Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Crossover Thursday: The Sequel - Patriots vs. Broncos - 10/15/2020

Episode Date: October 15, 2020

It’s not Groundhog Day...it’s Crossover Thursday...The Sequel! Join hosts Mike D’Abate of Locked On Patriots and Cody Roark of Locked On Broncos as they preview this AFC showdown between the New England Patriots and the Denver Broncos from Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts on Sunday, October 18th. Mike also gives his thoughts on the returns of both Cam Newton and Stephon Gilmore, as well as the Patriots’ rumored pursuit of free-agent running back Le’Veon Bell.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Rock AutoAmazing selection. Reliably low prices. All the parts your car will ever need. Visit RockAuto.com and tell them Locked On sent you.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.MyBookieINVEST IN YOUR INTUITION. USE PROMO CODE LOCKEDON AND DOUBLE YOUR FIRST DEPOSIT. NEW PLAYERS GET UP TO $1,000 IN FREE PLAY - DESIGNED TO ADD MORE EXCITEMENT TO THE SPORTS YOU LOVE AND THE GAMES YOU BET. YOUR WINNING SEASON BEGINS TODAY...ONLY AT MYBOOKIE!BuiltGoVisit BuiltGO.com and use promo code “LOCKED,” and you’ll get 20% off your next order.RomanGo to getroman.com/lockedon TODAY. If approved, you’ll get fifteen dollars off your first order of ED treatment. 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 today it is Crossover Thursday, the sequel right 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.

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Pepsi, made for football watching. Greetings and salutations, Patriots Nation. It is Thursday, October 15th, 2020, and it is Crossover Thursday, Part 2, between Cody Roark, host of Locked On Broncos, and myself, your host of the Locked On Patriots podcast, Mike DeBate. Of course, both Locked On Broncos and Locked On Patriots are proud parts of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. And here on Locked On Patriots, folks, your team every day means that

your questions, comments, and feedback are always welcomed and strongly encouraged. Feel free to share that feedback anytime by reaching out to me and following me on Twitter at M-D-A-B-A-T-E-F-P-C. And while you're out there doing some Thursday traveling through the Twitterverse, please be sure to follow the Locked On Patriots account as well at L-O underscore Patriots.

Patriots fans, the first time was so nice, we decided to do it twice. That's right, I'm talking about this crossover Thursday between Locked On Patriots and Locked On Broncos. Last week, Cody Rourke and I took a pretty deep dive into this game, what you can expect from an offensive standpoint from both teams, from a defensive standpoint from both teams, and which team would be at the biggest disadvantage considering the personnel they'd be missing on the field.

For Denver, KJ Hamler, Noah Fant, Drew Locke, all would have been out for the Broncos had these two teams played as scheduled on Monday, October 12th. For your New England Patriots, Cam Newton and Stephon Gilmore, arguably the Patriots' two best players on either side of the ball, were almost certainly out as well. Well, a week can make a pretty big difference, and in this case, it has made a huge difference. Cam Newton and Stephon Gilmore are expected to play. In fact, I'd say it's a pretty safe bet that both will be in the lineup on Sunday, and I'll get into that in a moment. For the Denver Broncos, Drew Locke looks to be back on the field as well.

He's a full participant in practice after missing some time with a shoulder injury. So all of a sudden, what would have been a Monday evening matchup between either Brian Hoyer or Jarrett Stidham and Brett Rippon now looks like it's going to be Cam Newton versus Drew Locke with a much more full arsenal for both squads. And that not only changes the game plan of both teams, but it also affects the way Cody and I perceive this matchup to shake out on Sunday. So as a result, we were back on the microphone talking all things Patriots-Broncos. Cam Newton and Stephon Gilmore's presence.

Drew Locke's presence. Will Broncos running back Melvin Gordon be able to suit up in this one after some earlier off-field problems this week? And last but certainly not least, what are the changes to the offensive and defensive game plans for both teams now that some of their marquee players are going to be back on the field? Folks, I said it before last week, I'll say it again this week, being able to join Cody Rourke on the microphone to talk Patriots-Broncos is something I always look forward to. We had a blast last week. I think you'll enjoy our conversation just as much, maybe even a little bit more this week.

Crossover Thursday is always a fun time, and even though I'm not usually a big fan of sequels, I'd like to think this is more in the line of The Empire Strikes Back or maybe even The Godfather 2 rather than something like Speed 2 Cruise Control, for example. But I digress. We're not here to talk movies. We're here to talk business. On-field football and Foxborough business. So sit back and settle in. An action-packed agenda here on this sequel version of Crossover Thursday between Locked On Broncos and Locked On Patriots. Coming at you in just a moment.

