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Patriots Pregame Show 11/24: Dolphins Preview, Inactives Analysis and Keys to the Game

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Published Nov 24, 2024, 6:03 PM
Tune-in as we preview the Patriots-Dolphins with all the matchups to watch, keys to the game, inactives analysis and more. Plus, Alain Poupart from Sports Illustrated calls into the show to go behind enemy lines and discuss the Dolphins perspective of todays matchup.

Patriots Unfiltered the world's original podcast. Patriots Unfiltered brings you inside Jillette Stadium for rousing conversations on everything New England, Patriots, and NFL. Join host Fred Kersh alongside Patriots dot COM's Paul Perillo, Mike Desso, Evan Lazar, Tamara Brown, and Alex Francisco as they bring you in depth coverage of the team.

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Good, Good morning everybody, and Happy Week twelve. As we come to you from Gillette Stadium here in Foxboro, Massachusetts for the Patriots pregame social sponsored by Duncan, Fueled by Duncan. Paul Pirello to my left, Mike Dusseau, Tamara Brown to my right, Matt Smith here as we try to get you ready for the Patriots and the Miami Dolphins in Week twelve. Hard Rock Stadium not a kind place for the Patriots to play, Paul, I think you said to me earlier in our pre game pre show prep.

We did prep?

What was that?

What just met? It was high level.

It was high level prep of their last eleven games in Miami. The Patriots are two and nine.

Jeez, but you say it like that, Bo.

If that's correct?

Right? They met earlier this year Week five. Hot Rod Hunley was a quarterback at the time. Tu was shelved with concussion in Miami won here fifteen to ten. Tamara reminds me that the Patriots rushed for one hundred and fifty yards in that game. Can they do it again? Lots to discuss in this one. The spot isn't great, The history isn't great for the Patriots. Popping up on the injury report on Friday's Christian Gonzalez against Tyreek Hill and Wattle isn't great. There's not a lot of positives to look for. But this is the first chance at the Miami Dolphins see Drake May. That's certainly a positive.

And there it is right and the.

Yeah talk somemot Uncle Matt, let's talk about May.

I love it.

I feel like a lot about this offense has changed, not just Drake May, but also the offensive line. In Week five, the offensive line was still in flux, a revolving door.

Every single week. It was a new offensive line.

Now at least there's some continuity there and the logjam in the wide receiver room At that point, I was looking back at who started. Polk was starting, and obviously he's probably not going to start today considering the way he's been playing. So the wide receiver room has shifted a lot with to Mario Douglas, Kendrick Bourne. That was his first game back in Week five. Now he seems to be emerging from that ACL injury. So I think Drake May and his supporting staff has come a long way. And I was looking at Hunter Henry too. He only had two catches for thirty two yards in that first meeting. He's a huge security blanket for Drake.

May to play or not to play, that is the question. Tamara. With regards to Jalen Polk, I think he's active today.

I think he'll be active, but I don't think he'll play a ton. I think I would look more to Da Mario Douglas, Kendrick Bourne, Kayshawn Boody, who really emerged as the top three wide receivers on this team. When you look back to Polk, he only had what one catch in that game, two catches against Miami the first time, no catches last week between him and Javon Baker. They need to show up today, but I don't expect them to based off what we see in the past few games.

Michael, there is a school of thought out there that it might be better for Polk to adjust learn however you want to call it from the sideline. Do you subscribe to that school of thought at this point?

Sure? Yeah, I mean I I just diminishing returns. Yeah, I mean it's like he was out there a bunch last week. He wasn't even targeted, you know, he had the penalty. I just think at some point you have to say he's gonna have to figure out his own. We can't every week go in with a special plan of how to get our rookie receiver, you know going. I mean that's you know, I was there a few weeks ago, maybe three four weeks ago, where it's like, man, he's good, but he so I just I think they got to play, Like what Samara said, they got to play the guys who are playing well, Kaysehan Boody, continue to get Kendrick Born going, continue to get Douglass going the tight ends, and you know, Jalen Polk when he gets in there, great. But and if he's able to make a play and then the ball comes his way, good. But I'm not really on the let's jump start Jalen Polk train anymore.

I would agree with Mike on that. I don't think they need to go out of their way to get him involved. But he's gonna I mean, I'd be surprised if he didn't play. I mean he played a ton last week. Yeah, I think he was almost forty snaps of offense. So he's getting more snaps than a lot of other guys. He's just not getting targeted it at all. I don't think that will change, you know, dramatically. Maybe he gets a couple here and there. I am of the belief that he needs to play. What else are you playing for if you're not trying to find out what you have now that will translate going forward. You know, you might look at this as a lost year for him, lost rookie year, and that might be true, but I think there's still time down the stretch that you know, what if he caught ten balls in the last you know, five or six games and you start to feel a little bit better about him and Drake may I think there's value in that. I would have him on the field, and I would not, like Mike said, not go out of my way to get him incorporated into the offense, but hopefully have him just naturally evolved.

At three and eight. There's plenty, you know, for him to play for and for the Patriots to try to see if they can get him going. And we'll discuss that and maybe a little bit more detail going on, Paul, I do want to ask the two and nine over the last eleven certainly isn't great for the Patriots. It's a lot more about where or who they're playing as opposed to where they're playing. But we can't dismiss that. I think Jonathan Jones said something in the locker room about you know, he talked about the sun right in their face, because the Dolphins do a great job strategically of putting the visiting team right in the sun. So that happens. Paul, with all that history in mind and it not being a great place for the Patriots to play, give me some hope and give me some things that you can hang your hat on to put the Patriots in a position to maybe steal one in Miami today.

Well, I mean, to me, the hope would be about Drake May and the improvements they've made offensively. I would say over the last you know, maybe three games, they're moving the ball a little bit more. They're stalling in the red zone. So maybe if you can get some you know, increased efficiency in the red zone, you can turn those vehicles into touchdowns. I don't know if you've ever heard this mic, but those are called four point plays in the NFL. They're really important.

I thought, is that knowing what you need?

Yeah, I'm just you know, I'm just trying to explain this to you that, like I don't do it.

Seven's better than three, I thought.

No, I know, I know. Sometimes I break out my big brain. It can sometimes be that simple though, Like that I think they're three. I want to say three for their last nine or ten in the red zone over the last two weeks. You make that six for ten and you're talking, you know, a different level of momentum right now. That could be a way that they stay in the game today because I think that Miami will probably move the ball and put some points on the board. It'll be incumbent upon Drake May and that offense to you know, to keep pace, and you can't do that by kicking field goals.

Matt Smith, you brought up how John Jones talked about the weather beating down your back, your face, you know, because of the way the stadium is one quick No, I'm gonna put my little meteorologist hat on.

It's actually not that hot.

So the advantage of not playing Miami at the beginning of the season down in Miami is that right now is.

The best time to be in South Florida.

As a former South Florida Floridian person, it's only seventy two degrees right now. It's seventy two degrees. It could not be more perfect for a game day in South Florida. So I would say that the Patriots don't have to worry about the fatigue the humidity factor.

It's a perfect day to play football.

Dirty another dirty PONNDS came too, right?

Can we can? We also?

Can we put that on our chiron like former.

South Florida person like I just made that up off the top of my head.

I think, I think I read on the Twitter machine. Meteorologist Mike Reeves had a high of seventy five or seventy six today.

Perfect ry heat, Matt, is it a dry heat? He's sweaty.

Not in South Florida.

You better hydrate because you're gonna lose your fluids.

All right, much of those things to talk about, But we begin the show and let's kick things off. Please Matt with the Keys to the game.

You've waited all week for it.

The whole teams in the locker room right now, just listening to this, waiting to hear what you're gonna say.

Here are the Patriots pregame socials keys to the game.

All right, Let's start to the right, because I think chronologically the way that Tamara has this thing written. She wants to make sure we're not confusing Thursday's holiday with a previous holiday that has already happened on the calendar. Tamara explain, please.

I feel like you only are making me go first because you can't figure out what my key is about.

Well, we've been waiting since Friday.

I looked at does that mean both things can be right?

Well, I said, my key is Halloween is over, because all week long everyone's been talking about the house of Horrors that hard Rock Stadium is. And for me, I feel like there should be no fear anymore because you have Drake May, and with him you have a chance. In Week five, this offense was average averaging twelve point four points per game. In the last six starts that Drake May has had, he's elevated that to twenty points per game. So now when you're going up against this Miami Dolphins offense, that's like a track meet. Quite frankly, when you have Cheetah and Jalen Wattle on this team that you're throwing to, you have Drake May. He can improvise, he can create plays with his legs, he can extend plays. So when you have him, you have this offensive line that's building continuity. The wide receivers are elevating to Drake May's game as well as the security blanket of the tight ends. I think you have a chance to at least compete with them on the scoreboard. So I say, there's no fear going into this game today.

I love it, and I love the fact that, look, we talk about it because it's it's mildly interesting to talk about. But it is kind of a loser's lament. They're not losing games down there because of the stadium or the sun or the fact that they're playing him in September. Bottom line, most of the time, they're getting beat and the other team plays better, So how can you play better than them? Like, who cares what the game is playing in the parking lot if you want exactly no, it is kind of a loser's event. Touche. I like that, nice job, Michael.

Find a way to thirty points. I just I don't have a lot of confidence in the defense today. I mean, if we haven't really been able to stop and I don't want to overstate like stopping Tua, because I don't think Tua has been like running rough shot over the Patriots, I mean and against them, but you know, look at the stats and the performance. I think the Patriots played a big part in all that. But I still think that they're gonna move the ball, They're going to score points. He's completing you know, like seven over seventy percent of his passes. I mean, I like, I wonder if one of our trivia questions to be like, did they told him under seventy five percent completions? Because if Christian Gonzalez isn't able to go, I just think Miami's going to put up points. So for Drake Man and the offense, they got to find a way to get over thirty. And uh, I already asked Paul this, Matt. You know, a little trivia one was how many games has it been since the Patriots top thirty? Do you want to take a shot in the dark? And I know I'm putting you on the spot there, I'm just throw a number.

Here's a crazy one. Yeah, did they score thirty points when they beat the Bills last year?

No? Okay, that would have been my Uh it's been thirty thirty nine games, Matt.

How about Jacksonville in December twenty.

Twenty one one. Yeah, the last time they scored over thirty points was against Cleveland in twenty twenty two. It's been thirty nine games. The Bailey's Zappie Game, The Bailey's Aappi Game is Paul of course was just like, oh, the Bailey's Appy Game, of course, Like he didn't you know, it's just spits it out like a computer album.

I always get made fun of stuff sometimes, and I get made fun for you.

I will not make fun of me.

Agis no no, no hr online No.

I love that Paul keeps receipts.

I know that's a that's a.

Huge many of us.

Many of you like to argue it's it's a good thing.

I'm not.

Probably Paul likes.

To argue he likes to keep those in his back pocket.

But anyway, I say it's smart.

I like, when people have opinions, you should be accountable for him. I have a lot of other way, by the way, I have a lot of dumb things to say, Like I was going to resign when they drafted Richard Seymour. That's how. That's how upset I was, Like, when when you say stupid things, you should be called on it. I call my cell phone for them all the time. Others not so much.

Okay, your turned Paul.

So a lot of talk on Thursday at DeMarcus Covington's press conference about turnovers takeaways. Pages just aren't causing any turnovers at all. I think, if you're gonna win this game in Miami, it's the old cliche, you're gonna need some help from Miami. You gotta take it away, you gotta find a way. I think they have one forced turnover in the last five games. That's an absurdly low number. I think it's eight on the season.

That's correct. They're twenty six in the league in turnovers.

Four fumble recoveries, four interceptions. I don't think they can win this game today if they don't force a couple of turnovers. And I don't know what the magic formula is, and neither does Covington, and no should you. It's really not necessary. It's not necessarily something that you bake into a game plan, like, well, you know we're gonna incorporate Christian Gonzales in a way this week that's going to allow him to get two interceptions, Like it's just it doesn't happen. It doesn't work that way, But somehow they have to find a way to be a little more aggressive. Maybe that's why they they blitzed a little bit last week, you know, in an effort to try to get some more turnovers and put the rams in some bad spots. Obviously it didn't work. Maybe it works this week.

So I was gonna just to go a little bit deeper on that. Pall twenty whatever in the league. Eight turnovers through eleven games. That's just not Buzzard's luck. You're you're there's an inability to turn the other team over. Where does that stem from? Is it a lack of playmakers?

