Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Critical Decision: Patriots Injury Balancing Act—Milton Williams Returns

Starting point is 00:00:00 The injuries are stacking up for the paths, but we got some good news regarding one of their most important players. Milton Williams is back on the field. This is Locked-on Patriots. You are Locked-on Patriots, your daily New England Patriots podcast, part of the Locked-on Podcasts Network, your team every day. What's happening? I am your host, Nick Cattels. in New England, been covering the Pats for the past 16 years, also the co-host of the Greg Bedard Patriots podcast with Nick Cattels and a sports radio veteran. Welcome on in to Lockdown Patriots,

Starting point is 00:00:41 part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, now the number one sports podcast network, your team every day. And on today's show, in the third segment, we'll tell you how one of the most talented paths players was a huge disappointment on Sunday night. It needs to play better. Also, coming up in our second segment, an important Patriot signs and extension, and we've got Pro Bowl announcements, including maybe a snub. But first, let's get to the latest on the rash of injuries hitting Foxborough. Today's episode, sponsored by prize picks. Download the prize picks at today. Use code lockdown NFL to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup. A fascinating part of what's going to play out over the next

Starting point is 00:01:28 two weeks for the Patriots is how will they handle injuries? They still want to win the division. It is their next big goal they've made the playoffs. But Mike Vrable has said multiple times. The players have said multiple times. We want to win the division. Can you win these last two games while also balancing the injuries and how to handle those injuries? Your division hopes versus your playoff health if you bring somebody back too early they get re-injured you're going to look back and say was it worth it should we have brought that guy back we might have brought him back too quickly we were too worried about the division and now because we were too worried about the division we're going to lose that player for the postseason it's this very

Starting point is 00:02:17 delicate balancing act and it has to be handled the right way I trust Mike Vrable I believe the Patriots are going to handle things the right way, but you never know until they play out. With all of that said, the second best player on this football team this year has been Milton Williams. I said it at the time of his injury. I said it even before the injury, and I still say it right now right before Christmas. Milton Williams is this team's second best player. He is their best defensive player. And getting him back at any point should be a huge lift for this defense. Milton Williams returned to practice on Tuesday. That opens up officially the 21-day window, gives him three weeks to come back fully and be ready to go.

Starting point is 00:03:06 He did not have surgery. He said as soon as he found out from the doctors that he was not going to need surgery on the high ankle sprain, he felt like he was going to get back as soon as possible. However, he did tell the media, we'll see. We'll see. We'll see how. this plays out this week. I don't think there's any question. Milton Williams will be back. It's not if it's when. Does he come back for this Sunday against the Jets in New York, really New Jersey? Or does he wait? Does he wait until Miami last week of the season? Does he wait until the first round of the playoffs? If you're the one seed, you buy an extra week with your buy. So the Patriots, Milton Williams, they want to see how this week of practice unfolds.

Starting point is 00:03:51 but his return again would be so critical. Run defense needs a lot of help. Ever since Milton Williams has been gone, this run defense has fallen off a cliff. And we talk about December football, and now we talk about January football with the playoffs being official. You need to stop the run in January.

Starting point is 00:04:12 Milton Williams also helps with the pass rush, and we know this pass rush has suffered. The four-man pass rush is not getting home consistently. Milton Williams brings that consistent pressure. He also helps Christian Barmore. You can look at Christian Barmore and say his productivity should actually rise when Milton Williams comes back because teams will not be able to consistently double Christian Barmore. Meanwhile, other injury news, Mike Reese reports that Robert Spillane in the locker room today

Starting point is 00:04:44 was walking around without a boot. now I don't know if that means much of anything we'll see if he comes back against the Jets if I were the Patriots I would be more concerned if you need both of these games the last game I would be looking at Miami for Robert Spillane because I think you can likely survive against the Jets without Robert Spillane when you look at the Jets offense what they try to do their limitations at the skill positions right now with Garrett Wilson out for the rest of the year. I would be looking at Miami because Miami, even without Tuatung of Ioloa starting, they're still dangerous as an offense. And they can still put points on the board. They can still