But first, you heard me say earlier, folks, that I thought it was a pretty safe bet that both Cam Newton and Stephon Gilmore were going to be back in action on Sunday. That's because earlier today, on Thursday, the first time the Patriots have hit the practice field since the COVID-19 scare of last week, both Cam Newton and Stephon Gilmore were visible on the field. That means they've returned off of the COVID-19 reserve list. And as a result, I'd say it's a pretty safe bet that both Newton and Gilmore will be on the field on Sunday when the Patriots host the Broncos. This is huge news for the Patriots.

First and foremost, quarterback one returns to the field. Starting quarterback Cam Newton gets to take snaps under center. And after what we saw against the Kansas City Chiefs, combination of both Brian Hoyer and Jarrett Stidham, this is a welcome addition. I'm not going to trample on the wounds of both Brian Hoyer and Jarrett Stidham. This is a welcome addition. I'm not going to trample on the wounds of both Brian Hoyer and Jarrett Stidham. They know how they performed. I think with a little bit of practice, each of them could have performed a little bit better, but there is no doubt in my mind that this team is far better off with Cam Newton

under center than with either Jarrett Stidham or Brian Hoyer. Cam Newton provides stability, experience, top-notch skill, and another dimension to the running game. And that's important for this one, folks. Denver's run defense is very good. And the Patriots are going to need all the help they can in the backfield. And I'll come back to the Patriots' need for help in the running game in just a moment. But on the defensive side of the ball, having Stephon Gilmore back in the lineup is the equivalent of having Cam Newton back on the offense. Stephon just changes the complexity.

He allows the Patriots secondary to be that lockdown unit we're used to seeing. It allows guys like Jawan Williams to play the hybrid corner safety role that he's been playing quite well and erasing some tight ends. On the opposite side of the field at corner, it doesn't force someone like J.C. Jackson to play out of position. He can be put in to cover some of the speedy receivers that Denver has. But at the very least, having the reigning defensive player of the year in your backfield allows you to ideally set your defense.

Now you're talking the defensive front seven, the linebacking core, the safeties, the corners. Everyone will know where they need to be and be playing their proper position. So very welcome sights both on the practice fields at Gillette Stadium on Thursday. Hopefully things will continue to trend in the right direction, and we look forward to seeing both Cam Newton and Stephon Gilmore back on the field on Sunday afternoon as the Patriots host the Denver Broncos. I also wanted to let all of you know that the practice squatter, defensive tackle Bill Murray, also back on the field,

which means he was taken off the COVID reserve list. Glad to see him doing well after his positive test last week. Of course, defensive tackle Byron Coward still remains on the COVID list. I would say he's almost assuredly out for Sunday's game. He wasn't spotted on the practice field on Thursday. Also absent from Thursday's practice was defensive end Dietrich Wise, and keep a sharp eye on this one, folks. On Wednesday's simulated injury report, Dietrich was listed as a player that would have been held out of practice

with a non-injury designation. Not a whole lot is known right now as to why Dietrich would have been held out of yesterday's practice and today's practice. It's still unclear as to whether or not he'll be available tomorrow, but if he's absent on Friday's practice, it might be a safe bet to think that Dietrich Wise may not go in this one. We'll continue to monitor it, and I'll bring you the very latest right here on Locked On Patriots.

So folks, as we start to get a clearer picture as to who will take the field on Sunday, we're almost ready to move into the Crossover Thursday realm. But I'd be remiss if I did so without at least addressing pretty popular rumors circulating out there amongst social media. Not just Patriots social media, all of NFL social media. By now, you've all heard the rumors about running back Le'Veon Bell. Released by the New York Jets, he's now free to sign with the team of his choice at the league minimum, and the rest of his monster salary will in fact be paid by the New York Jets. Yeah, I know folks, you just can't make this up,

but when you're a Jet, you're a Jet all the way. That being said, last night, Bob Fesco of Kansas City Radio tweeted out some information from his source about Bell's potential future whereabouts. Fesco's report said that the Kansas City Chiefs were the frontrunners, and that there were four other teams still in on Le'Veon Bell. Now, reportedly, and again, folks, I say reportedly because it has not been confirmed, one of those four teams was your New England Patriots. And that set off a social media firestorm. Will Bill Belichick invest in bringing in Le'Veon Bell? Well, by my count, most of you seem to be against the idea. I saw a lot of, nah, he's washed up. He's a malcontent. The Patriots don't need him. They already have a lot of good running backs.