Well? I think that's probably where it starts, is they don't have a lot of I think if you and I, this is one of those anecdotal kind of things. I think if you did a study on forced turnovers, there'd be a very high percent. The largest percentage of force turnovers would be due to pressure on the passer. It would be my guess. You know, you can talk about, well, they have twenty nine interceptions, what a secondary they have. I bet you if you look back, twenty of those twenty nine interceptions were caused by either the quarterback throwing it before he wanted to, or being inaccurate because he was, you know, being pressured as he was throwing. I think that's the number one way. And the Patriots don't have a ton of guys up front that are going to win one on one matchups. In the past, Rush Kingon White has done it, you know, fairly consistently, a little bit of Dietrich Wise here and there, but they don't have a lot of guys that are going to put fear in an opposing quarterback. And I think that's how you create turnovers.

Yeah, maybe maybe Barmore coming back. It sounds like if he's able to go, he can force some pressure at the middle, But Dietrich Wise, he's probably gonna be game time decisions. So they've got some injury questions there at those spots.

I think Paul hit the nail on the head because DeMarcus Comington has talked about it week after week, talking about the marriage and how important it is with the pass rush and the secondary and that's how you get those takeaways, and due to lots of injuries on that front seven, I think it's clear why they're not getting a lot of takeaways. You know, Dietrich wise didn't play last week, Questionable today Christian Barmore just getting added back into the mix.

So maybe once they get some continuity there.

On that defensive line, maybe that will lead to those takeaways happening.

And by all accounts, we believe that if when Barmore, if he's playing today, we'll still be on a pitch count, don't you think a little bit?

Yeah, I think it's about twenty last time that sounds, you know about right, But the only practice Thursday, So it seems like they've got some kind of schedule with him that they're working around. I don't think it's necessarily smartcation of anything.

Does anybody like I don't know anything about that because from afar, like is he cleared or not? Like is he cleared like to do something and then he has to be monitored for a Certaymie, is that part of the medical plan, Like if he does any any sort of physical activity, he needs to have forty eight hours of observation or something like that. I just think it was odd that he practiced the way he did the first week this week me too, No Wednesday out there, Thursday, no Friday, questionable, Like.

Yeah, you think if he's cleared. He's just getting in shape.

Now.

Yeah, has that been Has that question come forward? Paul?

No, okay, not that I'm aware of all right, you know, And I don't have the answer to it. So I'm not you know, I'm not giving you any insight here. I have no idea. My guess is it something like that, like they need some time for him to be evaluated. But I looked at it. I thought it was weird on Wednesday because he plays. On Sunday, he played I think he played twenty one snaps and then when Wednesday comes around. You would think that if there was any kind of medical reason, it would have been identified between Sunday and Wednesday. Right, So I don't know the answer.

I don't.

I mean, hopefully everything is good with him, you know. I think that goes without saying. I think we all hope that the blood clots aren't necessarily part of the equation anymore.

Yeah, And then they're trying to get him into football shape, right, Yeah, which isn't easy to round out the keys of the game. I'll wrap things up with hawk Tua, Geez hawk Tua. And that's a little bit jumping on Pauls like they got to find a way. What did you say the completion percentages, Mike.

Oh, he's over seventy to seven hour. I think since he return he's leading the league in seven completion percentage, and so I.

Don't think he's gonna dip to forty. But what can you do? As Tamara was talking about to marry coverage and pressure, can you situationally, you know, dial up something to try to get him to the ball is gonna come out quick anyway? Can you have him, you know, not be able to lock in on that first, you know, move to the second third, go through his progressions and maybe buy some time to get him and try to get him down. That's I mean, you've got to disrupt him one way or the other. And then even if that happens, would they run for in the first game a buck ninety Yeah?

Yeah, one hundred and ninety three yards in that game with Tyler Huntley playing quarterback and no semblance of a passing game at all.

Right, And I will say a chan Dvon a Chen did not play much in that game. He went out in the first quarter with an injury. Like he's really good back who wasn't in that game for much so for them to still get one ninety three without him is crazy.

And e Chan is now back and is in the lead horse role and most start has not been playing much in that I don't think it's I don't think he's hurt right, No.

He's playing right. But he's a chance. He was their lead back that day too, but he only got three carries because he got a concussion in the fresh quarter.

I definitely wanted to circle averaging six yards of carry fourth in the NFL, and receiving yards as well, So he's not just a good running back but a good receiver.

Yeah, that's how they want to start everything. You know, McDaniel wants to be like shanahan and McVeigh and know they want to like sort of predicate it on those wide zones and getting the running game going and then throwing off a bay. They're like everybody else, Like they don't want to be in third and ten. I know that's hard to imagine, but that's not too hid the sticks, Paul, that's not to his game. He doesn't want to be behind the sticks.

Yeah.

The defensive backs this week talked about disrupting the timing because that's such a huge part of it. So it's really hard to get to Tua. He gets the ball out so quick. You've got to be physical with the guys at the line of scrimmage. I'm just so impressed with two of Sometimes the way he throws the ball when it doesn't even seem like Tyreek kill has thought about even making his break yet, and he just swoops through his zone and the ball comes right in, perfectly timed like and that kind of thing. It's just it's so hard to defend if you don't hold them up a little bit, get them off their course, disrupt that timing somehow, some way. It's but it's hard to say, get pressure on too, because he's getting the ball out so quick. He knows what he's seeing.

I think he's has the quickest snap to to throw.

In the league. Yeah, can I believe it? I mean they don't. They don't blitz them. I mean you can't blit them. There's no pressure like they're you know, their third pressure rate for the offense, like they you know, third best in the league in terms of allowing pressure.

Just it's easy and it's assive line. It's because of the way the offense is designed.

Right, can I point out one thing with tuas return that I've noticed this season.

So I was talking to Deuce when.

We were in our little bullpen area. One thing that's really shocked me this year about how Miami is scoring is how long it's taking them to score. So typically in the past, fifty percent of his passes are over twenty yards, they have those one to two to three play drives going to Jalen Hill or Tyreek Hill sixty yard touchdown. This year, only twenty percent of those are those big play touchdowns. Most of them are taking like eight minutes, ten to twelve play drives to get a touchdown, to get a field goal, which makes it a priority for the opposing team to score every chance they get the ball. When you look at the Raiders game, they scored on six out of their seven drives, most of them eight up like eight nine minutes on the clock. So now that leaves the page, it's very little time to score. So you really can't afford to go three and out, three and out, three and out, especially if the Miami Dolphins are going to take longer to get down the field and score. It's just very unusual for this Miami Dolphins offense who usually doesn't have those ten to nine play drives.

Well, what it tells me, Tamara, and I think that's a stute point on your part. Is that defensive coaches and head coaches or whatever it is, are saying, we're not gonna let Tyreek Hill just run wild on us. We're not gonna let Waddle run wild on us. We've got to protect what is that, Paul? Is that two deep safeties?

Yeah, you know, absolutely, And then we're gonna think you're nailing it absolutely, and.

We're gonna make you ten play, eleven play, twelve play, and we hope somewhere in there fumble holding off sides, something happens to throw that drive off Miami showing an ability in the last couple of weeks, if one two in a row, they were left for dead. And since two has been back, Paul, I think you nailed it the other day talking about twenty points. They're ravaging.

Yeah, the four games since he's returned there averaging twenty eight points a game. And I think it's a maturation process for that offense. I think it's it's really for them. From McDaniel, I think it's a huge step forward because if you did that to them in the past and made them go the long way more often than not. They weren't doing it. Now they are. They're scoring just as much. It's just taking them longer to do it. So maybe instead of thirty five, it's twenty eight. But the game, you know, is a similar kind of pattern.

Two weeks ago, they went into LA and beat the Rams. We saw the Rams last week, and so that's no fluke that they go into LA and beat the Rams last week. It was, you know, not a very good Vegas Raiders team that they went in. Miami's coming in here rolling with a little bit of confidence. Okay, this game is very important to the Dolphins for that reason because and I look at this as a glimmer of hope for the Patriots. They play Thursday night, Thanksgiving, short week, short turnaround on the road, going to Green Bay, where historically when they have to go play in the cold, that's not Miami's forte So double edged sword there. Does that help the Patriots or does it hurt the Patriots? Because your focus is going to be let's take care of business today.

I personally think it hurts the Patriots because I think if Miami loses to the Patriots today, you don't need to talk about that Thursday night game. That game's irrelevant. It's golf season in Miami. It is, They're out if they lose this game. They have to win this game. So if you want to talk about the Thursday night game, they need to take care of business in this one. First. I thought the same thing last week. They had Vegas last week at home, a game they absolutely had to have, and they did, and they had it relatively easily. So if they if they overlook the Patriots and they're looking ahead to a Thursday night game, shame on them. I mean, that's just that's just bad, bad football.

I'm grasping for straws here fall. I'm looking for maybe a little human nature to try to get.

You know, what a straw you got is Tamara's weather report. You know, if it's not stifling I mean, I'm being serious, if it's not stifling hot, that like a lot of teams late in the and I understand there's it's never a good time to play in Miami for the teams you know that are in the Northeast. You play early in the year, you go down there and play in an oven. You play late in the year and your body is used to being cold, and all of a sudden you're into you know, maybe a little bit of a you know, a less scorching oven, but it's still an oven. It sounds like today, it's kind of regular for that time of year down there, So maybe there's a little glimmer of hope there.

Okay.

Plus, we're wearing a dirty pants. It's exciting, right, blue as Jim McBride would say, blue tops with the I call them dirty pants. You call them gray silver. I don't know what color they are, but they just looked well.

That's also part of the gamesmanship, right, is regardless of the irregardless as Roger would like to say, irregardless of the calendar. The Dolphins are wearing white at home because that's cooler, and they make the road team where the darker jersey, which is hotter.

Subbassively, right, that is what they they do that all the time. They did it last week with the Raiders were black.

Right, So Patriots will be in their blue tops, correct, with their silver bottoms.

Well, maybe their their legs will be a little cooler because they're not the dark blue pants, you know, the gray pants will keep things a little cooler downstairs.

That'll Okay, here's my question to you, Michael. Let's look at a world today where Christian Gonzalez is not able to go Christian, what does a Patriots secondary look like?

No, boy, I might not have to consult my going to's your.

Depth chart and he's going into no.

But Alex Austin is back, But I mean he would he would probably be you know, thrust in action with Jonathan Jones and uh yeah, and Isaiah Bolden. Those are probably the next guys up. And Marcus Jones, you know, in the slot, but you're probably two outside guys. I mean, maybe not the worst thing in the world, at least this week. I know, last week there were very physical receivers, not a great matchup. If you had to go with al Gonzalez. This week, at least you feel like you have Marcus Jones and he's got some athletics to maybe run with those guys a little bit. I mean, that was the big change to talking to the DB's this week with Gonzalez and j Jones, they said, uh, just that's the biggest difference. Last week's receivers, big physical guys, Maybe not a great matchup, but this week speed on speed, you hope you can stick with them.

So if that's the case, would you if you're wearing your DeMarcus Covington hat, does that mean that you'd see more zone today than try to go man to man or do you still mix it up either way?

I just think they're built to play man to man and it's I mean, it's not easy and like I'm not you know, the football chess master to tell you what to do with spinning coverages and all that stuff. But I just think that this team is built to play man to man. They you know, with Gonzales in there and Jay Jones and Marcus Jones, you've got three guys that I just think that's when they're at their best. And are they going to get torch maybe once or twice and get you know, lose these guys in coverage and maybe especially with the pass rush, if it's not able to get to Tua, you know, within I guess three seconds would be you know, would be at least like suitable to get to them. But yeah, it's, uh, it's gonna be challenge. I mean, gonzale Us, he's he's key piece. He's super athletic and in these kind of matchups, he's the guy like you're really looking to today to hopefully take at least one of these guys out of the game.

A couple of things to keep our eyes on as you're watching and listening to the Patriots pregame show fueled by Duncan. And here's a question for the crowd. If your team runs in their fans, what do the fans run on when you kick off your day with Duncan. We're with you all the way to the end zone. Make a run to Duncan Official coffee run of the Patriots. It's almost twelve past the hour of eleven and actives come out at eleven thirty. I know the Twitter police, both of you, all of you have been looking to see for any signs coming from Miami, and it looks like Gonzalez has been. He's been. There's been a lot of attention paid to Christian Gonzalez pregame. Is that a fair statement to make?

Yeah, well, let's take you through the whole ups and downs of it. He came out, he popped on the injury report Friday. So Paul's thing not good.

Always starry practice, guys, get get hurt in practice. That always worries.

And then we saw a video today of him walking in looked.

A little to Merid. Like the video, I don't like it.

