys know, we're going to go through what we can from the game.

00:00:42It's hard to break down.

00:00:43You know, Taylor, we mentioned that it was tough to kind of go through this whole thing

00:00:47because not a lot of good was taken out of it.

00:00:49Drodd Mayo mentioned that after the game.

00:00:51He mentioned that this morning as well.

00:00:53But we're going to break it down in a couple parts, a couple highs and lows on the defense,

00:00:57a couple highs and lows on the offense, and then we will wrap up the episode with a brief

00:01:01Q&A state of the team to see exactly where this Patriots team is at and answer any questions

00:01:07you guys may have.

00:01:08But before we get into all of the, some of the films, some of the things that went wrong

00:01:12in this one, a couple news and notes that we wanted to tackle before we get started.

00:01:16We kind of already hit on the number one overall pick that the Patriots now currently have

00:01:20heading into this week.

00:01:21If you have, if you missed that, check it out.

00:01:23We have a video up on the channel.

00:01:25It was our most recent Patriots daily podcast episode from this morning, but a couple more

00:01:29things trickled in.

00:01:30And first and foremost, I want to hit on the Mike variable situation, Taylor, because it

00:01:34was reported first from Adam Schefter that his contract with the Cleveland Browns is

00:01:39now complete.

00:01:40He is free to free to move around, free to interview anywhere, which means he can basically

00:01:45interview with the saints, the Browns, not the Browns, excuse me, the saints, the bears,

00:01:50the jets, any team that has a head coaching vacancy.

00:01:53He is now free to interview and Diana Rossini from the athletic mentioned in a column this

00:01:58morning that another potential landing spot for variable could be the new England Patriots.

00:02:02If they decide to move on from Gerard Mayo for able is expected to prioritize openings

00:02:07with a positive ownership situation and teams with either a quality quarterback in place

00:02:11or a path to getting one.

00:02:13Now, people will argue that the Patriots ownership situation is not a positive one.

00:02:18However, we do know that Mike variable does have a quality relationship with the crafts.

00:02:22As we saw last season, he was inducted into the Patriots hall of fame.

00:02:27So with all that being said to, and obviously they had the quality QB situation as well

00:02:30with Drake may.

00:02:31So with that being said, what do you make of the report?

00:02:34I know you kind of gave your spiel on should they keep or should they get variable?

00:02:38Should they not get variable?

00:02:39But latest on the report, the fact that Rossini was also one of the people a couple of weeks

00:02:43ago, Taylor, that mentioned Mayo being safe.

00:02:47I think this is now noteworthy that she uses that information, but then also puts variable

00:02:51out as a potential candidate for the job.

00:02:52Yeah, I think we talked about this after the game that I still don't love the idea of just

00:02:56automatically going to my variable because it feels like making the same mistake twice

00:03:00in a row.

00:03:01Now, of course, variable has a track record.

00:03:03He also likely has connections in the league, unlike Mayo, where he can actually bring people

00:03:08in on his own.

00:03:09Also might work well with Elliot Wolfe because they both obviously spent some time in Cleveland

00:03:12with the Browns.

00:03:13They've had a pretty consistent overall system over there.

00:03:16So maybe there's some carryover where Elliot Wolfe doesn't necessarily have to get the

00:03:19cannon.

00:03:20They can find some way to build a team that they both see fit, especially because I feel

00:03:24like variable has a lot of the same values as Mayo in terms of the way they wanted to

00:03:28construct their roster.

00:03:30And another area where I had pause with variable is that there are just so few defensive coaches

00:03:36in the NFL right now who have had consistent success like, all right, I'm gonna wake up

00:03:41right now.

00:03:42Look at all the NFL teams.

00:03:43Like, obviously, you've got Mike Tomlin, more of a CEO type anyway, but still a guy whose

00:03:48roots are in defense, but he is literally the exception.

00:03:52Also hasn't had a lot of playoff success, which also I guess you could tie to him not

00:03:55having a quarterback in quite some time.

00:03:56Then you look through the rest of the league, like Todd Bowles, actually no, Todd Bowles,

00:04:00he has had a decent amount of success, I will say, but also he's had some really good offensive

00:04:05coordinators.

00:04:06And that kind of brings it around to, okay, if you do hire variable, what's gonna happen

00:04:11with the offense?

00:04:12If he has McDaniels, at least it gives you a head coach of the offense.

00:04:16Another guy, like you said, who's probably not gonna leave as well.

00:04:19So you have two guys on both sides of the ball who can completely run the show, have

00:04:23experience and really do know what they're doing.

00:04:25Hopefully variable would also be able to bring in a defensive coordinator, because I think

00:04:28he's also more of a CEO type, but he's very hands on as well.

00:04:32But the thing with McDaniels with me is that he never really ran the West Coast system

00:04:37extensively.

00:04:38The Aaron Hart Perkins offense is a little bit of everything, but they didn't lean into

00:04:42it in the way where I feel like you need to, to really allow Drake made a thrive, especially

00:04:46with like RPOs and stuff like that.

00:04:48We saw some of it with Cam and we did see McDaniels adapt the system and also obviously

00:04:53work with young quarterbacks and develop them.

00:04:55So if there had to be an abrupt change, I feel like that is one of the better systems

00:04:58because we have an idea of what it might look like.

00:05:01But at the same time, I'm hesitant that maybe McDaniels puts May in a system that doesn't

00:05:07fully capitalize on his skill set.

00:05:09So, you know, we'll see with all that, but obviously Braybel is one of the guys you'd

00:05:13like towards the top of the list, but I'd also like for them to keep it open and still

00:05:17bring in other people.

00:05:18And I don't think that Braybel would get scared off if you did that.

00:05:20I feel like everywhere else that he might be thinking about would ideally do the same

00:05:24thing.

00:05:25So I'm open to Braybel, I'm open to the pairing of him and McDaniels to a degree, but I'd

00:05:29like to know that they want to evolve their approach as well, schematically, maybe philosophically,

00:05:33depending on, you know, where they stand right now and also don't close things off and still

00:05:38entertain the idea of other candidates.

00:05:39For sure.

00:05:40And I think the good news with that is first and foremost, with the transition to Gerard

00:05:44Mayo, the reason that happened was because they had the clause in his contract, right?

00:05:48So they were able to bypass the Rooney rule.

00:05:50They were able to bypass all other interview options, where even if they do have their

00:05:55sights set on Mike Braybel, they do ideally need to at least bring in other candidates

00:06:00in.

00:06:01And that's something where I heard a story about this a few weeks ago with when Bill

00:06:05Cower left the Steelers, right?

00:06:08And they had a couple, Ken Wisenhut was one of their assistants on the staff and then

00:06:13another defensive guy, I forget who it was, but so many people in and around the Steelers

00:06:16thought they were just going to transition from Cower to one of the guys in house, but

00:06:20they opened up the search and they heard from Mike Tomlin and he basically wooed them enough

00:06:25where he ended up coming in and he's had obviously the success that we've seen now.

00:06:28So I think given the fact that A, they will have to open it up because, I mean, nobody

00:06:34else on the Patriots staff right now has in their contract.

00:06:36At least I don't think, you know, the Mayo one came up kind of abruptly last year.

00:06:40Yeah.

00:06:41Mike Pellegrino all of a sudden has a clause in his contract that he's the next man up.

00:06:44But no, so I think they have to open it up, right?

00:06:47And ideally at that point, the crafts see that they know they made this mistake this

00:06:52time where they didn't, they weren't open-minded about it.

00:06:55And at least maybe listen to people other than Mike Braybel to try and get this thing

00:06:59done and point this thing in the right direction.

00:07:01As far as McDaniels goes, I think that's the key or one of the keys in this is if you do

00:07:05take on Mike Braybel, you need that offensive head coach in Josh McDaniels who, you know,

00:07:11we've, we've hit this a bunch of times here now since the rumors came about, but he likely

00:07:16very likely, unless another team gets stupid, won't get another head coaching job in this

00:07:21league because he burned the Broncos.

00:07:23He burned the Colts for not even going there.

00:07:26And then he burned bridges or he burned himself in Las Vegas with the Raiders.

00:07:32So ideally he's not going anywhere.

00:07:33You keep them here.

00:07:34You pay him a lot of money.

00:07:35He develops the quarterback and he's here for the next 10 plus years as the offensive

00:07:39coordinator, give him an assistant head coach title where he still answers to Braybel.

00:07:43He can still be the leader he is on the offense, but he's kind of kept in his place as he was

00:07:48here for so many years under Bill Belichick.

00:07:50So we'll see what happens, but definitely interesting that Diana Rossini threw that

00:07:53note in there today.

00:07:54All right.

00:07:55The other thing that we wanted to hit on before getting into the recap is Gerard Mayo's comments

00:07:59from this morning, both on the Greg Hill show and with us, uh, the assembled new England

00:08:04media.

00:08:05Uh, and he answered a lot of questions this morning, Taylor, about kind of like the future

00:08:10and his coaching, um, philosophy and where he not really philosophy, but where he is

00:08:15right now and essentially what he's done well.

00:08:17And it was very pointed, but great question from Mike Reese, basically right off the top.

00:08:21And he asked what impactful things has he accomplished as a first year head coach?

00:08:26The answer was, and I'll read it verbatim and I'll tell you what I think it means.

00:08:30Just being able to weather the storm, Mayo said, it seems like we've been in the storm

00:08:34for a long time.

00:08:35I think the players as a whole, I would say they've come into work every day during a

00:08:38difficult season.

00:08:40That's been a huge piece of the puzzle.

00:08:42Hopefully we keep that up going forward.

00:08:43We've had eight one score games this year.

00:08:45Honestly, we have to win those games.

00:08:47That's what the NFL is.

00:08:48That's going to be the goal moving forward.

00:08:50So he still hasn't really answered what he does well.

00:08:55And I don't mean to laugh, but it's like he, he, he was asked, what do you do well?

00:08:59And he says, well, it's been a shit show, but I calmed things down.

00:09:03It's like, but that's not, that's still not a tangible head coaching item to me.

00:09:07So, uh, he was, he also said what he would have done differently to produce more wins.

00:09:11And he said, he's still, I'm on the same page.

00:09:13I'm still going strong for the confidence is still high for himself.

00:09:17He said, we're on a journey.

00:09:19You're going to have to go through the fire, go through the booze, go through the criticism,

00:09:22anything worth having has to be hard.

00:09:24And that's what it is right now.

00:09:26So thoughts on Mayo's comments this morning and kind of what position he put himself in

00:09:31today, heading into Sunday against the bills or just empty calories.

00:09:36And to a degree, you know, we get on him when he, I know isn't bill a check in and says

00:09:43too much.

00:09:44And now I know he's trying to be more tight-lipped and that's what we're getting.

00:09:48So it's a lot of word salad.

00:09:49It's a lot of just repeating the same monsters over and over again, which is what we used

00:09:53to get from bill.

00:09:54But at the same time, like my dude, you have not proven to do anything well on a consistent

00:09:59basis.

00:10:00You say you weathered the storm, not really weathering it all that well, because things

00:10:04are getting worse.

00:10:05You have players that are starting to speak out more and more getting visibly frustrated

00:10:09on the field.

00:10:10We pointed out one play, the very first offensive snap of the game where Kendrick Bourne lines

00:10:14up on the wrong spot, Hunter Henry has to move him.

00:10:16And Henry is visibly angry and Kendrick Bourne is just confused.

00:10:20I saw Kendrick Bourne throwing his hands up at times, Hunter Henry, but there was a visible

00:10:23frustration on the offense defensively.

