Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Mac Jones, New England Patriots Offensive Line and Future Beyond 2022

Episode Date: December 21, 2022

New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones has seen his share of struggles in 2022. However, are those difficulties enough to warrant a change at the quarterback position? Host Mike D’Abate welcomes Clare ‘ClazzyClare’ Cooper of Pats Propaganda and FPC Patriots to discuss Jones’ future in New England. The duo also provide their thoughts on the offensive line, and Clare offers her ‘Clare-Voyance’ on the Pats Week 16 opponent, the Cincinnati Bengals.Find and follow Locked On Patriots on your favorite podcast platforms:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/locked-on-patriots-daily-podcast-on-the-new-england/id1140512627 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1c5ZxFmwg3WbfxAU3tR5Ve?si=k196wH-yRqifUcQQz8SjIQStitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/locked-on-patriots And follow host Mike D’Abate on Twitter, where he’ll be sharing the latest news about the New England Patriots and talking with fans.On Twitter: @mdabateNFLSupport Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!LinkedInLinkedIn Jobs helps you find the candidates you want to talk to, faster. Post your job for free at LinkedIn.com/LOCKEDONNFLBuilt BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order.BetOnlineBetOnline.net has you covered this season with more props, odds and lines than ever before. BetOnline – Where The Game Starts!PrizePicksFirst time users can receive a 100% instant deposit match up to $100 with promo code LOCKEDON. That’s PrizePicks.com – promo code; LOCKEDONSimpliSafeWith Fast Protect™️ Technology, exclusively from SimpliSafe, 24/7 monitoring agents capture evidence to accurately verify a threat for faster police response. There’s No Safe Like SimpliSafe. Visit SimpliSafe.com/LockedOnNFL to learn more.TuroForget boring rental cars and find your drive at Turo.com AudibleHead over to Locked On NFL for a sneak peak of Block Forever or catch the full series available anywhere you get your podcast. Available everywhere now! NHTSADrive high, get a DUI. Click HERE to learn more.Ultimate Football GMTo download the game just visit Ultimate-GM.com or look it up on the app stores. Our listeners get a 100% free boost to their franchise when using the promo LOCKEDON (ALL CAPS) in the game store.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Could Mac Jones's job be in jeopardy beyond the 2022 season? Depends on who you talk to. Stick around. We're about to be locked in to the Locked On Patriots podcast. 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, and thank you once again for making Lockdown Patriots a daily part of your New England Patriots coverage

and also your first listen every day. Remember, Lockdown Patriots is free and available on all platforms, including YouTube, so smash that subscribe button, download, subscribe to follow Lockdown Patriots wherever you get your audio podcasts today's episode brought to you by ultimate football gm ever dreamed about becoming an nfl gm and managing your own football franchise then this game is definitely for you to download the game just visit ultimate-gm.com or look it up on the app stores. Our listeners get a 100% free boost to their franchise

when using the promo code LOCKEDON. That's all caps. Get in the game with Ultimate Football GM. Patriots fans, thank you again for taking time out to listen to Locked On Patriots today or view it on your preferred podcast provider. I'm your host, Mike DeBate. I cover your New England Patriots

for Patriots Country of Sports Illustrated. Download, subscribe, follow Lockdown Patriots at LO underscore Patriots on Twitter. And if you want to let me know what's on your mind, definitely do so on the Bird app right down there at MDABATENFL. And joining me here today on Wednesday, as she always does is the illustrious countess of clazz miss claire clazy claire cooper of pat's propaganda and also full press coverage patriots where she hosts her very own podcast a claire perspective claire thank you so much for joining me today oh thank you for having me once again on this wednesday michael absolutely midweeks were created for the Countess here, and we are

going to discuss a lot when it comes to your New England Patriots today. Mack Jones, offensive line. We even got a little clairvoyance for you today. That's right, folks. It's Wednesday. You didn't think we were going to forget the tea leaves. We can't forget them here on Locked On Patriots. But,