A little stiff. I mean, I don't know if you want to call it a limp, but just looks stiff. Was talking with the trainers earlier in pregame, and now according to Evan, he is out there for T shirt warm ups, so signs seemed to be pointing towards Gonzales being active.

It's a true game time decision, though, I mean, like you don't go through that kind of a work up before the game if they knew. But yeah, I would expect him to try. I mean, just you know, looking at the scroll as we're doing our show NFL Network, I think Ian Rappaport, you know, had bar More and Gonzales are expected to play. I don't think he said they're in, but he said they're expected to play. So it looks like he'll give it a go. But you know, it is worth wondering, you know, with those two speed guys. You know how much, if at all, it affects Gonzales, you know, not being quite one hundred percent.

Is there is there any conservative approach to this, you know, with a guy who so much of your future is tied into him, you know, being that is it just as simple if the medical people say he can play, I think so.

I feel like if there was a question on whether he should play or not, then he shouldn't play. But if they say he can go, he can go.

Those are hard for me because I don't know what the injury is, you know, exactly if you're dealing with like some kind of a you know, like a sprain's knee that you know, he's got a sprained mcl well, you know, yeah, he plays, he probably has a good chance of you know, tearing it, you know, and then he's going to have to have surgery or whatever that would sit him. I don't know what the injury is here. If he has you know, if it's a pain tolerance thing, so it's not really a doctor decision. It's up to him, and he feels like he can go. I don't think I would criticize him for trying to give it a go if he felt like he could. But I don't know, like I don't know the information medically, what was the designation? Excuse my ignorance what did he what was he listed as for a hip?

Yeah?

Okay, yeah, not in the good way.

But I don't know, like does he have like a tord laborer in the hip or you know.

Is it a flexor?

Yeah, like I'm saying, I don't know what it is.

Pointer. What's the difference between a pointer and a flexer?

A flex is a muscle? Pointers an injury?

Okay? He said? It was such confidence as doctor Duchau online too, doctor dushou line too.

That was awesome.

We've all had a hit pointer, haven't We don't. I don't know, you fall on something.

I broke my collar bones.

I just feel like it's sore.

It's they say that's full injury. I've heard collar bone break.

What if I told you I stayed in the game.

Tough guy, throwback, Okay, dirt on it.

Try to make a tackle on the next player. It was the most excruciating thing I've ever felt my life. I said, yeah, I.

Can't play it like that's the Rodney Harrison right, Like Rodney broke his arm like halfway in the super Bowl and then he like then he like pushed the guy that bounds it and then that's what made it fully break.

So yeah, no, I don't think anybody ever compared the time.

You know, Perlo Harrison Hall of Fame, the other not I guess Roddy is in the team Hall of Fame.

So I can't say correct less than fifteen minutes before we get to an actives, but before we get to the let's get to behind enemy lines.

You know the view from New England, but what about the view from the other side.

And that's why you're our favorite pregame show guests. Yeah, every year, and you.

Know you tell everybody that I was on with you guys at twenty eighteen Thursday Night Football. Yeah, and I will vote out with the favorite game for the show.

No time now to go behind enemy lines.

My god, it's got a.

Right for us.

And as we go behind enemy lines from hard Rock Stadium, we're pleased to welcome Alan poop par who covers the Dolphins for Sports Illustrated dot Com. Give us a little scene cetter if you would. Good morning, Alan, Thank you very much for joining us a little scene ceter as we get ready for the Patriots and Dolphins in a little less than two hours, sir, the game.

For the Dolphins that they trying to keep their playoff hopes of life. It's a white house at hard Rock Stadium, and all the fans were encouraged to bring wear nothing but white as they've gone there, all white uniforms as they do for most of their home games, and the Dolphins are going to look to continue their mastery of the Patriots. Then Tom Brady left for Greener Sonnier Pastors in twenty twenty.

Alan, just what have you seen from two in the offense since he returned to the lineup?

Very very high efficiency level. That's more than anything else. The big players are kind of gone from the offense, the over the top, the deep shots to Tyreek Kill and Gene and Waddell. Instead, they're running the ball, they're throwing short, and they're converting on third down at a ridiculously high rate over the past four games, even the two games that they lost once to a return against Arizona and against Buffalo.

Allan, how about the other side of the ball on defense? You know, the Dolphins don't really have a lot of guys that really stand out, but it seems like it's been a little bit better over the last month or so. You know, the stuff that you just talked about two on third down and Kaleis Campbell seems like he's really been a good veteran presence up front. What have you seen from the defense?

Khalaius campbellton enough to study the entire year, and it's not just a better presidence. He doesn't play like a ton of snaps can be thirty eight years old. But I mean you notice him every single softs every game. He's been great. Jalon Ramsey has been great at cornerback. You mentioned the Dolphin is not having a lot of big names on defense. Those are two guys and one guy who's not necessarily a big name. But every year you got more and more national analysts keep talking about how underrated he is, and at some point it's going to be like, well, if everybody keeps saying how under it he is, he won't be under rated anymore. And that's that's Zach Steeler, who was out for the two games they lost after to a return against Arizona against Buffalo, and he came back against the Rams very first place in the game, He's missed out a screen pass five yards loss on the tackle and immediately you just see what a monstrous difference that guy makes. So those are the three key guys. It's not necessarily not a great defense, certainly not the eighty five Bears, two thousand Ravens or anything like that, but when they operate well, and then the other player I should mention is their first round pick, Chop Robinson has become more and more impactful with his pass rushing in recent week. It's not a great defense, but it's played well enough again the past the past two games, specially the Linet game against the Rams was a really good defensive performance.

Going back to the offense, you know, as teams try to take away the dolphin's eye candy and hill and waddle, that's opened up the door for old old friend, former Patriot John new Smith. What have you seen out of him.

Yeah, it's been a lot more productive than it was for you guys, than than this couple of seasons over there. Yeah, he was signing the offseason with the idea of let that another element to the offense. So it's not strictly you know, to what a tyreek or to the jail and waddle with the running game extend, let us give us another good option in the passing game, which they haven't had they didn't have a single touchdown from the tight end position last year. Johnny Smith was brought in because of his ability catch the ball, also his jack ability, and that's what he showed. Of course, he had like a fifty seven yard touchdown against the Raiders last week when the Raiders decided not to cover him in the middle of the field, But even before that, I think it was against it against the Rams were it may have been against the Rams. Was the game before that where he caught it past like that said, the twenty yard line and bounced off a tackler and took it all the way to the one yard line set up a touchdown. So he's been a very very good addition, and again it's not he kind of performed the way the Patriots hoped he would perform when they signed him a few years back.

Alan you as you're covering the team that when you mentioned the win against the Rams and that maybe it was kind of the one that game a little bit of confidence. They took care of business when they played the Raiders at home last week, What if any would concern you as they go into this game today against the Patriots.

I'll take it back further though, The game that really spurred him on was actually a lost is when they went to Buffalo in Week nine. They lost in a last second field goal and they would toe to toe with the Bills easily could have won that game had their chances. And I think that kind of game, the confidence said, you know what, we are a good team. To us back the offenses humming again, we can make a run, and then they produced that. Even though the offense wasn't great against the Rams, but in the first half they won that game. They handle the Raiders. As I go into this game today, I don't know that anything really concerns me. All uf specify this decipid game of Dolphins since Mike McDaniel's become head coach, typically handled and handled pretty easily. Obviously, there there was the blip against the Tennessee Titans and then in again by in that game last year. But I don't know. I mean, I might prediction on the mimy Dolphins on side dot Com I had the Dolphins winning thirty to twenty. I make some allowance for maybe Drake may could give him some problems because he's a promising, good looking rookie co back. But I don't know, I can't look at this swing on defense and see how they slow down a Dolphin offense that again really is humming and playing extremely efficiently. Tours playing maybe the best ball of his career. So I again, I see the Dolphins winning comfortably in.

This game thirty to twenty, and you're sticking to it. Yeah, absolutely very good. Alan Poopar, who covers the Dolphins for SI dot com, thank you very much for your insight. Enjoy the game today and thanks for your time. Sir. Well, he didn't.

Didn't a lot of hope.

There's not a lot of hope to hang your hat onto right now.

And he tends to be a little bit on the sort of skeptical side, you know, in Miami.

I thought it was interesting how we brought up since mcdale's been there when it's time to take care of business. Generally speaking, he believes they take care of business.

That's the knock on them. They only beat the bad teamer. R.

Yeah.

Yeah, well, I would just say, I mean, I think we all kind of feel similar early. I mean, I'll speak for myself, I feel similar. I mean, it's hard to see how this Patriots defense is the one that puts it together against this Miami defense and gets the takeaways and does what it needs to do. Sorry, it's offense to a, but it's an opportunity to I mean, this is for the Patriots, like you're in dire need of a kind of like big signature win.

This is it.

Everyone's writing you off right now. I don't I mean that the spreads. I think seven. I mean it feels like it could be more. With the way that these these teams are lining up. We all feel, you know, even Allen said it too. We feel like Drake may might give them some problems. He might move the ball a little bit, he might score some points, he might make some big plays. I don't know if he can do enough. But I would just say, as a team right now here, it is for you Patriots. You want an opportunity to win a game that people kind of writing you off for, kind of saying they haven't won there in forever, they haven't beaten to A. They don't have the horses this year. So we'll see how the response to that. You mentioned this person's name earlier. Is this a Rodney Harrison game like that?

Nobody believes rally the troops.

I mean you'd like, yeah, yeah, you'd like to you'd like to think so, you'd like to think so. But you know, it's like I said, I mean just the fact that Gonzalez is hurt too. I mean, you don't have a lot of star power on this team as it is, and it feels like, you know, you're already kind of fighting it. Teatrick Wise isn't you know, an elite NFL password, but he's pretty good and you're not gonna, you.

Know, one of your better defensive players.

So you've got, you know, two guys, even if they play, they've got injury issues.

So it's it's it's a real tough challenge. But I'll give it to something too. That based off of what Allen said. You know, he was talking about, you know, since Tua came back and how they've played, and he said they've been converting at a ridiculously high rate on third down. I wasn't really aware of that. So that coincides to what Smara was saying about people making them go the long way and you know, methodical drives. That's a way that you can win, you know, be a little bit better on third down. And so maybe they're squeaking out twenty eight points by converting sixty plus percent, you know, fifty plus percent of the third downs, you knock them down to thirty five or forty and maybe you're in the game.

Yeah, And I think when their drives you're taking eight nine minutes, it's not a game clock that you have to score. So that's my only worry is that the Patriots have to make it a priority to score on every drive that they have the ball, because if the Dolphins are going to eat up the clock like that, then you need to also score when you have the ball. And probably you can't take eight nine minutes either, because if you're going toe to toe, probably whoever has the ball last is gonna win.

If you win the toss, then tamor do you take the ball?

No?

No?

I think also too, the Patriots have to win the second quarter.

The second quarter.

I don't know what is going on in the second quarter, but that makes or breaks most of their games, especially when you look at how they end the second quarter. Most of the time, that's where the momentum lies. So the Rams, I feel like last week was the only team that the momentum. They didn't let it affect them missing that field goal at the end of the second. They came out in the third and they were hot the rest of the game. For some teams, if you missed that field goal at the end of the second, you might have to build your mintum back up the rams.

It wasn't like that.

The Patriots have to control the second quarter. They can't just have a great first quarter. They have to continue in the second and throughout the rest the game.

I do like the game's been chipped a little bit angle that Alan talked about in the white out at hard Rock Stadium in Timidating. You know, I don't know. I like I like the fact that I know.

The fans are gonna I like.

The idea about it and kind of the organization about it. It doesn't seem gimmicky to me, even though it is kind of gimmicky. I don't know, is that wrong?

Yeah, No, I don't mind those things. I mean, I think of a Moreri's college stuff.

But sure, I don't. I don't know that's wrong with that.

I don't mind them now.

Yeah.

Also, Drake Man needs to have a clean game. The ball can't be on the ground, you can't have an interception. He can't make it easy for the Dolphins offense to score. So when you look at that stripsack that happened last week, imagine the game without that.

Yeah, it could have gone a different It could have gone the different way.

So big piece, I mean it is.

And that's Daring Lowe on the injury reports this week, right.

Yeah, shoulder issue. He's continuing to battle. Uh, we'll see on him too. I mean he's kind of been fighting it all year. But that's a big thing. Drake takeaways. I think we're all forgiving of them right now. But I mean I said it this week like there's been some turnovers in crunch time when they maybe had a chance to win that in the future, those are the ones you're gonna look at and be like, we gotta get over this hump. You know, we had a chance to win that game. And you know he scaremailed one or he fumbled one. You know, those are those It's a big step for him.