Starting point is 00:05:30 move the football. They still have Jalen Waddle and they have Devon A-chan. And so if that game is a game that you need, because we don't know. If the bills lose this weekend, and the Patriots win this weekend, the Patriots win the AFC East. If the bills tie and the Patriots win, the Patriots win the AFC East. So when you look at all these different types of machinations of the playoffs and how the Patriots can end up with the one seed, how they could end up with the two seed, how could they win the AFC East, you have to be thinking of that as we go through the rest of this season the next two weeks. So again, if the Patriots, if the Patriots win in Buffalo

Starting point is 00:06:21 either loses or ties, then the Patriots win the AFC East. There's another possibility where the Patriots tie the Jets and Buffalo loses the Patriots win the AFC East. So you might not need, quote unquote, week 18. Now, of course, you could still be battling. for the one seed. And if you're battling for the one seed, then you're going to want to win that game against Miami at Gillette Stadium. So it's also interesting because Mike Vrable has been preaching effort and finish. Will he continue to preach finishing, finishing this regular season in strong fashion, playing your guys, et cetera, et cetera, or will he take the foot off the gas? So we'll see what goes on with Robert Spillane.

Starting point is 00:07:12 Kairis Tonga obviously got hurt on Sunday night. He left the game, never came back to the game. Ian Rappaport of the NFL Network is reporting that it is a foot injury for Kairis Tonga. He's going to be out one to two weeks. So it doesn't seem like a significant or serious injury. I would imagine the Patriots will say your window is one to two weeks. Let's just take the full window.

Starting point is 00:07:37 We'll see in the playoffs, Kairis Tonga. because if you could get Kyrie's Tonga, Milton Williams, and Christian Barmore all on that defensive line to start the postseason, you feel much better about your chances of making a run. Meanwhile, offensively, Kishon Booty, Trayvion Henderson, Jared Wilson are all in the concussion protocol. Not surprised by Kishon Booty after the non-defensive pass interference call looked like he smacked his head. Not surprised about Trayvion Henderson. We know both guys had a deal with head injuries on Sunday night. So it's not a shocker. They're in the concussion protocol. Somewhat surprising is Jared Wilson. We didn't really realize that he got banged up during

Starting point is 00:08:21 the game. But all three of those offensive players are in the concussion protocol. And this is all unpredictable. You don't know how guys are going to react to concussions. You don't know how their brains are going to react to concussions. And the Patriots made several roster moves on Tuesday to try to help the depth of this team. Brendan Heimus was signed to the 53 man, interior offensive lineman. If Jared Wilson can't go, Hymus is now on the 53. Joshua Farmer was placed on the IR. So you're down an interior defensive lineman for probably the rest of the season.

Starting point is 00:08:58 He could return later in the playoffs. Again, he's got to sit out four games, but he's likely done for the year. Patriots thinking about Trayvion Henderson and Kayshan Booty, respectively. They signed running back Elijah Mitchell and wide receiver Brennan Smith to the practice squad. Now, Elijah Mitchell, former six-round pick for the 49ers, he signed with Kansas City last offseason. He was just cut a few days ago. He was cut on December 20th.

Starting point is 00:09:24 He's played 28 games in his NFL career. He has started 12 of those games, over 1,500 rushing yards and nine touchdowns. to go along with 28 receptions for 158 yards and a touchdown. So the Patriots are trying to prepare just in case. You don't have Cajon Booty. You don't have Trayvion Henderson. You don't have Jared Wilson. They're working on the depth of this roster as best as they can.

