Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Crossover Thursday - Patriots host Jets in 2020 Season Finale — 12/31/2020

Episode Date: December 31, 2020

It’s a New Year’s Eve Crossover Thursday on the Locked On Podcast Network. Join hosts Mike D’Abate of Locked On Patriots and John Butchko of Locked On Jets as they preview this 2020 Season Finale showdown between the New England Patriots and the New York Jets from Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts on Sunday, January 3, 2021.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Built BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON,” and you’ll get 20% off your next order.BetOnline AGThere is only 1 place that has you covered and 1 place we trust. Betonline.ag! Sign up today for a free account at betonline.ag and use that promocode: LOCKEDON for your 50% welcome bonus. BuiltGoVisit BuiltGO.com and use promo code “LOCKED,” and you’ll get 20% off your next order.BetterHelpI want you to start living a happier life today. As a listener, you’ll get 10% off your first month by visiting our sponsor at BetterHelp.com/LockedOnDoorDashRight now, our listeners can get $5 off and zero delivery fees on their first order of $15 or more, when you download the DoorDash app and enter code LOCKEDON. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You are Locked On Patriots, your daily New England Patriots podcast. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Hello to all of you Foxborough faithful. You are now locked into the Locked On Patriots podcast, and it is a New Year's Eve crossover Thursday here on your daily home for news notes and analysis infused with the occasional opinion on your six-time Super Bowl champions, the New England Patriots. Locked on Patriots is presented today by Pepsi, made for football watching. Thanks to a lack of natural athleticism, more commitment, or overbearing sports parents,

fewer than 1% of 1% of 1% of people will ever play professional football. It's true. But instead of entering the NFL, they've joined another league, the League of Football Watchers. This football season will be different, and Pepsi is here to get you ready for game day, no matter how you watch. Pepsi is the refreshment you need to power through any game day. Because Pepsi isn't made for those who play the game,

it's made for those who watch it. Pepsi. Made for football. Watch it. Greetings and salutations, Patriots Nation. Today is December 31st, 2020. And that means two things. One, 2020 is mercifully almost over, folks. And of course, that means today is New Year's Eve. And what better way to ring in the new year than to cross the streams right here on Crossover

Thursday. John Buchko, my friend and colleague and host of the Locked On Jets podcast, will be joining me here today on the hot seat. And we'll be breaking down Sunday's matchup at Gillette, the season finale of the 2020 season for both your New England Patriots and the New York Jets. And we'll be talking about this one from an offensive standpoint and a defensive standpoint. But that's not all we'll be talking about. The Jets have made some waves recently with a couple of recent victories.

Have they caused more harm than good to their future? Well, John has got some strong feelings on that, and he's going to share those with us today. Also, the days of Gase look to be ending very shortly on the green side of the Meadowlands. But could Adam Gase end up in New England on Bill Belichick's offensive coaching staff? I know, folks, it sounds crazy. But believe me, the theory is out there. And we're going to get John's thoughts on that subject as well. It's out with the old, in with the new. Crossing the streams here on the pod to ring in the new year

as your New England Patriots put a cap on, let's face it folks, what has been a forgettable season in Foxborough. But I still think the future is bright, and just because the season is ending on Sunday does not mean the action ends here on Locked On, Patriots. Far from it. Not only will we be back fresh and new here on Monday to break down Sunday's action from Foxborough against the Jets, but we'll be starting draft analysis, offseason moves, coaching critiques, and don't forget the NFL playoffs are set to begin,

so we might be keeping our sharp eye on some former New England Patriots that will be playing in the postseason this year. Maybe a couple in particular that are trespassing down in Tampa. Yeah, I think you know who I'm talking about, but you know what? Today here on the pod, it's all about the 2020 New England Patriots, and the sincere hope that they can end the season on a high note with a victory over the New York Jets. But that's not going to be as easy as you might have thought, even just as recently as a couple of weeks ago. The Jets are coming into this game having won their last two, and the teams that they

beat are not exactly also Rams. They're enjoying victories over the Los Angeles Rams, those same Rams that ran roughshod over your New England Patriots just a few weeks ago, and the Cleveland Browns who have had themselves a great season this year and have really enjoyed a resurgence. Of course, because locked on Patriots will be off in observance of the New Year's Day holiday tomorrow on Friday, the most recent injury and participation report that was published by the team will be the one we're going off of from Wednesday evening and the Patriots had a handful of players that did not participate and some of them are definitely notable including center David Andrews with a calf injury linebacker Therese Hall with an ankle injury fellow linebacker Anthony Jennings with a

shoulder injury Shaq Mason continues to be hampered with the calf. Also, rookie linebacker Josh Uche did not participate with a foot injury. And last but certainly not least, Devin McCourty did not participate in Wednesday's practice with a shoulder injury. If you listened to yesterday's pod, the great and powerful Wizard of Benzahn, the Pats cap himself, Miguel Benzahn, joined me on the hot seat. And he actually had indicated that it may be beneficial for the Patriots' cap situation if Devin did not suit up on Sunday. That may be one to keep a sharp eye on, and if so, that definitely weakens the Patriots' defensive backfield, especially at the safety position.