Claire, before we get going today, unfortunately, sad news to report Wednesday morning. The NFL universe lost a true legend. Steelers running back Franco Harris passed away at the age of 72. And of course, everyone who remembers Franco remembers him for the immaculate reception December 23rd, 1972 against the oakland raiders one of the most heads up one of the most iconic plays in football history without any question four-time super bowl champion hall of fame player and just revered and beloved by so many football fans and just people anywhere in the walk of life very sad because it the 50th anniversary coming up of the immaculate reception and i know that

franco was already starting to engage in anniversary celebrations and there was supposed to be more down the line um just tragic news especially at this time of year and really at any time of year to lose a legend and especially someone at the age of 72 which is a young age so on behalf of lockeddown Patriots, we extend our deepest condolences to all Steelers fans out there, to our brethren over at Lockdown Steelers as well, but most importantly for those that knew Franco, his family, his friends. He truly will be missed, and he'll always be remembered as a legend

in the minds of football fans and anyone that knew him. Rest in peace. Franco Harris passed away at the minds of football fans and anyone that knew him. Rest in peace. Frank O'Hara has passed away at the age of 72. Patriots fans, it's always interesting when the New England Patriots are tied at 7-7, and you still look at this season as an abject failure. And that's exactly what the mood of Patriots Nation is right now, Claire. Unfortunately, Patriots find themselves on the outside looking in when it comes to the playoff picture, and everybody's looking for someone to blame.

Murph and I talked a little bit about blame pie on Monday's episode. Yesterday, I tried the best I could to find some silver linings in the Patriots' performance on Sunday, to no avail, did not get, you know, a whole lot to be done. And I was told as such that, you know, I was reaching, that I'm searching a little bit too deeply. But the one thing that seems to be the prevailing theme now is that not only are people pointing the finger at Matt Patricia, he's had the finger pointed at him pretty much more than anybody I think on the team when it comes to the offensive struggles. But I think you're seeing a little bit more vitriol than has been in the past thrown Mac Jones's way. I've been an advocate of Mac. I've always tried to, you know, do the best I can

to find the silver lining in his performances. And I think that in a lot of ways, he's been the victim of a lot of difficult luck this year. But when you look at his performance on Sunday, you can't necessarily just toss that aside. You need to give it its just due. You need to see what he's doing and what he's done. And with a rather pedestrian performance that he, you know, put out there on Sunday, it's difficult to find the silver lining in that. My question to you, Claire, is seeing everything that's been going on with the Patriots and seeing everything that's been going on with Mac right now, in his performances lately, do you believe that this is casting any doubt as to whether or not he could be or will be the quarterback of the future here in the wing well firstly i just need

to kind of step back a little bit to what you previously said about finding the silver linings now folks if you go over to pats propaganda.com you will find my game recap from the yes terrible game that was however i did find some silver lining so if you do want some please head over there and check out my game recap i'm not going to give any spoilers there was some positivity i promise you now now that one's done um in regards to max specifically i personally from my opinion don't think that he's like on the chopping block or not the long-term answer. That's my clear perspective, but seriously, that is my opinion. I can see that it is really floating out there. There's a lot of people that sort of, there's a lot of unrest about it. I think it's

unfair mostly. Now I know that he takes responsibility for what he does um and that's you know we respect that it's very difficult to throw someone into the fire when it's only their second season in the you know in the NFL industry and they have had their coaching their play calling turn just up on its head and you aren't even talking about the fact that it's an individual that was a rookie last year and he's moved teams. So he's in a different sort of he's in a different offense, that kind of thing. This guy's supposed to be in the same offense that he that he started with. But it's just really not being sort of rolled out the way that anybody I would imagine would expect. Now, I think it's unfair to sort of give him a lot of heat in his second year. I mean, take, for example, now I'm not saying that Matt Jones is Josh Allen

or will be Josh Allen, but, you know, he's at the height, you know, quite high of success at the moment. And it wasn't all plain sailing for him for all the, you know, all the seasons know all the seasons that he's had at Buffalo and now I'm not saying that Matt Jones is Josh Allen or will turn into that but at this point it's only halfway through his second year we don't really know what his ceiling is you know where he's going to climb to and having the the issues at coaching that they've had on the Patriots at the moment, you know, it's no secret that it's been difficult for one of a better word.