00:10:26I'll say I didn't see the lack of effort necessarily that Daniel equality did.

00:10:29I didn't think that anybody necessarily stopped trying, especially in the run defense.

00:10:33I just think there's places where the talent is still an issue.

00:10:37You've got guys who just aren't really playing to their assignments.

00:10:41Like Sione talking talkie, you got young guys who are just slow to process at times.

00:10:45There's just a lot of upgrades that need to be made roster wise, but it still doesn't

00:10:49feel like they're ahead of the curve ever.

00:10:51It always feels like they're reacting rather than dictating terms.

00:10:55And that's the biggest thing that disappoints me as well.

00:10:58Even the veterans are getting cooked every once in a while, and it feels like they're

00:11:01not playing fast sometimes, which they did, obviously, yes, it's Bill Belichick, but still,

00:11:06you wanted to see some level of continuity and it just feels like everything has taken

00:11:10a step back.

00:11:12I didn't like the response because I'd like for him to give us a little something more

00:11:17because like you say, oh, everybody comes to work every day.

00:11:19I know this is kind of maybe unfair, but it's not true because Chooks quit on the team.

00:11:24Right.

00:11:25So it's not even 100%.

00:11:26No, it's true.

00:11:27You're right.

00:11:28And then he even admitted where he said, yeah, you know, everybody's still trying hard and

00:11:30then goes on the radio and says that people weren't putting their hands up on the field

00:11:34book, go black unit, which was true.

00:11:36They looked like they didn't care.

00:11:37It was like some good reps from Dietrich wise where he was trying hard.

00:11:40Brendan school was firing off the edge.

00:11:42Like there's a few guys on those that are trying for the most part, guys are standing

00:11:46straight up, not really trying to do anything, not on extra points on field goal blocks.

00:11:51So for three points, extra points, sometimes, you know, I kind of get you out of the mentality.

00:11:55These are almost never blocked because kickers don't put them low enough.

00:11:58Sure.

00:11:59But that's even the kind of thing where like a team like the Chiefs, where every little

00:12:02detail matters and you have to be locked in dynasty patriots.

00:12:05Exactly.

00:12:06And I understand it's a blowout, but again, that's the time where you need to show out

00:12:10and say, Hey, I want to be part of this team or I want to put good film on for my next

00:12:14team.

00:12:15Let me show out.

00:12:16And you weren't really seeing that.

00:12:17Now, again, the run defense, I didn't think it was as embarrassing as it was against Arizona,

00:12:21but still the car, the charges were able to run it.

00:12:23We'll, we'll talk about that more later.

00:12:24So yeah, I just didn't, I I'm sick of these comments, man, because I would like for him

00:12:29to defend himself and give us a little more behind the curtain of what he is doing well,

00:12:33because we can't see it.

00:12:34They're getting worse.

00:12:35You know, he keeps talking about these one score games, dude, six of them haven't been

00:12:38by one score in the losses.

00:12:40I'm pretty sure.

00:12:41And three of your past four or five games have been blowout losses.

00:12:44So what are you talking about?

00:12:45This was the time you're supposed to get better and you're playing some of your worst ball.

00:12:49So yeah, man, I, I understand there's personnel deficiencies.

00:12:52I understand, you know, maybe DeMarcus Covington isn't doing his job as well as he should have.

00:12:56I get those things, but one, the team just doesn't feel like they're consistently prepared

00:13:02and ready to play.

00:13:03And obviously there's some lack of resilience because they're young and inexperienced like

00:13:06John Jones has mentioned, but also again, you've got guys that are beginning to speak

00:13:10out and it just feels like all of the messages that you had before the season and even during

00:13:14the season are not being met.

00:13:17I just, the, the, the quotes on the effort, that's the one that's really kind of rubbed

00:13:22me the wrong way here.

00:13:23On one hand, I get that, well, you know what?

00:13:26And the fact that he doesn't just say, look, I was a defensive coach and I, I think I bring

00:13:30a value on the defensive side of the football.

00:13:33Like you should at least be able to say that.

00:13:35And him not saying that tells me he doesn't really believe that unless, and now granted

00:13:39he, he wasn't asked pointed the question we've asked on this podcast for the last couple

00:13:44weeks, which is what does Gerard Mayo do well?

00:13:46He was asked what he's done well this year.

00:13:49So I guess that's a little different.

00:13:50So I'll give him a pass there.

00:13:51But as far as the effort, I kind of want to read it out loud because I have him in front

00:13:55of me.

00:13:56He was asked about a qualities quote to Andrew Callahan about how he saw guys that weren't

00:14:01weren't giving their all.

00:14:02And he said, we saw, we saw guys still flying around.

00:14:04Guys were still flying around giving good effort.

00:14:07It was more about execution as a whole.

00:14:09I didn't see that.

00:14:10And then you mentioned it 20 minutes later, he goes on Greg Hill and said the effort wasn't

00:14:14the problem.

00:14:15It was execution.

00:14:16But then he says there were a couple of field goals that guys didn't get their hands up.

00:14:19And like you mentioned, I'm kind of regurgitating what you just said, but it is such a small

00:14:24detail, but this is a detail oriented game.

00:14:27We know that it's football.

00:14:29Everything matters.

00:14:30All 11 guys, all on the same page.

00:14:32It's super cliche, but it's the truth.

00:14:34And that's what the best teams do down 40 to seven guys can go out there and still Brendan

00:14:40Schooler could go out and block a field goal and turn it into a 40 to 14 game.

00:14:44And you know, nobody cares about the score at the end of the day, but when somebody pulls

00:14:48up a Brendan Schooler teach tape and says, this is what this guy did.

00:14:51And this is what he did in a 40 to seven game that makes Brendan Schooler look better.

00:14:55So it's almost like an attitude thing with the players as well.

00:14:58And that comes from the top down with the coaching.

00:15:01So I didn't love it either.

00:15:02I just, it, it continues to feel like a mess.

00:15:05It went from after the Arizona game, we were sitting here kind of questioning whether he

00:15:09should deserve his job still, then they played better in Buffalo.

00:15:13And now I feel like we're back right where we were after the Arizona game.

00:15:16So again, we'll see what happens.

00:15:17One more game to play.

00:15:18Do you have anything more to add before we get into the defense?

00:15:20Just one more thing.

00:15:21I cannot emphasize enough because it's not even so much that the team's losing.

00:15:26It's not just that.

00:15:28Even when you look at Dan Campbell, I think they had more blowout losses than the Patriots

00:15:31did.

00:15:32And they had one towards the end of the year.

00:15:33They did start getting better.

00:15:34That's where their wins came.

00:15:35Whereas the Patriots came like early on and then in the middle, and then they pretty much

00:15:38dried up after Chicago, obviously.

00:15:40But if they were just losing, because we've talked about this defensively, I think injuries

00:15:44have really kneecapped them because Kyle Duggar, Jabril Pampers, Ron Bentley, Christian

00:15:49Barmore.

00:15:50These are four of your most impactful players and all of them either in this significant

00:15:53time or were on the field and they weren't healthy enough to be themselves.

00:15:58I'm empathetic towards that because you've had so many guys trying to fill these holes

00:16:01and so many young players and it hasn't worked out.

00:16:04Offensively, I think the issue is a lack of maturity and a lack of experience.

00:16:07You got Kendrick Bourne.

00:16:08We all love him as a human being, but my God, every single week he makes at least one glaring

00:16:13mistake.

00:16:14And it looks like it's starting to get to the point where other veterans are getting

00:16:17frustrated because it's not normal for Hunter Henry to get frustrated really publicly or

00:16:21visibly at all, much less on the very first offense half of the game.

00:16:26So I think he just lacks the maturity it takes to truly be the leader of a room.

00:16:30And then you got Keyshawn Booty, DeMario Douglas, Jayvon Baker, Jalen Polk, who frankly, I'm

00:16:35starting to think just in terms of picking up, you know, verbiage and offenses.

00:16:39I think maybe in terms of how they play the game, like late hands on certain adjustments,

00:16:44I think their football IQ is decent in that regard.

00:16:47But I think when it comes to sometimes finding spaces in zones, when it comes to like that

00:16:50professional element to the game, they're all very much lacking or very much works in

00:16:54progress because they've only been in the league for one to two years.

00:16:58So I say all that to say, I get that they need more talent.

00:17:01Like if you add T Higgins, Darius Slayton, one or two quality veteran offensive linemen,

00:17:06and you reinforce the defensive trenches, I think this team looks a lot different, right?

00:17:10Totally.

00:17:11My issue is one, I would maybe be able to stomach the fact that I didn't really see

00:17:15what Mayo did well, if he were to hire more help on defense, right?

00:17:18Just be the CEO, let the players lead everything, and you just basically get out of the way.

00:17:23Sure.

00:17:24That's the messaging every time.

00:17:26And that's the part where like, I'm, I'm freaking laying up at night thinking who is really

00:17:30going to want to sign when they're sitting across from Gerard Mayo after what he's done

00:17:34this season.

00:17:35After every single time, it seems like, well, not every time, but at least once or twice

00:17:39a week, he ends up saying something that goes out there and makes it look like the Patriots

00:17:43are just a ridiculously led team.

00:17:45A funny thing.

00:17:46Thing.

00:17:47That's the nail in the coffin for me.

00:17:48It's like, it's hard to excuse everything when you are making this organization look

00:17:53bad on a regular basis in your first season and not contributing anything positive.

00:17:57That's tangible.

00:17:58When he was talking with Meggo and Wiggy this morning on EEI, he, uh, they, he was, they

00:18:03asked him about Keon White and his question or his, him speaking out in the conversations

00:18:07they've had.

00:18:09And Mayo basically said, yeah, once you say something out in the open, you can't take

00:18:13it back.

00:18:14And I'm like, dude, you've done that all season long.

00:18:17Every single time you say something you like, so you know that the things you're saying

00:18:20can't be taken back, but you're still trying to hopelessly take them back.

00:18:24Knowing full well that we're going to take them regurgitate them and try and make something

00:18:28out of nothing.

00:18:29And sometimes it is something out of nothing, but when it happens this often, it's not,

00:18:33there's clearly a messaging issue with this team from the top down.

00:18:37And if anything, that's the one thing that's going to have to change heading into next

00:18:40year.

00:18:41And he's still very rarely gets through an entire thought without stopping having someone

00:18:46start their next question and then having to go back and further correct himself.

00:18:49It just feels like he's so in over his head.

00:18:52And it's one thing when it was happening earlier on, even mid season, I really tried to give

00:18:57him till the buy, which may have been unfair in retrospect, maybe, but still, I wanted

00:19:02it at some point for him to not seem like these press conferences were just such mountains

00:19:06that he had to climb.

00:19:07And literally this morning, you have three, three or four times where he had to go back

00:19:12and make sure he elaborated on what he thought because he didn't get it out right the first

00:19:15time.

00:19:16It just, it just feels so unserious where if you get frayable in here, he's not going

00:19:20to be talking back and apologizing for what he says.

00:19:22He's going to say what he means and he's very rarely ever going to have to walk it back.

00:19:26So you know, it just, I feel it's so hard to envision another year of this, even if

00:19:30the roster is better because if they win games, obviously that fixes everything.

00:19:34But I don't know if the defense is going to be good enough for them to actually be that

00:19:3710 win team, nine, 10 win team that they really need to be if they do make the key additions

00:19:42that they need to.

00:19:43Right.

00:19:44I mean, look at all the examples, the walk, the, the burn, some cash, right?

00:19:47The we're going to have more than four wins.

00:19:49The we're going to be playing our best football in December and we're going to be the team

00:19:53that you know, you don't want to play.