As for those limited in their participation, well, the Patriots continue to have the list of usual suspects. Juwan Bentley continues to be limited with a shoulder injury. Adam Butler limited with a shoulder injury. Lawrence Guy limited with a shoulder injury. A lot of shoulder injuries for the Patriots going around this time of year. Of course, on the offensive line, tackle Justin Herron. He's been bothered by an ankle injury.

Cornerback JC Jackson continues to be listed with a knee injury. Wide receiver Dante Moncrief with a thigh injury, and of course, running back Damian Harris continues to be listed with an ankle injury. That's kept him out of the last two games. Could the Patriots suit him up for the season finale? Well, we'll find out on Sunday, folks. But the Patriots certainly have a big-time list of walking wounded. As we've seen the past couple of weeks and losses both against the Miami Dolphins and the Buffalo Bills, if Damian Harris is out of the lineup, it severely hampers the Patriots' ability to run the football. Of course, it would help if they could actually

stop the run on the other side, or maybe make a play or two on offense through the air, but we won't get greedy. Small steps in the right direction as this team heads into 2021, right folks? As for the Jets, they could have some notables out for this game on Sunday as well. Quite a few New York Jets at risk of not playing in this game on Sunday because they might be placed on the COVID-19 reserve list. Keep a sharp eye out on the injury reports on Friday, on Saturday, and even right up to Sunday's kickoff to find out which New York Jets may not be able to play in this game due to COVID-19 concerns. One player that will not be suiting up on Sunday

is running back Frank Gore, who just continues to show that age is only a number. Gore has had a tremendous career, and I certainly wish him the best if, in fact, this is it for him. Gore has given indications that he'd like to give it another go in 2021, and if he does it would be remarkable, but if there's one thing the calendar year of 2020 has taught us, it's that you can never count on anything. Nothing is certain, folks. And if in fact, and I'm not saying it is, but if in fact this was Frank Gore's final game in the NFL, a tremendous career, hats off to him, and wish him nothing but the best going forward and of course a quick reminder about the logistics on sunday's game 1 p.m kickoff eastern gillette stadium

foxborough massachusetts the game will be broadcast on cbs this week with tom mccarthy handling the play-by-play duties and jay feely alongside him as the color analyst of course this being the final game of the 2020 season i encourage you to add a little local flavor to your viewing pleasure and definitely check out the radio broadcast on the team's flagship station, 98.5 The Sports Hub. Friend of the program, Bob Sose handling the play-by-play alongside former New England Patriots quarterback Scott Zolak on the color commentary.

Without hesitation, I can tell you Bob and Zoe are two of the very best in the business at what they do. I always love to listen to them. And because it's going to be at least August before we hear Bob and Zoe call another Patriots game, I definitely recommend tuning in, at least for a little bit. So having covered the very latest, at least at the time we're recording this podcast, folks, about the Pats and Jets injury situations, and of course, providing you with a little look at the logistics for Sunday's game, it is now time to cross the streams here on Locked On Patriots.

Momentarily, John Buchko, host of the Locked On Jets podcast, will join me here on the hot seat to break down anything and everything you need related to Pat's Jets for Sunday's game. And of course, keep a sharp ear to the conclusion of today's episode, where I will open my game notebook and provide you with my game prediction. It's a special New Year's Eve crossover Thursday between Locked On Patriots and Locked On Jets. Time to cross the streams when the Locked On Patriots podcast continues. But first, Locked On listeners, are we ready for some football?

Of course we're ready for some football. College football heading into bowl season. And there are some big matchups coming up. The NFL regular season is finishing up this weekend with the playoff picture about to be locked in and become crystal clear. There is only one place that has you covered and one place we trust. BetOnline.ag. Sign up today for a free account at BetOnline.ag

and use the promo code LOCKEDON for your 50% welcome bonus. Holiday weekends are always a great time to check out BetOnline.ag, so visit our good friends and exclusive partner on social media at BetOnline underscore ag to take advantage of the best bonuses in the business. Sign up for a free account and use the promo code LOCKEDON for your sign-up bonus. And while you're at it in your social media postings, drop the hashtag BetOnline in there. Don't sit on the sidelines anymore. Get in on the action. And don't forget to use that promo code LOCKEDON to receive a 50% welcome bonus with your first deposit.

BetOnline, your online sportsbook experts. Locked On listeners, betting on the NFL doesn't have to be a guessing game. If you listen to the new Locked On Bets podcast, hosted by your boy Q and handicapping expert Lee Sterling, get daily picks and quick-hitting advice to make the smartest possible wagers. Subscribe to the Locked On Bets podcast, brought to you by betonline.ag wherever you get your podcasts.

Patriots fans and Jets fans, the season finale is nearly upon us. The new year brings about the end of the season for both teams as the New England Patriots will host the New York Jets at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts this Sunday, January 3rd, 2021, at 1 p.m. And for each of our fan bases, it's our final crossover Thursday for 2020 here on the Locked

On Podcast Network. My name is Mike DeBate, host of the Locked On Patriots Podcast, and joining me is my friend and colleague, John Buchko, host of Locked On Jets. John, always an honor and always a privilege to join you on the microphone for these crossovers, especially during the holidays, bud. Absolutely. And it's a good way to end what's been a difficult year. You know, for Jets fans, this has been a difficult season.