There's lots of vocab that we can throw out there, but we won't because it's a family show, that kind of thing. But yeah, and it's difficult to put a guy in a situation like that and expect him to come out completely smelling of roses. So I just think it's unfair really at this point to specifically judge him I know people will and they're well within their rights too I am not knocking that whatsoever but he's a good football mind he's a passionate football player you know he's got the smarts he's got the work ethic and for me personally as a Patriots fan no this season

hasn't been successful there's there's lots of things that and I know that we'll talk about a little bit in in in a moment about what can be changed and what can be um what can progress what can be better that kind of thing but I I don't really feel that it's very fair to judge Mac on this season um so yeah I I don't see him on the chopping block I hope I am right because I am I you know I've been a Mac fan since before they drafted him he was the quarterback that I wanted to be drafted by the Patriots and I'm still happy that he is a Patriots quarterback I just hope that they put things around him next season and I feel that's when you can judge an individual is when you put pieces around him

that kind of give them the opportunity to succeed. And then they still don't. That's a completely different ball game to where we have Mac Jones at the moment. I'm glad that you mentioned that because Mac Jones being drafted at number 15 with something that I predicted here on the ultimate draft show a couple of years ago when Mac was available at that time. And I predicted that the Patriots would stand pat, that they would not trade. A lot of people around me, a lot of analysts, a lot of people in our business were saying, nope, they want a quarterback. They've got to move up. They've got to get either Trey Lance or they've got to get, you know, Justin Fields. Would the Patriots have been better off getting those players? That's a conversation for another day. I mean, this jury is still out on that. But

when you look at what they have gotten in Mac, someone that really, I believe to be the ideal steward of the way the Patriots do things, short passes, vertical routes, you know, be able to deliver the ball accurately on time and where only the receiver can get it. These are things that we saw Mac do last year under Josh McDaniels. The play calling is different. Obviously, there is a disconnect between the players and the coaches. I know there's not going to be a whole lot made of it because you're dealing with professional guys on both sides of the coin. Professional coaches like Matt Patricia, Joe Judge, Bill Belichick that are not going to throw their guys under the bus.

And then you're dealing with the players that are not going to throw the coaching staff under the bus there is a little bit of throwing under the bus or is there folks we're going to discuss that in just a moment as well but bottom line when it comes to mac i think a lot of fans frustration is coming from 13 of 31 112 yards really if you take away and i said this on Monday, if you take away his 39-yard completion to Jacoby Myers, Mack averaged 2.4 yards per pass. That's not sustainable for a starting quarterback in the NFL. So what do you do to change that? Is it max arm strength? I don't necessarily think it's that, I don't think it's that cut and dry that Max arm strength is the only thing that's holding him back right now. I think there is a definite void of connection between the coaching staff and he.

And it's really leading to some really difficult situations on the field. So when you look at Mac Jones, there have got to be changes made. I don't think Mac is going to be one of them. I agree with you. I think he is the quarterback of the future, at least for the time being. And I think New England cultivates that and they make those moves in the offseason, Claire. The thing that we haven't touched on,

I mean, we kind of gave the coaching a bit of a bashing as it seems to be this season, really. But he's behind an offensive line that hasn't been very strong. He's behind a line that's been weakened and that's been injured and that's been injured and that's been switched around uh o-line carousel we talked about not only that he's had an injury himself he's he's been out and back from injury during which he had to contend with the you know

the skyrocketing success of bailey zappy that then plummeted to kind of nothing anyway so it's not like um the coaching kind of changes is the only thing that he's had to deal with within his second year of being in the NFL now I know people would argue well if you can't deal with it then you shouldn't be in the industry and I think that is true but slightly unfair and I think that you know had he had he only had to deal with one of these adversities, shall we call them, I think maybe Pat's nation would be a bit more forgiving or some of Pat's nation would be a bit more forgiving. So I think that, you know, the guys had a lot to try and contend with within his just his second year to be judged so harshly, so quickly, perhaps. Yeah, I think I agree with you.