00:19:55And you know, I get those are the messages you have to send, but he hasn't really hit

00:19:59on any of them.

00:20:00Some of them you've had to walk back.

00:20:01So it just, it, it doesn't look good right now.

00:20:03And the thing that the reason I mentioned the, we're going to be playing our best football

00:20:07in December is that's something that he was trying to hang his hat on back in September

00:20:12when he was asked about it.

00:20:14What's going to be, what are your goals?

00:20:15How do you envision this team who we all knew it wasn't a great situation.

00:20:20What's kind of going to be your you know, your stamp on this team and it's, we're going

00:20:25to be playing our best in December and clearly they aren't doing that right now.

00:20:28So let's get into it.

00:20:29Let's get into the the actual football that they aren't playing well in December.

00:20:33And this defense, we're going to get right into the defense.

00:20:35They let up 40 points.

00:20:37We saw struggles all across the board, but more specifically with some veteran defensive

00:20:41backs and most notably Jonathan Jones, who was oftentimes lined up on Alad McConkey,

00:20:46who for the day went for eight catches, 94 yards and two touchdowns.

00:20:50John Jones was asked about McConkey's game and the game plan after the game said they

00:20:54did a good job of game planning.

00:20:55If I'm going to be honest with you, they still a lot of picks, a lot of early man coverage.

00:20:59And and even when we were able to get into zone to try and pass off some picks, they

00:21:03were able to kind of check the ball down, be in a manageable third, fourth down situations

00:21:07and get us in zone coverage.

00:21:09They had a really good game plan.

00:21:11The red area played a lad.

00:21:12He circles in to go across or then circles back.

00:21:14There was a one hitter for them that didn't hit on that.

00:21:17They get in the right coverage, right calls.

00:21:19They were able to have some success.

00:21:20So Taylor, what did you see from John Jones?

00:21:23What did you see from Kyle Duggar, who originally thought didn't have a great game?

00:21:26You said after you looked at the film, looks a little better from number 23.

00:21:29What did you see from those guys in the back end and why did they struggle so much against

00:21:32this Chargers passing offense as well for start off against with Kyle Duggar really

00:21:36quickly because I gave him a lot of crap during the game.

00:21:39I actually thought it was his best game in a while.

00:21:41When you factor in the fact his change of direction, his mobility are really hindered

00:21:45by the ankle injury.

00:21:46And you can see it.

00:21:47I don't like that.

00:21:48He's out on the field.

00:21:49I hope that that was his last game.

00:21:51They just shut him down and play the young guys against backups.

00:21:54But all things considered, you have to give him some credit for one, staying out there

00:21:58while injured and also having the mental toughness to stay on the field when he's made so many

00:22:02mistakes and not just kind of giving up.

00:22:04I really did want to give him his flowers because even the touchdowns allowed one of

00:22:08them.

00:22:09Alex Austin said that he passed it off to Duggar too quickly.

00:22:11They were basically trying to exchange responsibilities where Austin had somebody in the slot.

00:22:16Then he was supposed to go to the deep middle with Kyle Duggar taking over.

00:22:19But obviously he doesn't have the same explosiveness.

00:22:21That's a really tough cover when it changes that fast.

00:22:24So I give him some peace there.

00:22:26Also Ladd McConkie's touchdown where he faked going across and then came back.

00:22:30That's a really good design.

00:22:31You don't see very often.

00:22:32That was a sick route to write like you'll see the two crossing routes that are meant

00:22:35to beat man.

00:22:37It was zone and it was a really good job by McConkie redirecting quickly and sitting

00:22:41Duggar kind of overreacted to it.

00:22:43But again, it's one of those where as soon as he made a bad move, he was kind of screwed.

00:22:47It's a tough position to be in against such a safety receiver.

00:22:49I want to give him some grace for that.

00:22:51Also because he had three run stops, led the team.

00:22:54He was physical in the ground game.

00:22:55He laid some big hits.

00:22:56I thought the effort was there from him.

00:22:58Couple of missed tackles, but again, tough for him to change direction.

00:23:00So Kyle Duggar, I respect what you did on the field, man.

00:23:04I'm so sorry.

00:23:05I'm not sorry.

00:23:06I've been giving you crap because, you know, you haven't been playing super well, but it

00:23:07was really awesome to see him have a better game, especially considering we talk about

00:23:11like next offseason.

00:23:12Well, can you rely on these guys being healthy?

00:23:14Is Duggar actually wash?

00:23:15Is it just the injury?

00:23:17Hopefully this was a, you know, encouraging sign that once he does get healthy, he can

00:23:21be better.

00:23:22John Jones, different story.

00:23:23He was just about as bad as I thought he was live.

00:23:26Now I will say he had some competitive reps, but first I'll go to the stats and then I'll

00:23:30throw up the tapes.

00:23:31Jonathan Jones targeted 10 times, allowed 91 yards and a touchdown.

00:23:35That was for 137.9 pass rating, and he allowed four total conversions.

00:23:40One of those, including that touchdown that I mentioned.

00:23:43So let's get this.

00:23:44How can I get this full screen?

00:23:45I want to get us out of here.

00:23:46Um, our faces, I don't know if there's, hold on.

00:23:51This is it.

00:23:52Oh, we both clicked it.

00:23:53There you go.

00:23:54All right.

00:23:55Yeah.

00:23:56So I will say that Jones was more competitive against lad than I thought he was upon initially

00:23:59watching because he did have some smothering coverage reps.

00:24:01Like there was an inverted cross.

00:24:02He was all over.

00:24:03There was a crossing route on fourth and three smothered McConkie.

00:24:07And also there was one pick play.

00:24:09They tried to get McConkie open on a fade.

00:24:11John Jones, after getting beat by earlier, did a much better job staying on top of it.

00:24:15He also had a tackle short of the sticks on another pick play against McConkie that was

00:24:19on third and eight.

00:24:20Although the chargers would go on and attempted on fourth down and make it also had a couple

00:24:25of nice block sheds and tackles.

00:24:27But the rest of it was not great.

00:24:29This was really the first time that Jonathan Jones has really shown his age, I think on

00:24:34tape.

00:24:35Now he likened this plan and this offense for the chargers to the Rams because they

00:24:40use a lot of motion.

00:24:41They use a lot of picks.

00:24:42They make it difficult for you to cover these guys, but he still just didn't look as explosive

00:24:46as he needed to be to cover McConkie on some of these reps who had the deep touchdown where

00:24:50it felt like John Jones just took too long getting on his horse.

00:24:54That one right there.

00:24:55You had the Josh Palmer crossing route where he got smoked.

00:24:58Josh Palmer also beat him on a deep pattern.

00:25:00I think McConkie beat him on a deep pattern as well.

00:25:03And he was giving up a lot of space, especially downfield.

00:25:07Now he got lucky.

00:25:08Justin Herbert had a couple of Aaron throws.

00:25:09There were also a couple of times that Herbert just didn't see him, but I was pretty discouraged

00:25:14by how much separation John Jones was allowing.

00:25:17Also missed a couple of tackles in coverage.

00:25:20One of them actually allowed a third down conversion where he tried to gather himself,

00:25:23which I respect.

00:25:24But by stopping his feet, he kind of gave the receiver an opportunity to kind of power

00:25:29through and end up getting the first down.

00:25:31He also got blocked out of the play by McConkie on a pretty physical rep.

00:25:35It was kind of embarrassing.

00:25:36And as I told you, McConkie kind of got in his feels, or John Jones kind of got in his

00:25:41feels at one point.

00:25:42I'm sure you probably saw the video on Twitter where he like, like gives them an arm and

00:25:47kind of starts John with him and Conky just laughs at him.

00:25:50I think it was because there was a play where it looked like John Jones kind of slipped

00:25:54and was almost rolled his leg.

00:25:56It was really scary.

00:25:57And the camera panned away just as McConkie kind of engaged him.

00:26:01I wasn't sure if he pushed him forward and made it worse or tried to keep him up.

00:26:05But John Jones seemed to take offense to something during the game.

00:26:09So there was that play.

00:26:10There was also one later where they got further downfield and then he, as soon as he could,

00:26:15he was blocking McConkie, knocked him down and kind of got in his face.

00:26:18I was like, I've never seen John Jones do this kind of thing.

00:26:21So I, I feel like McConkie kind of take him to the woodshed.

00:26:25Not always shut up on the stat sheet, but it felt like he was getting a little mad.

00:26:30So I think John Jones is like an automatic re-signing to an affordable deal.

00:26:34Cause I don't think anybody else is going to want to resign him if he does want to play.

00:26:37But I also don't think you can just say, all right, corner set because Marcus Jones is

00:26:41an injury risk.

00:26:42Alex Austin's been solid, but he's still unproven.

00:26:45So I feel like if you can get a DJ read or say a pulse and a Debo from the saints who

00:26:50I really like, although he's hurt, use John Jones as a rotational player, maybe have him

00:26:54at safety or something.

00:26:55Cause he is a veteran who obviously is a legend for the Patriots in his own right.

00:27:00But this game showed me that, yeah, I don't think you can really rely on him to be a slot

00:27:05because Belichick has said, if you can't cover a crossing route from the slot consistently,

00:27:09you can't really be a star in the NFL or a star is in a slot corner.

00:27:13When you saw Josh Palmer blew past it and that's pretty discouraging.

00:27:17So maybe he should be more of an outside corner, but I don't think he can be a full-time cornerback

00:27:21going into next season.

00:27:22You know me, I love the, uh, the drama involved in football.

00:27:25So I do think the, the pushing and shoving and John Jones getting pissed off is hilarious.

00:27:29And I think it's so, I think it's so funny because it's one of those things where, you

00:27:33know, the veteran DB versus the rookie wide receiver, he's going to give him shit and

00:27:37he's going to give him a shove.

00:27:38And he's gonna be like, you know, it's not your time yet.

00:27:41It's not your game.

00:27:42The part that I think is so funny about this is McConkie actually had a leg to stand on

00:27:46here because he torched them all day.

00:27:47So whether he was talking some garbage, whether it was just because of, you know, the thing

00:27:52you mentioned, or it's just that he was playing a professional game and John Jones was trying

00:27:56to give him some, you know, it's not your time yet rookie when clearly it was.

00:28:00I just think that whole back and yeah, that back and forth was pretty hilarious.

00:28:05And I am with you.

00:28:06I think that Jones doesn't necessarily have to be a priority re-signing and it, he certainly

00:28:10doesn't mean the cornerback room is set for next season.

00:28:13Someone who, you know, you may want to bring back, but he is getting up there in age.

00:28:16He was asked at his, uh, you know, it's so funny.

00:28:19We talk about the, the curse that's on the, um, the media award, the Ron Hobson media

00:28:24guy award, the good guy, the second, the second John Jones wins that award, he gets torched

00:28:29by loud McConkie.

00:28:30So there is a little bit of bad luck there.

00:28:32Matthew Judon not here, Matthew Slater retired, David Andrews hurt.

00:28:35So, you know, a lot of those guys, it doesn't go well for them, but good dude was a good

00:28:40guy.

00:28:41Uh, with us this year, just kind of struggling here down the stretch.

00:28:43We'll see if the Patriots Bruce item also John Jones uncharacteristically calling out

00:28:47coaches.

00:28:48Yes.

00:28:49Something that was really surprising.

00:28:50I, he's, he mentioned that he didn't think that the, he did say two very telling comments

00:28:55that he doesn't usually make one.

00:28:58He said that they're a team where when they basically get challenged, they don't know

00:29:01how to push back.

00:29:02Yeah.