I'm sure it's been a difficult season for Patriots fans. But in a broader sense, I think the year 2020 has been a difficult year for everybody. So I think we're all looking forward to turning the calendar and seeing what 2021 has to bring. Absolutely. Couldn't have said it better myself. And I did earlier on the pods this week for Locked On Patriots say that 2020 leaving us and 2021 coming in and becoming the new year is much more than football.

Even though these two franchises did struggle this year. And it hasn't been an easy season. 2020 has represented so much, so many difficulties for so many people, most of the reasons of which had nothing to do with football. So we look forward to the new year and maybe, maybe a return to prominence for one or two of these franchises. But, John, these two teams are typically meeting late in the season. That's nothing new. But what is new is that at least one, if not both, have either clinched a playoff spot by this time

or they're striving for one. And this year, each team takes the field knowing that this week's 17 matchup will be their final of the 2020 season. And the Jets are actually the hotter team coming into this one. They've won two straight over two strong playoff contenders, the Los Angeles Rams, who for my listeners on Locked On Patriots, incidentally, those are the same Rams that throttled the Patriots just a few weeks ago, and the Cleveland Browns over the weekend. And the Jets getting an impressive victory there.

The Pats, on the other hand, they've lost two straight, one to those aforementioned Rams, and of course, Monday night's debacle against the Buffalo Bills. And, John, the Jets have been intriguing as of late. You know, for weeks and months this year, it looked like a foregone conclusion that gang green was going to secure that number one draft selection. And it just seemed inevitable that Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence would be the new savior on the green side of the Meadowlands. But the Jets didn't tank for Trevor. And again, they are winners of their last two, barring an unexpected turn of events

by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Lawrence will not be a Jet in 2021. So, John, how surprised has Jets Nation been over the past couple of weeks? And do you believe that the team has improved its prospectus going into 2021? Or by showing some signs of life at the end of the season, did they cause a little more harm than good? Well, I think most Jets fans are kind of upset with the way things turned out, believe it or not.

I mean, it sounds kind of silly to think that fans would root for their team to lose. But in this particular situation with this particular quarterback where the jets are trevor lawrence would have made a big difference going forward and that's not to say that all is lost now for the jets they're still going to have the number two overall pick they're still going to have an extra first round pick they'll have an extra pick in the third round they will have two first round picks next year. So they have the tools to, and they also have a lot of cap space in a year where not many teams are likely to have an excess of space. So the tools are all in place for the Jets to turn things around quickly. But I

think the job becomes much more difficult without trevor lawrence in place i think anybody who's looking at this would have to say that the jets are probably going to have a coaching change and the job would be much easier to sell or it would be much more attractive if you go to a new coach and say you know you're going to have the chance to have trevor lawrence now it's still an NFL head coaching job. They'll get somebody. They'll have the opportunity to make the right hire. They'll have the opportunity to bring in somebody who could turn the franchise around.

But you're not going to have Trevor Lawrence. You're going to have a much less settled quarterback position, which makes it a little bit more difficult. I don't think you can really say, though, that this has been a sign of a turnaround, just from the standpoint that most of the players who have produced the last couple of weeks are not going to be on this team going forward. Now, there have been some bright spots. I think you've seen a lot of quality play along the defensive line.

You've seen some guys step up in depth roles because the Jets have had some injuries the last couple of weeks. Quinton Williams missed the game against Cleveland. Foley Fatoukasi was on the reserve COVID-19 list against the Rams. So you've had some guys who are a little lower on the depth chart and then you've had on the defensive line and step up and play well, but it's tough for me to say that this, these wins were meaningful for helping the jets move forward for helping the jets grow, because

everybody knows that this roster is going to need a major overhaul. I mean, you've got a few players who will be coming back, but there's a lot of work to do for general manager Joe Douglas this offseason. Yeah, without question. And I'm glad that you mentioned cap space, because that is one area where the two fates of these franchises are intertwined the jets will have significant cap space this year and the patriots are expected to have cap space this year yesterday here on the pod i or on locked on patriots i should say i was joined by miguel benzon who's the salary cap expert for the new england patriots and we talked about some of the moves that could possibly be made. So interesting off-seasons coming up. Rich draft capital and cap space available for these two franchises.

So once again, the Patriots and the Jets may end up butting heads, but in a different arena and maybe in a different way in the off-season. John, I have to ask this question. You know I have to ask this question, because if the reports are to be believed, and you did hint at this, it looks like Adam Gaze will in fact soon be out as head coach of the New York Jets and if I'm being honest I don't think that's a shock uh I know it's not exactly news that will have you weeping uncontrollably on the other end of the microphone right now but it actually might have an effect on the Patriots and uh not just because it's a changing of the guard for a division rival.

