Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - New England Patriots 2024 Schedule: Road Trips, Biggest Games, Drake Maye Debut?

Episode Date: May 17, 2024

The New England Patriots 2024 season schedule is set. The Pats will play eight home games, and nine road games during the regular season. New England will open the year with a matchup on the road with... the Cincinnati Bengals on Sept. 8, before partaking in their home opener against the Seattle Seahawks on September 15 at Gillette Stadium. Host Mike D’Abate welcomes Thomas ‘Murph’ Murphy to discuss the Pats tough road schedule, the biggest games of the season and the potential week for the debut of quarterback Drake Maye. #nfl #patriots Find and follow Locked On Patriots on your favorite podcast platforms:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1c5ZxFm...Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/locked-...And follow host Mike D’Abate on X, where he’ll be sharing the latest news about the New England Patriots and talking with fans — @mdabateNFL Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!eBay MotorsFor parts that fit, head to eBay Motors and look for the green check. Stay in the game with eBay Guaranteed Fit at eBayMotors.com. Let’s ride. eBay Guaranteed Fit only available to US customers. Eligible items only. Exclusions apply.GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNFL for $20 off your first purchase. Terms Apply.FanDuelFanDuel, America’s Number One Sportsbook. Right now, NEW customers get ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS in BONUS BETS with any winning GUARANTEED That’s A HUNDRED AND FIFTY BUCKS – with any winning FIVE DOLLAR BET! Visit FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON to get started.FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