00:29:03Which is very obvious.

00:29:04There's been times where they kind of went back, but for the past couple of seasons outside

00:29:07of their defense, this has been a team that just is not very resilient, at least not on

00:29:11a consistent basis.

00:29:12Also said that he doesn't, he kind of called out the coaching.

00:29:14I forget what the exact quote was, but said that some coaches weren't doing enough.

00:29:18I highly doubt that's Mike Pellegrino.

00:29:21Highly doubt.

00:29:22That's Brian Belichick.

00:29:23I don't see Jonathan Jones calling out a position coach on another unit, especially considering

00:29:27how many losses the trenches have had.

00:29:29So who do you think he's talking about one?

00:29:32It seems like he's coming to Mayo in the past.

00:29:36I think he says they've been prepared and everything.

00:29:39It makes me think of Covington because as we've said, there's not many times that players

00:29:42have gone out of their way to defend Covington.

00:29:44They're not always asked specifically about him, but I remember how vehemently they defended

00:29:48Bill and even how they defended Mayo.

00:29:50I haven't seen that same energy for the Marcus Covington.

00:29:52So just to put a bow on this Jon Jones segment, that was a not so great ending to what was

00:29:58not a great performance overall, but also, but it's a telling, it's a telling answer

00:30:02is what it is.

00:30:04Here's the quote.

00:30:05He says, I think they've done a good job this whole season talking about the coaches, but

00:30:09I think as players, we've come up short.

00:30:11Some coaches have come up short if I'm being honest with you all.

00:30:14So we all take accountability on the season we put out there.

00:30:17So definitely, you know, get little cracks in the armor there for, or a chink in the

00:30:22armor or whatever you want to call it for Jon Jones, who was the, you know, the media

00:30:26good guy all year long, kind of throwing a little shade to the coaching, but again, we'll

00:30:29see what happens there.

00:30:30All right.

00:30:31Let's move on to another part of this defensive side of the football for the Patriots in this

00:30:3540 point allowed performance.

00:30:37It's the trenches.

00:30:38They once again, struggled not only in the run game, but also in the pass game.

00:30:43They allowed running backs 37 carries for 147 yards, which averaged out to four yards

00:30:48per carry, which a little bit better than what we've seen, but four yards per carry

00:30:52is still well ahead of schedule for running backs.

00:30:55And then the pass rush was non-existent, no sacks on Justin Herbert, only four quarterback

00:30:59hits.

00:31:00And he basically sat back there all day and was able to pick them apart.

00:31:03Did you see that clip from the pop tarts bowl of cam ward?

00:31:07There was a clip where he had so much time that he's sitting there and he's kind of doing

00:31:11it.

00:31:12His he's jumping a little bit.

00:31:13Yeah.

00:31:14And he realized, Oh, they're not coming after me.

00:31:16I can just sit here and look and he chucked one out to the running back.

00:31:18Like so nonchalantly, that's kind of what Justin Herbert looked like against this Patriots

00:31:22pass rush.

00:31:23So what did you see from the Patriots trenches up front and what do they need to do better?

00:31:26Not only heading into week 18, but for the rest of, uh, or heading into 2025.

00:31:30Yeah.

00:31:31Look, we know this is a talent deficient team, especially in the trenches.

00:31:34As I said, during the game is I've kind of been pushing this defense has some issues.

00:31:39A lot of them are injury related again, but I think if they get reinforcements in the

00:31:42trenches, get better depth there.

00:31:44I think that this defense would look significantly better.

00:31:48Like you said, the pass rush was terrible.

00:31:49They had, they got pressure on Justin Herbert on 18.6% or at least the pressure was 18.6%.

00:31:57That was their lowest this entire season.

00:31:59Now could have predicted that this is one of the best offensive lines in the NFL, but

00:32:02it really exposed how bad they are at being able to generate any kind of pressure.

00:32:08Now I will give Anthony Jennings some credit.

00:32:10He had four pressures.

00:32:11He had a hit to unblock pressures and then a cleanup.

00:32:13He forced a quick throw, forced a bad throw on a twist, um, and he helped rush the quarterback

00:32:17on a stunt.

00:32:18And then there were a couple other guys that had a couple of pressures, but the run defense

00:32:22also, they allowed about a 52% success rate.

00:32:26That was me.

00:32:27Look at my stats.

00:32:28That was the fifth time this season.

00:32:32They've allowed a 50% success rate, at least against opposing rushes.

00:32:37That is not good.

00:32:38It's very much not ideal.

00:32:39And yes, they only allowed four yards per carry Devon.

00:32:41Gotcha.

00:32:42Sounded like he was happy with the effort, but against a team like the chargers, we talked

00:32:45about it.

00:32:46They'll take four yards of carry and they, the Patriots faced some of the most runs in

00:32:51a single game.

00:32:52This entire season.

00:32:53So looking specifically at what went wrong up front, because yes, there's talent deficiencies

00:32:58like Eric Johnson is not going to really blow the doors off.

00:33:01Jeremiah farms is inconsistent.

00:33:03There are also veterans that were not really doing their job well.

00:33:06And that's what mostly stood out for me.

00:33:07So when you look at the run defense, Sione talkie talkie was one of the biggest issues

00:33:12that I saw.

00:33:13The guy consistently seemed like he was completely flying out of his gaps.

00:33:18No discipline, no patience, just basically flying wherever he thought the run was going

00:33:22and opening up these massive cutbacks.

00:33:24Now there were plenty of times where the defensive line could have done more to create less of

00:33:28a huge running lane, but I know talkie talkie missed a lot of time.

00:33:33The entire summer was late coming back, but for a veteran, it just is odd to see him out

00:33:37of position this often.

00:33:39Dante high tower is also taking responsibility.

00:33:41Hey, you know, he said he got off to a slow start as a rookie coach, but this room is

00:33:45kind of scaring me.

00:33:47Devon Godshaw.

00:33:48He was solid overall.

00:33:49He was really good one-on-one, but I did see him getting moved by double teams.

00:33:53That's happened a bit too consistently for my taste.

00:33:56At the same time, the guy's going to be 30 next season.

00:33:58Teams have been able to run all the Patriots at will, hasn't given them a whole lot of

00:34:02opportunities to get off the field and he's playing a lot.

00:34:04So I don't want to give him all the flack, especially since he had two run stops in the

00:34:08fourth quarter, showed that he was not quitting on his team.

00:34:11Then some other deficiencies like Marte Mapu misses a tackle in the hole leads to a big

00:34:16gain.

00:34:17That's a play where Marte Mapu is really slow to diagnose, gives him a pretty bad shot at

00:34:21trying to blow up this run.

00:34:22Keon White, he got kind of blown up a couple of times in pretty bad fashion.

00:34:27And then there was a touchdown run where I'll actually go back to it really quick because

00:34:31I did not understand what the decision making was because you have Jelani Tavae over the

00:34:37center when the Chargers only need a couple of yards to score.

00:34:41And for some, you'd want a big body there so that the linebackers can shoot into the

00:34:45backfield.

00:34:46But instead, Jelani Tavae ends up having to take the center one on one, doesn't have any

00:34:50real chance of winning this.

00:34:52It looks like Christian Ellis ends up in the wrong gap as well, which doesn't help.

00:34:56Kyle Duggar tries to make the tackle, but it's not in the right gap.

00:34:59So he slips off.

00:35:00Marte Mapu can't get downhill fast enough to make a play on the ball.

00:35:03Not giving yourself any chance there up the middle whatsoever.

00:35:05Exactly.

00:35:06So I thought that was a really rough decision.

00:35:08And then, like I said, the pass rush was just completely nonexistent throughout this game.

00:35:12Justin Herbert had all time to throw, especially on true dropbacks.

00:35:16It's not even just the times where Herbert threw screens, got the ball out of his hand,

00:35:20had the A to play action.

00:35:22You're talking about him just chilling in the pocket consistently throughout the game,

00:35:26at least before he was able to get the ball out.

00:35:28Sometimes he didn't capitalize, but for the most part, he was able to find some downfield

00:35:32completions.

00:35:33Now, you don't have Christian Farmore.

00:35:34You don't have Matt Judon.

00:35:36Yannick Ngakwe has not been the infusion of juice that you expected.

00:35:40I mean, honestly, the line games and blitzes just were not effective.

00:35:43There were times guys were running into each other.

00:35:45They just weren't really getting home on them.

00:35:48So that's one thing that I remember the coaching staff said was going to be the way that they

00:35:52generated pressure, right?

00:35:53They wanted to generate it by getting all these line games because in years past, when

00:35:56they were winning Super Bowls, another in hindsight, really bad comment from Jerrod

00:36:01Mayo, brought up the Super Bowls and said, hey, we used to generate pressure when we

00:36:04didn't have an elite rusher.

00:36:05Well, now they're not being coached well enough to have those executed well on a consistent

00:36:09basis.

00:36:10And part of that is definitely talent, but part of it, I think, is also just coaching

00:36:14and scheme.

00:36:15I really like Jerry Montgomery, but I want to ask him, I don't know if we're actually

00:36:18going to speak to defensive coaches, but I want to know what the disconnect is and why

00:36:22they haven't had success on these line games, because at best, they just don't work.

00:36:27And at worst, you have guys running into each other.

00:36:30So I don't, they can't generate pass rush.

00:36:33That's one thing they did really well last year, despite having so little pass rush talent

00:36:37outside of Christian Barmore.

00:36:38So the lack of talent is obviously a problem, but like even on stunts where you see all

00:36:43throughout the NFL, these pick stunts where one guy literally his only job is to blow

00:36:47up like a center or a guard.

00:36:49So it creates room for somebody else to get open behind him.

00:36:52We don't even really see them do that.

00:36:54It just feels like old school, just get in the way rather than trying to blow guys up.

00:36:58I don't think it should be a legal play because I don't even know how you're supposed to defend

00:37:01it.

00:37:02But while it's legal, you should try to use it.

00:37:03And we never see that from them.

00:37:04So pass rush can't scheme pressure.

00:37:06They can't get it when they just rush regularly and the run defense doesn't have the horses

00:37:11or the discipline to consistently stop run teams, especially when they know that they're

00:37:15going to get run on.

00:37:16So really disappointing from the trenches.

00:37:19I think talent will go a long way, but I would also see some better leadership at least for

00:37:23this group.

00:37:24Well, that answers that no pass rush and tough play from the defensive backfield.

00:37:28And that's how you let up 40 points to a team on the cusp of the playoffs.

00:37:32So before we get into the offensive side of the football, Taylor, we are going to talk

00:37:37about our friends over at prospects.

00:37:38But before we do that, we do have some news from Bill's head coach, Sean McDermott, who

00:37:43gave some insight into what the Bills will do next Sunday against the Patriots.

00:37:47As far as sitting guys playing guys, they're obviously locked into the number two seed.

00:37:51McDermott spoke with the Buffalo media earlier, said that you will see some starters out there

00:37:55playing and you'll see some other players who we want to take a good look at.

00:37:58It'll be a blend of both.

00:38:00He added that Josh Allen will be out there for a very, very short lived amount of time.

00:38:04And then he'll be off rather quickly.

00:38:06He mentioned that Josh Allen has a starting streak that he wants to keep alive.

00:38:09So they're going to at least put him out there to start the football game.

00:38:11But it sounds like it'll mostly be Mitch Trubisky on Sunday for the Patriots.

00:38:16So going to be easier, I would say, for them to beat a Mitch Trubisky than a Josh Allen.

00:38:21But yeah, you never know.

00:38:23You never know what happens.

00:38:24Trubisky has kind of shredded the Patriots in the past.