What we need is a wide receiver or even a tight end. And while there were some of you out there that seemed pretty high on the idea, I found the collective reaction to be more negative than positive. I'll admit, even at first glance, I took a look at it and said, now Le'Veon Bell, I know it's a big name. I know Patriots fans are going to get excited, but I just don't see it. And I felt that way for the better part of last night and even into this morning. Then I went back and I read a quote from Bill Belichick from 2016 regarding Le'Veon Bell. And this quote comes courtesy of the Twitter account of Mike Giardi at the NFL Network. When asked during a press conference, Bill Belichick said the following about Le'Veon Bell.

Quote, Oh my God, he's a tremendous player. Great hands. Catches the ball. Very quick. Makes people miss. Strong. Breaks tackles,

excellent balance, tough, doesn't run out of bounds, fights for extra yardage. He's as good as anybody will play. Folks, I know Bill Belichick has a reputation for talking up his opponent, making them sound a lot better than they really are. But I can tell you from personal experience, he does not go into this type of detail about a player unless he really admires that player. So all of a sudden, it seemed possible, and I started to really cultivate that possibility a little bit. On the field, this is a better fit for the Patriots than a lot of people

may want to admit. Even though I still have a lot of faith both in Sonny Michel and in Damian Harris to be the first and second down backs that the Patriots need them to be, Sonny's been banged up. Damian is fresh off of injured reserve. Le'Veon Bell comes in and automatically brings you more prowess and more raw skill than either one of those players. He's also very good when it comes to catching the ball out of the backfield, could give the Patriots another dimension with guys like Rex Burkhead and James White being so good at doing that.

But something that's likely endeared him to Bill Belichick more than anything else is he's very good in blocking in and pass protection. A running back that is very good at getting in there and not being afraid to mix it up with defensive linemen has Bill Belichick's name written all over it. So all of a sudden, the Patriots being in on Le'Veon Bell made a whole lot of sense to me. Then came late Thursday morning and Jeremy Fowler from ESPN reporting that Le'Veon had narrowed his selection to three teams. Validating Bob Fesco's report from Wednesday night, one of those was the Kansas City Chiefs. They were reportedly the frontrunner. The other two teams, the Miami

Dolphins and the Buffalo Bills. So just like that, it seemed, once again, dream dead. Or was it? At the time I'm reporting this podcast, there are still some rumblings that the Patriots may be re-entering these negotiations. Bottom line, folks, I would definitely support the Patriots bringing in Le'Veon Bell. I don't think he'll be a malcontent or a problem in the locker room. Le'Veon's been known to be a very good teammate, and the problems he had in New York I think were Adam Gase-related and not something that would affect him here, especially with guys in that locker room like Matthew Slater, Julian Edelman, Devin and Jason McCourty.

High quality leadership that encourages a culture of camaraderie. But do I think it's going to happen? Unfortunately, folks, no, I don't believe it's going to happen. Per the reports that are coming out of Le'Veon's camp, he's looking for two things, the ability to win and the ability to make a significant contribution to the offense. He could have both of those here in New England. I think the chances of him having both, though, are a little bit better in Kansas City and definitely much better in Buffalo.

Once this is all said and done, I think he ends up with the Kansas City Chiefs. Of course, that's just my opinion. He still very much could end up here in New England, but I just think that even though it's possible, it's mostly unlikely. But whether or not Le'Veon Bell is signed on the dotted line here by Sunday, the Patriots will be taking the field at Gillette Stadium to host the Denver Broncos. And in just a moment, Cody Rourke of Locked On Broncos joins me on this sequel of Crossover Thursday when the Locked On Patriots podcast continues.

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Instead, it's Crossover Thursday, the sequel, here on the Locked On Podcast Network. And that means getting you ready for Sunday's week six now matchup between the Denver Broncos and the New England Patriots, hopefully scheduled for this Sunday, October 18th, 1 p.m. Eastern, 11 a.m. Mountain Time from Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. For the second time in as many weeks, I'm Mike DeBate, host of the Locked On Patriots podcast. And again, joining me is my good friend and colleague, Cody Roark, host of Locked On Broncos. And Cody, I always enjoy sharing the microphone with you, my friend, but I had hoped that

we would get a chance to do a second crossover. Not this soon. I was thinking maybe the playoffs would be a good time, but alas, here we are. Honor is all mine, my friend. Hey, it's good to be back. So nice to get to hear us twice talking about this matchup. And so much has changed. I mean, from the standpoint, we were all expecting the game to occur on the Sunday originally, then it got pushed to Monday. And I tell you what, a 3 p.m. Mountain Time kickoff on a Monday was just really odd to me. So that was that. And then it got pushed back, obviously, to this upcoming Sunday.

