Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - LOCKED ON PATRIOTS- 10/21/16- Is Duron Harmon One Of The MVPs Of The Patriots Secondary?

Episode Date: October 21, 2016

Chris Simoneau discusses the Patriots and Steelers injury report, Bill Belichick's new addition to the family, and a story about Belichick, Bill Russell, and safety Duron Harmon. #silentleader #grandpabill Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

That's for my crazy day. My packed commute. All those unread emails in my inbox. But I'm getting stronger, faster, and pushing myself further every day. I don't care if I'm not like everyone else. This punching bag is the best way to end my day. Fearless is knowing yoga isn't your style. That's the power of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Federal Employee Program.

Learn more about our healthy benefits at fepblue.org slash getmore. Good afternoon, I'm Chris Semino, your host of Locked On Patriots, your source for everything Patriots. Today is Friday, October 21st, 2016, and as usual, we have a ton going on in Patriots Nation, so today we're going to give you all the news and analysis you need, so that way you can be the most in the know Patriots fan. As always, let's get down to business on this busy day.

First and foremost, today in Patriots news and notes, New England, they continued to tinker with their practice squad yesterday. They signed linebacker Trevor Riley. Riley was signed, and unfortunately when that happens, you have to get rid of somebody. Shaquille Evans, who was signed last week, has been released. So Evans is removed from the practice squad. Riley, linebacker Trevor Riley, has been added. Riley played for the Jets after being drafted in the seventh round out of Utah in 2015. He has played in 29 NFL games.

Excuse me, that was 2014. Riley has played in 29 NFL games and 31 total tackles, and he also has one sack and one forced fumbles. He was released by the Jets on September 3, 2016. Last season with the Jets, he actually played in 15 games, finishing with 15 total tackles and one sack. Evans didn't have a long stay with the Patriots. He got picked up last week. I think they just brought him in for practice purposes. I'm sure they liked him as a player, but a lot of times, you know, with their issues

they have with linebacker depth and with the injuries, sometimes a guy that they may like, they have to get rid of just so they can add more depth to the position that's hurting. Riley's in. Evans is out, mainly because of injuries, but Evans can play, so I'm sure he'll catch on somewhere, and Riley has proven he can play too, so I'm sure he'll help out on special teams and maybe even get a few chances to go in on defense too. Also, Patriots and Steelers released their injury reports yesterday, and today we'll get an idea of who's going to miss the game.

In fact, we've already seen a couple guys' names pop up. We'll get to that in a minute. For the Patriots, they didn't have anybody that didn't participate, so they had good attendance. Everybody participated at least. As far as limited participation, now this is where the list gets interesting. Martellus Bennett, still nursing his ankle injury.

Brandon Bolden still has the knee problem, and he didn't show up to practice today either. He's one of those guys that messed up the Patriots' perfect practice attendance. Jamie Collins, still on here with a hip injury, but I think he's going to play this week. Julian Edelman, with his chronic foot problem. I think he'll still play also. Woodrow Hamilton, with his shoulder. Shane McClellan still dealing with a concussion. Malcolm Mitchell still with that bulky hamstring. Hopefully he'll be back this week because he really adds to the Patriots' passing game. And linebacker Landon Roberts, who we saw go down last week with an ankle injury, but he came back pretty quick.

So I wouldn't be too surprised if Roberts is available to play. And last but not least is Vincent Valentine, the rookie defensive lineman. He is still nursing a back injury. For the Steelers, tackle Marcus Gilbert did not participate in practice on Thursday. He's nursing an ankle injury. Defensive end Cam Hayward has a hamstring issue. He is out. We already know that.

He is out for Sunday's game. So that's a huge loss because he's the best player on their defense. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, left knee, had a meniscus tear, had surgery earlier in the week like we discussed. He is also out of the game. Safety Shamarco Thomas, he has a groin pull. Center Cody Wallace is dealing with a knee. Wide receiver Marcus Wheaton has a shoulder injury. That's actually a big one considering that some of the issues that that pittsburgh's had to deal with with suspensions and things of that nature not having wheaton would be huge so that's one to keep an eye on and last but not least on the did not participate list is d'angelo williams with a knee injury and esbn just released a report saying that d'angelo williams will not be available to play on Sunday. So that is a big loss.

Now, I understand that Le'Veon Bell is a starting running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers. I get it. D'Angelo Williams is one of the best backups in the league, and he does damage to the Patriots. He's been very successful against them the last two times he's faced them. So I'm guaranteeing you that the Patriots defense and Bill Belichick is breathing a sigh of relief after seeing that D'Angelo will not be in this week. As far as limited participation, the Steelers didn't have any of those guys. They either did not participate or they fully participated.