00:38:27I don't know if Joe Milton's going to be out there yet.

00:38:29As we mentioned, dry mayo saying that Drake may could sit down.

00:38:32So we'll see what happens there.

00:38:33But that's just some quick breaking news.

00:38:35Josh Allen for some of the game, Mitch Trubisky for the rest.

00:38:38Pat should do the same, by the way, maybe a couple more series.

00:38:41But like, I really sincerely think and watch our video where we talked about the Patriots

00:38:45first overall pick, what we think they should do and all that.

00:38:48But I think that Drake may should play a half and then you let it be the Joe Milton show.

00:38:52Yeah.

00:38:53Yesterday I tweeted that I don't think they can sit may just because of the optics.

00:38:58And I've kind of changed gears a little bit on it, just as far as the injury situation

00:39:02goes, because it does make you look bad and unprofessional if you don't play him because

00:39:06it looks like you're tanking, but you can still go out there and play hard and you can

00:39:10use the Joe Milton.

00:39:11You know, we want to see what we have in him excuse.

00:39:13I guess it's an excuse, but it's also kind of real because the game doesn't matter.

00:39:17The number one pick is on the line.

00:39:18And if Drake may goes out there and I'm not going to say anything, but injures himself

00:39:22enough where it could impact next season, that makes it look even worse.

00:39:25So I'm kind of warm up to the idea if they do it.

00:39:28So we'll see what happens.

00:39:29We'll get into that more.

00:39:30This is literally a preseason game.

00:39:32Exactly.

00:39:33The starter is that it's just going to be backups, dude.

00:39:36Let Drake may finish the season on a high note.

00:39:38Get a couple good drives in yank him, because if anything happens, if God forbid he has

00:39:44to miss next season or something like that, like you said, that's going to really hurt

00:39:48your ability to sign these free agents.

00:39:50If Mayo hasn't already hurt you.

00:39:52The one the one correct thing, Mayo said, not the one correct thing.

00:39:56I want to give him a little bit more credit than that.

00:39:57But talking about how it's a journey and it's not all about this game.

00:40:00He's 100% right there.

00:40:01And I know it might rub some football hardos and people the wrong way about, you know,

00:40:05play your best players.

00:40:06And I get that.

00:40:07And that's kind of what I meant with the not sitting Drake may tweet.

00:40:10But again, the more I think about it, this game doesn't matter.

00:40:13You might as well see what you have in Joe Milton.

00:40:14But we'll get into that later on in the week or last week or this weekend either.

00:40:18So it's a very different story.

00:40:21You had three.

00:40:22Now you have capital to get more.

00:40:23You're in a position to get more capital again.

00:40:26You don't need to tank, but you have every reason, like without tanking, just literally

00:40:29taking care of players, wanting to see young guys.

00:40:31And also because you do want to maintain the strap position.

00:40:34Every reason to make sure that you basically play the young guys, let them see what they

00:40:38have and hopefully lose against Buffalo.

00:40:40That's exactly.

00:40:41All right.

00:40:42Let's hear from our friends at games up.

00:40:44Prize picks.

00:40:45Excuse me.

00:40:46Before we talk about the offensive side of the football in Saturday's contents against

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00:42:11run your game.

00:42:14All right, we back.

00:42:16Let's talk about the offense.

00:42:18The offense only puts up seven points.

00:42:19It was mostly bad on that side of the football.

00:42:21We're going to get into that in a second probably as you pointed out a regression a step back

00:42:27from quarterback Drake May overall, but there was one good thing to take out of this and

00:42:31that was that we saw Cole Strange play center for the first time in his entire NFL career

00:42:36and for the most part, he looked pretty good Drake may mentioned after the game.

00:42:39He said he thought he handled it.

00:42:41Well, there was a lot of pressure on him first start.

00:42:43It's a different job than playing guard and he said he was proud of the way he worked

00:42:46and proud of the way he fought and he said he snapped the ball and it's really a credit

00:42:50to him as far as you know how that whole operation with him went.

00:42:55So I think that on top of Caden Wallace coming in in the start of the fourth quarter and

00:42:59kind of playing some right tackle for you looking pretty solid was promising for the

00:43:04young offensive lineman.

00:43:05Now, it doesn't mean that it's a room that doesn't have to be addressed by any means

00:43:09this offseason.

00:43:10It is probably still priority number one, but you have Laden Robinson coming on strong

00:43:14at the end of the season.

00:43:15Cole Strange could potentially be your center in waiting and Caden Wallace at right tackle.

00:43:19So what did you see from Strange and Wallace specifically that gives you a little bit of

00:43:22hope heading into next season?

00:43:24Yeah, I don't have any film on Laden that I pulled up, but I just want to say really

00:43:27quickly that he really does seem to be turning a corner now.

00:43:31There are mental mistakes.

00:43:32His hand punches his hand fighting really does need some work as his strikes are kind

00:43:36of all over the place and sometimes he'll over commit on pass sets and leave himself

00:43:40open to getting beat on his edges.

00:43:41That was his profile coming out of college.

00:43:43But you see fewer quick, just really ugly losses from him, especially in past protection

00:43:48relative to what you saw earlier this season.

00:43:50Again, still very much a work in progress.

00:43:52Right?

00:43:53Left guard is not fixed.

00:43:54Ideally, David Andrews comes back and maybe him and Cole Strange compete.

00:43:57I still want Trey Smith, but if you get a really good tackling for agency, maybe you

00:44:01do bank on those guys.

00:44:02So you're not just, you know, throwing a ton of money.

00:44:05Maybe when you could allocate that in other places.

00:44:07So Laden Robinson kind of helping make this draft class look a little better.

00:44:11I know everyone fixates on Jalen poking the miss there as of right now.

00:44:15He's a rookie.

00:44:16Let's give him at least another couple of years.

00:44:17Jayvon Baker as well.

00:44:19Those misses.

00:44:20But when you look at it like Drake may home run, Kate Wallace was injured.

00:44:23Jury still out on him.

00:44:24Had some solid reps.

00:44:25Then Joe Milton has gotten universal praise for his work on the practice squad practice

00:44:29squad player of the week.

00:44:30After every single win, Marcellus dial still learning, but he's been a starter on special

00:44:34teams and Jaheim Bell has been in the lineup and now leading Robinson looking better.

00:44:38So it was draft class.

00:44:40Ladin McConkey.

00:44:41Yes.

00:44:42That looks like a really bad miss, but it's starting to look a little bit better than

00:44:45I think it did, especially when Leighton Robinson was on the bench.

00:44:48But now I want to talk about Cole Strange because one draw Mayo said he graded out pretty

00:44:52well by their standards.

00:44:53Drake Bay, like you mentioned, gave a lot of credit to snapping.

00:44:55You look like a natural.

00:44:57Also deserves credit for snapping the ball on the free play because that's an opportunity

00:45:01that Ben Brown has missed.

00:45:02I think there was one or two times that he had when that happened.

00:45:06Cole Strange.

00:45:07Very alert.

00:45:08Got it off.

00:45:09Gave Drake May an opportunity.

00:45:10It's a really good point.

00:45:11I just said that, but I said it again because I didn't think of it at all until you just

00:45:14mentioned that because I didn't.

00:45:15I guess I didn't put two and two together, but the free play was awesome.

00:45:18The fact that he was smart enough to do that.

00:45:20It's something so small, but in your first NFL start at center that that's huge and obviously

00:45:24it turned into a touchdown.

00:45:25So good on him.

00:45:26Just wanted to say that.

00:45:27But continue.

00:45:28I was really.

00:45:29No, he deserves credit because it wasn't impressive.

00:45:30Totally.

00:45:31Drake May actually gave him his props for that one too.

00:45:33So let me.

00:45:34Where's the media?

00:45:36They change this thing.

00:45:37All right.

00:45:38Full screen.

00:45:39We're going to show the actual film of Cole Strange.

00:45:41Lots of like I thought from his tape now, PFF said he didn't allow any pressures.

00:45:45I disagreed.

00:45:46But first I'm going to start with the things he did well.

00:45:48I really liked the violence he brings.

00:45:50Now if Leighton Cole and Peyton end up working out, you're going to have three guys who love

00:45:55to finish and are very nasty.

00:45:57All those guys relish contact, love driving guys into the ground.

00:46:00You had Cole Strange looking for getting a violent slab on a defensive lineman, had a

00:46:05couple of really strong finishes as well.

00:46:07Then in the run game, he had a really nicely executed combo and climb on a couple of reps.

00:46:12Nice finish on an outside zone rep where he really tried to play some pain on his assignment.

00:46:17Got just enough on a combo on a pin and pull run, even though he didn't get any help late

00:46:21from Lester Cotton.

00:46:23That helped create a cutback lane for Antonio Gibson.

00:46:26Also helped create a cutback lane on outside zone around the third quarter.

00:46:30Now there was a play where he got out leverage on outside zone, but he still helped sustain

00:46:34long enough to create some openings.

00:46:36Now on the bad side, first, he got pushed into Drake May by a slanting defensive tackle

00:46:41on like a late quick throw.

00:46:42That wasn't the worst of it.

00:46:44And then he also kind of whiffed on a second level block on an RPO draw.

00:46:47Those are really the big issues in terms of like run blocking.

00:46:51But pass throw and mental mistakes, like those are the physical errors and things that I

00:46:55liked.

00:46:56Mentally, there were some errors.

00:46:58And you expect that from a guy who's playing center for the first time, hasn't played in

00:47:01a year.

00:47:02Early snap that led to Drake May getting sandwiched.

00:47:05He missed an interior blitzer that led to an immediate unblocked pressure.

00:47:09Drake May ran for like a yard or two.

00:47:11He also backed into Drake May on a throw that Drake May missed on a third down when he wasn't

00:47:16blocked.

00:47:17That's the kind of thing where Strange said, Hey, I'm getting my spatial awareness down

00:47:20still.

00:47:21It really showed there.

00:47:22And especially sometimes when he is picking up blitzers.

00:47:25I don't think that's a longterm problem.

00:47:27Then as a run blocker, he was late to block a blitzer on outside zone.

00:47:31That led to a negative play.

00:47:32He came off one first level block on another outside zone rep pretty quickly.

00:47:36Kind of condensed the space on a solid game that probably could have gone for more for

00:47:40him.

00:47:41Andre Stevenson also thought he might have been too aggressive on a first level block

00:47:44that led to an unblocked blitzer, ending up tackling Gibson much later on in the game.

00:47:49Then talking about Caden Wallace, not a ton from him.

00:47:52Didn't see a whole lot of significant reps, did allow one pressure that was admittedly

00:47:56very ugly because he ended up getting bullrushed and kind of ended up tabletopping Drake May.

00:48:02But as a run blocker, he helped pancake a defender on a block with Jaheim Bell, then

00:48:06wound up suplexing somebody.

00:48:07It's actually in here somewhere.

00:48:08I'll find it again because it was one of the coolest reps I've seen from him since he got

00:48:13back.

00:48:14This is it right here.

00:48:15Pancakes the guy.

00:48:16Someone runs into him.

00:48:17Let's go.

00:48:18Suplex there.

00:48:19Also did a pretty good job sealing on a couple of reps.

00:48:21So I liked what I saw from Cole Strange, mental mistakes that you pretty much expect both

00:48:27But there weren't a lot of physical errors from him.

00:48:28Overall, I really liked the nastiness that he brought, the athleticism.

00:48:31You can see that he moves very well.

00:48:33Really smart player.

00:48:34Didn't really get fooled by line games.

00:48:36There might have been one or two that he missed, but for the most part, I think he looks good.