Starting point is 00:09:51 Now, of course, if Cajon Booty can't go, that means Kyle Williams, I would imagine, we'll have to step up. I thought Kyle Williams had his best game of the season against the Ravens, and it looks like he's starting to slowly but surely understand what he's supposed to do in this offense, gaining trust with Drake May. Trevionn Henderson, interesting if he can't go, De Ernest Johnson only played one single solitary snap against the Ravens on Sunday night. Remandre Stevenson played like 85% of the snaps against the Ravens.

Starting point is 00:10:21 As soon as Trayon Henderson went out, it was Ramandre Stevenson or a bust at running back. And of course, if Jared Wilson can't go, we know what's going to happen. Ben Brown will slide over to left guard and likely start on Sunday for Jared Wilson. Speaking of Ben Brown, he'll be in New England a little while longer. And we got Pro Bowl announcements. All that next is we continue with today's Lockdown Patriots, part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day. This episode is brought to you by prize picks.

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Starting point is 00:11:59 what's up what's up what's up of course you already live your team every day now take it up a level go ad free join the everydayer club today get locked on patriots with no interruptions members only discord access and more five bucks a month not too shabby right what is that like a buck in a quarter a week feels about right fifty dollars for the year so if you get the full year you get a little bit of a deal there you get two months for free go to lockdown patriots dot supercast dot com or check the link in the show notes to learn more. Also, don't forget, if you're watching on YouTube, hit that like button. Give us a thumbs up.

Starting point is 00:12:36 We've been doing a great job building this community. I want to continue to do that as we push towards the playoffs. You're home for Patriots coverage, lockdown Patriots. Don't forget to like as you watch on YouTube. Don't forget to throw a comment in as well. Your thoughts on all these injuries and how my guy Greg Bedard gave a little bit of the the horns towards the Patriots health a month ago or so. It's on you, Greg.

Starting point is 00:13:06 And don't forget to subscribe. So don't forget to like. Don't forget to comment. Don't forget to subscribe on YouTube. All right. Some news before we get to a Patriot, a top Patriot, one of the best Patriots on this roster, having a very frustrating and disappointing game on Sunday night.

Starting point is 00:13:25 But before we get to that, in the third segment. You got to talk about some other news. Ben Brown has signed a two-year extension with the Patriots. The maximum value is $6.6 million. Now, he was walking into restricted free agency. And I love this deal. I'm not sitting here telling you this is the difference between eventually going to a Super Bowl or not.

Starting point is 00:13:49 But you want to continue to solidify this offensive line. And Ben Brown is your top backup interior office. offensive lineman. He brings tremendous versatility. He can play guard positions. He could play center. You might even be able to throw him out at tackle, maybe in a pinch if you really need help. So that versatility and that depth, there's something else to look at too with Ben Brown. Of course, he replaced Jared Wilson when Wilson was out with the ankle. And he played well. He played well replacing Jared Wilson. And what that can do for you now with Ben Brown signed for two years.

Starting point is 00:14:29 So he's going to be signed through 2027. It allows the Patriots some flexibility up front. If you want to move Jared Wilson to center next year and you want to move on from Garrett Bradbury, then you can move Jared Wilson to center and you can put Ben Brown at left guard. If you think Ben Brown is better at center than left guard, you can move Garrett Bradbury out, put Ben Brown in there and keep Jared Wilson at left guard. Of course, you can sign somebody else.

Starting point is 00:14:58 You can draft another interior offensive lineman. But keeping Ben Brown in town just makes a lot of sense because he's done a good job when he's been asked to. I thought he did a pretty good job in 2024 when he was thrown into the deep end for Gerard Mayo's team. So when you look at this, it just comes. covers a number of bases. You're not paying a ton of money. He seems to fit. Mike Vrable said during Tuesday's press conference.

Starting point is 00:15:25 He fits the culture they're trying to build. So I really like the deal for Ben Brown. He will be a Patriot at least through 2027. Some other news. We got Pro Bowl announcements. Now, let me first say, the Pro Bowl, as we all know, is like a popularity contest. I mean, this is like being in high school and voted like, You know, I had a smartest guy in the room, most creative, whatever you want to look at as far as these superlatives.