It changed the complexion of the schedule, I think, for both teams going forward. And here we are. And as of right now, things look like they are on track. The Patriots have had negative tests inside the building. That's great. They're getting Cam Newton back, Stephon Gilmore back. Things are lining up for this matchup. And, Mike, I actually want to start things off by asking you a variety of Patriots questions, if that is okay with you.

I would be more than happy to oblige. I think the biggest thing, you know, I was going into this matchup, doing my game preview last Friday after we had done our crossover and looking at the Patriots offensively, the second ranked rushing attack in the NFL, 179 yards per game on the ground. And a lot of that, I felt like they have a three-running back system, running back by committee. That's never changed. That's not going to change for them, especially with Sonny Michel still on IR. You can expect the three backs there.

But now, with Cam Newton back in the fold for this New England Patriots offense, what type of dynamic does that really provide for this Patriots offense now? Considering what we've seen historically in Josh McDaniel's system with Tom Brady, they never really had that mobile dynamic quarterback, but with Cam Newton, his ability to be mobile in the games he's played in, they've been very competitive. They've been very tough despite losing to Seattle on the one-yard line. These are some things that have stood out to me on tape.

What are the Patriots getting with Cam Newton back in the lineup? Well, without question, Cam Newton provides so many options to this team's ground game, both as a runner himself and as a threat to the defense. His absence would have meant that the Broncos would have had one less player to account for on run defense. And Denver has been very effective in that department this season. So the Patriots having Cam back is definitely a big boon to their ability to run the football effectively. Have the three back set, like you said.

I do expect a lot of Damian Harris in this game. I expect a lot of James White in this game. And I also expect Rex Burkhead to get some looks as well. I think you're going to see those three guys try to be effective. And I think you're going to always have the threat of Cam being able to tuck and run the football. Look, Cam provides that dichotomy that the Patriots have not had before on offense. You hit the nail on the head when you said under Tom Brady, they were not able to employ

some of those zone reads, some of those RPOs, the ability for Cam to change the complexity of the way defenses have to defend him. Now that being said, and we touched upon this a little bit last week, Cam still runs some of the old plays from the Brady playbook. You see him run a lot of play action. I think you actually may see some of that this week. The reason being is Cam has been out of action for two weeks. He's going to look to get back into the swing of things. And one of the best ways to do it is good old reliable Patriots offense, utilizing the backs, utilizing the run game to open up play action, being able to hit guys like James White, maybe even a Julian Edelman out of the backfield and be able to have them get

extra yards after the catch. That's going to be a big part of what the Patriots do. But now with Cam Newton in the lineup, you have to account for his ability to run and extend plays extensively with his legs. Stidham had the ability to do it slightly. I think the Broncos would have given it some consideration, maybe not a whole lot. Brian Hoyer, definitely not a part of his game at all. So the fact that Cam Newton is back in the lineup for the New England Patriots opens things up tremendously for the way they want to play on offense. And it also allows Cam to be able to utilize his arm, throw the ball down the field

a little bit. Denver may force them to try to stay in the pocket and try to dare the Patriots to throw on them. Cam can win that game as well. He's not as proficient as he gets credit for, but he can throw the ball downfield. So it gives them a lot more options and definitely opens things up a lot more for their offense. So the return of Cam Newton on offense is surely going to boost them. It's going to give guys like Julian Edelman some spring. You know, in that Monday Night Football game against Kansas City, Julian Edelman didn't look like himself. He just looked disinterested and not really in. He wasn't really into a rhythm on Monday Night Football.