It's a situation where the same exact thing can happen, but depending on when it happens, you think of it differently. Right now, he throws an interception in overtime to end the Tennessee game. He throws an interception last week to end the Rams game when they had a chance to win it, and it's you know, fourth start, fifth start, sixth start. He's giving you hope. He's doing this. These things happen in year three, same thing. It's looked at totally different said, you know, it's looked at totally differently, and it should be because at that point you should be expecting more.

I don't know if this is a great cump, but we grade Drake may and everything he does on a curve yes, because he's a rookie, and while we don't we're not looking forward to see a stripsack, We're not looking to see a end of the game interception. Those are forgiven because it's a rookie. And I just wonder is Gerard Mayo as a rookie graded with the same curve. I'm not sure that he is. I don't think that he is, and I know the experience level is different. Gerard Mayo has been in the National Football League for many, many years, but this is the first time that he's a head coach. I think it's I think fandom and the media grade Gerard on a much different curve than they do with Drake may It's.

An interesting contrast, Matt. I mean, you're you're totally right. I mean, on one hand, Drake may is a twenty two year old kid.

Yep, the experience level is vastly.

What is he in his eighth game or whatever, you know. But I do think that you overlook those things with girod Mayo because he has been in the league and he was a player. But we should and I try to be understanding of how hard it is. I mean, I know, I said AE hundred times. My limited experience in coaching at a random club level, I still it gave me a taste of how much there is that goes into it. So there's a lot coming at him. There's a lot of decisions to be made. There's a lot of people that he has to get on the same page. So I do think that we're I've given him some leeway here. But this is the time for all these guys, for the coaches, for the players. Week twelve, baby, they say it all the time. They're not rookies anymore, so that goes for the coaches too. It's time to you know, just make good decisions, you know, manage the clock. Well, and I think everybody would probably get on the same page of let's just be aggressive. You've won three games. Let's just go out there and let it fly and see what happens, and not, you know, worry about you know, you're at the end of the season. Now, you're looking for sparks. You're looking for guys who are going to step up in big moments. Give those players the opportunities. Just I hope they go out swinging with all these last six games, no matter how they go.

I agree with Mike.

I feel like at this point we should stop seeing the repeat offender things, especially the end of the second quarter. Yes, the Aerra repeaters the end of the second quarter specifically, why are you misman managing the clock? Still week twelve, I hope not to see it again today. As well as with running the football, sometimes it's like, why are you running the ball? We want to see, especially because running the football has not been working out.

For the Patriots.

Just throw it like I'm sorry, of course you want to have that balance, but you see it's not working. Why are you still trying it? You just stuff after stuff, loss after loss.

Just throw the ball.

Time for a quick time out. As we When we come back on the other side, we'll find out, hopefully what the status is with Christian Gonzalez. Massachusetts is made for everyone, for leaf peepers, corn made strollers, regatta lovers, pumpkin pickers, and anyone else you can think of. Come to where there's something for everyone this fall in Massachusetts, where everything is made possible. Plan your trip at visit ma dot com. Let's take a break and we'll be back on the other side with more information on the Patriots pregame Social fuel by Duncan.

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Now live from our studios here is Matt Smith.

Easy to They're easy to Enjoy. Bud Light is the official beer sponsor in the England Patriots. We welcome you back inside Jolette Stadium to our studios here with the Patriots pregames social easy to spit out there Matt fueled by Duncan. Eleven thirty four to thirty four minutes past the hour. It's inactive time. That means it's Tamara Brown time.

Drum roll please, it's an active time, and I'm starting with good news. Christian Gonzales is in. He was listed late in the week with a hip injury. He is good to go today. It looked like a game time decision, so he's going to be available, hopefully to play against either Jalen Waddle or Tyreek Hill.

Bad news.

Detrich Wise is out for the second week in a row. We talked about the importance of the marriage of the pass rush and the secondary. They're going to be without him today, so it could be a larger load maybe for Yannick.

In gacway nail. Did I say it right?

Christian Barmore, It's going to take a group effort today, Jeremiah Farms, it's going to be a mixed effort today to get that get that rush going against Tuus So no djit wise, that's going to be a hit for this front seven. And back to the wide receiver room we were talking about earlier, Will Polk played today. Polk is active today. The odd man out for the second week in a row is kJ Osborne.

Which I think he's being the proverbial good pro Is this right? I'm sure there's was discussions with him about kJ. We got to take a look at these young guys. Sorry, it's not going to be your turn.

Yeah, it's just a depth thing now, and with Taekwon Thornton out, it's kind of he's the last man standing. So yeah, I just I like getting the young guys in there. I mean, all the guys that are active today are under contract for next year, so you know, for better or worse, you like these guys. You want them around, You want them to have an opportunity to prove they can do it next year. That seems like that's what they're going to do here down the stretch.

Mike, seems a little repetitive because we've talked about it for several weeks here, but in week twelve and three and eight along the way, I think it is. It's imperative if they can what else do they have out of this rookie class, get the wide receivers. Can they at the offensive lineman healthy to see if there's something there? I don't think. I mean, Paul mentioned it earlier today and called it a lost season potentially for Poke. And while that may be true, can you give me something to hang your hat on, you know, along these last six games, to say, oh, that's why they drafted him in the second round. Now I see it as opposed to it being just really a feudal lost season.

I said, I think this week on PU I just I've never quite seen anything like it. Where I watched him all summer, I felt like he's a good player, solid, you know, just it was consistent like every camp he had a couple catches. I remember the end of Mini camp it ended on a fade from Drake to him in the end zone. That's how you ended spring practices with a touchdown to Polk, and that was just an example of the chemistry that already seemed to exist there. And when Jacoby Brissett went out and Drake came in, I thought, all right, now this might maybe these guys have been working after practice together throughout the summer. Now we'll start to see some of that chemistry. And so I've just I've been kind of befuddled by his lack of good word impact. And you hear it from the coaches though, too. I mean, everybody continues to have this confidence in Jalen Polk, then he'll get it. He'll get it, and you know, I saw him do it all summer, so I know he can do it. But at a certain point you just have to say, you're gonna have to figure it out for yourself. We can't keep throwing you out there with one hundred percent of the snaps and you know you're not able to come down with it. So he's gonna have to break back into the lineup, you know, from from below, from below the depth chart and make the most of his opportunities. You just hope Drake doesn't stop looking his way, because he looked his way so many times this summer.

Eight five five Pats, five hundred the number. It's Sunday morning, Week twelve. Good morning, pat you join us first in the Patriots pregame social fueled by Duncan Good Morning Pact.

Going everyone, Hey Pei. So over the weekend, I kind of changed my philosophy about what I want to see this team do this year. And you know, I was hoping for a high draft pick. But you know what, guys, this is going to be the stance for the rest of the season for me brat Pisa. I want to see this team start winning down the stretch. I'll allow like the nineteen ninety three Patriots and what they did and what they were able to do and build some momentum going into next year. And you know what, how great would it be if it started today? I mean two, what was six and zero against Bill Belichick? How great would it be if we got you know, Mayo's first try against the tule At Dolphins, not against the Dolphins, because we all know how that turned out in Week five. But and Mike, I'm with you. Let's you know, let's be aggressive. Let's let's get in these guys' faces, like I'm third down and start jamming these friggin' receivers when you know they're gonna throw the ball and stack the box if you think they're gonna run it, like get off the field up third down, and you know what I mean, Like it's a division game. We've seen wacky thing, Wacky things happen in division division games. Look at what happened on Thursday night. Who with a fact Cleveland was gonna win that game, like Fred said, maybe the Sharps, but but who knows. But you know, bigger picture thing. I just I want to see them start winning. I want it to start today. Let's freaking go, baby. You know this, this is it. This is the point of the season where you need to start building momentum going to the next year. And that's all I got, guys, And I'm pumped, and I'm jack, like Pete Carroll would say.

And we thank you for the call, Pat, I mean, brings up, brings up some good points. I don't think the schedule maker is in their favor, But you said it earlier, Mike, Can you go down and steal one here? You know why not? It would be why do they play the games?

I don't love like a signature win, but like it kind of would be that at this point in the season for you know, Mayo to go down into a place like this where they, like we've been talking about, they haven't had a lot of success. It's a challenging gear and I love, like you know what you said, Matt, this is a Dolphins team that right now is like they feel like they're on the cusp of getting really into this conversation about the playoffs. We make that joke about the Patriots or people's get right team. Well, well are they like, cause today, what are we going to see from this defense? Are we going to see an.

And you so, let's see punchback? Maybe?

Are they going to punch back? You know, they said, oh, we feel good about our third down defense. I mean they didn't even really get to third downs last week because the Rams were just first second down right down the field on them. So, you know, are we gonna see something new? Are we gonna see something from this defense like they are punching back? Or is it going to be a long day of Tua picking them apart, competing like seventy five percent of his passes and pink book bomp right, down the field and you know, putting all the pressure on may to have to go back and sling it. Maybe you do get in a shootout, but I just I think it's an I look at it as an opportunity because I think most people who are predicting this game are predicting a pretty easy Dolphins way.

I will say, I think the familiarity you have with playing this Dolphins team twice a year is going to be in the Patriots favor because at least you have the tape to see like, Okay, this is what we did the last time against Hill, especially when John Jones was in and Christian Gonzales was out last season, John Jones still did a pretty good job against Tyreek Hill, holding him to like four catches fifty yards something around there. So I think that you have a good game plan that has ex been executed well in the past against them. You just weren't to score on offense to be able to compete with them. So now I think that if you take those game plans that have worked in the past and held Tyrek Hill and Jalen Waddle to under one hundred yards each and also put points on the board.

Then I think you can give yourselves a chance.

So I don't want to completely write the Patriots off today because now they can actually score, but the defense is going to have to show up.

There's like they did.

There's some history there and it goes back to when Tyreek Hill was with the Chiefs and the Patriots certainly had a better team at that point in time. Yeah, but there's some history there with John Jones and Tyreek Hill. Yeah.

And I was just I was gonna give a little more trivia Christian Gonzalez two career interceptions, both both against the Dolphins.

Correct email or Kyle writes in and we touched on this a little bit before the break. Do you think Mayo is getting too much criticism this year? Question Mark? This is a first reading it as they come in, first year head coach with one of the least talented rosters in the NFL. I think it's fair to give may slack when it comes to Mistakes's rookie year. Why does it seem that Mayo does not get the same treatment. Repeating a little something that I said before we went to the break, do you want to take that one on Paul back with us from your show?

I took it on a little.

I mean I think the coach deserved. I mean, I think it makes sense that you would hold a coach to a higher standard than a rookie player, wouldn't you, Like a rookie coach, he's not really a rookie in the NFL. He's a rookie head coach, like should be able to get the wind right, yeah, you know, as an example. Yeah, So, I mean I understand why he's He's also it's an impossible spot. He's replacing a legend, he's replacing a Hall of fame. You know, some people called the greatest coach who's ever done it. You never want to be the guy who replaces the guy. Well that's unfortunately with Jeridmeo finds himself. So the scrutiny is is big.

I mean, it's just and I mean, you know, in fairness, it's you know, it's kind of unconventional. I mean, Mayo, what coaching experience does he really have? Like he you know, he wasn't really a coordinator, He wasn't really the play caller in a sense. I mean, I know we had a high level kind of leadership position, but it's a whole different thing when you're the now the decider and you got it side quick and direct people, and so, you know, I do think it's a little bit of a unique situation, whereas maybe in other teams where you hire a coach, he's either been a head coach before, or he's been a long time assistant and he's been you know, or an assistant head coach. You know, it's a little bit of a unique situation too with Jerad and that he just doesn't have a ton of especially I mean general football coaching experience. I mean it's twenty nineteen. We got here the same year.

But I would give you, like an example like Jakobe Prisseatt took a lot of criticism for not being able to move the ball and score points. It's really his first time as starting quarterback for the Patriots. He just got here, but he's been in the league for nine years. He should be better than that. So some of the things that he wasn't doing, he got criticized for the same things if May's not doing, he's not going to get criticized for because he's a rookie in the league.

Floyd from Michigan writs, Good Morning Pregame Show This week, Albert preer indicated that a defensive line coach becoming the defensive coordinator isn't the normal path. I missed that column. The defense is struggling this year, and it's not all because of personnel issues. DeMarcus Covington was a defensive line coach that was elevated to defensive coordinator, and that's not the normal path per career. Are you concerned about DeMarcus Covington as defensive coordinator?

Uh?