And look, there is a lot that needs to be cultivated there. And I'm glad that you mentioned the offensive line, because a lot of the changes and a lot of the difficulties that the Patriots have had and the changes that are needed come from that offensive line. I think that might require its own segment. And we're going to do that, folks. We're going to talk about the offensive line in just a moment. Thanks to the illustrious clairvoyance of Claire Classey, Claire Cooper right here.

But we haven't read the tea leaves yet, folks. So stay tuned. Lots to come. Still here on Locked On Patriots when we continue. But first, Claire, I don't know about you, but I am really geeked out by our new partner here on Locked On Patriots and the sponsor of today's episode, the mobile game Ultimate Football GM. Pats fans, you are going to love this game.

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Patriots fans, the illustrious Klazzy Claire Cooper joins me today from Pets Propaganda and FPC Patriots. And Claire, we've talked a little bit about Mac Jones. We've talked about some of his struggles, but one area in particular that I think is an area not only of concern but an area where the future is still very uncertain and really could dictate Mac's future the coaching staff's future I mean this is a situation where if these problems aren't fixed, you're probably looking at quarterback and coaching staff continuing to struggle, and that's the offensive line. What was thought to be a strength coming into this season has really turned out not to be a

strength, and I don't want to come at some of the linemen that have done a tremendous job. David Andrews is a true warrior. He continues to be out there, missed some time with some injury, not his fault, but when he's in the game, he's in the game, and he's played solid whenever he's been called upon to perform a duty on the field. Michael Wayne, who I think has been their most consistent offensive lineman this year

at the right guard position, phenomenal player, and really has done a tremendous job this year. I've been very impressed with cole strange as well i think the patriots have a true stud there have been some difficulties where he's had at the right at the left guard position he's a rookie folks he's still learning alongside david andrews he's been solid the tackle positions and they're not so much i think this is where the problem lies for the new england patriots so when you look at this offensive line, because I know you're the empress of tight endage, Claire, but you have a very close eye on offensive line and the blocking schemes and things that happen.

The tight ends are a part of that. Yanni Kajus, the line is a jumbo tight end on Sunday against the Raiders. So when you look at this offensive line and you look at the changes that need to be made, because if we're being honest, folks, this is not if they need to be made. It's the type of changes that do need to be made. What do you see from the offensive line in 2023? Because I think it is a little too late to start making these now. Yeah, I agree.

When it comes to things like that, to really fixing the significant things like that, we have to look at 2023, particularly because in regard to the offensive line, we're talking tackle position, the chances of Isaiah Wynn and Trent Brown being on the Patriots next season, it's just a who knows, you know, we don't know at this point. Do they want them back? Do Patriots fans want them back?

You know, it's very kind of a who knows situation. So to look at things like that to put in new players you really start to think about next year and things like the draft of 23 that kind of thing what they can put in you know at the tackle position but don't forget and I hate to harper on about the thing that I think has been harped on about most episodes of most shows of most Patriots things this year has been to do with coaching and the O-line coaching is something else that needs to be addressed because Patricia trying to play call and be an O-line coach with his defensive mind whether or not it's too much on his plate whether or not you know he's he's not cut out to do offence. There's all these different things.

But at the end of the day, if he's to return as the O-line coach, he needs to return as just the O-line coach because it seems to be too much to really deal with. And I think it's definitely something that has plagued the O-line is the fact that he may be being stretched too thin, shall we say, as well as the issues at the position, at the tackle position. Now, you mentioned Michael Wenyu, and I wanted to sort of say, I didn't want to interrupt you, but I wanted to say what's quite

interesting is he's played so well, but his name hasn't come up at all much this season. And as terrible as it is, that's a good thing for him. Because he's played so well, because there's been sort of no negativity, no issue with him, that his name hasn't really been out there. And it's unfortunate because he's done a good job.