Starting point is 00:15:57 So a lot of this is a popularity contest. Also, the Pro Bowl means nothing. As a game, they got rid of it. It's now the Pro Bowl games, flag football, skills, challenges, because the game was just a gigantic waste of all of our time. Just never made sense. But it is still noteworthy. It's an accolate. You know, you get a little bit of extra here, right?

Starting point is 00:16:22 When you are a pro bowler, especially when you're named a starting pro bowl player. I mean, you can go back, and this was the case with May last year, it was especially the case with Mack Jones back in 2021, where you get like, oh, he's the fifth or sixth or tenth alternate. Okay, great. But when we talk about guys who are actually selected to the team and are the quote unquote starters, that does mean something. May, obviously. Drake May obviously is a pro bowler. This is his second Pro Bowl. He is not an alternate this time. And interestingly enough, Mark Daniels of Mass Live wrote that Drake May joins Patriots Hall of Famers Mike Haynes and Curtis Martin as the only players in franchise history to start their careers with at least two Pro Bowl selections. Of course, you know, you look at Mike Haynes. It's five straight. Curtis,

Starting point is 00:17:16 Martin is too straight. And, you know, it's interesting. I'm going to pull it up right now. I should have done this a little bit earlier. Tom Brady was obviously a 15-time pro bowler. He was only a three-time all-pro, which is hilarious, but I digress. So obviously, Tom Brady did not make the pro bowl in 2000. So, you know, you look at it in right from the jump, you can't start your Patriots career

Starting point is 00:17:44 with a Pro Bowl because he wasn't playing in 2000. He was a backup. 2001, he made the Pro Bowl. Then he did not make the Pro Bowl in 02 or 03. He also did not make the Pro Bowl in 06. I mean, obviously, 08, he got the ACL. But, I mean, it's pretty funny looking back, how in the world did Tom Brady not make the Pro Bowl those years?

Starting point is 00:18:08 I mean, I know you had Peyton Manning and all of that, but what are we doing? Drake May, according to Mark Daniels, becomes the fourth quarterback in NFL history to begin his career with consecutive Pro Bowl bids, joining Andrew Luck, who made three straight, Russell Wilson, four straight, and Dan Marino, five straight. So there is some historical context here for Drake May, which makes this look even better. He's been superb this season. He is in the MVP conversation. I think he's right back in it after Sunday night's fourth quarter against Baltimore. So I don't think anybody is

Starting point is 00:18:41 surprised. Drake May has exceeded all reasonable expectations. And don't sit there and tell me about the schedule. We all knew what the schedule was. And nobody expected Drake May to be this good, this early. Christian Gonzalez made his first Pro Bowl. He did not make a Pro Bowl last year. That was a snub. And Christian Gonzalez is a really good cornerback. I don't think anybody is doubting that. But I do not think Christian Gonzalez has been as good as he was last season when he was a second team all pro we'll talk more about christian gonzalez in a couple minutes the other thing about this is no marcus jones interesting right uh chim re dke is the guy who made it he got the pro bowl nod and honestly whoever did not make it was going to feel snub both guys have been tremendous

Starting point is 00:19:31 chimra dk also returns kicks so that gives him a little bit of extra juice over marcus jones I would take Marcus Jones as the best punt returner in the game. But if you look at Chimre Dekay's statistics, it makes sense that he made it. Obviously, hosting lockdown Patriots, I wish Marcus Jones made it. He absolutely deserved it. And he's also been really good at playing the nickelback position this season. But that's a very, very tough battle there between Marcus Jones and Chimray Dike. Chimray D.K ends up getting the nod.

Starting point is 00:20:08 But Marcus Jones, I think all of us look at Marcus Jones and say, okay, he didn't make it. But, I mean, we're talking about the smallest of margins. Christian Gonzalez is held to a high standard. And I'm here to tell you that he did not meet that standard against the Ravens on Sunday night. And I'll tell you why. I'll tell you why he did not meet that standard on Sunday night next.