Sure, yeah, I mean, I you know, look, they've been bad. They've been bad. I mean, I and I love the defensive side of the ball. It's it's really you know, that's a part of the game that I'm passionate about. And like we said, new coaches, you have a little bit of all right, grace with them and allowing them to get adjusted.

So we're past the grace period.

But I would just say, we'll see we're unnoticed right now. I mean, you're one of the worst defenses in the league by most statistical categories. You didn't really show much last week against you know, a RAMS team that you know you matched up okay with. So I think I just think it's like everybody, I want to see these last six games and then what we'll decide. Nothing has to be decided right now, but these guys, they haven't been good enough, and I need to see, you know something today, a little spark, a little punchback, hold the Dolphins under twenty points. You know, even that would be a little bit of something to hang their hat on. But I just think we're we're seeing a defensive doesn't take the ball away. They don't really impact the quarterback. And for a large chunk of last week's game, between the second and third quarter, they were Swiss cheese. They were getting run right over.

I'm indifferent on this because I feel like in training camp I would not have guessed that this team would have been out without Duggar and Peppers, and you know, Deetchwage is now hurt, Barba went out, Bentley like, I would not have expected all of these things to happen. So right now, if Bentley, Wise, Jugger, Peppers, bar Moore, like, if all these players were here and healthy, I wonder what this defense would look like. And obviously I'm going to say too all teams are dealing with injuries. Everybody's without players. Miami Dolphins has their share of injuries. Jalen Phillips, Kendall Fuller, Everyone's dealing with it. But I do wonder if a first year DC in DeMarcus Covington would have been better if he had his personnel.

And I would tell you that. My guess is if you talked to DeMarcus Covington, he'd be the first one to say it starts with me, and he wouldn't want to take any of the excuses. But I think Buddy Ryan would have a tough time scheming up defense and taking the ball away with what is playing now for the Patriots, based on all the guys that we've talked about that aren't playing for them.

I just say one more thing, Like I before all these injuries happened, I was concerned about this defense, about their past rusher. I mean I was saying it all off season, and you know, and I thought it was going to be an issue even if they had all those guys. And you know, look, it's all fair, Like no question Joan Bentley. They've missed him enormously. But at the same time, like I think you can point to some of the personnel decisions where you know you don't I mean, Lawrence guy was at the end of the road, no question. But you know, what did they really do to replace him?

Not much?

And then you know bar War's out and all of a sudden, It's like, I think a lot of people tell you your defense wins up front, that's where you win. And at least on the early downs you see the step back that they've taken. Not to put the world on Lawrence guy, but it just seems, you know, Paul talks a lot about the lack of a planet left tackle. It just seemed like, well, we'll just let those guys go and then you know, the Jeremiah Farms is the world. Those guys will step up and play at a level of Lawrence Guy, who you know, we might joke about, but was a very solid player who never missed games and was an anchor to that defensive line for a long time. So I think it's more than just the injuries. I think they were already trending towards having issues and instead of just pass rush, now it's run defense, big plays.

And that would be the big one to me is Bentley. I don't think they would be this bad against the run if Bentley didn't get hurt. But the rest of it I think what Mike said is buterfectly.

But like what I find myself wondering in Pollock, is that wrong? Like am I am I wrong to say? Are we wrong to say? It's it's all on one player and we'll get Bentley back next year and the run defense will be fine. Like myself also been like, shouldn't we have, you know, had some kind of alternative, alternative backups behind them?

I just don't think it would have been two hundred yards a game. No, I'm not telling you it would have been good, because I don't think the defense was all that good last year. I know the Balluminati doesn't like when you say that, but when you play Tommy DeVito and you know, the cast of backups that they played, you're not going to get burned as much. Yeah, but this year, like they didn't let Tyler Huntley and Dolphins score any points against them either, you know. Yeah, they also they only gave up fifteen points. It was the same thing when they played those backup quarterbacks. It was the same thing. But when they played you know, when they play the front line guys, they have a hard time because I don't think man for man, they have as much as the offense as they're going against.

Eight five five Pats five hundred and the number calling from hard Rock Stadium is Johnny from South Beach. Good morning to you, Johnny.

Recording from the front lines here nice trying to add some value to the show. The Dolphins played stickers of the bang going in from the fifty yard line, which is actually pretty interest and you know, unfortunately I'm on the opposite end of where the Patriots so warming up, so I only have insights from the Dolphins specials and une flash, Tyree Hill.

Is a.

Thing in real life.

I know he's only five ten, five eleven, but.

He looks BA.

That's my contribution.

To appreciate it. Maybe the next time when you do that, Johnny, a better phone would be or certainly maybe not in the fountains out of the wealth, right, Johnny. We appreciate the hustle on the on the coup on the He's coming, He's coming for Tomar's job. He wants to sideline refor Deshaun from Virginia. You're next in the Patriots pregame show fueled by Duncan, held on, guys, you going, how are you good?

We're done?

Continue to talk about these Patriots problems. But like Paul, when it comes to the defense, like I touched on, but just what Paul just said, the defense is not tuned in eating phase or any sect of the game. I mean, like I said, you know, when it comes to being able to cover guys whatever, Like I think having excellent linebacker is the key to a lot of defenses. I was just saying, I go under the radar. If you have guys that can cover, go with some line line cover the middes of the field, have a good communication in the back end, and they'll be able to tack stuff instinctively or what as far as getting their hairs on the ball. Because like there's another team that's in South Beach that's that's basketball. Be my an knowledgy for this team, like the Miami Heat for example, they don't necessarily have great on the ball ball defenders, but they do get to do a great, very good job and getting their hairs on the ball and causing turner, you know, And that could be the very same thing for the for the team. The team, but they don't have guys on the back and they eat cover. So when they run those blitz concepts of whatever, they don't have great guys on the back end, even when it comes to the blitz uh uh, you know the man blitz teams they run. Everybody got toasted the last game.

No, their depth on defense is something that Mike just harps on a lot during the week on the Patriots Unfiltered shows in you know corner edge, you know, and you just brought up you know, the defensive tackle, you know, because Barmore is a tremendous player, but he's more known as sort of a disruptive force in the past game than he is in the run games. So I think you were going to slip by by losing personnel upfront anyway, even with him now, obviously it slipped dramatically because he was not in the equation for the first ten weeks of the season. So that was a huge loss because barb Wore and Gonzales are far and away the two most talented members of the defense and you were without one of those guys for the whole year. I mean, that's huge. You can't just like blow that off. That's a factor.

Emailer Todd writes in do we know how Milton Joe Milton is progressing? Would he be on a trajectory potentially to be the backup next year. If not with the Patriots look to resign Persett or go to free agency or the draft. That's from Todd. Was it Alex van Pelt or Gerrod Mayo who later in the week late in the week this week talked about Milton and did so in fairly glowing terms.

I want to mention, yeah, yeah, they said he's been he's been doing really well as the scout team quarterback. I mean, you know, it's hard for us to analyze it. We don't see him. We have no idea how they how they believe in him. I would just say, in a perfec world, you'd love for him to be the backup quarterback, not have to, you know, go out and sign a veteran and spend some money on that and let these two, you know, young kids, kind of grow together and at a certain point you probably re up Drake and then you know, maybe Joe Milton gets a chance somewhere. I'm sure that's what they're telling him. Stay ready, keep working. You know, if you if you hang on long enough, you will get an opportunity, whether it's here somewhere else. And I think we all saw Joe Milton has some really good skills that you know, need some refinement. But I think that the whole conversation about there being like some kind of competition between them and the summer seems silly. Now that's out the window. But for sure, great business developing quarterbacks, so I'm all for it.

I will Patriot Patriots quarterbacks coach Tise McCartney was asked about him and his growth in development and what areas that he's seen Joe Milton grow in, and he said specifically calling plays in the huddle. He didn't have to do that at Tennessee, and he did it in a little bit at Michigan when he was there.

That's been his.

Biggest area of growth here is knowing the play call. Tis said, you know, our play calls are very long. Joe is still growing in that area. He's seen improvement in it, but that's where his primary focus is obviously, outside of you know, accuracy and his throwing.

We Welt van Pelt in Mayo both talked about, you know, his progress, and he has been one of the practice players of the weeks in the three games that they won. What I don't know is what he's doing to get that like is he running the other is it strictly scout or is he getting any chance to learn and operate this offense? And that would be what I need to know before I be willing to say who the backup is because on the surface, right now, I would think you can't go into a season with two second year guys. That's that's your quarterback depth chart. Like you would need somebody to answer Todd's question will they find it?

You would think that they're now bring that available.

And I feel like the same thing with Joe Milton and is he going to be ready to be a backup quarterback for Drake may I think that's the same question for Cole Strange and is he ready to be because both have that same responsibility of knowing the calls, knowing the protection, knowing a lot of things outside of football fundamental. So I think both of those guys are the same question mark for me in terms of are they ready to step up next year and being and be in that role.

Let's get into the close Strange a little bit later on the other side of the break. But let's take a break here as we are within almost an hour before the Patriots and Dolphins in a big AFC East clash. We'll meet at hard Rock Stadium. We'll be back after this time out.

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Join the conversation by calling into the TPX hotline at eight five five pats five hundred, or email the show at podcasts at Patriots dot com. Now live from our studios, here is Matt Smith.

And welcome back to the two Gillette Stadium and the Patriots pregame show feeled by Duncan. Reminded, the Bridge Done is the official tire of the Knowing the Patriots and they're proud to partner with Sullivan Tire, New England's headquarters for quality Bridgetone tires. Visits oliventire dot com to find a location near you. All Right, let's spruce things up a little bit with a positive spin on the history in Miami between the Patriots and the Dolphins. Negative, Paul, that Meani is trying to point out that they're two and nine in the last eleven and that's a fact, not opinion. I thought you, But I digress. Let's go back, maybe to nineteen eighty five. Is this the greatest moment in Miami Patriots history? Squash the Fish, Paul? Were you wearing a Squish the Fish t shirt? Was not?

But I was watching this game intently.

Yeah, Mike, before your time? Huh, squished?

Ten year old Deuce was very excited. I mean this was the first time the Patriots. I mean I went to Patriots games in the old Stadium, but I was fully on board with this. I mean, the whole town was a buzz and like you said, they had like a motto of the game. You know, now we're just used to playing nasty champions.

Was a great, great moment in Miami. This is at the Orange Ball, not at hard Rock Stadium, where this win catapulted them to their first Super Bowl appearance. Let's turn the clock forward to two thousand and three, in overtime. Is this the greatest moment in Patriots Dolphins history? Brady rolling left and he sees Steve Burton, I mean Troy Brown wide open it to thirty he takes it in. What a call by great, the great Gil Santos in this one as the Patriots beat the Dolphins in overtime. I don't think we see it in this clip, but a younger Bill Belichick throwing his headphones in the air on that wind Mary Tyler Moore like. And now we go to twenty eleven. Tom Brady threw for mere five hundred yards in this one. Ninety nine came on this play. We caught a great matchup, and there's Wes Welker who goes to distance ninety nine yards twenty eleven. With the Patriots beat the Dolphins, there are some reasons to cheer. There are some reasons to hang your hat on for the Patriots in Miami. Can they make another memory today, Mike.

I, I mean I'd like to see him try.

No.

I I I remember that Miami game because I remember, like, didn't Ryan Tanne don't have like four hundred yards to.

Just four or something like that?

They needed that touchdown? U The only other play that comes to mind though that that I have to shout out was that fifty burger they did in two thousand and seven where Randy Moss had two touchdowns that were crazy. There was one where a guy like Torres acl trying to defend the pass and you see and Moss just like one hand grabs it and the guys on the ground like writhing in pain. And to me, that was like quintessential oh seven Patriots. If just they went down there, even my mom and it couldn't stop that team at that point in time, and they rolled over him. But that's some good stuff.

Good.

How about the Pat Chung game, Paul, Oh, yeah, there you go, that's.

Twenty ten, twenty ten.

Oh, way you set me up.

They lost some games, a game that needed it.

That was the game Bill. Bill knew how much I was behind it because just tell the quick story, we used to have all the picks in the paper back when we still published the paper, and everybody picked Miami in that game, and they had to cut out and put in the locker room wall, of course not for us to see, but we found out about this later. So they got down there. I think Patrick Chung had a touchdown off like a block field goal or something like that. Nikovich had a couple of picks in that game. They just you know, it was one of Monday night turnover fests. And the Patriots ended up winning going away in a game that everybody picked the Patriots to lose. And I saw Bill after his postgame press conference, was sort of milling around, and I went up to him, and he had a big smile on his face. He was all excited, you know, typical Bill win. You know we did, you know, yeah, we said we couldn't win, you know, block a field goal for a touchdown anywhere. You guys think that, you guys think those plays don't matter. So I go up to him, you know, and I say, Bill, I'm just glad we could help. And he had this big smile on his face and he went completely stone face and goes, yeah, Paul, you're with us all the time, win a time.