But, you know, the O-line, as we've all seen, has kind of crumbled. And it is mostly at the tackle position. You can sort of, you think back and think, well, you know, if Shaq Mason hadn't have gone and stuff like this, or if they'd have drafted a tackle as well, or, you know, if Trent Brown hadn't been injured, you know, if Wynn had maybe gone and things like this, all these little ifs, buts, candy nuts,

because it is, you know, nearly the season for Christmas and everything, folks. You kind of wonder how much different the o-line would be and then the knock-on effect that i know that we talk about considerably when we talk about the o-line is the knock-on effects that it has for the rest of the team the rest of the game sort of thing so yeah i think 2023 definitely for patriot for me particularly as a patriot's fan 2023 needs to be about the O-line it needs to be about sorting it out and whether that is plugging in a new coach plugging in a different coach giving the full job to Matt Patricia and not having him stretched with something else

ensuring that that tackle position isn't only addressed in regards to front liners in regards to the number one, if you like. Depth needs to be addressed as well, because that's something else that has plagued the Patriots this season in regards to the offensive line. They haven't not only struggled to have a number one tackle, if you like, they've also struggled to have backups when they've lost due to injury. When Trent Brown has been out due to injury it's

kind of fell apart a little bit more and that's nothing against the guys that have stepped up to sort of take these positions it's just the depth hasn't been there for the O-line this I want to say the skill set hasn't been there but that just feels horrible against the guys that have been suiting up because they you know they work hard and they try their best but it's just not been quite right they just haven't had enough skill set you know enough work hard and they try their best but it's just not been quite right they just haven't had enough skill set you know enough top players on the o-line whatever you really want to say but next season definitely has to be about sorting out that o-line strengthening it not only at the front on the field but behind the scenes when it comes to depth and coaching as

well yeah without question i mean there are definite updates and definite upgrades that need to be made on the coaching staff and i think we've talked about those ad nauseum um this team does not look like it's properly cohesive and for an offensive line and i do get a give a tip to the captain murph because he did mention this offensive linemen are repetitive they are all about routine they're not improvisational players they need continuity and you don't have continuity and you have the turnstile effect that you've had especially at the tackle position this year yeah trent brown having his injury issues even though trent suited up for all the games there have been on you know questions in practice and whatnot isaiah win been in and out all year. Now he's on season ending injured reserve. So you've got guys like Kajust coming in playing that tackle position.

You've got James Ferentz, you know, going over and playing guard, playing tackle. Connor McDermott now coming in who wasn't on the roster for the better part of the season, now coming in and logging 100% of the snaps on Sunday. So these are a lot of difficulties that the Patriots have to adjust. They have to invest heavily in the tackle position in the offseason. Our man Miguel estimates that they're going to have in excess of $50 million in cap space available. A lot of that has to be invested in the offensive line, folks. I know fans are screaming that they want the top flight wide out.

They want the offensive weapons, and that's important. I think this team could use another offensive big-time star, but at the same time, if you're not winning in the trenches, you're not getting there, and the Patriots really have to invest in that this offseason. But I think it makes me laugh a lot, Claire, that we're talking about the O-line, and it really does come full makes me laugh a lot claire that uh you know we're talking about the old line and it really does come full circle back to what we talked about with mac jones just a few

moments ago in that without the protection of the offensive line this is where mac is having difficulty being able to elude some of these second and third level blitzes that gave him problems last year some of it is on Mac's shoulders. I'm not absolving him of all his sins, folks, by any stretch of the imagination. But if you're running for your life back there, it's impossible to do that. Patriots really, I think, need to be more mindful and better than that. Completely. The one thing that you said about weapons, just to snap back just a little bit,

it's really funny that there's no good having the ultimate weapon if you don't have anyone that can wield it. Because at the end of the day, if Matt Jones can't get the ball out because the offensive line is crumbling in front of him, what good is it? I mean, I've said this ad nauseum now. I think I say this most shows when we discuss O-line because I am such a firm believer of how we need to take the O-line seriously because it doesn't matter who's running down the seams which

