Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Locked On Patriots December 11, 2017 - Gameday Edition

Episode Date: December 11, 2017

Mark breaks down some of the action from this NFL Sunday, and then has final thoughts and a prediction for Monday night between the Dolphins and Patriots.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If it's Monday, it's your game day edition of Locked On Patriots. Mark Schofield here in the big chair for Monday, December 11th. As a reminder, you can follow me on Twitter, at Mark Schofield. You can follow my work over at Bleacher Report, where I am the quarterback scout for the NFL 1000 project. You can follow my work over at Inside the Pylon, where I break down quarterbacks, passing concepts, and basically anything under the sun over at InsideThePylon.com.

Each week, I also do a daily fantasy recommendation from a scheme-based perspective as part of my analysis for both InsideThePylon.com as well as Roto Grinders. And if you want, you can even follow my work over at the Minnesota Rivals website where I break down schematic stuff for the Golden Gophers each week. So there's a lot of places where you can find the work. This is your game day edition of Locked On Patriots. And it's a bit different this week because New England Patriots, Miami Dolphins, two teams that just played two weeks ago.

There's not a lot of new ground to cover. Had a great pod last week, crossover show with Travis Winfield from Locked On Dolphins. Please follow Travis at WinfieldNFL. So later in the show, I'll have just some quick and dirty final thoughts on what I expect to see tonight. We're going to start with sort of some whip around coverage from the Sunday slate of action. Patriots had a chance to clinch the division before they even take the field tonight. That didn't quite happen. But first, we're going to start in the NFC.

And there's a huge story on the NFC side, which we'll get to. Heart's just breaking all over the state of Pennsylvania tonight. We're going to start with the Chicago Bears' 33-7 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. Not a lot of

takeaways from this game other than this. The developmental arc of Mitchell Trubisky It's been pretty impressive, I will say Trubisky, not a guy I was incredibly high on In last year's draft class Out of the big four quarterbacks He was my QB4 But He's showing you week in and week out now.

He's getting better week in and week out. And what really sort of stood out to me watching him in this game, we saw the athletic stuff. There was a touchdown run on an RPO play There was a play where he was climbing the pocket Defender grabbed at him He basically gets parallel To the ground and somehow

While that's going on manages to find his running back Benny Cunningham, flip him the football Athleticism Improvisation, all that good stuff But the next play Because that was a 3rd and 12th play It sets up a fourth and three. And they call a pass in concept.

He looks for his rookie tight end, Adam Shaheen, on a deep out route. It's like his third read in the progression, but he not only gets to his third read, he makes the throw with anticipation because he's getting through the reads quickly. That's how you know the game is sort of speeding up for him. And so that was impressive to see. Again, the Bears aren't going

anywhere from a playoff perspective, but you're seeing from Trubitsky over the past couple of weeks now all the reasons why they made him the second overall pick. So if you're a Bears fan, there's reason to hope. Going to stay NFC side now. Packers with an overtime win over the Cleveland Browns.

And Brett Hudley, 35-46 for 265. Three touchdowns, including the game winner in overtime on just a simple tunnel screen that Devontae Adams takes the distance, just houses it. That was set up by Deshaun Kizer. Cleveland has the ball at the start overtime, and he just gets pressured, hit while he throws a ball, pops in the air, interception. Cleveland is now staring that 0-16 in the face.

Packers now, look, they're 7-6. They might get Aaron Rodgers back. Not sure a lot of teams really want to play the Packers now when the team can sort of sneak their way into the dance here. Packers go at Carolina, home against the Vikings at Detroit to close out the season. Not the easiest stretch, but it's a situation where I don't think teams want to play

the Green Bay Packers right now and Brett Hudley look Huntley comes in when Rodgers goes down against the Vikings they lose to the Saints they lose to the Lions they beat Chicago on the road they lose to the Raven they beat Chicago on the road they lose to the Ravens they lose to the Steelers and what was an incredible Sunday night game that was a close game decided by a field goal now they've won two straight

you know when Rodgers went down this was a team that was four and two you know and it's not as if Hundley has really lit the world on fire, but with Hundley as their starter, they're three and four. He's kept them alive. He's kept them in the mix. And that's probably all you can ask from a starting quarterback who hasn't seen a ton of action.