That's what I had looking back at that game, because I remember there was a little tension, you know, I mean tension now versus tension then. And I mean they had beaten the Bengals thirty eight twenty four in the open, remember, like it was oh, it's so fun. And I remember they're on the cover of SI could put the Earth on them?

Yeah, oh that was the Randy Moss. Uh, you could put the earth on my shoulders.

Then they lost to Rex Ryan and the Jets. You remember that one where you know, Brady threw at halftime that bomb to Moss over over revs and it felt like we're rolling, and then it was all Jets second half. Then they scored thirty eight to thirty against the Bills, which I don't remember that game exactly, but you know, you put up thirty eight in two out of three games, and you go to Miami and everyone's like, this isn't looking good, Like how do you score thirty eight points in two of your first three games? And you I mean, and granted even looking at the stats, and only threw four hundred and forty six yards down in Miami. But like Paul said, a lot of special teams, four turnovers from the defense. You know, meanwhile, Miami did rang up four hundred yards. So a little bit like this is like the twenty ten Patriot that we talked about a little bit where Brady was MVP level, like absolute elite Brady, but their defense just couldn't seem to stop people.

And I believe they made the Randy Mosh trade. Yeah, like in the immediate aftermath.

Yeah, because then by they had their bi week right after that Miami game, and then they played the Ravens, for which Deon Branch was back and caught a touchdown.

Right, and what was the post was built?

Look at the scoreboard, Mason, Yeah, yeah, only he didn't say that.

What was a comment about the defense by Bart Scott couldn't stop a nosebleed?

Oh?

Well that was that happened later that year?

Yeah, wait, that was how that that season ended. But I think, uh, you know, if you were a Patriots fan, you kind of it wasn't all that. I mean, it was surprising because they had throttled the Jets like earlier something like that, but you knew that that was not quite that. We talk a lot about the narrow path to victory with the team now where they just you know, they can't turn the ball. I mean, it wasn't It wasn't that, but you knew that if they didn't score when they had to, And that's kind of how that Jets game unfolded, where they were driving I think Brady threw an interception David Harris. All of a sudden, the Jets got a little momentum, and I think Algie Crumpler dropped the touchdown, you know like that. So Geez, sound like you, Paul. I'm recalling these things like left and right. Twenty ten was my prime.

That was when I was Mike.

It's a lot of detail in that in that report. Good job.

I go to the same thing for the next year and eleven when they went to the super Bowl. Okay, that was not a very good Patriots team. That was a Patriots team that lost at Gillette in the regular season to the Giants. And yet somehow, some way, when they get to the super Bowl, the Patriots are a seven point pick.

They were not a seven I mean, we have this argument all the time when you say this, that was like a two and a half point spread.

That's maybe why I don't gamble, but I remember it as a seven paint spread.

And I would also say, like to Mike's point, that was a team that wasn't that good. You are absolutely right, and they didn't belong there. They should have lost Baltimore at home. Yeah, they were very lucky to get out of that game with a drop touchdown pass that might be a touchdown if you looked at it today, and then he misses a thirty two yard field goal, it would have been an overtime. So they were very fortunate to get to get there. And then you know, they probably could have won the Super Bowl, just like they could have won the other one against the Giants, but.

Giants made more plays.

Has made more plays.

Just just some statistical anomalies from that team. Offense Brady MVP year twenty ten, first in points, eighth in yards, defensively eighth in points, twenty fifth in yards, and defensively thirty second on third down. But the big piece of it was first in turnovers on offense. They gave the ball away the fewest, and they were second in takeaway, so they took the ball away the second.

Most good prescription.

It's an interesting kind of formula.

Before you can win, Mike lead to learn how to not lose.

So we're looking forward to being in Virginia, writes in I know it might not be a big thing in the grand scheme of things. We've talked about this a little bit, but has there been a lot of comment about the heat and how the visitors get stuck sitting in the sun in Miami. Can visiting teams bring along some kind of portable shade or is there a rule prohibiting installations.

Like I don't know, but that I think that they can. I think we've seen that.

So I remember in the past scenees called hatred staffers, like putting a makeshift sort of a tent up or anything like that. I wonder if in the day though, that that has been somehow legislated out of the game. And you know what, you got to suck it up.

Yeah, well, I Pop Douglas talk to he trains down there in the summers. But you know, he's word a little worried that he's gotten used to the cold the tiny bit here. But hopefully it's not so bad today. I mean, these guys are, all, you know, elite athletes, and they were in the bubble this week, so maybe that game a little little boost of heat to get ready for this game.

But did you go out in the bubble.

I didn't know Evan went out there.

Did they turn the heat up?

Now?

I mean usually sometimes that's been done in the past.

Now he said it, he said it. What didn't feel like they were they were trying to increase the heat at all. But we'll see. I just think ultimately the game's going to be one not based on the weather today.

Okay. Dean asks another question, not a bad one here. With Wise being out, the only Patriots captain who will likely be taking the field today is Joe Cardona. Why haven't the Patriots nominated stand in captains to replace those on IR with either the coaches or players now field The sea patch now stands for Kursed, not captain he kids, that's stanon Virginia and I do believe that Hunter Henry was nominated for that.

Role and Kyle Dugger as well. They have replaced some of the captains.

Yeah, okay, all right, those are the two new guys, right, I think those are the two ones. Yeah.

It is seven past the hour, so we're a little less than an hour before the Patriots and Dolphins meet at hard Rock Stadium in a big AFC East matchup. Can the Patriots stun Miami down in Miami? Yes, let's look at some of the over unders. Please, mister Matt.

It's time for this week's edition of over unders.

You know what really interests me, Mike when this happens as we get ready. I see Paul like sort of go to a different gear. He gets his writing implement of choice out, Glass starts sometimes, yeah, he starts to write. He's looking at you know, mathematics and figures and statistics and things like that.

The analytics.

There's a little, uh, little pep in his step. Oh yeah, when he gets there. Well, I wonder if the same pep would be in his step if the ledger didn't look so good.

Oh wow, this is yeah, this we've just come to expect it, Paul.

Usually we'll never.

Know, all right, gloat away.

So last week I was five and one, No Socks was four and two, Mike was three and three. The season is forty one and twenty five for Paul thirty nine and twenty.

The only two games back is forty one and twenty five. Indicative of how you usually pick these.

I really honestly couldn't tell you.

Okay, all right, well you're the one who's.

Your lifetime winning percent.

But I don't have last year's numbers to compare him to. Why not, shut up, Glenn, I'm the show and Mike is thirty five and thirty one.

Are those numbers? Indicative, Mike.

Sure, Actually they're probably a little better than I usually do.

Okay, all right, So here we have it, and we should let you know that the Patriots Pree Game Show was brought to you by Draft Kings. Stay tuned because you hear more about DraftKings and all has to offer throughout the show. Draft Kings. The crown is yours. These numbers courtesy of our friends at Draft Kings. We kick things off with Drake May passing attempts at thirty two and a half.

Paul, I'm going to take the over. I feel like this is gonna be a game where the Patriot's gonna have to put some offense up to keep pace.

Yeah, I'm with Paul. I think they might be chasing a little bit. It's an opportunity for Drake to throw it.

How about maybe, just in the spirit of being different, I go under. I wonder how often the Patriots will have the ball and what they're able to do with it. There's a possibility of tim of possession not being.

In their favorite see that.

Yeah, Tua Tagliovaya loa butcher, I'm sorry what Yeah, Tua's passing yards at two point fifty one and a half.

That's a good number. I gotta air on the side of him having a good game. He's playing really well. I'm gonna go over.

Paul, Yeah, I think that's a pretty good number.

Two.

I'm gonna take the.

Over three for three on that one. Drake made completions twenty and a half.

Paul, Yeah, I mean at thirty last week. So I'm gonna take the over.

I'm gonna agree. Michael, Yeah, I make it three.

I think he's gonna throw it a lot and uh, you know, taking the shorter stuff. I think they'll they'll there'll be some easy completions.

Finn, there is Bradley amos. I mean Drake May. Look at that in pregame warmups. Look at the hustle by Bradley running down the move. That's nice hustle.

A record setting performance by Drake May has got under thirty two and a half attempts in over twenty and a half completions, all never hitting the ground in hard rock. Is it possible?

Of course it is all that he plays well and is decent and everything like that, but they're just not on the field.

That twenty two for thirty. I like it.

Next on the list, Romandre Stevenson's longest rush thirteen and a half. And this I'm gonna put the reminder in that I needed this reminder myself. The Patriots rushed her over one hundred and fifty the last time these two teams played. So with that being said, Michael thirteen and a half for his longest rush, number thirty eight. Romandre Stevenson, Yeah, I don't.

I don't think Miami's got a great round defense. I'm gonna go just a little positive. This is a little far, and he's been struggling a little bit, but I'm gonna go over. I think he gets one.

He pops one? Does he pop one?

Paul, Yeah, I'm gonna say no.

I'm gonna say no as well. I'm not gonna say I'm gonna say no as well. Total punts seven and a half.

I'm gonna go under on that one.

Seems a little high, doesn't it.

Yeah?

Yeah, four each little bit.

Old friend Jake Bailey for the Miami Dolphins. By the way, punting away, I'll go under as well, three for three. The total score the number here is forty six and a.

Half over under total. Indeed, that's a normal total normal thirty seven and.

A half's I'm gonna be optimistic. I'm going over. I think there's a bunch of points today.

I agree, I'm gonna go over on that one as well.

Yeah, I'm taking the over. So we're unanimous on that one, all right.

So as we're watching pregame warmups and we see as well, we should be seeing Drake may and warm ups, think little fants going on that a little shimmy, you hop in his step? The strip wasn't an earth worn and fire Mike, And and are we in agreement that we like the blues with the silver? It's just blues with any non blue? Maybe? How about that?

I don't I'm not like that. I'm not I'm not a big fan of the dirty pants and I'm not a big fan of the blue tops either.

But wow, what don't you like about the blue tops childer stripes?

Yeah? I don't like them?

Okay, I like the blue tops.

I like I like these these better than they all blues.

Right, anything non monochromatic.

I like unmonochromatic. But I don't like the blue. I don't like their blue.

Like did you like the old Jersey blue? The one they were for the twenty years. Those those blues. Do you like that blue? Or is it just this blues too?

I like this? You know what the uniforms are like the seventies, Paul, You gotta let it go. They're never coming back. Yeah, well, Paul, times times change, bro move on.

Like I just want to look on the field and I want to see the Patriots, and that's like this. This uniform to me, although not exactly the Patriots, feels like the Patriots closer Denver's new uniforms. I don't see the Broncos anymore. And even those Houston ones they were the other night, I thought that was Atlanta.

I just I'm not always a fan of getting alternative uniforms that pop up out of nowhere. I don't always like.

Who's your guy here? Talking to Drake?

Paul?

Are you up to speed on zebras dot org? As to who's calling this one this week?

I have no idea.

Okay, who is it? It's pretty Jack though they're all jack these days.

They're all is it Land's Clark? I don't I really don't have any.

I all right, as we're watching Drake may warm up. Here's one for you, Paul. And there was a way I could look that up. I know you're a fian as you should be of Jalen Ramsey. Is Jalen Ramsey of the ilk Still, Paul, Where you try to avoid throwing to Jalen Ramsey?

I don't, I don't. I don't think so. I don't think you avoid anybody. Okay, Like you got to make plays on both sides of the field. I've never been a big proponent of, well, you can't throw over there because that guy's there, So then what do you do? You use half the field?

Little never heard that name of my little little side story, Matt. I don't know if you've heard it, but but Scott Peters, the Patriots offensive line coach, told us Good Story Maine Friday that the last time they played the Dolphins, Jalen Ramsey was coming out of you know, going out of bounds high speed and his helmet contacted Scott Peters face and he lost the tooth and uh what you got some cuts along his face. So maybe it's Scott Peter's revenge game.

Was he was he kissed?

Well, he's got a dental bill that he's like Jalen?

Was he pissed?

Push up?

He wasn't bad, but he's kind of jacked himself by the Oh yeah, heck yeah, he's a big dude. He would be my pick in Patriots Coach Fight Club if they have one.

What's the first rule?

What I was supposed to talk about it, especially on the video so that I don't know what we're talking about.

