Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - LOCKED ON PATRIOTS- 11/6/16- Who Had The Best First Half Grades On Offense?

Episode Date: November 6, 2016

Chris Simoneau grades the entire starting offense. #Bettergradesthanthedefense Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Minimum purchase required, U.S. only. Good afternoon, I'm Chris Simino, your host of Locked On Patriots, your source for everything Patriots. Today is Sunday, November 6th, 2016. We may be on a bye week, but we have a busy show for you guys today. First and foremost, it's time to bust out the grade book. The Patriots have officially wrapped up the first half of the season, so it's report card time. So we're not going to waste any time. Like we always do, we're going to get you guys up to date on some Patriots news and notes.

With the bye week upon us, we try to get an idea of what the players want to do during their downtime. And, of course, the one player everybody wants to hear about is Rob Gronkowski. And Gronk, he went and talked to the media about what his plans were. Said he wanted to get away, maybe lay low and hopefully go somewhere and get some sun. And he was also pretty pumped about the timing of the bye, saying, quote, couldn't ask for a better time right halfway through the season at eight weeks just to get the rest of your body and get away for a little bit so when you come back it feels like you've been gone from football for a while

and you're super refreshed. That's pretty much the sentiment we've been picking up from all the players is that they're very happy with the week that they got it, having it right in the middle of the season. It's great for Mattel. It's been that it allows that ankle to get healthier and just, you know, buys Julian Edelman another week to get his foot better as he continues to heal because that thing's still not right yet.

It just came in a good week, and the players get to relax. So I hope they're enjoying their time. I'm sure they're back to work tomorrow. So enjoy your time in the sun, Gronk, because it's almost time for football again. The awards continue to roll in for Patriots offensive players. Tom Brady, to nobody's surprise, earned the AFC Offensive Player of the Month for the month of October. This is the ninth time that Brady has won the award over the course of his career, which is the most in history of the NFL.

Brady's numbers are amazing. 1,319 yards passing, 12 touchdowns, no turnovers, and he's completed 73.1% of his passes, and he has a passer rating of 133.9, which is just outrageous. Considering he was coming off a four-game suspension, it's pretty incredible that he's been able to accomplish this. So congratulations, Tom, and as all Patriots fans are hoping, keep the ball rolling.

You know, Patriots fans, they may not have a lot of confidence right now in Steven Gostkowski, but if you talk to his coach, he clearly still has the utmost respect and confidence for the struggling kicker. Special teams coach Joe Judge, following last week's strong game at Buffalo, said, man, quote, we're excited for Steve. I'll tell you what, nobody works harder than Steve. Nobody prepares harder than Steve.

We have all the confidence in the world in Steve. He's done it consistently for so long in this league. There's nobody I'd rather have. He's our guy. So that says a lot. Gostkowski really has been struggling, and I've been tough on him. Honestly, throughout his career, I've never really been a guy that looks like Gostkowski is a clutch kicker, because he's never really had to do it, he's never had a field goal, or an extra

point, or anything that you look at and go, wow, that really solidifies him as, you know, one of the all-time clutch guys, like Vinatieri, I know it's tough, you know, me from New England, and haven't seen Vinatieri's career and, you know, some of the things that he did. I think it's an unfair comparison for him, for Gostkowski, but it is what it is. So he's going to have to get used to it, and eventually if he kicks a field goal to win a Super Bowl,

well, at least he can look back and say, hey, I did it too. But I do think that Gostkowski will work his way out of this. As said Joe Judge, their special teams coach, he does a great job. So Patriots fans, stay on his side because I think that's what he needs, and I think he'll work this thing out. So like I said earlier, we are going to go over the grades today. Now we're not going to go through the whole team yet. We only have about 20 minutes in this show, so we're not going to

overindulge you guys and give you the whole offense and defense because we'd be here for an hour and that's just not what we do. So, what we're going to do is we're going to go through the offense first today and then tomorrow we're going to go through the defense. So, the offense alone is plenty to talk about. So, we're also not going to go through every player that's on the offense because, again, this isn't a four-hour podcast. But we will go through all the starters. There have been some standouts, a few surprises, some that have struggled,

but not to the point where anybody's failing offensively so far in 2016. When you're 7-1 and you're scoring like they are and you're able to score points while you have two backups, well, a backup and a third string quarterback in there for the first four games, there's no way that you can be throwing Fs around because nobody has really earned an F or failed to earn an F, if you know what I'm saying. So nobody will get one.