I know the Patriots are probably going to try to get him going in this matchup so we talked about cam's return but now on the defensive side of the ball there is a strong likelihood we know that stefan gilmore he's returning back to the practice field today that means more than likely he's going to play on sunday against denver we talked about it last week he's the one guy that's going to follow the team's number one option which more than likely is going to be jerry judy so it's going to be a key match we're going to have our eyes on j Judy versus Stephon Gilmore. We've seen the Tennessee Titans at two weeks off. Do you think that these teams essentially having two weeks off,

getting some practice and getting some work in, do you think it's going to help them or do you think it's going to hurt them not having as much practice time, especially on the defensive side of the ball? I think it may work to the Patriots' advantage a little, but I think it may work to their disadvantage, actually, more than it does to their advantage. This is a team that plays very well when they're hot. And when you have a break in the action, especially an unscheduled break in the action, and also

missing Stephon Gilmore on the field doing anything that they needed to do, and the Patriots haven't had a whole lot of practice time on the field. Thursday will be the first time they've hit the field since last Saturday, which was only a glorified walkthrough at that point. So the Patriots will need some adjustment. Gilmore in the lineup definitely does a tremendous amount for their defense. He is one of their heart and soul, especially the heart and soul of that secondary. We saw that against the Chiefs. He played very well in the box. He was very hands-on in terms of shutting down one of the primary weapons on

their offense. And Sammy Watkins also came in, helped out on Travis Kelsey. We saw him come in and help out in the slot when it came to somebody like Tyree Kill. That's what Stephon Gilmore offers. He offers versatility and he offers the availability of a lot of other defenders to play in different roles and give the Denver offense or whatever offense they're playing some different looks, things they haven't seen before. Having Gilmore on the field is a big addition for the Patriots because now it frees up JC Jackson to maybe get matched up with Jerry Judy or some of the weapons that the Broncos have. It also allows someone like a Jawan Williams or even a Kyle Duggar at

the safety position or the hybrid corner to be able to be a tight end eraser. And if Noah Fant, in fact, can't go in this game, I know he's been limited in practice, better chance this week than last week. But at the same time, if he's limited in any capacity, that allows the Patriots to be able to put one of those guys on him and essentially take him out of their offensive rhythm. So just having Gilmore in the lineup as a shutdown corner is big, but it also changes the way the Patriots are able to employ different packages, and that makes that defense all the more better. And we've seen that in some of the previous games,

especially against the Kansas City Chiefs. Well, the Broncos, they're hoping to at least be back to full capacity as well on the offensive side of the ball. Coming up here in just a moment, Broncos fans, you got a lot of insight from Mike DeBate, the host of Lockdown Patriots. And if you're a Patriots fan, Mike's going to ask me a few questions about the Broncos and what they can expect in this matchup coming up on Sunday at Gillette Stadium in just a moment.

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so they know we sent you. Amazing selection. Reliably low prices. All the parts your car will ever need. rockauto.com Patriots fans and Broncos fans, Mike DeBate of Locked On Patriots, joined by Cody Roark, host of Locked On Broncos. And Cody, in the previous segment, we talked a little bit about what the Patriots do on offense. And we also talked about a little bit what they might do on defense with Stephon Gilmore back in the lineup, of course, with Cam Newton back in the lineup on offense. But those aren't the only returns that we can look forward to in this game.

The Denver Broncos have some players coming back into the swing of things as well. And of course, the big news out of Denver is that quarterback Drew Locke, having been out since suffering a shoulder injury early during his team's week two game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, was a full participant in Wednesday's practice. He looks like he will start on Sunday and Cody, no disrespect intended to Brett Rippon, but this should provide a much needed lift for a Broncos offense that has seen its share of injuries. We talked a little bit about Brett Rippon last week, my friend, and some of the flashes of the talent he was able to show,

but also how some of the inexperience had led to some untimely interceptions. Drew Locke is generally praised for his leadership and his command of the field, but I don't think he gets enough credit for his talent on the field. Cody, in your expert opinion, how does Drew Locke's return change the complexity of this offense for the Broncos? Well, I think that's a great point that you make there. You know, with the return of Drew Locke and the knowledge that he has for the Broncos. Well, I think that's a great point that you make there. With the return of Drew Locke and the knowledge that he has of the Broncos' offense right now under Pat Sherman, it's a new offensive system for everybody,

but Drew's been implementing it a lot longer. He's had the playbook. He's been working with the guys in the offseason, especially when they were getting together at local high schools before the season had started to be able to run the offense as a group. The thing I think the Broncos are going to run into is they can open up their playbook a lot more now. With Brett Rippon, he came into the game against the New York Jets, and they had a relatively condensed playbook.