So another solid win for the Packers. Big win for them. Cowboys-Giants game. Not a lot really to break down there. Giants, that season's going nowhere. Dallas, they keep their slim playoff hopes alive. They're going to need a ton of help if they're going to somehow get in. Prescott, though, with a good game. 20-30. 3-32 yardage-wise. Three touchdowns. Did some nice things in that game.

They'll need some help down the stretch here, but maybe they get it. Detroit-Tampa Bay, this was a weird one. Detroit had a 21-7 lead headed into the fourth quarter. Matthew Stafford was playing well, but Tampa Bay actually ties it up. Tampa Bay had chances to win this game, too. Jameis Winston, two touchdowns, two interceptions, had a strip sack, lost a fumble, too, but they tied it.

Winston throws two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter, both in the red zone, first on a play-action flood concept to tight end O.J. Howard. Then they call a tackle eligible on their next possession, short touchdown pass to a reserve lineman. That ties the game. They force a punt. They get the ball back.

Can't do anything with it. Then Matthew Stafford, another game-winning drive in the fourth quarter. Other NFC action quickly to get to. Panthers over the Vikings. Not a huge day from Cam Newton, but when they needed him, ripped off a 62-yard run, which was huge in that game. Set up Jonathan Stewart's third Russian touchdown of the game.

Big win for the Panthers. Vikings now now they dropped to 10-3. Vikings were in the mix for the number one overall seed, but they're still in the mix. Still in the mix, of course. 49ers, Jimmy Garoppolo on the

road. They pull out a 26-16 win over the Texans. Garoppolo looks good. And what's really sort of impressed me from Garoppolo, particularly against the Texans, the number of throws that he made, either flat-footed, off his back foot, that were really impressive, showing some really, really good arm strength. Other NFC stuff to get to.

Redskins lose on the road. Cardinals win at home. Not a lot to really talk about there. We'll get to that Seahawks-Jaguars game in a second. The big sort of marquee NFC matchup was that Rams-Eagles game and there's no other

place to go with this than Carson Wentz. Wentz goes 23 of 41 for 291, four touchdowns. Did throw an interception early but bounced back from that. Threw the fourth touchdown on what people are speculating to be a torn ACL. And this might leave us with a situation where for the second straight year, you have a young quarterback having an MVP type season.

And the season ends early due to injury. Last year it was Derek Carr. This year it could be Carson Wentz. He'll have an MRI today. We don't know the nature and extent of the injury. But if he's down,

he's been so critical to the Philadelphia Eagles this year. The things that he can do in and out of the pocket. So losing him would just be devastating for the Eagles and their fans. Shout out to our boys, Benjamin Solak and Michael Kist over at Locked On Eagles. I know they're struggling tonight

recording this on Sunday night. I know they're struggling. Hopefully we get some good news because you don't want to see a guy go down like that. Especially having the season, Carson Wentz is having. And from a personal standpoint, as somebody that is recording this podcast with a Carson Wentz signed

card handed on the wall that I can see, painful to see. Up next, we're going to look at some of the AFC games, particularly the one that's wrapping up right now between the Baltimore Ravens, the Pittsburgh Steelers. That's obviously critical

as we look ahead to next week. That's coming up next with me, Mark Schofield, in Locked On Patriots. Okay, a couple of AFC games to get to. First, we'll start with that Seattle-Jacksonville game. I'm not a believer in Blake Borders. I don't know too many people who are. I don't know too many Jacksonville fans who are believers in Blake Borders. I don't know too many people who are. I don't know too many Jacksonville fans who are believers in Blake Borders.