Their full participants that are still dealing with injuries, safety Robert Golden with a foot, safety Michael Mitchell with a knee. That's one to keep an eye on, but he should be good to go. And talented linebacker Ryan Shazier is also dealing with a foot. Safety Michael Mitchell with a knee. That's one to keep an eye on, but he should be good to go. And talented linebacker Ryan Shazier is also dealing with a knee injury. They're fully participating with this type of game. I know that they're heavy underdogs, but those guys are going to play. I'd be shocked if they didn't. The injuries that both teams are dealing with are to key players. Pittsburgh is in a much worse position than the Patriots due to the loss of Roethlisberger and Hayward.

The players that are on the report for New England, granted, they're crucial to their success, specifically Jamie Collins, Julian Edelman, and Martellus Bennett, but the Patriots have enough depth at those positions to withstand a couple guys being out. Speaking of Jamie Collins, one of the things we've heard all year is the Patriots' defense is not doing as well as expected, and they're not dominant and things like that.

And I'm even guilty of it myself. I've said it myself. They don't look that good because at times they haven't. But the thing is, there's one stat that counts the most on defense is points allowed. And right now, the New England Patriots are ranked number two. They give up the second least amount of points in the league. That says a lot. So that means they're doing their old bend but not break,

which is okay during the regular season, but again, during the playoffs, I'm not a huge fan of that. Yesterday, Bill Belichick was asked what the most important defensive stat was, and without hesitation, he said points, which isn't the first time he's said that. He also mentioned that, yes, he would love the defense to allow less yards per game and force more turnovers, but as always, it always comes down to points. And if the Patriots remain in the top five in points allowed, with the offense they have

on the other side of the ball, they should be able to secure a strong record and make the road to the Super Bowl go through Gillette. When the Patriots have home field, they're virtually unstoppable. So this points allowed stat is something really to keep an eye on. Again, if the Patriots remain in the top five, you're probably going to see their yardage statistics improve as the year goes on too because they start to get into a rhythm of what they want to do personnel-wise and scheme-wise.

So you will see the yardage drop, and if those points stay right where they are, I'm going to go out on a limb and say the Patriots are going to end up in the Super Bowl speaking of Super Bowl, you ever been to one? I haven't but I think I'm going to make that change this year so if you want to get tickets for any type of game, including even the Super Bowl

SeatGeek is the smartest, easiest way to find tickets for pro football games you want to see up close and in person this season. There is nothing like being in the stadium for the biggest plays of the year, and with SeatGeek, it's never been easier to get the guaranteed seats you want, and you're going to get them at a good price, too. I use the app.

I downloaded it onto my phone because I like to go to Red Sox games. I like to go to some Celtics games here and there. Obviously, I go to Patriots games. It's a little different because I get in for a little bit better of a deal. But Celtics and the Red Sox, totally different story. So if I'm sitting around, all of a sudden I get that itch and I want to go see the Celtics, I could be anywhere. And just a few taps on my phone, I can go in, log in,

find seats that I want for the weekend or for any games during the season. I tap it, I get it done, and I get my seats. You always get the best deal, too, on every ticket because SeatGeek compares their prices by searching multiple ticket sites, and then they do a price match, more like a price beat because they always beat everybody. Prices can vary depending on where you shop, but SeatGeek will always find the lowest available price. Go to Settings tab and click Add a Promo Code.

Enter promo code LOPATRIOTS, that's L-O-P-A-T-R-I-O-T-S, and SeatGeek will send you $20 after you've made your first ticket purchase. Again, download the SeatGeek app and enter the promo code LOPATRIOTS today, that's L-O-P-A-T-R-I-O-T-S today. Great site. Go check it out if you really want to go to a game and not have to spend a ridiculous amount of money. So just doing some searching around today, looking at some stuff, and I found a great story on W-E-E-I.com about Bill Belichick, Bill Russell, and Patriots safety Deron Harmon. Sounds like kind of another trio, but I'll explain.

So Belichick has known Russell since the first spoke, first two spoke in the early 2000s, and they've talked several times about many different subjects since then. He ran into Russell during the Celtics playoff game this past spring, and Russell spoke to him about players that are quote-unquote silent leaders, and how crucial they are to a team's success. Belichick thought of one person who really stood up to that and was one of those type of players, and that's Jerron Harmon. Belichick had some glowing compliments for his safety, and when most laughed at when he took Harmon in the draft, because many people said, oh, he's drafted too high, well,

Belichick had something different to say. He likes the kid, and that's why he took him, and now he's paying off. This is what Belichick had to say. Quote, every team, almost every team I've ever coached, there's always a couple of guys on the team that I would say are, for lack of a better word, silent leaders. They have leadership, but it kind of comes out in a little bit of a different way than Junior Seau or Teddy Bruschi or someone like that.