00:48:39Again, Caden Wallace, one glaring miss, might have missed a second level block as well.

00:48:43But he was solid.

00:48:44He was fine.

00:48:45Just really needs to work on how he plays against power.

00:48:47And then Leighton Robinson having a good game.

00:48:49Honestly, even for Darian Lowe and Demontre Jacobs, Jacobs had like two really bad losses.

00:48:54But considering they were going against Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa, I actually thought they

00:48:57held up very well.

00:48:59For the most part, like the sacks, for example, May got sacked four times.

00:49:03Only one of those was credited to the offensive line.

00:49:05It should have been two because I don't think they counted Cole Strange's early tap.

00:49:10But still, for the most part, the pass protection really wasn't that bad.

00:49:13I think it was more on Drake May having a bit of a spidey game, which obviously we'll

00:49:17get into for the next segment.

00:49:18Let's get into it in just a second.

00:49:21But I understand you, or as far as the offensive line goes, I think it is sort of what I said

00:49:26before, but promising to see, especially with David Andrews' status to be determined.

00:49:30I know there were some mistakes in Cole Strange's game, but those are all the kind of things

00:49:36you're going to expect in a guy's not only second game back from injury, but first game

00:49:42playing back from injury and first game playing at a center position.

00:49:45So overall, I mean, really impressive job, in my opinion, from Cole Strange in that position

00:49:50that he was in.

00:49:51And hopefully, with David Andrews, I don't want to say he's not going to play next season

00:49:57because I think he's going to try his best, but with his age, yeah, he's kind of still

00:50:00up in the air.

00:50:01So I think it's important to have somebody who you can potentially fill in there.

00:50:05So good stuff from Cole Strange.

00:50:06All right, before we get into Drake May, Taylor, quick word from our friends over at GameTime

00:50:10and then we'll wrap it up with Drake May, what he did.

00:50:13I guess really step back a little bit, but we'll talk Drake May and then we'll answer

00:50:16some of your pressing questions before we get out of here.

00:50:18But like I said, first quick word from friends over at GameTime.

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00:51:34Good work, Taylor.

00:51:35Good stuff.

00:51:36I'm glad you were ready for it.

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00:51:57It's still a great opportunity to get out there, tailgate, go see a game, and there's

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00:52:13Again, $40 is the low on the Patriots versus Bills game right now.

00:52:16All right, Taylor.

00:52:17Let's wrap up with Drake May.

00:52:22As we get into it, I will throw out there for the chat that we will answer some of your

00:52:27questions after this segment, so anything Patriots related, last game, this game, future,

00:52:33Mayo, Wolf, May, Travis Hunter, throw them in there.

00:52:37We don't have a ton of time, but we'll go rapid fire and get to as many as possible

00:52:40after we talk Drake May, so if you're here and have some questions, throw them in there

00:52:44and we will get to some after this, but Drake May takes a little bit of a step back in this

00:52:48Chargers game.

00:52:49Obviously, the offense only puts up seven points.

00:52:51He doesn't throw an interception for the first time in seven weeks, but he did still have

00:52:55a costly turnover that was credited to him on that pitch reverse type of play.

00:53:00He throws for just 117 yards and one touchdown and a lot of miscommunication errors and not

00:53:06just on him, but on the entire offense.

00:53:08We talked about the Kendrick Bourne thing, obviously some miscommunication, a miscue

00:53:12on that turnover, so just not a clean performance from the offense overall.

00:53:17So what'd you see from May?

00:53:19What'd you see from his regress in his last game and how can he improve on it?

00:53:22What'd you see overall from the kid?

00:53:24Yeah, another miscommunication, the caisson booty deep throw.

00:53:26It looked like it made it like their bow concept, little high, low with an in breaker

00:53:31and a little arrow route underneath booty said it looked like he stopped running.

00:53:35Also thought it was a forced throw for me to be honest.

00:53:37I didn't like either guy there, but booty said after the game that he and Drake just

00:53:41maybe didn't see the same thing and he needed to watch the tape.

00:53:43So that was another one.

00:53:44But looking at the numbers, not great for Drake May.

00:53:47First of all, when you look at his play, bringing up the stats versus the Blitz one for six

00:53:51for seven yards, two sacks and two scrambles.

00:53:55He did have a big time throw to give him some credit.

00:53:57There was the throw to Jalen Polk, but he was only accurate on 46.7% of throws where

00:54:02he wasn't Blitz.

00:54:03That was his first game with a completion rate below 60% when not Blitz.

00:54:08And then when you look at downfield, he was three for six for 65 yards and a touchdown

00:54:12also had the drop like I mentioned from Jalen Polk.

00:54:15The disappointing part is he was 50% on underneath throws and he had a 75% adjusted completion

00:54:21rate.

00:54:22So those were career lows on underneath passes on and games where he had at least 10 attempts

00:54:28or 15 dropbacks.

00:54:29So a lot of not good there.

00:54:31And we look even closer at the numbers.

00:54:34He had the fewest attempts he's ever had in a game with at least 15 dropbacks.

00:54:38Now when you have the ball for less than 20 minutes, that's kind of what's going to happen.

00:54:42Also had his average highest average depth of, oh my gosh, that is so tough.

00:54:48Every time highest average depth of throw, also the highest rate of yards that came through

00:54:52the air.

00:54:53Average of the target was 10.1.

00:54:55That was the highest he's had in a single game in his career.

00:54:58Completion rate, obviously the lowest, that's what's going to happen when you get aggressive

00:55:01a lot of the time.

00:55:02Touchdown interception ratio was the second best of his career.

00:55:05One to zero.

00:55:06The best was two to zero against the Jaguars.

00:55:08He did have a turnover worthy play though.

00:55:10That was the throw to booty that almost got intercepted, got sacked four times.

00:55:14That was tied for the most that he's taken in a game.

00:55:17And two of those were not on the offensive line.

00:55:20Jesus is this off a typewriter?

00:55:23No, it's so I like the text, but go ahead.

00:55:27I love it.

00:55:28It's the font that I use when I worked at NFL network.

00:55:30This is whenever they do their stats and everything and they have their notes.

00:55:34This is what it looks like.

00:55:35So for me, it honestly just makes me feel like I'm being more professional.

00:55:37I think it looks good.

00:55:39I love it.

00:55:40I love it.

00:55:41It makes Taylor excited.

00:55:42Little inside baseball.

00:55:43When we were prepping for one of these shows a couple of weeks ago, Taylor sent me the

00:55:46thing and then I send him something back and I use the same format.

00:55:49He was like, Oh, you like that font?

00:55:50I was like, yeah, I didn't know how you ever did it.

00:55:52I just thought it was like, I thought, cause you and Evan both do it.

00:55:55Obviously both of you worked for the NFL at a time.

00:55:57So I thought you just like, I thought it was just exported data from some sort of website

00:56:03you guys had, but it turns out you, you guys make it that way.

00:56:06So fascinating stuff.

00:56:07And I saw that comment.

00:56:08So Barth is on the bandwagon as well.

00:56:10This is this.

00:56:11Okay.

00:56:12And then also he had five scrambles the second most he's had in the game.

00:56:15So again, not the best performance from Drake may let's dive into the tape and see exactly

00:56:20why.

00:56:21Now I want to start with the good, that two minute situation.

00:56:24That's where Drake may pretty consistently.

00:56:26Looks like he's at his best.

00:56:27He had the really nice throw to Kendrick Bourne on that bread and butter boat concept.

00:56:32Also had the obviously great job getting the defensive lineman to jump off sides.

00:56:37Then just throwing a catchable ball to DeMario Douglas.

00:56:40Great adjustment by pop, just fantastic play there.

00:56:42And then, Oh my gosh, what the heck happened here?

00:56:45Whatever that was.

00:56:46He had this drop in the bucket to Jalen Polk where the receiver was interfered with, but

00:56:50also probably should have caught it.

00:56:52Looks like he might've injured his shoulder there.

00:56:54Also I really liked this play where Khalil Mack drops under a slant from Keishon booty.

00:56:59Drake may does a great job looking to the other side of the field and finding his outlet

00:57:02despite the fact he had a rusher bearing down.

00:57:05Now there were also a lot of missed opportunities from Drake may, and it was both due to accuracy

00:57:10and also some kind of shaky decision-making accuracy was the biggest one.

00:57:15So I'll hit that first.

00:57:16So he had a forced deep shot to booty.

00:57:18Like I mentioned on the double move, I think the receiver did pull up, but it was also

00:57:22thrown pretty far.

00:57:24I'm kind of tough.

00:57:25That's kind of a decision-making accuracy combo there.

00:57:29Also there was a potential late throw to booty on an out where Hunter Henry was open over

00:57:34the middle, bailed out by DPI.

00:57:36But I thought that maybe Drake should have thrown it to take sooner.

00:57:38He had a high mist to Kendrick Bourne on an out.

00:57:40He had multiple inaccurate throws targeting Austin Hooper on out routes.

00:57:45Now didn't matter the first couple of times, but there was a fourth and six where this

00:57:49happened.

00:57:50The rat was a yard short of the sticks.

00:57:51And because Drake may didn't put it accurately, Austin Hooper couldn't get the first down

00:57:56and they had to get off the field.

00:57:58Also felt like there were times where he just came off things a little bit too quickly.

00:58:01And also we had like a wide throw on a screen that Antonio Gibson, a high slant to Keishon

00:58:06booty that he kind of got bailed out because booty made a really good catch.

00:58:10And there was a throw to Henry that was kind of weird.

00:58:12We were, we, I remember talking about it post game, didn't know what happened.

00:58:15It seemed like wasted motion where he tried to move two defenders and it was just wasted

00:58:20motion.

00:58:21Let's the ball go and kind of was unsettled.

00:58:23Also felt like he came off some things pretty quickly.

00:58:26Like there was a play action opportunity where he checked down really fast, probably could

00:58:29have gone for an explosive gain.

00:58:31There was a sack where Hunter Henry had space in the flat, but Drake kind of held onto the

00:58:35ball.

00:58:36Didn't let it go.

00:58:37He had an RPO or a triple option where he made a late decision to pull the ball and

00:58:41throw that led to an illegal man downfield penalty.

00:58:43You really can't have that.

00:58:45Hopefully he learns from that.

00:58:46Maybe kind of an overlap from college.

00:58:48Also another quick decision I thought where he missed a bit of an opportunity.

00:58:52So Drake may, we sing his praises all the time.

00:58:56The past two weeks, I would say he's taken steps back last week against or two weeks

00:59:01ago against Buffalo, understandable bad weather.

00:59:04He's not used to that kind of weather needs to get used to it because it's going to be

00:59:07playing in a lot of it.

00:59:08If he wants to be making the playoffs at Foxborough, but you know, in his first game, I understood.

00:59:12And then also last week, I know he said he was concussed, but at times it just, it was

00:59:17so out of character.

00:59:18Some of the mental decisions that he made a hundred percent.

00:59:21Sure.

00:59:22I'm not a doctor.

00:59:23I don't want to, you know, actually say that he was or was not.

00:59:26I just thought mentally he wasn't as locked in as he usually is like some blitzes where

00:59:30I thought he missed opportunities to get the ball out faster and didn't.

00:59:34The reason why I do want him to get a couple of series at least, or a couple just going

00:59:38to say that so that he can, okay.

00:59:40You know, maybe reset, especially it's backups or even if it's against starters, hopefully

00:59:45get yourself a couple of good drives under your belt, finish the season on a high note,

00:59:49then get on the bench and protect yourself because it was disappointing.

00:59:53That effort last week.