There's been some speculation that Gates could be on the Patriots' radar for a spot on Bill Belichick's offensive coaching staff in 2021, especially if Josh McDaniels decides to leave New England. And this morning, when Bill addressed the media, it surprised me and a lot of people that listened in to this call when he said it was basically effusive in his praise of adam gaze and saying this about his current coaching of sam darnold who as you know is the jets quarterback belichick had the following to say uh john i'm going to read your verbatim quote i don't think there's any shortage of talent there or playmaking

ability meaning darnold he's an athletic guy that is great size, big arm, hard to tackle in the pocket, good prospect, and he's being well coached. Belichick went on to say that I know he's getting good coaching. I don't think he could get better coaching than where he's at. John, I can almost sense the sarcastic smirk on your face as I read Bill's statement and his effusive praise and Valentine going back and forth for Adam Gaze. But it's not like Bill to go above and beyond to praise coaching staffs and make it a point to say things like this unless there's some sort of a point behind it. So playing

devil's advocate for a second, if in fact Gaze does end up leaving New York, if for some reason he ends up in New England on this staff, what kind of coordinator would the Pats be getting? Because he wouldn't be the head coach, but he would be a coordinator, and he's had success in other places as a coordinator. What type of fit do you think Adam Gaze could bring to New England if, in fact, Josh McDaniels leaves and Adam takes on a prominent role here in New England? Do you want the sarcastic answer or the actual answer? You know what?

Let's give our listeners a special treat today. Go for both. Let's go for the sarcastic first and then you can hit us with reality. All right. I actually have a sarcastic answer, an answer that's kind of between and then a real answer. So my sarcastic answer would be that Adam Gase is a head coach of the NFL right now because he happened to cross paths with Peyton Manning. So being in a situation

where he can coast on a legendary figure of success seems right up Adam Gase's alley. Now, in my somewhat sarcastic, somewhat serious answer, that comment from Bill Belichick actually did something. It broke a record I never thought would be broken. Before the Jets andick actually did something i it broke a record i never thought would be broken before the jets of the patriots played it was a week 16 game in 2005 this was a

horrible year for the jets chad pennington had gotten hurt early in the season his backup jay fiedler had gotten hurt uh they brought vinnie testaverni back in who was in his 40s and brooks bollinger was starting that game and belichick I wish I had the exact quote in front of me, Belichick said something along the lines of, the Jets could just kill you in so many ways with Bollinger playing quarterback. And I thought that that would be the most ridiculous phrase Bill Belichick was ever given at the New York Jets

as an organization, but I think that these comments this week may have topped that. Now, as far as like a legitimate answer i mean look i i don't think adam gaze has shown himself to be a very impressive offensive mind and i think that was true at this time in miami it was true in his time with the jets i mean really the only impressive body of work he has was with peyton manning who is a guy who really runs his own offense. That said, I mean, as you said, it's not going to be his offense. It's going to be Bill Belichick's offense.

And I think he can work within that framework. I don't think Adam Gase would be the reason the Patriots are, I don't think Adam Gase would cause the Patriots to be worse with Bill Belichick overseeing him. And the other thing is, I've seen the track record of Adam Gase, you know, as an assistant coach. You know, there have been some success stories with him as a position coach, him coaching guys up, him improving players.

He's coached with a more narrow focus. He's clearly a guy who cannot handle being in charge of the entire operation. But if you give him a narrower responsibility, look, there's a reason he eventually got a head coaching job, and that's because he's had success when he's had a narrower focus, when he hasn't had so much responsibility on his plate, when he has not had to oversee the entire package. So it's tough for me to say anything good about Adam Gase

based on what I've seen the last two seasons. But I mean, I don't think it's anything that would cause me to panic if I was a Patriots fan. Well, that's definitely good news. I think you've definitely helped to talk some of our listeners off a ledge when it comes to that, because you hear the name Gase and all of a sudden I think there's a little bit of a shudder throughout Patriots Nation, just the same as there's that shudder throughout gangrene nation. And pretty soon it looks like that won't be the Jets problem any longer, but I agree with you. I mean, if he's coming in here with a more narrow focus and look, it's not necessarily a slam dunk that he would come in here and be the offensive coordinator.

Josh may not end up leaving for greener pastures. I mean, we're assuming that Josh will get head coaching offers and he's eventually going to take one. Josh's stock has dropped a little this year as well. And I'm sure we'll get into that in the flip side of this segment when we talk about the game a little bit and some of the play calling that he's dialed up this year. It's been erratic at times. And I don't know if necessarily he's thought of amongst the league as the guy that can really be a franchise head coach for a number of years but coming in and having someone like an adam gaze come in and have a narrow focus and like you said coaching guys up could end up being a good fit and a lot of times you know people will

attach themselves to greatness in order to kind of get back whatever mojo they may have lost in a job that might have been a little too far over their head. What better way to do it than to utilize the wisdom and counsel of Bill Belichick? So that could be something to keep an eye on, and we will continue to do that. Lastly, John, there is a game to be played on Sunday, and neither team is essentially playing for anything but pride at this point. Jets are locked into the number two pick. Patriots right now are fluctuating. There are some that are projecting either 14 or 15, but that's going to be pretty much where you

can expect to see them. The Pats have had difficulty moving the football through the air all season long, but they have been effective in running the football. And I think that's where this offense can shine. Obviously, on the defensive side of the ball, the Patriots have been nearly the opposite. They've defended the pass pretty well, but they haven't been able to stop the run. To me, the matchup to watch on Sunday is going to be whether the Pats running backs can have success against the Jets' run defense. And that's been, I think, the one area where the Jets have been able to be pretty formidable, especially last week. They're coming off a very impressive outing, limiting the Browns to only 45 yards, including keeping the wraps on Nick Chubb, which is not an easy task. John, how do you expect New

York to attack this game on both sides of the ball? And what can we expect to see as Patriots fans from the Jets team coming to Foxborough on Sunday? Well, the Jets have been playing very conservatively on offense, and it's not entirely clear how they're going to attack things because their go to guy on offense has been Frank Gore. Much to my consternation, and it's got nothing to do with like, I have a lot of respect for Frank Gore. He's going to the Hall of Fame. Great player. Guy's been a great source in the locker room. He got at the point of his career where the offense should be run through him.