But here's what you have to believe in. You have to believe in that Jacksonville defense. You know, Russell Wilson, MVP candidate, a guy that I've stumped for from an MVP sort of standpoint. 17 of 31 for 271, three TDs, but three interceptions. This Jacksonville defense is almost as good as it gets right now. Not just this season, but looking back over the last couple of years or even more this is a historically good defense

overall DVOA right now they're second in the league behind only Baltimore but their past defenses still ranked number one in terms of DVOA. And their run defense, which was dead last in the league as of a couple

of weeks ago. They've moved all the way up to 23rd. Marcel's Darius trade from Buffalo. That's helped their run D. You know, obviously, Seattle comes to town. They don't have a strong running game. Mike Davis does have 15 carries for 66 yards. Russell Wilson, five carries for 50 yards.

I mean, that's their run game. Their run game is Russell Wilson. But that Jacksonville defense looks incredible right now. And with Tennessee's loss, they are now in the driver's seat. They have a one-game lead with three to go. They get Houston at home. Christmas Eve, they're at San Francisco. And then they are at Tennessee to close it out on New Year's Eve you know in terms of the proverbial team you don't want to play right now it seems like

Jacksonville's that team you know the way to maybe beat them is to get on them early and make Blake Bortles have to put up points because maybe he can't do that. But with their defense, it's hard to get on top of a team like that. So that was a big win for them. Statement-type win for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Shout-out to all our friends down in Duval. Other AFC games of note, Josh McGowan having a

career type year for him. Unfortunately that's cut short. Breaks a bone in his throwing hand. He goes down. Broncos win 23-0 at home over the Jets. Other interesting AFC game, the Chiefs finally get a win. 26-15 over the Raiders. Alex Smith 20-34.

268 yards gets intercepted. No touchdown passes. The Chargers, they keep pace with the Chiefs that AFC West is going to come down to one of those teams they're tied right now that's a big game coming up in just a couple of days

Chargers at Chiefs Thursday night that's going to be a good one might even decide the AFC West on the other side of this break here I'm going to pause for one quick moment we're going to come back and talk about the big one from Sunday night

huge implications in this game that we're going to get to in a second between the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Stoops that's ahead with me, Mark Schofield, in Locked on Patriots. Okay, now we can talk for a few moments just about this Baltimore-Pittsburgh game which just ended. Baltimore had a 38-36 lead late in the fourth corner. Ben Roethlisberger engineers a drive that culminates in a Chris Boswell 46-yard field goal,

which gives the Steelers a 39-38 lead with just under a minute remaining. Baltimore is out of timeouts. They try to get something going. They hit Mike Wallace on a crossing route. But then there's a deep pass along the sideline to Jeremy Macklin. He's not in bounds when he makes the reception. Ravens run out of time. Baltimore gives

Pittsburgh everything they can handle, and it comes down to the last few moments. But it's the Steelers who pull out the victory. So with that win, Steelers now move to 11-2 on the season. And provided the Patriots take care of business tonight, you're going to have two 11-2 teams meeting next Sunday in what looks to be the game that defines the number one seed in the AFC.

Can the Patriots pull off that win? We're going to talk about tonight's game. That's ahead with me, Mark Schofield, and Locked on Patriots pull out that win? We're going to talk about tonight's game. That's ahead with me, Mark Schofield, and Locked on Patriots. Okay, everybody, let's sort of close out this show quickly because, let's face it, these teams played each other just a couple weeks ago. There's not really a lot of new ground to cover.

Covered some of that with Travis on the crossover show earlier this week. Well, last week. Again, this week is so different. But here's a couple of things, again, that I'm keeping in mind when both teams have the football. First off, when the Patriots have the ball, life without Rob Gronkowski. Gronkowski suspended for the week.