And it wasn't because Brett Rippon couldn't handle it. It was because the offense has a lot of plays. It has a lot of things. And there's still plays that the Broncos haven't even gotten to yet that they want to open things up with. And it's really hard to do so when you're limited on weapons. You don't have Cortland Sutton, your number one wide receiver. You have Jerry Judy, who's now becoming that guy's rookie. You have Tim Patrick, opposite of him.

KJ Hamler, the Broncos' second-round pick, is still dealing with a hamstring injury. He's not going to play this week for the Broncos. And then, arguably, your best tight end, who is one of your best playmakers on the football field, he's going to be questionable for Sunday's matchup against the Patriots. And not to mention the situation going on right now with Melvin Gordon, we're just all awaiting word from the NFL on what they're going to do in terms of his off the field incident that occurred on Tuesday night. And obviously if you lose a guy like him, it makes the offense a little bit more difficult to be able to run things, especially with the return of

Phillip Lindsey and Royce Freeman, though it had to be the one-two punch without Gordon. Drew Locke coming back, I think the Broncos just need to come in there. They need to open it up. They need to get him into a little bit of a rhythm early on, allow him to go through his reads. And I think the biggest thing too is how is he going to respond after that first contact, right? Because you can't hit quarterbacks in practice. And I think that's something that the Broncos are wanting to see how he responds to, but they also want to be smart and they're not going to throw him out there. They're not going to have him do something they feel like he can't do yet. And that's going to be a big determination in practice. Now, Mike, I don't know if this is just Vic Fangio trying to play a little bit of a chess match

with Bill Belichick. We always know how that goes. But on Wednesday, the Broncos had both Drew Locke and Brett Rippin meet with the media and talk with it about Vic Fangio said something along the lines of we're going to evaluate Drew all week long, and then we're going to make the determination as to whether or not he's going to play on sunday and so it kind of throws this ambiguity out i don't think anybody's going to buy it i think drew lock with a full participation practice i think he's the guy on sunday and it's going to give the broncos a little bit of a boost and how is he going to respond after having such a long layoff of not being on the football field in live action that's going to be the biggest question great points and i agree with you i

think that drew lock will end up being the quarterback this Sunday. I think, yeah, it's probably a little posturing going back and forth between the two coaches. I'd respect it. I actually kind of like it, to be honest with you. I think it gives, you know, Belichick a little bit of Belichick back within his face. And I think it'll be good drama and definitely good theater for us as we anticipate Sunday's game. But at the end of the day, I do believe that Drew Locke will be the guy under center. And just to expound upon something that you just said, and obviously we are awaiting extra news or additional news on the Melvin Gordon situation due to the recent difficulties off the field.

But Gordon has been a solid addition to this Broncos running core without any question. He's a player that I know very well, having covered him during my time on the Chargers beat. And the news that Philip Lindsay is ready to return, you said this very eloquently earlier, that's a solid one-two punch for the Broncos running game. Last week, when we thought Brett Rippon would be the quarterback, we both agreed that he would look to utilize the running game, especially seeing that the Patriots defense might be vulnerable in that department. We talked a little bit in the previous segment about Stephon Gilmore making his return, and that may tighten up the Patriots pass defense a little bit, might make Drew Locke a little bit more squeamish to test some of those corners downfield.

I think even though Locke makes the Broncos passing game more potent, KJ Handler is still unlikely to go in this one. We talked a little bit about Noah Fant. He continues to be slowed by an ankle injury. Cody, do you believe that the Broncos are better off utilizing the run? Even if Gordon, for any reason, can't go in this game, I fully expect him to be there. But do you think the Broncos may be smart to try to test the Patriots' run defense that has been shown to be a bit porous this year? Yeah, I believe that should be the emphasis of attack that they have coming into this matchup.

I've always believed, and I said it coming into the season for this Broncos football team, and everyone's looking at all the receiver additions and saying, hey, this is a team that's going to air it out. I think the opposite. I think this is a team that needs to build their identity offensively on running the football and then setting up the pass off of it. That's where the Broncos are at. Phillip Lindsey was a 1,000-yard rusher last season and a back-to-back 1,000-yard rusher altogether from his rookie season to his sophomore season. He's missed these couple of games due to that turf toe injury, they've got to find a way to get the run game going. Because, you know, Mike, you know this, I think, better than everybody else. When you look at the Patriots and what they do, they play stingy, controlling defense, and then they run the football eloquently. That's why they have a time of possession of 32 minutes and 26 seconds in a game which is good for third in the National Football League.