And that's what the Jets have been doing but he's going to miss this game uh he suffered a lung injury in the win over Cleveland so you're going to see some of the younger backs play for the Jets LaMichael Pirine Josh Adams Ty Johnson could see some action um I don't think you're going to see the Jets take many shots down the field I think the passing game will probably go primarily through Jamison Crowder out of the slot and I mean I think that that's the way this Jets team plays I don't think you're going to see the Jets take many shots down the field. I think the passing game will probably go primarily through Jamison Crowder out of the slot. And I mean, I think that that's the way this Jets team plays. I don't think it's a great way to play. I think it's one of my criticisms of Adam Gase.

But this is not a Jets offense that attempts to make many big plays. Not that they'd necessarily be capable of doing it anyway, but they don't even really try. So you see lots of ball control from the Jets. They're going to try and put together long drives, keep the other team's offense on the sideline. Hopefully you move the chains a few times and win field position. And as you mentioned, the Jets have a good run defense.

It's really played very well, especially last week. I remember before the first meeting in November, that Monday night game, we did the crossover and you mentioned the Jets run defense and I was a little skeptical of it I'm less skeptical now I think this is this is rounded into being a very good unit I think now they're going to be without Quinn and Williams who's out for the season who's the best player they have on the defensive line but there are some effective guys up front they've got Foley Fatukasi who's developed into a really solid

nose tackle. Nathan Shepard has flashed the last couple weeks. He's been a backup most of the year. He's had a quiet year, but he's flashed recently. John Franklin Myers looks like a really nice pickup the Jets made from the Rams a couple years ago. They picked him up off waivers last year. He missed the entire 2019 season, but 2020 he's looked really good. He's won a lot of his matchups.

Neville Hewitt was supposed to start the season as a backup at the linebacker position, has been thrust into the lineup due to injuries, opt-outs, trades, and has put together a really solid season as a starter. Now, I think corner things are a little bit dicey. Your Jets are going to be playing a lot of young guys at corner. Bryce Hall, a rookie, bless Austin, in his second year. You may see Javelin Guidry in the slot. In the back of the defense, though, you got Marcus May,

who's putting together—he did not make the Pro Bowl. Probably his caliber of season has probably been a little bit below Pro Bowl, but he's been really solid at the safety position. So there are some pieces on this defense. I think that the Jets are stronger against the run than they are against the pass, and that could make for an interesting matchup because, as you mentioned, the Patriots

sound like they're going to try and establish the run. Yeah, absolutely. And the Patriots, I think, will try to establish the run, or at least they're going to have to if they want to try to be successful. It really has been the only way they've been able to move the football this year, and I'm sure we're going to get to that in just a moment.

But John, thank you. You provided a great amount of insight when it comes to the New York Jets, both their prospectus for 2021 and what we can expect to see on the field this Sunday. But this wouldn't exactly be a true crossover, my friend, unless we flip the script and you put me on the hot seat. In just a moment, folks, my friend and colleague John Buchko of Locked On Jets will take over the command and seek my wisdom and counsel, I say that tongue-in-cheek, folks, on all things New England Patriots.

More Pat's Jets talk when this Locked On Crossover Thursday continues. Patriots fans, you've all heard the phrase, often imitated but never duplicated. I mean, is there a better phrase to describe your favorite football team in Foxborough? Six Super Bowl titles in just under two decades? Yeah, no other NFL team in the modern era can even come close to making that claim. Only the best can provide the best. And when it comes to protein bars, the only ones who could provide the best,

healthy, low-calorie, and delicious treats you know and love are the ones who provided the best in the first place. So prepare your taste buds for wow and make Bilt Bar your go-to protein bar right now. No one can do it like they do it. 100% real chocolate, soft, easy to chew, and Bilt Bar is available in mouth-watering flavors like cookies and cream, peanut butter brownie, apple almond crisp, lemon almond cheesecake, just to name a few. But Built Bar is not only low-calorie and low-sugar, but it's also high-protein and high-fiber. Great for all of you following the keto lifestyle. Built Bar has no crazy additives, half the calories of its most popular competitors, and get this, seven times fewer carbs, seven times fewer sugar grams and more protein

how can it be that good for you and taste that good well folks all i can tell you is built bar is just that good go to builtbar.com and use promo code locked on to get 20 off your next order don't delay do it today use promo code locked on forON for 20% off at BiltBar.com. It's crossover Thursday before the Week 17 game between the New York Jets and the New England Patriots Sunday in Foxborough. Not a lot on the line except for the impact on the final records for the Jets and New England. And in this segment, I'm going to speak with Mike DeBate about the New England Patriots. And Mike, we all know that the guy who played quarterback for the Patriots for about two decades is no longer there this year.