And again, not saying anyone's better than the other, they're just different. He also went on to say that he would put Duran in the silent leader category. He would also say, and Bill Russell taught him this, that in a way, a silent leader, in some respects, is more powerful than a more vocal leader because you hear the more vocal guy, you see him, you're very aware of it, but then there are the guys that give you that quiet leadership that in a way is more powerful because it's not quite out there as much, but it's that quiet push sometimes that can have more of an impetus. You can put Duran into that category. First of all, he's very well respected.

He's smart. He works hard. He studies. He trains hard. I'll even go back to his first year. He and Logan Ryan, the day after the season, they're in here working out, doing extra stuff in the weight room. Here working out in January. Things like that.

And not just like, hey, coach, I'm here. Make sure you know I'm here. Put in an extra time. They would just go do it. Study the game. Get better at it. Just good, smart player. Obviously, he came in with a great system with Coach Greg Sciano

and was very well schooled when he got here. And he was already used to the preparation and understanding a lot of the final points of the passing game now that's glowing words coming from Belichick and that makes me think that he really has a lot of respect for Harmon's game he also noted Belichick also noted that he spent a lot of time as a secondary coach and you know you're only as good as your weakest link similar to the offensive line so if one person makes a mistake it doesn't matter if everybody else is doing their jobs right there's going to be a breakdown and it's going to cause a big play either in a passing game or a big sack that can cause a turnover or anything like that

it can be difficult to get everyone on the same page especially in the secondary and Harmon has shown that he has the ability to do that. I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if Harmon receives a new contract this offseason because it is very clear Belichick has a lot of respect for him. Add the fact that Belichick sees him as a team leader, and that just solidifies my opinion. Belichick is going to find a way to keep Harmon on the roster, and I wouldn't be shocked if they signed him to somewhat of a team-friendly deal. One last note on Belichick that's not football-related,

but we like to tell you guys about everything that's going on in the Patriots world. We here at Locked On Patriots want to congratulate Coach Belichick on being a grandfather for the first time. Congratulations, Bill. We're really happy for you. And also congratulations to secondary coach Steve Belichick, Bill's son, on the birth of his first child. Grandpa Bill, he was beaming with pride when he announced the birth, which is always nice to see.

Yes, Bill Belichick has a soft side, and when he's not on the field, he's a good guy with a great sense of humor. That's right, Bill Belichick has a great sense of humor. So, my question for you guys today, are you wearing Mack Weldon clothing right now? You're not? Well, I think you are missing the boat here. There's nothing more comfortable in the market today. I have their underwear, I have their socks, I love them.

Mack Weldon, they have a smart design, they use premium fabrics, and they make it simple to shop on their website. I am not the savviest online shopper, but when I navigate and shop on the Mack Weldon website, it's easy. I have had the best experience I've ever had and I was easy to get what I wanted to. Easy to find the sizes. There's nothing, you know, you click on it and you have to go back into another screen. None of that stuff. It's get what you want. You go to your cart, you check out and you're out of there. It's great.

They have like, again, they, like I said, they have the most comfortable underwear, socks, shirts, undershirts, hoodies, and sweatpants that you're ever going to wear. The underwear is form-fitting and so comfortable that you'll never want to go back to any of the old pairs that you have. They also have a line of silver underwear and shirts and a naturally antimicrobial. Those are great for athletes. You know, if you're going to practice and stuff or if you're one of those weekend warriors

that's always on the go. Get yourself some of the silver underwear and shirts. You can wear those during whatever you're doing and then when you get changed up and you put those dirty clothes in your bag, they're not going to stink. Take them home and wash them and you don't have to worry about your bag getting stinky. Mack Walden wants their customers

to be comfortable too, so if you don't like your first pair of underwear, you can go ahead and keep those and they will still refund you. No questions asked. Customer service is a lost art nowadays, but Mack Walden meets and exceeds their customers' needs. Not only does Mack Walden underwear socks and shirts look good, they perform

well too. It's good for working out, going to work, whatever you're going to be doing. Mack Walden underwear socks and shirts, they do a great job and I just love this stuff. So what you want to do, go to MackWeldon.com and get 20% off using my promo code LOPATS. Again, that's L-O-P-A-T-S. That's MackWeldon.com, promo code L-O-P-A-T-S. Go have a great online shopping experience today. So again, I want to thank all of you for listening to the fastest growing podcast network on iTunes. And be sure to tune in tomorrow as we discuss a variety,

the variety of the Patriots offense and what makes them so great. Thanks again for listening, and don't forget to tell your friends about us. Have a great day, Patriots fans. All edition of The Catalyst, a journal of ideas from the Bush Institute. Surveys show Americans place less trust in institutions like the media and business. Others contend America has faced far more challenging periods and emerged strong. Leading policymakers, Bush Institute experts, and respected journalists take on this debate. Read about it at bushcenter.org slash catalyst.