Starting point is 00:20:32 This is Lockdown Patriots, part of the lockdown podcast. podcast network, your team every day. So Christian Gonzalez made the Pro Bowl, as I just mentioned a couple of minutes ago. And I'm not sitting here telling you that Christian Gonzalez is not a good corner. I'm not sitting here telling you that he's not a really good corner. When Christian Gonzalez is at his best, I believe he is one of the best three or four corners in all of football. Last year, he was a second team all pro.

Starting point is 00:21:05 had an outstanding season. But my job is to be honest. And my job is to give you a fair evaluation of what I'm seeing. And Christian Gonzalez needs to be better than he was on Sunday night against the Ravens. Watching this film was incredibly frustrating and even at times infuriating. I'll get to the infuriating part in a couple of minutes. Now, to be fair to Christian Gonzalez, I will. point out. He made a couple of plays in the second half that I'm sure when I talk about this

Starting point is 00:21:40 film and I talk about what he did on Sunday night, people that want to defend Christian Gonzalez will immediately leap to the two plays that leap to everybody's head if you want to say, oh, well, that is a plus in the column. The Derek Henry run stop. Derek Henry ran for like three yards. He was trying to get the edge. Christian Gonzalez one on one. Really good job getting Derek Henry down to the ground. Christian Gonzalez also had a pass breakup against Rashad Bateman in the fourth quarter, which was a

Starting point is 00:22:11 very, very nice play, a top tier cornerback play. So I'm not sitting here telling you that Christian Gonzalez made no plays or, you know, he didn't show up for four quarters. That's not the case. But when you are grading

Starting point is 00:22:27 quarters one through four and you're looking at the entire picture, Christian Gonzalez was not good at all on Sunday night, especially in the first half. In the first half, he got beat multiple times by Zay Flowers. He got beat on a third and four.

Starting point is 00:22:47 He got beat by D'Andre Hopkins and was fortunate that D'Andre Hopkins dropped the football. He got beat. I mean, when you look at the first half, you could say Christian Gonzalez got beat, three, four, maybe even as many as five times on the film. And with great talent and great reputation comes great responsibility. Christian Gonzalez is supposed to be one of the best corners in football.

Starting point is 00:23:14 And so when he has a rough first half, he has a rough game, it is what it is. You call it out for what it is. And if this was a second or third corner getting beat a couple of times, you'd say, all right, whatever. But Christian Gonzalez is expected to lock guys down. And that's not what happened, especially in the first half. Now, of course, Zay Flowers is not the easiest matchup because he's somewhat of the water bug wide receiver, right?

Starting point is 00:23:46 And those guys could be a little tough on somebody like Christian Gonzalez because Christian Gonzalez is taller and, you know, kind of more the longer athlete. But he still has to be better. But here's what really bothered me. Here's what I, you know, I said a minute or two ago that there were a couple of moments on this film that infuriated me regarding Christian Gonzalez. And it's not because of the talent question. It's not because of a technique question.

Starting point is 00:24:19 It's because there were a couple of times on Sunday night where Christian Gonzalez did not give you enough effort. He did not give you enough urgency. And Mike Vrable, as I said earlier, on this episode, they've been preaching effort and finish. And there were multiple plays where Christian Gonzalez left a lot to be desired when it came to effort and when it came to finish. And to me, that is inexcusable. It is Sunday night football, prime time matchup, national television.

Starting point is 00:24:54 You are trying to take the number one seat in the AFC. you're trying to win your division and for you not to show the amount of effort or finish that you should be showing especially as one of the best players and most talented players not only on this team

Starting point is 00:25:11 but in football at your position that to me is inexcusable and that to me is infuriating there was an inconsistent level of physicality and effort from Christian Gonzalez and if you go back and you look at some of those big runs.