But what are some of the other reasons that the Patriots have fallen short of the success you typically associate with them in 2020? Well, that's kind of a loaded question, John. And it's a good one. It's a very, very good one. And other than not having a legendary signal call or calling plays in the backfield that has been there for 20 years, the Patriots simply just have not executed the way we've typically seen Patriots teams

execute. Now, some of that is due to injury. Some of that is due to opt outs with COVID. Um, a lot of people want to downplay that, but the Patriots lost three key members, not only on the field, but also in the locker room this year, guys that were really instrumental about coaching, uh, guys on the field, being able to let them know where they need to be, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Patrick Chung at the safety position, Dante Hightower at the middle linebacker position.

These guys, by all intents and purposes, were the heart and soul of that defense, along with Devin McCourty, who's still on the field, but it's hard to put the work of three men on one man's shoulders. Devin's played great this year, but at the same time, losing a guy like Dante Hightower, who really is the quarterback of that defense is going to lessen your ability to be able to be effective. So the Patriots regression on defense is due to some of the COVID opt-outs. It's also due to some of the personnel that they've lost.

They definitely missed guys like Kyle Van Noy, Jamie Collins, a Landon Roberts, that type of thumping defense that they had in 2019, which was really the strength of that team, was gone. They didn't have the ability to switch into the 3-4 set, which is where this team plays its best football defensively. They didn't have the ability to get after the passer. The pass rushers showed signs and flashes of being able to get after the ball, but just didn't do it consistently enough.

And one of the biggest reasons for their regression on defense has been their lack of a true presence in the middle of that interior defensive line. They're simply being run, rush shot over by teams that can run the ball effectively. And even teams that are not very adept at being able to run the football.

Obviously the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins the last couple of weeks, the Los Angeles Rams early on, these are teams that were able to come in and absolutely run over these teams. So this is a difficult run for the New England Patriots, and it's just been a difficult year all the way around. On the offensive side of the football. The Cam Newton experiment just did not work out the way that the Patriots had hoped it would. A lot of that is because of the pass catchers around him.

Some of that is because of Cam's regression and not being able to pick up the blitz, not being able to utilize the zone reads and the RPOs as effectively as he'd like. He's short-arming throws. When teams stack the box and they force the Patriots to beat them through the air. Cam's not completing passes and he's not seeing his open receivers. So it's just been a real difficult run for New England this year. And it's been a different experience for the Pats Nation and the fan base. But when you look at this team objectively, you really can see the reasons why they've regressed.

It's lack of personnel, and they're going to need to address a lot of holes in the offseason. How confident are you that they'll be able to address those holes? And part of the reason I ask is that we talked about how the Jets are one of the few teams in the NFL that will have an appreciable amount of cap space this offseason, but the Patriots are another. Yeah, without question. And because of that, I am relatively optimistic that the Patriots will be able to do that. Now, they're going to utilize the draft as they always have.

They're going to take the best available player for their system, and they're going to utilize that to the best of their ability. That's not going to make the fan base happy, because I know a lot of the fan base is hoping that they're going to trade up and come away with one of the big name quarterbacks. To be honest with you, John, I don't see the Patriots attacking the draft that way. To be honest, I think they're going to go defense. And that's just my early opinion. I'll go into, you know, a much deeper dive into this draft in the coming days and weeks once the season is over. But my feeling is that's where Bill Belichick understands he needs young talent to be able to

come in and play right away, especially in the middle, that interior of that defensive line that I just spoke of. In terms of free agents, I think the Patriots are going to do a lot of what they've done typically. Bring in middle-of-the-road, maybe even lower-end free agents, sign them to one-year deals, allow them to play essentially for their job, and bring in the right fit players on both sides of the football that can effectively be effective in this system. I do think they will make a free agent splash this year because they do have the ability to bring in at least one player that might raise an eyebrow. A few years ago, they did it with Stephon Gilmore, and a lot of people were surprised uh that that happened and that ended up working out very well for the new england patriots uh i don't know if it's going to be on the offensive side of the ball or the defensive side of the ball i know the fan base definitely desperately wants either a tight end or a wide receiver

uh but it's going to be up to bill belichick and his brain trust uh to determine what the best course of action is but i think they have the right team in place. I've seen some reports from local and national media alike that Bill Belichick is not the right guy to lead this rebuild in New England. I firmly disagree with that. I think that Belichick is the right guy to be able to lead it, and he'll be able to build a team. It just may not be on the terms that maybe the fans or even the media would

like at this point you know if you guys don't like belichick i think there are about 30 other 31 other teams that would be glad to have him lead them i know right you would think so now let me put you on the spot and i apologize because i hate it when people put me on the spot like this but if you had to make a prediction do you think that the 2021 quarterback of the New England Patriots is currently on the roster uh three weeks ago I would have told you absolutely uh right now uh and don't apologize because that's an excellent question and I'm glad that you asked it uh right now uh my optimism is waning on that I think the only way the New England Patriots decide that the quarterback of the future, or at least the immediate future in 2021, is on this roster,