wide receiver one you want that kind of thing who's running screens that sort of thing it doesn't matter because if Mac is on his butt because the O-line is crumbled. You could have every single top wide receiver from the whole league. You could have 32 top wide receivers on that field in front of you, but it doesn't matter that you've got them all because if he can't get the ball out because the line in front of him is crumbling,

what good is any of those 32 number one wide receivers? You're absolutely right. There really is. There's no other way to say it. And it really does it comes back to continuity it comes back to expectation and max most reliable left guy left tackle the guy that's responsible for protecting his backside and his blind side seven costly penalties against trent brown this year nine sacks allowed seven quarterback hits that's a lot

and that's something that needs to be better and when trent is on one of the best offensive linemen in the league but when he's not and he hasn't been on this year you're going to have those struggles along the line and the struggles along the line are not solely on the back of trent brown by any stretch of the imagination there have been moments where he's had very good you know protection and been very good as well but when you're not getting the consistency from your best player on the edge of the offensive line you know something is going to be missed so the Patriots clearly folks have their work cut out for them and it's going to be interesting to see what happens with the

offensive line in the offseason but folks we're not quite done yet because the tea leaves are ready to be read we're ready to take them out of that hermetically sealed jar that's been sitting there since the end of the game on Sunday, ready for clairvoyance to be read in advance of the Patriots' matchup on Christmas Eve with the Cincinnati Bengals. We discuss that and more when the Patriots and Bengals hook it up, and we come back with this episode of Locked On Patriots. But first, this holiday, folks, find what you love at Total Wine & More. With so many great bottles to choose from, it's easy to find a new favorite single-barrel bourbon or the perfect gifts for everyone on your list

with some help from a friendly guide, and all with the confidence in knowing that you found something special for the lowest price. Find what you love and love what you find, only at Total Wine & and more curbside pickup and delivery available in most areas visit totalwine.com to learn more spirits not sold in virginia or north carolina drink responsibly be 21 patriots fans the illustrious claire clazy claire cooper of pat's Propaganda and FPC Patriots,

and the host of her very own podcast, The Claire Perspective, which nice festive episode out there in the Twitterverse and in the podcast universe right now out there for your listening pleasure. I've checked it out. It'll put you in a good mood for the holidays. Check that out by all stretches of the imagination. And Claire, it's time to pull on probably your your greatest contributions here on Lockdown Patriot I kid I kid folks no seriously clairvoyance has become a fan favorite segment

here on Lockdown and everybody enjoys watching you read the tea leaves week after week and you know I was almost a little bit jealous of you last week and how, you know, great you are at being able to prognosticate some of the things that we'll see on any given Sunday or Saturday when the Patriots take the field. You know, the Patriots inside the two-minute warning had a 24-17 lead. I predicted that final score here last week on Locked On Crossover Thursday with your boy Q of Lockdown Raiders. So I was almost thinking that a little of that clairvoyance was kind of rubbing off on me. And then what happened?

I don't think anybody could have foreseen what happened. No one, not even the great Nostradamus himself, could have predicted that. So no, there's no way. Even the prognosticator or prognosticators was sitting there going, I don't know what the hell they're doing. But in any case, we're going back to the tea leaves this week because the patriots do have a christmas eve matchup coming up against the cincinnati bengals and claire we're in must win territory now i mean there's no question about it i mean if the patriots want to salvage any hope of contending for a playoff spot they need this one and it's

not going to be easy the bangles are stacked up and down the line great on all three phases so folks it's time for a little clairvoyance we're going to read those tea leaves and that is why we are pulling upon the prognosticating skills of our all-knowing all-powerful soothsayers. So the tea leaves, Claire, that you are reading from the Lockdown Shelf are medically sealed in a tea kettle. No one knows the contents of these tea leaves until Claire reads them right now. Please let us know a little bit about the Patriots Week 16 opponent,

the Cincinnati Bengals. Well, thank you for that, Michael. I love how you pick it up so much and people are sitting there thinking oh my goodness though but yes as you mentioned formidable opponent the bengals just beat the books so they you know they just kind of wiped out tom brady so it's never it's never goes well if someone's wiped out tom brady but but but but but but but, but, but, many buts. It's Christmas Eve. The Patriots need a win. I'm foreseeing some magic is sprinkled out there.