But this is how we see it. Let's start from the top. We'll go best grades and down. First and foremost, this is without a question, Tom Brady, quarterback. Brady did miss the first four games, like we said, due to the joke of a suspension that he received. But since he's been back, he has torn apart Patriots opponents, and he looks as good as he has in the last five years. His stats are ridiculous. Again, like we said earlier,

1,319 yards, 12 touchdowns, zero picks, and a completion percentage of 73.1, which is about six percentage points higher than he's ever been at in his career. His 133.9 pass rating is insane, and although it will inevitably come down, it probably isn't going to dip below 115, which would be the second best rating in his career. He finished with a 117 rating in 2007. That was the year that he led the greatest offense in NFL history and almost led them to an undefeated season. This 2016 offense isn't on that level, but they're pretty close, and they are by far the best offense in football, and they're getting better every week. I was thinking about giving him a low grade because of the suspension, but then I realized that Roger Goodell and his

team of cronies, they're not going to help make me decide how I grade because I'm the teacher in this classroom. So I feel he got railroaded, and I'm not going to penalize him decide how I grade because I'm the teacher in this classroom. So I feel he got railroaded and I'm not going to penalize him for it. Tom Brady, overall grade A. Good job, Tom. You should have your parents bring you out for dinner because you've earned that A. Second on the list, LeGarrette Blount, running back. Blount, he had the best first half to a season in his career. He carried the ball 161 times for 609 yards and 9 touchdowns, which is pretty impressive. His running carried the Patriots to a 3-1 record during the first four games of the year and while Brady was down.

He's on pace to run for 1,218 yards, which means the Patriots have a legitimate running game this season, which is what caused them to miss the Super Bowl in 2015. And it also would be Blount's best year of his career. He's run for over 1,000 yards once, but if he ran for 1,200, that would be a couple hundred yards better than his career best. Blount did have downed games against the Browns and the Bills, but his contribution to the 7-1 record is just hard to ignore.

His rushing average is 3.8 yards per carry. It's below his career average of 4.4. But he's doing it behind an offensive line that is still trying to figure things out. He hasn't been as great as Brady has been for this offense, but he's still earned himself a high grade for the first half of 2016. So, LeGarrette Blount, you've got yourself an A-, so you should definitely get that thing hung up in the refrigerator at home. Good report, Kyle LeGarrette Blount, you've got yourself an A-, so you should definitely get that thing hung up in the refrigerator at home.

Good report, Kyle LeGarrette. Good first half of the season. Third on the list, Martellus Bennett, tight end. Martellus is heading into his ninth season, and there were questions about his production. Last year it was down. I know a lot of it had to do with the fact that there were issues with contract disputes and this and that. But again, his production was down and the numbers are what they say. And that's how people perceive it. So people are wondering,

did he still have it? The Patriots wanted to find out, so they traded for him. What a stroke of genius that turned out to be. He has 31 catches. He's been targeted 40 times. He's picked up 402 yards and four touchdowns over the first eight games of the season as a second tight end. It's pretty amazing. His run blocking has been as good as his production in the passing game, too. So he makes blocks that some guards can't make in the NFL. He's a phenomenal tight end, and he does it on both sides with the passing game

and the running game. So he's just been a godsend. On top of all that, he's been playing with a severely banked-up ankle that is getting a much-needed breather this week with the bye week upon us. Bennett has three games where his production is next to nothing, but again, it's important to note that he's been hurt in battling for targets with the best tight end in the game. And a lot of those games, when his targets aren't up,

that's by design because that's just the way it is with New England. They have different game plans for different teams, and they're going to use Bennett more as a decoy in the run game. Those are the games when you're going to see his targets go down. He's done everything that's been asked of him, and then some, and he's done it while displaying toughness and awareness. So Martellus Bennett, overall grade for the first semester of the season is an A, and I have absolutely no problems hitting that A out.

Martellus, you deserve to get a dollar from your parents. Make sure you let them know you got an A so you get that dollar, okay? Rob Gronkowski, tight end. That's right. We got two tight ends in this starting offense because that's what they are. I bet you're all thinking this guy's just handing out A's, but that isn't the case. I promise. I told you guys I was going to go from the top down, and that's what I'm doing. So Gronk should have just hung out with Brady while he was suspended because he was about as productive over the course of the first four games as Brady was. Gronk pulled his hamstring pretty bad against the Bears

during the training camp co-practices, and it took until about week three of the regular season for him to get back on the field. During weeks three and four, he basically did nothing in the passing game. He was targeted three times with one catch, and it was just nonexistent. But he did a good job of run blocking like he always does when he was out there. And then when Brady returned, his production exploded.

He started four games, appeared in six, and he has 22 catches for 484 yards and three touchdowns. He's averaging 22 yards per catch, which is about seven yards higher, six yards higher than anywhere he's ever been in his career. It's a ridiculously high number for a tight end.