is if they feel that there's no other options out there that give them a better chance to win in 2021. I think they'll be able to find someone that will give them a better opportunity to win in 2021. But if they're either going to level out or they're going to regress, the Patriots are not going to pull the trigger on a deal on a young quarterback that has a lot of promise, but may need a lot of work. They right now have a guy like that. And Jared stood them on the roster. And we saw what he did the other night on Monday, a very lackluster performance and whether a full off season with knowing he's the starter comes in and allows Jarrett to be able to move into that role. That's a possibility with regard to Cam. And I know a lot

of people are up and down on Cam. There's a lot of people within the Patriots fan base that are ready to move on from Cam Newton. I'm not quite on that train just yet. And the reason being is that the work ethic that I've seen Cam Newton exhibit all year long is really inspiring. And I think he's done a tremendous job trying to fit in and trying to fill the shoes of a legendary quarterback that really ruled the roost here for nearly two decades. And it's a very difficult situation to come in and replace a Tom Brady, but I think Newton's done that. Uh, what worries me about Cam is just the lack of ability to be able to find open receivers. The short arm, not being able to utilize the field with his arm is a concern, and it will continue to be a concern.

He can still move the football with his legs. He can still be an effective and elusive quarterback when trying to shake pressure. But when it comes to completing a pass through pressure, that's when he has his difficulties. So that's why my optimism is soured a little on Cam. But if the Patriots don't see anything better out there, then Cam Newton may be your best option for 2021 if you're going to continue this rebuild for a number of years to come.

Now, let's focus on the game a little bit. I view this as kind of like a preseason game. I know the guys are going to go out there and compete really hard, I guess, on the defensive side of the ball. And one guy that I think might be featured a little bit that I think the Patriots may want to see what they have in him, especially if Damian Harris is not able to give it a go, who's been their best running back all year, is undrafted rookie running back J.J. Taylor. Taylor has had some elusive runs when he's been in the lineup. Now, he hasn't seen a whole lot of action. He's been on and off the practice squad all year, elevated to the 53-man roster.

But Taylor is someone that can run. He reminds me a lot of a young Deion Lewis, that type of compact, shifty, very explosive type runner that can get through holes and really surprise you with his strength, even though he's very small in stature. So his runs, I think, can really improve over the course of a training camp into next year. I think the Patriots would like to see if he can handle maybe being a second down back or someone that they can rely on moving forward because they do have some questions with Damian Harris. Well, not with Damian Harris, but with Sonny Michel being, Sony Michelle being a compliment to Damian Harris, uh, are they going to bring him back? And I think if they can see something in Taylor, they may choose to, uh, to go with him. So that may be a name to watch on

the offensive side of the ball. Uh, as for pass catchers, uh, the Patriots really have not had a whole lot of prowess in pass catching department this year. Jacoby Myers has been a nice, uh, addition to this team. Uh, he will continue to be a threat in the slot. I year. Jacoby Myers has been a nice addition to this team. He will continue to be a threat in the slot. I like what Jacoby brings to the team, and I think he'll be a wide receiver here for a number of years. One guy that you may want to keep an eye on might be Devin Asiasi at the tight end

position. Asiasi has yet to register an NFL catch. That is not a good sign for a rookie tight end that was among the top draft picks that you had in 2020. This may be an opportunity for the Patriots to try was among the top draft picks that you had in 2020. This may be an opportunity for the Patriots to try to get him some work, so watch him in the open field. He's been missed a couple of times by Cam Newton. When Newton has targeted him, Asiasi has had some drops, unable to go up and get some of the balls, so that may be one to watch. I don't know if it's necessarily going to be positive or negative at this point,

but I would keep my eye on him. New England's defense is interesting this year. Two guys that have come in that have played significant roles, but really are not household names have been Tayshaun Bauer, who really comes in as an edge rusher, trying to stop and set the edge. He's been okay at the edge rush linebacker position. The other in the middle part of their defense is Terrence Hall,

who's really been excellent against the run, poor against the pass. But if the Jets choose to run the ball a little bit, you might see Terrence Hall targeted a little. So keep an eye out in the middle part of the defense for that. And then, of course, on the secondary, Stephon Gilmore is out for the year. That's one name you don't have to worry about. I would watch for Juwan Williams this week, especially if Devin McCourty is going to be unable to go.

He did not participate in practice on Wednesday. We're not sure if he's going to suit up for this game. If he doesn't, Juwan Williams may get the nod at the safety position alongside a guy like Adrian Phillips, and that could be an interesting matchup to watch. So those are some of the names that Jets fans might not really be too familiar with, but you might hear called a few times on Sunday. All right, well, Mike, excellent information as always.