00:59:54I got to say, I thought that the struggles were more on really explicitly.

00:59:57I thought it was on cold, strange and Drake may I thought they were kind of the biggest

01:00:00culprits of why the offense had so much trouble getting things going.

01:00:04But I mean, he's a young player.

01:00:05We know that Drake is smart, talented, not an air repeater.

01:00:08I don't think this is going to carry over into next season, but it also emphasizes why

01:00:12it's important to have stable protection and receivers that he can count on because when

01:00:16he doesn't, there's a little bit of that freelance, he may be like kind of reverting back to college

01:00:21stuff that we talked about being the one thing you're worried about if he starts with such

01:00:25a poor supporting cast.

01:00:26Yeah.

01:00:27I'm kind of with you and that's what I was going to say as far as get him a couple reps,

01:00:31get him a couple drives treating it like a preseason game.

01:00:34Now, look, do I think that because he played probably his worst game as a starter last

01:00:38week that he's going to just not revert back to his old ways, but be a shell of himself

01:00:44heading into next season?

01:00:45No, absolutely not.

01:00:46But there is something to finishing the season on a bit of more of a high note having a game,

01:00:51you know, like you had a couple weeks ago, even it gets Arizona where they got blown

01:00:54up, but he played pretty good football.

01:00:56He put together a couple of touchdown drives at the end of that game, like go out there,

01:01:00get a score in, you know, go seven of nine, go eight of 10 or whatever, and like have

01:01:04a little bit of a rhythm heading into next year.

01:01:06I think that just makes everybody around you feel a little bit better.

01:01:09And I'm starting to get with you as far as, you know, play Joe Milton and give that guy

01:01:12some reps, treat this like a preseason game.

01:01:15But you also have to get the stench of the 40 to seven loss to the Chargers off of you.

01:01:20And I think that that, I know, well, that's the problem.

01:01:23He goes out there.

01:01:24He goes, goes out.

01:01:25The plan is, let's say hypothetically, the plan is throw Drake out there for two drives

01:01:29and he throws two interceptions.

01:01:30It's like, well, now you got to keep him out there and make sure he goes out and throws

01:01:33a touchdown or at least doesn't turn the football over.

01:01:35So it's an interesting dilemma.

01:01:37We'll see how they end up handling it, but ultimately not Drake Mays best game last Sunday

01:01:41against the Chargers.

01:01:42All right, let's wrap up this show, Taylor, with some rapid fire Q and a from the chat.

01:01:47I have a couple starred again.

01:01:48We don't have a ton of time.

01:01:49Probably take another five, 10 minutes to answer some of these, but we'll go quickly

01:01:52here.

01:01:53Taylor, Mayo, Vrabel, Brian Flores, Ben Johnson or somebody else.

01:02:00Who do you want to be?

01:02:01The Patriots head coach next year?

01:02:02I would want to ask around.

01:02:03I don't know a ton of people who cover the lions.

01:02:04If I could find some or some people who really are kind of familiar with how he is around

01:02:08people and players and everything.

01:02:10If he checks the boxes of being someone who does have a plan and is prepared for this

01:02:14opportunity and is very good players and all that, and it checks out and people are confident

01:02:18he can be a good head coach.

01:02:20I'm open to it.

01:02:21If he also brings a type of defensive head coach like a coordinator that can just completely

01:02:26focus on that side of the ball and also just post some people from Detroit.

01:02:29Like if you have to fire Ellie, we'll make sure you're hiring someone from the Detroit

01:02:32front office.

01:02:33That is the situation that I said, you know, I don't like the idea of hiring another rookie

01:02:37head coach because of the Gerard Mayo situation.

01:02:40But if you interview a bunch of people and Ben Johnson is the one you like the best,

01:02:43I'm much more open to the idea.

01:02:46So Ben Johnson, I think is your best case scenario.

01:02:48If everything lined up correctly, if they felt like I still, maybe I'm shaky on the

01:02:53young guy.

01:02:54I probably would go with Mike Vrabel because I don't, if Brian Flores brought Josh McCown,

01:03:00I would consider it, but Josh McCown is also probably going to leave in a couple of years

01:03:04if he does well.

01:03:05So at least McDaniels is somebody who's going to stick around.

01:03:09In Mayo, I'm sorry.

01:03:11I'm pretty often, there's not a whole lot that he could do right now that would make

01:03:14me confident.

01:03:15If they really add a lot around him, I won't feel as upset because I think that he's done

01:03:23so much to damage the brand on top of not living up to a lot of his promises and making

01:03:27a lot of his own problems that I am very upset.

01:03:31I'm very worried about the idea of him continuing to be their guy.

01:03:34I don't know if it would ever happen because of McDaniels relationship with Belichick,

01:03:39but how would you feel about McDaniels coming in as the Patriots OC under Gerard Mayo next

01:03:42year?

01:03:45I don't, I think that if Mayo stays and you change the offensive coordinator, I don't

01:03:48think that's a good idea.

01:03:49I don't think Alex Van Pelt would have been bad enough where if you keep Mayo, you fire

01:03:52him.

01:03:53I think that's fair.

01:03:54I would like to add maybe like I talked about the 49ers wide receivers coach as like a pass

01:03:57game coordinator.

01:03:58I would love something like that.

01:04:00Bring another voice into the room that's made more familiar with motion and window dressing

01:04:03and things like that to add another dimension.

01:04:06But I think firing Alex Van Pelt and keeping Gerard Mayo would be a huge misstep.

01:04:09Yeah.

01:04:10My answer is Mike Vrabel here and I'm going to add this question in there as well.

01:04:13Can we finally get outside of the bill tree now?

01:04:17Vrabel's not a Belichick tree guy as far as coaching.

01:04:20He coached under, well he coached under Bill O'Brien, which is I guess adjacent to it,

01:04:24but he's kind of his own state.

01:04:26He like went to Ohio state.

01:04:28Exactly.

01:04:29So he was at Ohio state before he worked under Urban Meyer for a little bit, then went to

01:04:32O'Brien, but he's kind of his own thing.

01:04:34He's not necessarily in that tree per se, but back to the question about it, I'm still

01:04:40Vrabel and I understand the idea of wanting an offensive head coach.

01:04:44And again, you look around the league right now and aside from Dan Campbell, the guys

01:04:48at the top, it's Kevin O'Connell.

01:04:49It's Kyle Shanahan, even who now granted they're not in the postseason, but you're Sean McVay's

01:04:54of the world.

01:04:55Andy Reed, Sean McDermott is a defensive guy too.

01:04:58But for the most part, Zach Taylor, like the good teams, the good coaches are coached by

01:05:02offensive guys.

01:05:03But the Josh McDaniels part of it makes it so interesting to me and I sound like a broken

01:05:10record, but I truly believe that he is like, you have to be able to separate Josh McDaniels,

01:05:17the head coach, and he's a really solid offensive coordinator.

01:05:20And now he's not a flight risk.

01:05:21I remember year after year with the Patriots.

01:05:24I would like sit up as you know, when I was a fan at 11, 12, 13 years old, I would sit

01:05:28up thinking like, you can't be that good because then Josh is going to leave and then what's

01:05:32Brady going to do?

01:05:33O'Brien's with Penn State, O'Brien's with Houston.

01:05:36Like what are they going to do?

01:05:37And every time his name would come up in head coaching circles, I would get a little freaked

01:05:41out knowing that he was going to leave.

01:05:42But so now it doesn't seem like you will.

01:05:45And I do, if I had to pick from this list, I think it's variable.

01:05:49And that's kind of where, where I'm going to stick to it now.

01:05:51I said variable last year after Bill got fired, and then I kind of succumbed to the, to the

01:05:55Mayo hype.

01:05:56And I thought that was a good idea.

01:05:57It doesn't seem like right now.

01:05:58Again, we'll see what happens.

01:05:59I still think if I had to put money on it right now, I still think Gerard Mayo is the

01:06:03head coach next year, but it's starting to lean in that direction.

01:06:06So all right.

01:06:09Thoughts on having a true GM, but now I didn't really get this question, but I wanted to

01:06:13at least bring it up to kind of talk about the GM in general thoughts about having a

01:06:15true GM position.

01:06:16Any executive that eventually comes here and serves as executive vice president, we'll

01:06:20be able to interview for outside GM jobs since it's a promotion.

01:06:23So now I don't know the rules on this.

01:06:27I do know that each team is required to like anoint a head coach and then anoint a, a head

01:06:33of personnel.

01:06:34And that is Elliot Wolf right now, even though he doesn't have the general manager title,

01:06:38he is the de facto GM.

01:06:40He's probably getting paid like one.

01:06:42I don't think that a guy like Wolf or another guy in here, if you could bring them in as

01:06:47the EVP, I don't necessarily think that they, um, I don't think it's really promotion and

01:06:56other anything.

01:06:57Right.

01:06:58That's what I'm saying.

01:06:59Same duties.

01:07:00Yeah.

01:07:01But also Taylor, they kind of skirted the, they kind of skirted around the general manager

01:07:05cycle as well with Elliot Wolf by not naming him general manager, because in theory with

01:07:10Belichick leaving, I'm pretty sure they had to bring in outside candidates for this job.

01:07:14And I don't think they did.

01:07:16They just made Wolf, Wolf, the EVP, not the GM.

01:07:20And that's how they got away with not bringing in external candidates.

01:07:23So that they really wanted to keep this thing internal with Wolf, with Mayo.

01:07:27So it's kind of on them now at this point, um, on there.

01:07:30But I wanted to ask that and throw that out there because there's also this question,

01:07:34would you rather replace Wolf or Mayo or which makes a bigger difference in your opinion?

01:07:38Mayo by far.

01:07:39I don't think Wolf has publicly embarrassed the team and I know everyone wants to cruciate.

01:07:43I already went on Twitter and talked about how I don't think that anything he didn't

01:07:48do regarding the offensive line is fireable.

01:07:51Like the only moves that you can are the only mistakes I think he made were maybe not signing

01:07:56Jonah Williams, which like Jonah Williams also missed a ton of games because he hasn't

01:08:00a serious injury history, had a knee injury, had another knee injury, also was still playing

01:08:05right tackle.

01:08:06Right.

01:08:07Maybe he could have played left for you and obviously choose a similar situation.

01:08:09But like, I don't think Jonah Williams is such a difference maker that this offensive

01:08:12line looks completely better.

01:08:14And Ellie Wolf had some, you know, gross negligence.

01:08:18And then you could say, yeah, he missed the wave of tackles in the second round.

01:08:21Maybe he could have traded up.

01:08:22I also think that they didn't want a young guy right or wrong.

01:08:25I, I, I don't agree with everything they did.

01:08:28I think they should learn from, you know, maybe reaching on poke because they wanted

01:08:31to fill a role.

01:08:32Sure.

01:08:33Maybe not training up and saying, yeah, this guy may be young, even if we take him.

01:08:36But I think they wanted a guy who they thought could start year one.

01:08:39Caden Wallace had a huge jump as last year.

01:08:41Most scouting reports thought that he was somebody who could continue that ascent and

01:08:44maybe start pretty early on in his career.

01:08:47So I think that's why they did that.

01:08:48But still, you can see why they did certain things.

01:08:50It's not like with Mayo where there are so many things that are completely inexplicable.

01:08:55It's just like, I don't know.

01:08:57And also at least Ellie Wolfe has done things right.

01:08:59Like Drake may picking him.

01:09:01People say it was a shoe in.

01:09:02It wasn't made of media didn't have a consensus on what they should do.

01:09:05Fans didn't have a consensus on what they should do.