How are the Patriots going to attack this Dolphins defense without their all-world tight end? From where I sit right now, I expect a couple of different things. One, I expect New England to pound the run game a bit. When these teams faced off a couple weeks ago, Dylan Lewis 15 carries for 112 yards. Rex Burke had 13 carries for 50 yards. They had

196 rushing yards on the game. That includes minus 4 yards from quarterback Tom Brady. I expect the run game to be a factor. I expect to see a lot of Jacob Hollister and Dwayne Allen as blockers in this game. But when they look to throw, one question mark might be Chris Hogan. He did make the trip.

Will we see Hogan back in the lineup? I would be surprised. I think Hogan might be sort of a one last time they hold him out make sure he's fully ready to go for that Steelers game in a week I'd expect to see a lot of what they've been doing passing game wise

personnel wise some 21 personnel with either Hollister or Allen as the tight end. But having both Deion Lewis and Rex Burkhead in the game, try to find some matchups in the pass game, it wouldn't surprise me to see even some 20 personnel in this game. They decide to go without. Without a tight end. Go three receivers with the two running backs.

I'd expect to see a lot of motion, trying to get some of those matchups that they like, a lot of shifting. Again, we saw this team two weeks ago. We know what the Patriots can do against the Dolphins, or at least what they were able to do two weeks ago. Finally, protecting Tom Brady. Brady was hit eight times in that game. He was only sacked once, but he was hit eight times.

It touched off a lot of speculation, should the Patriots have even sit him eight times in that game. He was only sacked once, but he was hit eight times. It touched off a lot of speculation. Should the Patriots have even sit him down earlier in that game? In a game which was kind of getting out of hand. So, protecting Tom Brady, establishing the run, salting away this game. Those are sort of the expectations I have when the

Patriots have the football. Looking now at when the Dolphins have the football, a bit of a different story now because we're seeing Jay Cutler. Not going to see Matt Moore. In the build-up to the last meeting between these teams, I talked a lot about those crossing routes. Jonathan Jones had a great game against Jarvis Landry.

I broke it down both in podcast form and in an article on LockedOnPatriots.com, which you should check out. Jones, very, very adept at making quick tackles on those crossing routes to Jarvis Landry. Now, with Jay Cutler in the lineup, we might see a little bit more of a downfield passing approach. Miami might look to get the ball down to Kenny Stills downfield. Devontae Parker, Parker's sort of been,

I don't want to say he's a bust or anything like that, but he's just been underwhelming since he's come into the league. When these two teams played a couple weeks ago he had one catch on three targets for five yards last week against the Broncos Devante Parker one catch on four targets for five yards. He's made some plays downfield on the passing game this year. He had one touchdown this year on a vertical route against the Jets.

If there's sort of a surprise guy to sort of step up out of nowhere and change the complexion of this game, it could be a guy like Devontae Parker in the downfield passing game with Jay Cutler who trusts him on those vertical routes. So that's sort of the one X-factor type thing to this game is, can Jay Cutler

come out on Monday night and make throws against this Patriots defense? But I wouldn't hold my breath. As far as a prediction, we talked about it with Travis. Things would have to go right, I think, from a Dolphins perspective. Things would have to really go right for Miami to pull off the upset. These are two teams that just recently met.

New England won that game rather handily. New England, 12-point favorites on the road with an over-under 48 looking at Bovada. And I think that... I know Gronkowski's out. I know Jay Cutler's back. I know it's a road game. It's down in Miami where Brady has struggled

at times in the past. But we're looking at a Patriots team that can really sort of put a stamp on the playoff picture they can hat and t-shirt game with a win they're in something tells me Belichick's going to have

this team ready to go chance to sort of really not only just punch their is going to have this team ready to go. A chance to sort of really not only just punch their ticket, but start to declare to the rest of the conference that look, we are still the team to beat. Jacksonville's making noise. I get it. Steelers are still out there lingering.

Chargers are coming on strong. But I think this will be one of those statement games for New England. I think they cover the 12. I think the over hits on that. But we'll find out in a couple of hours. I'll be breaking down the game, and I'll have a podcast for you

in the wee hours of Monday night. Breaking it all down. Until then, keep it locked right here with me, Mark Schofield, and Locked on Patriots.