Gronk may have taken some time to get rolling, but he is back to form, and the Patriots offense is impossible to stop when he's got it going. His overall grade is an A-. So, no, I'm not handing out straight A's, but he did earn an A-. He would have been an A if he had been good to go in those other games. I do question if it had something to do with not having a consistent quarterback on the field and the Patriots just afraid to put him in harm's way, which isn't his fault, but I'm not in the meeting rooms, so he will have a little bit of points taken

away for his week three and four efforts. So, A- for Gronk. Good job. Your parents may want to take you out to dinner, too. Marcus Cannon, right tackle. Well, considering that Cannon is a backup forced into a starter's role, he's actually been pretty good for the Patriots in 2016. Cannon has been praised by Dante Skarniecki, and he actually graded out as a top-right tackle during Week 6.

And the film doesn't lie. He's doing a good job. You know, I spot shadow him a lot. You know, being a line coach myself and working with linemen, you know, for a long time, it's something that I've gotten used to doing. So I just kind of gravitate towards it. And Cannon, you know, being a right tackle, is a guy that I'm very interested in seeing how he performs.

And he's done good. You know, he holds up at the point of attack, does a good job in pass protection. He occasionally gets beat by quick and defensive ends, but, you know, that's going to happen. He does look like a guard in a tackle's body, but he has the speed of a tackle, so unfortunately that's where he's going to be staying, is that tackle. But again, Cannon, he has done a pretty good job, and he was signed as a backup, where he's going to be staying is that tackle. But again, Cannon, he has done a pretty good job, and he was signed as a backup, and he's known as a backup. But considering that he's done what he's done for a team that's 7-1 and has one of the best offenses in the league,

it's good to see that he's improved as much as he has. And he should continue to improve as the season marches on. So watch because, you know, right now he's an anchor for this offensive line, which is just crazy. I give Marcus Cannon an overall grade of B+. I think that's a generous grade, but I'm being generous to him because, again, he was forced into a role that he wasn't ready for when the season started, and he's really excelled in taking it on and done a good job. So, good job, Marcus Cannon.

You earned that B+. You definitely deserve it. Next on the list, right guard Shaq Mason. So, Mason is an interesting guy to grade because he has such an obvious discrepancy in his run blocking versus his pass blocking, but he's starting to get slightly, slightly better in pass protection. Mason is a strong run blocker, though, which isn't a surprise since he came from a running system at Georgia Tech.

But he was projected to have issues in pass protection, and that has turned out to be right on the money. Brady's been sacked seven times, actually, I'm sorry, eight times in four games, and he's actually avoided a bunch of sacks, too. He's getting pressured like crazy. Most of that pressure is coming from the inside, and Mason needs to clean it up because a lot of it's coming from him. His overall grade is a C+.

So Shaq, you're getting the C+, because of your spectacular run blocking. If we base you just on pass blocking, it would be a D-, so clean it up. David Andrews, center. Andrews, again, another second-year player that's been inconsistent, but he has had more good games than bad. Andrews is similar to Mason. He can run block pretty well, but his pass blocking is definitely suspect. It is important to remember that Andrews, again, he's young, and he's going to continue to improve, especially with the coaching of Dante

Skarniecki, which he didn't have the pleasure of having as a rookie. Now he does, and I think that's going to do wonders for his career. Andrews is a battler. He's a battler. He came in here, basically stole Brian Stork's position, which, you know, that's just awesome to see. It stinks for Brian Stork, but, you know, it's awesome to see a kid come in as an undrafted free agent and steal a fourth-round pick, steal his job,

after the guy was a Super Bowl starter. But again, Andrews is a battler, but he does need to improve his technique. I also gave him a C+, so a C-plus for David Andrews. So sorry you're not going to get a dollar from your parents, you're not going to get taken out to dinner, but you're a young guy and that C-plus is well-earned. So keep fighting in that crazy and keep going up. Joe Tooney, left guard out of NC State.

He is a rookie, but that's okay because if you're a starter for the Patriots, it doesn't matter what your age is, we're going to grade you the same way. He has had a strong season, though. He had a rough afternoon last week against Marcel Darius and the Bills, but most guards in the NFL have had a rough afternoon against Marcel Darius because the guy's a beast, so that's going to happen. It's funny because people are blaming it on Nate Solder, but it really wasn't Solder's fault. It was Tooney who was getting abused. Tooney won the job by default as 2015 starter Trey Jackson

is continuing to work his way back from an injury. But Tooney may end up winning this job for good. Tooney completes the trio of youth on the interior of the Patriots offensive line. I think I'm going to go ahead and get that copyrighted and get that trademarked and make it into a t-shirt. But you never want to get a t-shirt with Patriots guys on it because it'll get traded the next day. But again, Tooney does look like he's the best all-around player of the three interior guys.