We're seeing Drake May taking snaps from Ben Brown, and we had said earlier there was some discussion about Coal strange at center. Just helped clarify, if you would for me on this mic. Yeah, is he coming back now working exclusively at center? Is that the position that this administration sees him playing going forward?

It sounds like they're really trying to get a look at him there at this point though he's not really in team drills yet, so he's just you know, ramping up. So it's hard to say. But I was in with Scott Peters when I heard that initial story and we asked him a bunch about Cole, And you know, Cole was, I think viewed by a lot of teams as a center coming out. He played center at the Senior Bowl. I think, you know, in the Rams were kind of laughing about the draft selection that was a lot of the feeling was like this kid was going to be a you know, a Day three center, maybe you know, maybe sneaking a Day two. But talking to Cole this week, it sounds like he's it's a lot. It's a lot to understand. It's a lot more mental load to play center, especially in this offense where they put the calls on you, the protection calls, and you know, the old offense would with Bill that was on the quarterback to do all that stuff. So now it's on the center. Got to know the cadence, you know the snap count, you got to know the play, you got to know what you might audible too. So I think there might be a bit of a mental ramp up period for cold Strange. I'm just I'm curious if we'll see him in a game this year. It seems like, you know, I don't you think it will. I hope.

So I think he'll be activated next week. I think they want to give him a ramp up period. It'd be great, you know, maybe maybe they wait till after the buye. Maybe they you know, they give him next week and then it's a buye and get into the game and they get him the last four games, and they think, but I think it would be a wasted opportunity provided that he's physically ready. Yeah, I mean obviously at opportunity if he didn't play him, I don't care if you play mcguard or center. I would play him at center because I don't think they have an answer there and I think David Andrews is very much uncertain his future, so I would see what he is.

So as we talk about the list of wanting to see if we can, if they can find anything to hang their hat on from the rookie class from this past draft, you would include Coldstream at center is something you'd like to see or there would be helpful for the staff to see is there something there? And his injury notwithstanding his career, he probably is fair to say wasn't worthy of a first round pick, So maybe a change of scenery from a position standpoint might help him as he tries to move forward in his NFL career.

I mean it can't And I said, well, I guess it could hurt if he can't do it, if he can't make the transition. But I just feel like there's a lot of spots that they have at the very least depth problems. In some cases they don't have any starters, like the offensive line will be one of them. I think that they need to do everything they can to find out every player that they have, you know, as much on in these last last six games as they can, because if you need, let's just say that Cole Strange come back and all of a sudden, Okay, he's definitely one of our starters. So now you've got Cole Strange, you got Mike O Winner, who knows about David Andrews, you know, So maybe now we're just looking for tackles, you know, and we're you know, we're okay with City Show or Leyden Robinson as depth at guard. So suddenly you're you're just looking for tackles, and that is easier when you're going through that process to sort of eliminate anything you can eliminate. I think helps you as you move into the off season.

I got a question, because the grocery list is going to be long, isn't it. Yeah?

I think I know the answer to this, but just is there any chance you think they would pick up Cold Stranger's option that would have to be done this year, his fifth year option as a first round pick. I would not any world that makes sense.

I wouldn't make any sense.

I would not think that that would be in the offing. But I mean it's not quote unquote that expensive either. But I would say, I don't know. I would be surprised if they did.

This is think this is Thanksgiving week and is there a lot to be thankful for and for those who are thankful to go to the grocery store and to be able to purchase him generally a long list of things that you need to get at the grocery store. Is Elliott Wolfe's grocery list a Thanksgiving weak type of grocery list. There's a lot of needs there are.

I mean, I think the hard part for Elliott this offseason will be knowing how to balance what you want in the draft and what you want in free agency. The big point I made on PU this week was that they do have a lot of caps based this offseason. I think, by you know some totals that the most in the league. But they've taken care of all of their players in house, so there's not the Christian Barmore extension waiting over their head or the Kyle Duggart those things have all been taken care of. So all that in house, in house people is in house business is basically I mean, look, Jonathan Jones a free agent. I'm sure you know there's a discussion there. Of course, great long time patriot. Even if he's not a corner anymore, he can play safety for you. So sure that's a conversation. But that's not a deal that's going to break the bank. So they're going to have to spend a chunk of money on external players. I mean, that's just that's simple, Matt. There's nobody in house to spend it on. So you have to be smart. You have to pick the positions, and I mean I find myself doing this a lot of you know, do I like veteran defensive lineman? You know, do I like because because they played, you know, translates usually whereas a rookie defensive lineman hard to tell. You know, you're spending the dial a little bit at best, you don't know if you're going to get the performance you want to me. It's a projection until they start going. So I think that's the biggest challenge. How do I manage spending this money? How do I not give too much money to some middling players that aren't going to make impacts. I just think the bottom line we all agree is they need talent. They need guys that move the needle. And even if a position isn't a huge need, or even if it's a say a be need, like I know I would, I would qualify. And this is debatable, but second corner like you got Gonzalez, you got Marcus Jones, slot like second corner I put as a need, but I wouldn't put it as we so a lot of drafts this week, But what if there's a great corner And this is the same philosophy of that mock draft of what if there's just an elite corner, take him and he's available, And is it the biggest need? Maybe not the biggest, but it's in need. And let's just make this a point of strength on our team. Good point those kind of decisions after made.

We give away the winning keys when we think that there's somebody who's come up with the best key of the game. I don't know if we did that this week. I'm going to nominate the emailer of the day. This is Jordan and Maryland, who writes Love the show. I just wanted to say that Matt does a heck of a job and it's been a joy to see you grow into the role of being the host and doing a great job of moving the show along and giving balanced takes. Matt Morell, what do we give the emailer of the day is or something?

Is that from Lucas?

Nothing?

Okay? Oh wow, here's my question. I know Drake may is a young prospect in his sixth start, but in two of those games, he's had the chance to go down the field and win the game, and he's throw two picks in those situations. I'm just wondering if you guys are worried that Drake might lack that clutch gene. I know it's very early, but wouldn't you feel better seeing him come up in the clutch with the game on the line and the ball in his hands? Paul, you mentioned that earlier in the show.

Yeah. Yeah, It's not necessarily a concern for me right now, but it is something that I have noted. And you know it's again, when you progress in your career and it's fifteenth, sixteenth start as opposed to one through six, it's going to get perceived in a different way, and he's going to have opportunities, He's going to have more and I'm sure he's going to have more success.

I have no spot and I would say too like I and I brought, I asked the same question of the group on PU and I mean, as a guy starts to play more, it becomes less about fantasy land and more about reality. And this is what the guy has done well, and this is what he hasn't done well. And I mean, I think part of the reality for Drake may going forward as we see him progress in his career is are we still going to have those random throws that are kind of WHOA, Where'd that go? I think anybody who watched him in college and you know, some of the criticism of him coming out of draft is that he just has occasional head scratcher throws, you know, Ma Spray's I've kind of called him. Can those be coached out of him? We've seen a lot of improvement in other areas, but I think that's one element you saw in the summer and so in college and you're seeing a little Is it is it because that's who he is? Or is that is it because this is how he's suggesting to the pros, and it's this better. You know, it's a faster game, and you got to you know, get those things out of him. I do think it's an area to watch going forward with.

So as you're watching that, Mike, let me throw this question at you. Do you change how you grade the player based on the amount of games that he's played or do you need to wait until they do more and surround him with more talent. Can that evaluation be really Can it be more robust if the same cast of characters surround him, meaning offensive line, weapons, etc.

I mean, I think you need to feel yourself you've given the kid the best opportunity to, you know, to be successful.

So and they're not there yet, Yeah, and I don't think so.

And he's a rookie, and you know, would you love to just see him here down the stretch really clean up the turnovers and just kind of see those go by the wayside. I think that would be an excellent sign, And that would be another example of this kid making strides this season and showing tangible improvement over his time as the starter.

Paul, I remember saying to you many times, and you just shaking your head at me, going you can't believe that I was being critical. But I do remember back in the days a lot of times when Brady would get blasted from the blind side or something would happen. You have the Super Bowl against Eagles and he lose the ball, and I say, you know, there's no rule to say that he can't hold onto the ball. There. I bring that up with last week against the Rems. Did may have a chance on that one? Or is there no chance because that was coming from the blind side.

No, I think he did, And I think that he One of the things that I would say he needs to work on is having more awareness in the pocket, not his presence in the pocket, because I think he moves around really well, keeps his eyes downfield exceptionally well. But I think he's had a couple of stripsacks that I think he needs to know times running out last week, the example was sort of a double pump, right, a double clutch. Yeah, you gotta know something's coming. The one against Tennessee when he's like scrambling with the ball loose down here like this is in college. You're not out running everybody all the time. These guys are going to chase you down, he lost the ball. These are nitpicks. I mean, this is what Mike is talking about, Like, you gotta see if you can clean some of these things up. But I think it's fair to say that not every blindside sack fumble is like no responsibility for the quarterback. Some of them aren't, and some of them are. I mean, I always, you know, tease you about the one, the one that you're talking about is the super Bowl, like when you were in that game for one reason and one reason only, and it was here the masterful performance of the quarterback and then he fumbled at the end. I have a hard time putting that on the quarterback. Matt, however, had no problem to No.

I think, thanks Brady. The five hundred yards wasn't enough, right, No, I think I only point is there's no rule to suggest that he can hold on to the ball. That's all I mean.

Er it wasn't for the quarterback.

I mean, I mean, we just can't win with that kind of play from the quarterback.

Hey, you think, Malcolm Butler, we're looking.

At the previously I exaggerated the point.

Yeah, we're watching pregame warm ups from hard Rock Stadium and there's a shot of Christian Barmore or there was a show there, you know, over to the side and twenty snaps last week you said, Mike.

That twenty one, Yeah, that was Do you see the same Do you see the.

Same amount this week or do you think they try to ramp them up a little bit more.

I think I see similar mats. I mean, I you know, I I wonder though how many it would have been last week, if it would might have been more, if they'd see more third downs, you know, like that's something I wonder about. But but maybe not. I mean I thought, uh, he looked tired at the end. I think Girod said pad level and that was you know, when you're tired. You could see at the end Christian Barmore usually just legs, driving, staying low, getting in the backfield. He was like straight up and guys interesting as the.

Head coach didn't really necessarily think it was you know, anything on field that was, you know, say, worthy of the good list. But that was a shot at Fred.

Not you so so Fred was you just have to help last weeks because he played, because he dressed and he got mad.

That's the Marte Map Award. The position. But who, by the way, is back back in the week sat out last week. And I also just you know, I wanted to call out Matt. You've been talking about them playing some of the rookies. Rookie tight end Jack Westover was promoted from the practice squad for this game. I don't know if he's gonna play it all. What's what's the rationale there? I don't I don't know. That's why I'm kind of bringing it up for discussion. I mean, it's, uh, you have Jaheen Bell, so you have three tight ends already going you're bringing up before. He's more of a move kind of guy. He was at Washington with Jalen Polk.

He's a move guy.

He's not a block, more of a smaller never mind guy was going to give you.

Isn't bella move guy?

Yeah, yeah he's. But he's Bell's bigger, I think a little bigger than than west Over is. But I don't know. I mean, I just I put it under the grouping again of just rookies who have been here. He's been you know, I think they got him maybe in like mid September, so early October somewhere in there, just giving guys opportunities. Again, he might play like four special team snaps. I don't want to make a big deal.

Out of it.

So how does that work here? In all honesty, they bring a guy in, they obviously somebody has seen something that say we want to take a look at this guy. Now, they get him in practice, they see how he operates in their program. He must do something or some things. Well enough, if there's a coach that's banging on the table, is that your boy, Bobby Bignell, who goes I'd like to see this guy get a little bit of a chance. Let's see what he does on special teams because there might be something there is that how that goes?

I think?

So, I mean, I think that's just you know, file all this under that. I mean, you know, even people don't want to hear it with Javon Baker, but that's kind of with him too. I Mean, he's not playing a lot, but they're giving him some opportunities. They're throwing these young guys some bones at the end of the season, just you know, like we were talking about, trying to see if any of these guys show a spark or you know, give them a little bit of something. They have a lot of needs, but any spark you see here over these last six weeks, that's what you're going to be talking about in January February is you're starting to figure out what do we got to do in February, you know, in free agency and in the draft, and how do we you know, divvy those needs up and address them most effectively.

You're watching the warm ups here at a hard rock stadium. I noticed a nice regular surface in the grass. I wonder what that means for somebody we saw him a second ago as we're watching uh at Antonio Gibson, like Remandre Stevenson, think that the Backs would look forward to maybe playing on real grass.

Yes, I think always. I think these guys all like to I think players in general.