Starting point is 00:25:30 The Baltimore Ravens were targeting Christian Gonzalez in the run game. And yes, he made that one stop I mentioned earlier to be fair to him. But there were multiple plays where he was thrown aside, you could say dismissed. There was at least one play where it looked like he was almost running away from the contact. And you could go back to when Christian Gonzalez was drafted in the draft process, the scouting process. One of the questions was, is Christian Gonzalez willing to be physical? Get downhill, tackle. Now, we've seen that. We've even seen that this year from Christian

Starting point is 00:26:05 Gonzalez. He has gone downhill. He has been a pretty good tackler at times. I'm just telling you about Sunday night because you're a couple of games away from the postseason. And you can't have your best cornerback in one of your best players and one of your best defensive players. You can't have that type of game. You can't have that type of lack of effort or urgency from Christian Gonzalez. You cannot have it, especially when your run defense has been as bad as it's been. Everybody, everybody should be trying to stop the run with as much physicality and intensity and urgency and intention as humanly possible.

Starting point is 00:26:49 And that wasn't the case. And the worst play, the worst play by far was the. Zay Flowers' touchdown run. I don't know how many of you have access to the all-22 film. But if you watch that play, it grinds my gears. Because Christian Gonzalez, yes, is on the left side of the football field, the right side of the defense. And Zay Flowers is running to the right side of the offense,

Starting point is 00:27:20 left side of the defense. And some might just write this off and say, oh, Christian Gonzalez is on the other side of the defense. field. If you go back and you watch that play, Christian Gonzalez is barely jogging. And if he is going with his athleticism and his speed, if Christian Gonzalez is even going 90%, not even 100% full tilt, if he's going 90% out of the gates, I don't think Zay Flowers gets to the end zone because Christian Gonzalez finally kicks it into gear when Zay Flowers is on like the six or seven yard line and don't give me the six seven stuff so just that lack of urgency

Starting point is 00:28:05 that lack of hustle the lack of effort it's ridiculous it's ridiculous and it really really bothered me watching that play i watched it four or five times it stood out to me right away of course you can't see it when you're watching the game in real time, the TV copy. But when you're watching the All-22, the eye in the sky, as they say, there's just not nearly, not nearly a good enough effort from Christian Gonzalez on that play. And people might try to defend him and say, well, what about his hamstring? All I could tell you is he played 100% of the snaps on Sunday night. Every single one of the 55 snaps the defense was out there for, Christian Gonzalez was out there.

Starting point is 00:28:49 And again, if it was his hamstring, he would not have been able to find that gear to try to chase down Zayflowers after he was just kind of mozying on through. I do think there are questions, legitimate questions about the defensive approach. I do think that some of these issues that Christian Gonzalez has had in coverage at times is because the Patriots are playing more zone. they're not necessarily allowing him to play the quote unquote cat coverage you get that cat I'll get that cat and I think that's what Christian Gonzalez is best at and that's more of a long term question but you can only control what you can control and I'm telling you on Sunday night Christian Gonzalez did not control what he could control and he's got to show the urgency and the effort and the finish no more messing around you got two weeks before you

Starting point is 00:29:43 get to the playoffs and I need to see a full tilt Christian Gonzalez and so does everybody else again high standard grading you on a curve you're a second team all pro you're one of the best cornerbacks in football have that desire all right that wraps up this edition of lockdown patriots thank you for making us your first listen and for being in every day or reach out to me on Twitter at Nick C radio and don't forget to throw a comment in on the YouTube channel, hit that like button and subscribe. And if you need a last minute holiday gift or someone keeps asking what you want, make it easy.

Starting point is 00:30:20 Ask for the everydayer club. Add free episodes of this show, exclusive Discord server access, and more subscriptions can be gifted through lockdownpatriots.supercast.com. Have a great day and we will see you tomorrow for the crossover.

Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Critical Decision: Patriots Injury Balancing Act—Milton Williams Returns

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