Once again, one awful game isn't going to kill Tooney's grade. So overall, I'm going to give Tooney a B-. If he had done good in that game, he would have got a B. So I lied. I am going to take a little bit off of. If he had done good in that game, he would have got a B. So I lied. I am going to take a little bit off of his grade because of getting smoked by Marcel Darius. But, again, for a rookie, you know, adjusting to the NFL speed, he's done a great job. And I think he's going to really improve over the second half of the season. I think over the next five years, Joe Tooney might end up being the best offensive lineman on the Patriots.

So he's one to keep an eye on. Next guy on the left side, old incumbent Nate Solder. Solder has returned to his form in 2016, which isn't really a surprise when you consider that he did flourish on the Dante Scott Nacchia before Scott took his little mini-retirement. Solder protects the blind side of this franchise, so the less his name is heard, the better. Solder, for what it's worth, also had a lot going on in his personal life

over the past two seasons. During 2014, during the Super Bowl run, he had testicular cancer. And then in 2015, last season, his son was battling cancer. So he's had a lot of stuff going on. Sometimes we don't take into account what goes on in the players' lives, but it matters. And now that everything seems settled for him, he's playing like it, and now he has a coach in his life that actually helped him the most,

Solder looks really good. So the past two seasons have been an aberration, and I had a feeling that would be the case, and it's good to see that he's back to normal and that his struggles are over, um, that he is fully back to form. So not going to give him an A cause he's not at that point yet, but Nate's older has earned himself a solid B plus for the first half of the

season. So congrats, Nate, congrats to you. Congrats to your family. I'm happy that you're, uh, you're able to overcome that adversity and your,

your son's doing well. So congrats, Nate. And, you earned that B+. You deserve to be taken out for dinner. Julian Edelman, wide receiver. And at this point, that's all he is, because I don't think he should be returning punts anymore. But that's a story for tomorrow when we talk defense and special teams.

Edelman came into 2016 with question marks surrounding his injured foot. It caused him to miss half of 2015. Obviously he had the surgery and the screws in there and all those good things. He has been pretty good. He's got 41 catches, but he's been targeted 62 times and he has had his fair share of drops. He only has 358 yards and he's only averaging 8.7 yards per catch, which is down 8.7 yards per catch, which is down 2.6 yards from last season when he averaged over 11 yards a catch. Through nine games in 2015, Edelman had 692 yards and seven touchdowns.

Through eight games in 2016, he has 358 in one touchdown. He's not the same. He's just not the same. But he is crucial to this offense still, and he has been pretty good over the first half of the season. Edelman earns himself a B-. He's lucky that I don't include the punt returner grade on this. This is just strictly as a wide receiver. So Julian Edelman, B-, and I think I'm being nice because 62 targets and 41 catches is kind of an issue, and that's what we saw with Wes Walker towards the end of his career. So hopefully Julian can get that foot back healthy this week off here.

This extra week is definitely going to be helpful for him, and this is something to keep an eye on. So last but not least for today, we have wide receiver Chris 7'11 Hogan, the free agent signed from the Buffalo Bills, that was brought in to add some much-needed depth to this wide receiving core. Hogan's fit right into the offense. He's started all eight games. He's been targeted 27 times. He's got 19 catches for 391 yards and two touchdowns.

His 20.6 yards per catch average, that's awesome. That's what the Patriots really needed. They needed someone that could stretch the field for them. But he also does a good job on the shorter routes, intermediate routes. He's a good receiver all around. But again, they have that down the field threat now that they didn't have at the wide receiver position for a couple seasons. Hogan hasn't been perfect, but he's been exactly what the Patriots need. Overall grade for Chris, we're going to go ahead and give him a B. He could be better, and I think over the second half he's going to be better

because he's just another guy that, along with half the offensive linemen and some of the skill position guys, they're kind of new. If you look at him, Mattelis Bennett and Joe Tooney and all these other guys, they haven't been in the offense for one, two years. It takes time to learn this thing and to get up to speed. I think this offense is going to keep getting better, and I think Chris Hogan is going to be one of those guys. My question for you guys right now, are you wearing any Mack Welding clothing?

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Go have a great online shopping experience today. And go get yourself something really, really comfortable on the way. Because I tell you, they are awesome. I love those things. They are just the most comfortable things I've ever bought. So I want to thank you guys for joining us today on Lockdown Patriots, which is part of the fastest growing podcast network in the world. Be sure to tune in tomorrow as we hand out grades on the defensive side of the

ball. May not be so nice because they haven't been as productive, but there's been some standout performers, good and bad, and we'll discuss that tomorrow. Again, I'm Chris Simino. Thanks for joining us and make sure to tune in every day to Locked On Patriots.

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