Yeah, yeah, you know, And I did see there was some clips this morning when Kendrick Bourne arrived. He did as he said, he was going to the exorcism at the spot, went over and talked to the spot a candle.

Yeah, he's had some incense going.

I had any stage going, but he you know, he went to the spot where he tore his a cl last year, and it was I saw a snapshot on Twitter this morning.

I got to tell you, being that's somebody you want to root for. His positivity and everything like that, you just hope can he play, can he bring something to the field to really help him, because I like everything that he stands for. I do too.

I did too, and I think the coaches do. I think what we've learned though about Kendrick and I mean, let's face it, since he arrived here, he's always been in the middle of these stories with like you know, criticizing the offense with with Maddy p a couple of years ago. And I just think what you've learned a little bit with Kendrick over over these last couple of years is that, you know, there are some some mental mistakes that I think pop up from time to time in his game that that maybe frustrate the coaching staff a little bit. So some of his usage over the last few years, I think it's it's it's a little bit of that.

And he may be sometimes an error repeater, I think so.

I mean, I still was surprised that they took the game three weeks ago, as still makes so bad that he had to be benched. I mean, especially with you know, the injury and and and like you said, the positive energy that he has, it's got to be hard to take that, you know, positive little puppy and be like, yeah, we know you're coming back from an injury, but last week those you know, false start and the wrong route and XYZ like you're out this week.

All right, Matt, let's hit the Sunday six pack. Please, this is the Sunday six pack back and list up positioning. I'm getting to getting the pits back.

You better bring a big stack.

Get it mixed.

Jack came to win it.

Get this is the Sunday sixth bad.

Here is a pick that I feel confident in making. I will finished in the last place in these standings. I think it's fairly cemented right now. And I see myself only going lower only two games. Matt, Yeah, I picked my nose.

It's actually three.

Oh this is wrong.

Yeah.

Uh so last week Paul was four and two, Mike was three and three. No, Socks was one in five.

Why does it say two and four on the list because there was a mistake.

I just I just said there was a mistake.

The addition, get.

They gave you the the the ROMs and then you took the Patriots I think I think Matt Morel is purposely trying to pump up my tires on that. I probably so this has been a struggle for all involved in fairness. Uh, Mike and Paul are thirty thirty four war and two and no socks is twenty seven thirty seven and two.

So there's no future for me on the vision line. Maybe with Mike Lombardi.

Oh maybe on that you could go on with him. I mean, evidently there's no knowledge necessary.

Why don't we just let Peu, Mike and Paul pick these?

Like?

What? Why?

What does that pre game? Because p you, Mike and Paul are doing pretty good and like they're not the same, they're not the same picks. I guess not like I'm doing different games. No, no, we're just I think we just like they get.

It this last week? Uh pu, Mike with the spread is ninety three seventy and three. Oh boy, uh and Paul is eighty eight seventy five and three.

What happened to those guys? Like why don't we lose our mind? By Sunday you're.

Writing stuff down note to self, write to pick down that you make on Thursday on Sunday.

Who's to say I'm not losing these games when I pick them there, Okay, all right, Well now that said, there's definitely at least a fifty to fifty shot that I pick a different team by accident.

You know. Twelve is get right week with the picks. What do you think? And let's kick things off at one o'clock where Paul's darlings, the Detroit Lions are on the road. The nine to one Lions, running away within in the NFC, travel to Indianapolis indoors to take on the five and six Colts, who, by the way, will be here in Foxbrow next week, and Detroit is a seven and a half point road favorite.

Paul.

Yeah, I don't like laying more than a touchdown, but I'm gonna do it. I'm gonna take Detroit, and I'm going to say that they continue to try to run the score up, and they do so.

Good problem to have according to Meadhead, go ahead, Mike, Yeah, I'm to Detroit blows doors. Yeah, they've put some fifty burgers up and wouldn't surprise you if they do it again.

They're tremendously efficient on offense.

And I have to tell you it's my one thing that if you call them my darlings all the time, I have been consistent. It's the one thing I can I'm concerned about because they're concerned about things that aren't important, and that would worry me. I running up the score.

Yep.

You know something else, Vendett is, you know, perceived slights, like all kinds of things that just aren't important. And I don't think that's a good sign for them. I'd be worried about it as our allions fan.

Interesting point also the one o'clock game that we have to choose from here. The other nine and one team, the Kansas City Chiefs, who lost last week in Buffalo, their first l of the year. They go down to Carolina and the Chiefs are ten and a half point favorites against the Panthers. Mike, too big of a spread or not.

It's pretty big. I like, I gotta take it. Though I know Kansas City's offense has not been you know, blowing doors off, but I still think that they have a chance to put up a bunch of these Carolina Panthers. So I'll take I'll lave.

Those have the Panthers won two in a row? Is that possible that did they win too in a row?

Earlier they did win too in a row. I don't think they're currently on the two. I mean they lost in between.

Yeah stink, But.

Yeah, I'm I'm not laying that amount of points with Kansas City until I see them actually do it, So I will take the ten and a half.

So I'm gonna try to follow the trend of a winner, and I'm gonna hitch my wagon to Paul on that one and say Kansas City wins, they bounce.

Back but not buy enough.

Four o'clock, I saw somebody put that this team is much better than I think. But in any event, the Arizona Cardinals are at Seattle the six and four Cardinals Great Division race, by the way, going on their taking on the five and five Sea Puppies, where the Sea Puppies are one point favorite against Arizona.

Paul, Now, I'll take Arizona in this game coin flip game. And I'm really worried about the whole Cliff Kingsbury late in the year swoon that he has every year. But I think Arizona's played pretty well for most of the season. I think that they're better than Seattle.

Michael, Yeah, I think I think Seattle has owned Arizona, which I saw reasily this more. But I'm gonna go with Paul two. I just think Arizona's little better. I'm gonna take them on the road despite the trends.

Seattle coming off a big win last week against San Francisco. Let's I'm gonna put the Sea Puppies in the column for Matt. This week Sunday Night Football not a bad game at least at first glance, where the eight and two Philadelphia Eagles go to Los Angeles and take on the five and five Rams, another one in that good division. Even though the records aren't very good. The Eagles are two and a half point favorites over the Rams.

Michael, Yeah, I'm pretty impressed with the Rams last week. I always get biased by those kind of performances seeing them in person, but I'm gonna take the Rams at home. I know Philly's been playing really well, but I like Stafford in this one.

Paul. I think the Eagles are just that talented that they have a way to win, you know, even when they have some questionable coaching. I think they keep it going. I this is a decent matchup tonight. But I think the Eagles will keep their winning streak alive. The Eagles are better than the Dolphins who went into the Rims and beat the ROMs.

Air go. I think the Eagles will beat the Rams and cover the two and a half Monday Night.

Football argue with that logic the facts.

Monday Night Football. And I don't know if you guys know this or not, but they're gonna be brothers coaching against each other on Monday Night.

That's so fine.

I don't know if you've heard, but the Harbaws they're not that obnoxious, are they. They're coaching against each other when the seven and four Ravens, who can figure that team out, by the way, go to the Chargers and they take on the seven and three LA Chargers who are on the come. By the way, the Chargers are, they might be giving the Cheese a little run for their money down the stretch, But I digress. Baltimore is a two and a half point favored Which one is that? That's John is favored over Jim? Do I have that right correct?

Yeahn is also two to ohero in the previous two matchups against Jim.

Okay, who do you like? Paul? I?

Like Baltimore to bounce back. I do like the Chargers. I think they're playing right in Jim Harbaugh's style. They want to run the ball and play good defense. I don't think they're ready for a step up in class, especially against a team that's going to be angry. I will take Baltimore.

Michael, I'm gonna split picks. I picked the Chargers on PU but the more I've thought about it, I just feel like this is another one of those Ravens games where you think that they had a bad game and they're gonna start looting and of them. They bounce back and they play great again and they look unstoppable. So I'm gonna take the Ravens in this one.

Maybe I would suggest try to be consistent with your pixure human covers all bases.

That's right.

Rolling out the Ravens must be maddening to watch all the time because they are loaded with talent, and so I think that that talent is going to rise and they will prevail in the game. With the Brothers game, which brings us to the game at hand. The AFC East matchup between the four and six Miami Dolphins with their player off Hopes teetering on the edge a little bit. The three and eight New England Patriots going to a place where historically they haven't had much success. Miami is a seven and a half point favorite in this game.

Mike, Yeah, Christian Gonzalez being banged up doesn't help my cause I had Miami winning this one pretty easily. I do like the Patriots offense. I think they'll put up some points. I think they'll move the ball. I think, again, we'll feel positive about some of the stuff that Drake May did. But Paul tells me to go by the trends. I've seen the Patriots defense struggle, especially against this offense, even when they've had their big pieces. They're without big pieces. It's gonna be a tough slog for them today. I think I got Miami thirty four to twenty.

Paul, so I am going to take the points, more specifically to half point. I don't like laying more than a touchdown. I did do it with Detroit, but the other games I have not, and I will take the Patriots to get within it. Tid maybe a back door cover thirty to twenty three, something like that. But I think Miami should win the game. But I think the Patriot. I think May has enough going right now to keep it relatively close.

It sounds like somebody with some knowledge from the hard scrabbled streets of Everett back in the day, who doesn't like laying the big point, but likes that half a point to help him out. I called the hook. Okay, never heard that before?

The hook?

Okay. I don't know why I'm putting so much of an emphasis on this. I do think that there's a chance at New England has catches a little bit of a break with maybe Miami. Looking ahead to Thanksgiving night in a short week when they have to go to Green Bay, they're going to win the game. They'll take care of business. But I think there's a chance that Drake May, who they haven't seen before, keeps it close enough to cover that seven and a half point number.

Did you get that Patriots was the pick right.

With the number? Yeah? Yeah, yeah, I'm not going to pick them out right, you guys.

All pick the Patriots.

I picked the Patriots on Thursday.

Took no I know, I just closure.

I did have to look back and check.

But yeah, and so so, how did Mike, sorry, Paul, how does that game look, so where you see the Patriots staying close enough to stay within a touchdown in a half point.

I kind of explained that I think they might be like a back door cover. Okay, so maybe the last touchdown or you know, maybe a field goal to get them within seven.

Foot off gas Miami foot off gas.

Yeah, maybe a game that Miami has in control.

But is it.

Competitive, Paul, I don't know, Like, I don't think Miami's that good, you know, so I don't you know, for me to tell you that the Patriots can't go down to Miami and compete with them, No, I think they can. I don't think Miami is there four and six right now. I think they'd probably shouldn't get four. I think they'd probably be six and four minimum if two wouldn't get hurt. But he did get hurt. I don't think the defense is great. I was thinking back to what Alan said when we had them on behind enemy lines earlier. You know, they have some pieces in place, but it's not a great defense by any stretch. I think they're okay against the run, they're okay against the pass. They don't get a lot of pressure because the guys that they relied upon to be pass rushers haven't played all year, Jalen Phillips and Bradley Chubb and they combined they played three games, so they can't really get heat on the passer.

Now.

They did do that to the Rams, Sorry the Rams the ROMs on that Monday Night a couple of weeks ago. So if they're able to do that, then maybe it won't be competitive. But I think the Patriots can go out and move the ball and put some points on the board. Is it enough to win? I don't think so, But now you give them a shot.

Give us some hope down the stretch here, Mike, Oh, you got to the one guy who picked the Dolphins.

No, I just I think it's about Drake and the defense got to Paul's key, got to come up with some turnovers, some stops. I mean, that's co conspiratical to me.

Always helps to have a co conspirator. We've learned that in their three wins.

Correct, absolutely, So maybe they put it together. Get some you know, get off the field on third down, get the third down. Those takeaways would be huge though. If they're able to get a couple of takeaways onto I'll change the game.

Okay, Patriots and Dolphins getting ready to do football battle from hard Rock Stadium. We'll be here after the game to dissect and analyze the entire thing for polp Rillo, for Tamara Brown, for Mike to Show. I'm Matt Smith. Thank you for joining us on the Patriots Pregame Social fueled by Duncan. We'll see you after the game for the Patriots Postgame Show.

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Patriots Postgame Show.

Join Matt Smith along with Patriots dot com Paul Parrillo and Mike dessou as they offer instant analysis after every Patriots game. We bring you the good, the bad, and the injured from each game. Plus you'll hear press conferences, exclusive player interviews, and more on the Patriots Postgame Show. Search for Patriots Postgame anywhere you get your podcasts.

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Patriots Pregame Social

Host Matt Smith is joined by Patriots.com's Paul Perillo, Mike Dussault and Tamara Brown to preview … 
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