01:09:07And former players have said that Bill Belichick would have traded the pick and we know he

01:09:11doesn't like Drake made that much.

01:09:13So no, it wasn't really a slam dunk because there were other things you could have done.

01:09:16So he gets credit for that.

01:09:18He gets credit for filling out the coaching staff.

01:09:20Most of them are his connections.

01:09:21Got Alex Van Pelt, got DC McCartney.

01:09:24Most of the guys he'd added have been net positives for this coaching staff.

01:09:27And obviously Drake Mays development has a lot to do with Van Pelt with McCartney.

01:09:32Then the third rounder for Judon signing Hooper and Antonio Gibson.

01:09:37You can say what you want about trade Jacobs, Ben Brown.

01:09:40They've started games for you and there's been weeks where they've been pretty quiet.

01:09:43That's as much as you can possibly ask for two guys that weren't on active rosters when

01:09:47you sign them.

01:09:48And I know people want to just throw that under the rug.

01:09:50It's not nothing because you could have had literal turnstiles.

01:09:53It could be so much worse.

01:09:55And also Jaqueline Roy was one of the most productive defensive tackles in the league

01:09:58when he was healthy.

01:10:00Has Ellie Wolfe made mistakes?

01:10:02Absolutely.

01:10:03I still think there wasn't a whole lot of difference making talent in free agency.

01:10:06Yes, I think you can argue he reached in the draft.

01:10:08Those are things you can learn from.

01:10:10And also he's been aggressive in trying to add receiver help.

01:10:13You cannot say he has not tried to add weapons.

01:10:15Totally.

01:10:16Only thing he did was basically not just get fleeced.

01:10:18Now you got the money.

01:10:20Hopefully Mayo hasn't embarrassed you to the point that no one wants to come here.

01:10:23But yeah, I think it's insane if they clean house and Wolfe is kind of a victim of that.

01:10:28That's one thing.

01:10:29It's totally, totally.

01:10:30But if you're going to keep Mayo and you fire Wolfe, that's insane.

01:10:34And I will be very, very disappointed.

01:10:35I'm not saying Wolfe is the guy.

01:10:37He hasn't proven that yet.

01:10:38I think this is the offseason where you start to show, hey, I can make shrewd moves.

01:10:42I will bring in the right pieces and be serious about addressing the offense like this is

01:10:46that offseason.

01:10:47And I understand not wanting to have all this capital, all these picks, all this money

01:10:54and waste it on a guy who might not be here.

01:10:56But again, if Mayo's saying you cannot get rid of Elliot Wolfe, I don't even think he'd

01:11:00want you or agree with getting rid of Elliot Wolfe, who has more experience in leading

01:11:03roles than does Mayo.

01:11:05So yeah, I understand people being frustrated with Wolfe.

01:11:08I think ask him to be fired, which does not happen with GMs, by the way.

01:11:12Can you remember the last GM who got fired after a year?

01:11:15No.

01:11:16If you want to talk about firing a head coach after when you're looking bad, that's a terrible

01:11:20look because there's not even really much precedent for it unless an organization is

01:11:23clean house, which again, I don't know that that happens ever after a year.

01:11:26So yeah, it's Mayo.

01:11:27And I really don't think it's close because Wolfe has not embarrassed your entire organization.

01:11:32I think the way you put it, I'm sorry.

01:11:36I think he did have a couple of things where he was talking about how like they weren't

01:11:39going to be hard asses.

01:11:40Yeah.

01:11:41Make his mistakes, but he hasn't made any in recent history, at least because he's not

01:11:45required to talk to us every week.

01:11:47And again, I get what you're saying.

01:11:49Yeah.

01:11:50I think it's starting to look better as the season goes on.

01:11:51So, you know, at least Wolfe, you can say things he's done well.

01:11:55You can't really do that for Grafton.

01:11:56Yeah.

01:11:57I'm with you.

01:11:58I think that the way you put it is perfect.

01:11:59Where it'd be one thing if he is a victim of a clean house, like that's, that's a so

01:12:03be it type of thing where if you're going to bring in a new head coach that wants to

01:12:06work with somebody else, if Mike Rabel has a handpicked guy and they really want to go

01:12:09that route.

01:12:10Okay.

01:12:11So be it.

01:12:12Get rid of Wolfe.

01:12:13Number one pick.

01:12:14Yeah.

01:12:15I'm with you.

01:12:16Get rid of Wolfe.

01:12:17Get rid of Wolfe.

01:12:18Get rid of Wolfe.

01:12:19Get rid of Wolfe.

01:12:20Get rid of Wolfe.

01:12:21Get rid of Wolfe.

01:12:22Get rid of Wolfe.

01:12:23Get rid of Wolfe.

01:12:24Get rid of Wolfe.

01:12:25Get rid of Wolfe.

01:12:26Get rid of Wolfe.

01:12:27Get rid of Wolfe.

01:12:28Get rid of Wolfe.

01:12:29Get rid of Wolfe.

01:12:30Get rid of Wolfe.

01:12:31Get rid of Wolfe.

01:12:32Get rid of Wolfe.

01:12:33Get rid of Wolfe.

01:12:34Get rid of Wolfe.

01:12:35Get rid of Wolfe.

01:12:36Get rid of Wolfe.

01:12:37Get rid of Wolfe.

01:12:38Get rid of Wolfe.

01:12:39Get rid of Wolfe.

01:12:40Get rid of Wolfe.

01:12:41Get rid of Wolfe.

01:12:42Get rid of Wolfe.

01:12:43Get rid of Wolfe.

01:12:44Get rid of Wolfe.

01:12:45Get rid of Wolfe.

01:12:46Get rid of Wolfe.

01:12:47Get rid of Wolfe.

01:12:48Get rid of Wolfe.

01:12:49Get rid of Wolfe.

01:12:50Get rid of Wolfe.

01:12:51Get rid of Wolfe.

01:12:52Get rid of Wolfe.

01:12:53Get rid of Wolfe.

01:12:54Get rid of Wolfe.

01:12:55Get rid of Wolfe.

01:12:56Get rid of Wolfe.

01:12:57Get rid of Wolfe.

01:12:58Get rid of Wolfe.

01:12:59Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:00Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:01Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:02Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:03Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:04Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:05Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:06Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:07Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:08Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:09Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:10Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:11Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:12Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:13Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:14Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:15Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:16Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:17Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:18Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:19Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:20Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:21Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:22Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:23Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:24Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:25Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:26Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:27Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:28Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:29Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:30Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:31Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:32Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:33Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:34Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:35Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:36Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:37Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:38Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:39Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:40Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:41Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:42Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:43Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:44Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:45Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:46Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:47Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:48Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:49Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:50Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:51Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:52Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:53Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:54Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:55Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:56Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:57Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:58Get rid of Wolfe.

01:13:59Get rid of Wolfe.

01:14:00Get rid of Wolfe.

01:14:01Get rid of Wolfe.

01:14:02Get rid of Wolfe.

01:14:04It's important to have an offensive guru in your ear.

01:14:08Now, some guys don't need it, but I look at Josh Allen, where he's had them in the past,

01:14:14but he's had a turnstile of offensive coordinators and quarterbacks coach, and he just kind of

01:14:19makes it happen.

01:14:20But even Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid, is an offensive guru, and he is part of the reason

01:14:25why Mahomes has become one of the greatest quarterbacks of all times.

01:14:28Major reason.

01:14:29Exactly.

01:14:30Andy Reid had a rule where it was for the first two and a half seconds to play his mind.

01:14:34After that, go nuts.

01:14:35Right.

01:14:36And so the Darnold aspect of what he's done and how he's turned this around, I think is

01:14:41important to look at with Drake May and just how important it is finding that next head

01:14:47coach if they do move on from May or finding that next OC or understanding that his relationship

01:14:53with Alex Van Pelt that he cherishes right now and thinks that he's done a good job,

01:14:57that's important enough to potentially keep him if May is actually that on board and you've

01:15:01seen enough growth from him this season where you trust AVP.

01:15:05Yeah.

01:15:06Wait.

01:15:07Sorry.

01:15:08I just, that's kind of my thought on it.

01:15:10And also your thoughts on Sam Darnold and just the Kevin O'Connell situation in general.

01:15:14Kevin O'Connell's awesome, man.

01:15:15Yeah, he is.

01:15:16No one knows.

01:15:17Oh my God.

01:15:18I really, really wish.

01:15:19That's why Ben Johnson's intriguing.

01:15:21He's kind of like that type of guy who, you know, he seems like a leader, but he's also

01:15:27a guru.

01:15:28And I know we don't know enough about Ben Johnson, but like, I don't know.

01:15:31I think Kevin O'Connell's a freaking stud, former Patriots quarterback as well.

01:15:35So I love what he's done with Darnold.

01:15:37Yeah.

01:15:38I'm a huge fan of Kevin O'Connell.

01:15:40It's not funny.

01:15:41It's sad how many busted quarterbacks the Jets, Panthers, and Browns are responsible

01:15:49for.

01:15:50We're just like ruining for some period of time where these guys, obviously Bryce Young

01:15:55is doing in his second season, but like you got Baker, Darnold, like all these guys who

01:15:58are on those teams and now we're places with stable coaching with some talent and they're

01:16:04looking, they're having complete career revivals, like Gino Smith, obviously.

01:16:08It's awesome to watch for those guys because they've been through it.

01:16:12But like just insane that those three teams are responsible for almost ruining so many

01:16:17careers.

01:16:18It is crazy.

01:16:20Is Darnold elite?

01:16:21I think he's playing along the, along that caliber.

01:16:25I don't know if he's there yet.

01:16:26He always had the talent.

01:16:27I'd like to see if he can do this consistently.

01:16:29Also going to be very interesting to see what happens with him and J.J. McCarthy because

01:16:33I don't think you just, this off season immediately trade J.J.

01:16:36I think that's kind of crazy.

01:16:37I think you would at least wait a year because you want to see what Darnold's got.

01:16:41God forbid something happens to Darnold.

01:16:42Maybe you have to switch.

01:16:43Like I think it's wild when you have two very good quarterbacks, but also neither one has

01:16:48necessarily proven themselves consistently to just ship one.

01:16:51I think that's a really risky move.

01:16:52So I would try to keep Darnold.

01:16:54I would hold on to franchise them season.

01:16:57Yep, exactly.

01:16:58And then just see what happens.

01:16:59And if Sam Darnold has another great season, then maybe you think about moving McCarthy.

01:17:03But yeah, Vikings are in a very good spot.

01:17:07Good for them.

01:17:08Good.

01:17:09Very good spot.

01:17:10KOC is a stud.

01:17:11Hopefully seven too.

01:17:12Yeah, I know.

01:17:13Cause he came out when he was like 21, 21, I think out of USC.

01:17:16Yeah.

01:17:17Yeah.

01:17:18Crazy situation.

01:17:19So hopefully the Patriots can get Drake May.

01:17:21Kevin O'Connell one day or pair them up with Gerard Mayo.

01:17:24If they do decide to go that route, either way, Patriots head into week 18 at three and

01:17:2813 after falling to the chargers 40 to seven, that's going to do it for us here on Patriot

01:17:34sailor.

01:17:35We'll be back later in the week to answer some more of your questions.

01:17:37We'll probably do another mailbag.

01:17:38We'll definitely preview Patriots versus bills coming up as well.

01:17:42So make sure you rate review and subscribe to the channel.

01:17:45Like this video, read all of sailors written work on CLNS media.com.

01:17:49Follow him on Twitter at T Kyle's 39.

01:17:51If you want to follow me, you can follow me at my Catholic on Twitter as well.

01:17:55And until next time, take care of yourselves, take care of each other and we will see you

01:17:58soon.

01:17:59Peace out everyone.

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