They understand how to control the tempo of the game, and that's where the Broncos need to get to. Because I think the Broncos have a pretty good defense, and I think that if they can get the run game going and they can capitalize and come away with points on drives and then they can play that controlled defense they're in a position to win games and I think that's where the team is trying to build and they haven't been able to do that obviously due to injuries and I feel like that's really been the one thing that's derailed them so I would expect them to come out and try to test the run game a little bit as well because

we were able to see Kansas City. We were able to see some other teams that the Patriots have played this year really get the run game going. And then I think if you have success with that, the defense will tighten up. Then you can try the passing game a little bit. I think that's what the Broncos' strategy should be. Yeah, and I agree with you on that. And speaking of that Denver defense that I believe has been very impressive lately,

especially in the 3-4 front. We talked a little bit in the previous segment, Cody, that the Denver defense will now have to game plan for Cam Newton. All situations look like he'll be the starter for the Patriots on Sunday. He's expected to practice with the Patriots on Thursday, and all signs are pointing to him being ready for the field. The Broncos like to employ those inside linebacker blitzes, and they've done a pretty good job of that over the course of the last few games. That should force the Patriots into using their running backs and pass protection. Luckily for the Pats, they've been pretty good at being able to do that. Their backs have been

actually very potent in being able to defend and be able to provide pass protection. As electrifying as Cam can be, the Pats passing game has been average, even with him in the lineup. He can test the ball. He can definitely utilize his arm skills and test downfield. But if that's going to be the sole aspect of their offensive production, this offense might be able to be had a little bit. Denver's defense, on the other hand, again,

the 3-4 front ranks 11th in the league in rushing defense. They've allowed 109 yards per game through four weeks. That's impressive. Mike Purcell at the nose tackle position has been fighting a knee injury, but he usually lines up between Deshaun Williams, Shelby Harris. Those guys have been very solid. And an active pair of inside linebackers, again, like Josie Jewell, Alexander Johnson, they love to be able to utilize their ability to get after the quarterback. Cody, even though the Denver run defense is so stout, do you think they might be better off daring the Patriots to test them through the air in this game and try to beat them utilizing Cam Newton's arm skills as opposed to that dual threat of him being able to tuck and run when he needs to? I think for the Broncos, I think that's the of him being able to tuck and run when he needs to.

I think for the Broncos, I think that's the best bet for them to be able to come out defensively is really force Cam Newton to throw the ball. But here's the deal. You talk about the inside linebacker blitzes. Denver does a lot of that, but they also do a lot of stunts with those inside linebacker blitzes. They'll have the one technique crossface across the center, and they'll twist, and then they'll send the inside backer inside that A- or they'll crash down the defensive end on the interior on the exterior and then they'll bring the pass rusher also on the inside this is where the broncos really have to make sure that they contain they have edge contained this week against cam newton because

he can't if he gets to the outside it's tough if you get a guy like james white to the outside he's going to get positive yardage and more than likely you're going to have to have take really great pursuit angles in order to get him damian harris i think is more of that, he's going to get positive yardage. And more than likely, you're going to have to take really great pursuit angles in order to get him. Damian Harris, I think, is more of that guy that's going to be on the stretch plays, on the dive plays, on some of those zone plays to the inside and the outside. He's kind of that bigger, all-purpose type back. I think the Broncos have to find a way to game plan to force Cam Newton

to throw the football because, really, in the NFL this year, they're the 24th-ranked passing offense. But I think those numbers are skewed when you look at the productivity of the rushing attack for the New England Patriots. That's why they're the third ranked rushing attack in the National Football League is because of the fact that they're so effective on the ground. They really haven't had to pass the football too much. The only time they're able to have to do that was when they're playing Seattle and it was a shootout game. You're passing back and forth, fourth quarter, you're down a little bit, you

have to throw the football. And I think for the Broncos, they've got to be able to contain on the outside against Cam Newton and especially the running backs. And I think they can match up well against the receivers. I think you're going to see Bryce Callahan on Julian Edelman. I think A.J. Boye. I don't know if he's going to play this week. He returned to practice on Wednesday, but he's more so limited than anything.

He has not yet been cleared to play. I don't think he's going to play this week, but I think the Broncos with Devontae Bosby, Michael Ojemudy, and Callahan in the Broncos nickel package, I think they can match up with these New England wide receivers. And if the pressure can get there for Cam Newton, it makes their job a lot easier. Yeah, absolutely. And I think if there is a way to have any type of break put on the Patriots offense, it's just by utilizing exactly what you said. Look, and just in the scouting that I've done on the Broncos, obviously you look at some of the yardage that they've given up.