I always enjoy chatting with you, and I'm sure we'll do it again over the offseason. Usually we have some AFC East crossover shows. You and I join Kyle from Locked On Dolphins and Joe from Locked On Bills, and I joined Kyle from lockdown dolphins and Joe from lockdown bills. And I'm really looking forward to that in the months ahead. Absolutely. Without any question. These are always,

always fun crossovers. Always enjoy sharing the microphone with you, my friend. And it's been another great season in 2020. Maybe not the standings for our teams, but it's been a, a great time being able to talk football with you. So happy new year buddy

and we'll definitely talk soon and enjoy the game on Sunday what more can I say and so Patriots Nation it is nearly time to ring in the new year out with 2020 and in with 2021 and even though technically Sunday's game is going to be played in the calendar year of 2021, it is the 2020 season finale for your New England Patriots. The Jets are coming into this game with feeling, the Patriots are coming into this game reeling, but there is definitely a path to victory for the New England Patriots this weekend. If the Patriots have any chance of being successful against the Jets on Sunday, they need to be much better against the run this week than they have been in a long time,

especially the last two weeks against the Miami Dolphins and against the Buffalo Bills. The Jets are definitely going to look to run it on this team, even with Frank Gore on the sidelines. They can smell blood in the water, and they know that the Patriots may be without several key members up front in their defense. If that's the case, I think the Patriots have to take the training wheels off and give the young guys a chance to see what they can do defending the run. And by the youngsters, I'm specifically talking about Chase Winovich. It's time to see if this guy can be a reliable three-down player. I firmly believe he can be.

I think the Patriots believe he can be. I just think they've been taking a cautious approach with him, and I think Sunday is the perfect opportunity to unleash him a little bit and see what the kid can be. I think the Patriots believe he can be. I just think they've been taking a cautious approach with him, and I think Sunday is the perfect opportunity to unleash him a little bit and see what the kid can do. Another player that really needs to step it up on defense is John Simon. He's largely been ineffective the last couple of weeks, and John is actually very good at being able to defend against both the pass and the run. They're going to need his help in the run defense this week, and if both he and Winovich can set the edge effectively, the middle part of that Patriots defense might be able to contain a Jets rushing attack. The other key to setting the edge is getting after Sam Darnold enforcing the issue. Don't forget that the last time the Patriots played Sam Darnold leading the Jets

offense, they made him see ghosts. Yeah, we all remember that game last year. To do that, the Patriots not only need to set the edge, but they have to get pressure on Darnold and not allow him a few seconds to be able to sit back, survey the field, and pick his targets. If that happens, it's going to be a long day for the Patriots in Foxborough. But if they can maintain the blitz, even blitzing some secondary players on occasion, Adrian Phillips, anybody, then this Bill Belichick coach defense has a chance to make life difficult on Sam Darnold and the Jets. On the offensive side of the ball, the Patriots are not going to be able to rely solely on ground and pound. As you heard John Buchko say earlier, the Jets are a much better run defensive team than they are defending against the pass,

and that will be the case this weekend. If Damian Harris is able to go, it strengthens the Patriots' ability to run the football. Both Harris and Michel can run with authority and get you some be the case this weekend. If Damian Harris is able to go, it strengthens the Patriots' ability to run the football. Both Harris and Michel can run with authority and get you some yardage. You can also utilize James White out of the backfield, and I look for J.J. Taylor to have a pretty big role as well. But if the Jets stack the box and prevent the Patriots from gaining any traction on the ground, then it's going to be up to Cam Newton, or possibly even Jarrett Stidham if he sees time in the second half, to throw the football and find some pass-catching targets. If the Patriots do have

to air the ball out, then see what these guys can do. Target Jacoby Myers. Target Nakheel Harry. Target Darmier Bird. And last but certainly not least, and Claire, I'm throwing this one in just for you, I sincerely hope that we see at least one, if not both, of the tight ends targeted in the passing game. It's time to see what Devin Asiasi and or Dalton Keene can do when they're targeted and expected to make plays on this offense. Jets have had their share of difficulties defending against wide receivers and especially against tight ends this year.

That's a matchup the Patriots can exploit. The question is, can their personnel make the plays necessary to put the Jets on their heels? Some may tell you no, I will tell you yes. I think the Patriots are able to put enough together this week to win a close game in Foxborough. Call me optimistic, but in the final analysis, I think the Patriots take this one by a final score of 24-21. Folks, before I sign off for the final time here on the pod in 2020, I just wanted to take the opportunity to wish each and every one of you and your families a very happy, safe, and healthy new year.

2020 has been a tumultuous year. For some, it's been an unbearable year. After going through some of the difficulties that a lot of us have had to face this year, it's tough to have optimism for the coming year. But collectively, we continue to hope for the best, and that is what I wish for each and every one of you. I consider it a true honor that you invite me into your lives each and every day to be a small part of your daily New England Patriots coverage. Again, I am so grateful for the listens, the downloads, and the kind comments I receive from so many of you.

I can't wait to return to the microphone on Monday to kick off 2021, and although it's going to be a different type of off-season than we've seen in a while here on Locked On Patriots, I will still continue to bring you the latest news, notes, and analysis infused with the occasional opinion on your six-time Super Bowl champions, the New England Patriots. Once again, my name is Mike DeBate. I thank John Buchko, host of the Locked On Jets podcast, for his time, his insight, and his appearance on today's pod. But most of all, I thank you so much for joining me and for staying locked in to Locked On Patriots.

And don't forget to subscribe to and follow Locked On Patriots on platforms such as Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Radio.com, and so much more. Until next year, Patriots Nation, stay safe and stay well. Continue to be the change you wish to see in the world. Have a great weekend, everyone, and Happy New Year.