Now, their lead receiver, not that you ever want to put any onus on injury, because we don't, because it's not great, but their leading receiver in Tee Higgins is limited with a hamstring injury. So, you know, it's uncertain. The defensive end of Sam Hubbard has got a calf injury. So that's not great for kind of their run defence. Now, I know that that's kind of out there.

Everybody can, you know, find that. One thing that you may be missing, Mike, is Hayden Hurst is also questionable, their tight end. He's questionable. So that could mean Dun dun dun A Devin Asiasi revenge game Very very true

Absolutely I had to do my own Really awful Really tragic sound effects there So please everybody listening I apologise For the tragic sound effects there But yes Devin Asiasi could be the right yeah devon right now is third on their uh their depth chart and on the active roster what what irony that would be uh you know for no don't even put it out there no

don't let it go out there in the universe because i was joking this is not no we're not putting that out there into the universe and into the any this is not no we're not putting that out there into the universe and into the any tri-state area or anything like that because like you said it's a must win I think I don't want to say I'll foresee because I know how you love to say like the clairvoyance but it's tragic it really is I think that they there's something that the Patriots need to do we saw how devastated they were at the end of the last game and a lot of people will say quite rightly but you know everybody makes mistakes and that's kind of how i see it um in regards to jacoby myers and stuff like that so i think i

foresee shall we say this christmas eve game being a bit of a Patriots win through sheer determination and magic of the season you know as you said it's a must win so that is what the tea leaves let's just check yep that's all we've got folks we have got a Patriots win through sheer determination and Christmas magic sheer determination Christmas magic you can determination, Christmas magic. You can't ask for better than that. It is, as the great Hans Gruber would say, it's Christmas care. So be a good cheer and bring me the bangles.

That was not my best, folks. You do not attempt a great impression like Hans Gruber when you're fighting a sinus infection. I guarantee you it's just not a good thing to do. But, you know, you get the point, folks. Kudos for trying. The tea leaves have spoken, though. Listen to those tea leaves

and especially that drop-in about Devin Asiasi. That would be interesting to see him back out on the field and just to see what he's doing with the Bengals. I always liked Devin here. thought that you know he had the potential uh to be a pretty good contributing factor here in New England but for any reason it just didn't work out and he's with the Bengals now and Bengals at 10 and 4 you know it's hard to argue that he ended up in a in a really good spot so thank you so much countess for your clairvoyance and for your insight on

the Cincinnati Bengals and folks, we're just scratching the surface when it comes to the Bengals, because tomorrow here on locked on Patriots, we will be crossing the streams with the folks over at locked on Bengals to bring you all the coverage that you need for this Saturday's game. When the Pats and the Bengals hook it up at Gillette Stadium. In the meantime, I thank my esteemed good friend, the illustrious Claire Closet, Claire Cooper, columnist extraordinaire from Pats Propaganda and podcast host extraordinaire

of FPC Patriots. Folks, her listen, a Claire perspective is absolutely one of the best you'll find. So definitely check that out anywhere you get your podcasts. Most importantly, folks, I thank you, each and every one of you, for taking time out and making Locked On Patriots a daily part of your New England Patriots coverage. Now that you've made us your first listen, please make your second listen. Our good friends over at Locked On Sports today.

All the sports news you need, all of the takes, all of the information, and they do it all in a really, really nice package for you for the holiday season. So download, subscribe, follow wherever you get your podcasts. Locked On Sports Today is available on the Odyssey app, also available on YouTube or wherever

you consume your podcasts. And don't forget, Locked On Patriots is also available in those areas as well. So smash the subscribe button on YouTube, download, subscribe to, and follow Locked On Patriots wherever you get your podcasts. On behalf of the illustrious Claire Klaze, Claire Cooper,

I'm Mike DeBate. Continue to stay safe, stay well, be the change you wish to see in the world. Have a great day, everyone.