A lot of that was in scramble drill situations. And, you know, I think Cam will see some opportunities to make plays by extending the down, keeping his eyes trained in the secondary for the receivers in those scramble drill situations. Another common element is the crossing route, whether it's zone, whether it's man, whether it's matching principles. The Broncos secondary has given up some plays against those crossing routes. So Cam Newton is going to be looking to target those.

And I think that if he can, then it's going to open up a lot for the Patriots offense. But like you said, if you can control the edge and you can get the receivers matched up with the Denver secondary, which can play very good defense when they're utilized and when they're in a proper position, that might be a way to be able to neutralize it. So ultimately, I think this is going to be a fun matchup on Sunday. I expect a little bit of chippiness to be totally honest with you. I think both of these teams are frustrated, maybe not necessarily with each other. They might be frustrated with the league for all of the postponements and the cancellation of the bye week. I think there's going to be a little bit of heightened emotion on the field on Sunday, but it might make for a good matchup and a fun matchup to watch.

Hopefully everyone stays healthy, stays safe, and we're looking forward to a great one in Foxborough. Cody, what can I say? It's always a pleasure to join you on the microphone for Crossover Thursday. Always enjoy it. Like I said, I was hoping that our second crossover might be a playoff crossover, but who knows, maybe third time's the charm. And in a lot of ways, Bud, I think that's really the perfect way to conclude our show today and say third time's the charm. This is the third time they're going to attempt to play this game. Let's hope this is the one that finally gets it in.

Absolutely. And I think that some listeners will show too. I've had some listeners in Broncos. Some people say I sound like Adam Schefter. I'd also say you sound like Rich Eisen. So we've got the Rich Eisen show and the Adam Schefter show going here on the Lockdown Broncos, Lockdown Patriots crossover. And so I appreciate you as always, Mike.

And guess what? We will talk once again in January. Absolutely. And I love it. You know what? It'll be great. We'll be able to get that face app up. We'll superimpose Eisen's face on mine,

Schefter's face on yours, and we can actually confuse some people. I'm kind of liking this. This is pretty good. It'll be fun. But Broncos country, Patriots nation, thank you so much for tuning in today's Lockdown Podcast Network crossover show between Lockdown Broncos, Lockdown Patriots. If you're a Broncos fan, you learned a lot more about the Patriots Nation, thank you so much for tuning in today's Locked On podcast network crossover show between Locked On

Broncos, Locked On Patriots. If you're a Broncos fan, you learned a lot more about the Patriots. If you're a Patriots fan, you learned a lot more about the Broncos. Ahead of Sunday's matchup, 1 p.m. Eastern time, 11 a.m. Mountain time at Gillette Stadium. And so, Patriots fans, four down and one to go on

this week six schedule of the Locked On Patriots podcast, and that one still to come is one you six schedule of the Locked On Patriots podcast. And that one still to come is one you're definitely not going to want to miss. A voice you all know very well. A laugh you absolutely know very well. And a man whose wisdom and counsel breaks the meter every time he graces these airwaves here on Locked On Patriots. Tomorrow, to close out the week in style here on the pod, is the great and powerful wizard of Benzon himself, the Pats cap Miguel Benzon. And that means that in addition to getting you ready for Sunday's matchup between the

Broncos and the Patriots, we'll be talking a lot of Foxborough finances. With the trade deadline approaching, who might the Patriots be targeting? And the most important question, can they afford him? And speaking of affording players, how about signing Cam Newton to an extension? And might it be more beneficial for the Patriots to try to work something out in season than wait until the season is over?

Well, this is only scratching the surface of the questions that we'll tackle with Miguel tomorrow, so to ensure that you do not miss a single second of the action, download Locked On Patriots wherever you get your podcasts. Whether it be Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, single second of the action, download Locked On Patriots wherever you get your podcasts. Whether it be Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Spotify, just make sure that you are staying locked in to Locked On Patriots. Once again, my name is Mike DeBate.

I thank Cody Rourke for his time, his insight, and his appearance on today's sequel to Crossover Thursday. But most of all, I thank you so much for listening and for continuing to make Locked On Patriots a daily part of your New England Patriots coverage. Until tomorrow, stay safe, stay well, continue to be the change you wish to see in the world. Have a great day, everyone.