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Starting point is 00:00:00 The New England Patriots season schedule is finally set. They're going to be hitting the road a lot in 2024, but are they ready for prime time? Stick around. You'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 Locked On Patriots a daily part of your New England Patriots coverage and also your first listen each and every day.
Starting point is 00:00:41 Remember, Locked On Patriots is not only a proud part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team, every day, but we are also free and available on all platforms, including YouTube, so smash that subscribe button, download and follow Locked On Patriots wherever you get your podcasts to ensure that you're getting the latest
Starting point is 00:00:59 episode as soon as it's available. I'm your host, Mike DeBate, and I cover your New England Patriots for Patriots Country. So reach out to me and let me know what's on your mind on X at MDABATENFL. While you're out there showing some love to Locked On Patriots social media style, please follow our account there as well at LO underscore Patriots. And Pats fans, today's episode is brought to you by GameTime. Download the GameTime app, create an account, and use the code LOCKEDONNFL for $20 off your first purchase.
Starting point is 00:01:32 Terms apply. And Pats fans, at long last, your New England Patriots are set for the 2024 season. That schedule being released along with all 32 NFL teams on Wednesday evening. It has now been confirmed your New England Patriots playing eight home games, nine road games during the regular season. New England will open the year with a matchup on the road with the Cincinnati Bengals on September 8th before partaking in their home opener against the Seattle Seahawks on September 15th at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough. Here today to break down all of the ups and downs, the homestands, the road trips, even a journey to
Starting point is 00:02:13 jolly old England is my good friend, the Count of Murphy, Fisto himself, Thomas Murphy. Thank you for coming to me in friendship today, and thank you for helping me break down the 2024 Patriots season slate on Murph. Oh, thank you, Michael. Thank you. Pleasure to be here. Asked back for a second time this week, and it's a miracle. Oh, absolutely. It's not a miracle.
Starting point is 00:02:35 It's not a miracle at all, folks. He's got his very own branded hashtag. He's got his very own embroidered director's chair here. Now, he's a fixture here on Locked On Patriots, and we love having him. And, Bud, there's no one else I'd rather break down the schedule with than you. It's going to be an interesting year for your New England Patriots without any question. A new era in Foxborough, and with that new era will come great responsibility. Murph, when I look at this schedule for the New England Patriots, the first thing that hits me about this is nine road trips
Starting point is 00:03:05 and the potential for those road trips to be grueling. Are the Patriots going to be the ultimate road warriors this year? They're going to have to be, man. They've been given no choice here. And luckily for you, me, and everybody out there in Patriots Nation, this defense is one of the stoutest in the NFL. They have two all pro talents coming back this year that missed most or all of last season. And, and I think that's,
Starting point is 00:03:36 that's the way they're going to have to ride it, especially on the rude. Yeah. Without any question. You know, a lot of people might get poetic and say that the patriots have miles to go before they get there i didn't say i was gonna say it of course i just did but bottom line i think a lot of people are looking at this schedule and saying the patriots still have a ways to go before they're going to contend for a playoff spot let alone be in the mix with the afc's top teams once again but right they are going to be traveling great distances this year. There's no question about it. They open up in Cincinnati against Joe Burrow, all healed up and ready to go.
Starting point is 00:04:16 And then they have their home opener against the Seahawks. And then they hit the road again for that Thursday night matchup with the Jets. And then they have to go across country to face the 49ers. They didn't, no favors were done. No favors. If Bill, if Robert thought that any favors were going to be done for him now that Bill is gone, he was sorely mistaken. Oh, absolutely agreed.
Starting point is 00:04:42 No favors being done for the Patriots over at Park Avenue. And really, I don't think anyone ever expected that, but maybe some people did, like you said, maybe with Bill out of the mix, people thought that maybe it could be a little more lenient, but no, I mean, you know, requests denied as judge Chamberlain Haller would say when Mike Reese reported earlier this month that the new England Patriots were trying to petition to get the games in Arizona and San Francisco out on the West Coast at the same time so the Patriots could stay. That did not happen. So the Patriots will be logging and getting some serious frequent flyer miles. I wanted to share with you a little tidbit from our good friend Bill Sparrows, who's a great columnist from the Boston Herald.
Starting point is 00:05:26 And you'll know him and his alter ego on Twitter as the OBF, the obnoxious Boston fan. But Bill is one of the best in the business. And he recently did a breakdown of the travel miles that each team in the NFL is going to be logging. You're New England Patriots ranking fourth out of all 32 nfl teams when it comes to total travel miles the patriots are going to be playing nine road games eight home games but in those nine road trips they're expected to travel a total of 25 071 road trip miles this season mark crossing 26 time zones and they're going to add another game folks another game is coming yeah exactly i mean you know the commissioner has not just hinted at this he said this is
Starting point is 00:06:13 exactly the way he wants it and what roger wants roger gets it's going to eventually happen that way folks so yeah be on the lookout for another game being added within the next couple of seasons here in the NFL. But bottom line, it doesn't really change what the Patriots have to do this year. New England playing back-to-back road games three times in 2024. You hit on this, Murph. Games with the Jets on September 19th, followed by a game with the San Francisco 49ers on September 29th. Then you get Tennessee on November 3rd, and then Chicago on November 29th. Then you get Tennessee on November 3rd and then Chicago on November 10th.
Starting point is 00:06:46 Then you get Arizona on the 15th of December followed by a road trip to Buffalo for the 22nd. So Patriots are going to be doing an awful lot of road traveling. Oh yeah, in October, they have to travel to London as well. So a lot of traveling going on for the New England Patriots. Just throw that in there.
Starting point is 00:07:02 Two road trips to California, going to London. I mean, in the past, the Pats have gotten a break. And even when there were two road trips out to California, they were kind of, the games were close together. They could stay out there, practice out there. That's not happening this season. Absolutely. And, you know, it is.
Starting point is 00:07:22 Surprised they didn't send us out to San Diego too. What the hell yeah even though there's really no games happening in san diego but you know yeah you know what i mean sentredo out to las vegas but in any case road trips of this type and i talked about this a little bit yesterday here when i discussed the london game and talked about how this is a good move for the new england patriots to be able to go out and share that camaraderie at the time that i recorded that podcast the schedule hadn't been confirmed yet so we didn't know if the patriots were getting a buy after that game in general
Starting point is 00:07:59 when you're traveling to europe you're getting a buy after that trip patriots did get one last year after they made the trip to Germany. So you almost assume that was going to happen. It didn't happen this time around. The Patriots come back and not only do they come back, but they have to come back and face the Jets, who you know are going to be hungry for that game, especially with a healthy Aaron Rodgers. My question to you is with all of these road trips going on, is this a good opportunity
Starting point is 00:08:24 for the Patriots to bond and build some and forge some relationships or is this just an arduous road journey maybe a little too much for a very young team sure in the beginning uh it it can be a bonding experience it can be a um you know a get to know you there's going to be a lot of new faces a lot of young faces on this team this year. And yeah, that can happen. I've said it with baseball many, many times, starting out on an eight or a 10 game road trip to start a season can really bring a young group of ballplayers together, but it's going to get old. It's going to get old quick. We know when you're not sleeping in your own bed and you're not, you know,
Starting point is 00:09:09 for, for, you know, that amount of time, you, when you're not seeing your family, you know, even on game day, things like it, it gets old. And, and this is, this is going to be a long grind for these Patriots players this season and coaches. And again, you're dealing with a young team. You're dealing with a team with a rookie head coach. You're dealing with a team with potentially a rookie quarterback.
Starting point is 00:09:32 We'll get to that in just a moment as well. Does this schedule throw a wrench into those plans? Murph and I have some thoughts on that subject we'll share in just a moment. But bottom line, you are looking at a team that is trying to forge a new identity and when you add added wrinkles such as an arduous very grueling potentially grueling travel schedule it can be a problem and it does present those issues so the new england patriots can either come together and bond together i happen to think that trip to london is going to be an opportunity for them to do just that it's's a different environment. You're going into a historic stadium like Wembley. You're going to be playing in front of fans that
Starting point is 00:10:09 I know the Jaguars are the designated home team, but a lot of Patriots fans out in London, they're going to be out in droves to see this game. That's an exciting opportunity. And trips like that, it's almost like a field trip when you were in high school. You always had those bonding moments that really kind of galvanized the team. I think that can be the opportunity for the Patriots to grow. But those back-to-back road trips in the months of September, November, and then December again are going to be very difficult. And you're talking about the holidays as well. I mean, these are human beings. We always put them on a pedestal and say, these are players. They have to play through everything. That's the game. That's the schedule.
Starting point is 00:10:48 You have to play it. It affects everyone, folks. It really and truly does and can't have an adverse effect. So the schedule maker's doing no favors for the Patriots trying to reinvent themselves after a dismal 4-13 finish in 2024. But the New England Patriots do have some big games on this schedule, some major tests, and some opportunities to prove that they might be eventually ready for prime time. Because obviously, Murph, they didn't prove that to the schedule makers already. Murph and I are going to talk about the biggest games on the New England Patriots 2024 season slate when this episode of the Locked On Patriots podcast continues.
Starting point is 00:11:25 A proud part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Listen up, Boston sports fans. You want to cheer on your favorite green team at the Garden. We all do. It's the playoffs. You want tickets, but you're not quite sure how to go about getting them. Well, have no fear game time is an authorized ticket marketplace of the nba which makes getting playoff tickets
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Starting point is 00:12:37 O and NFL for $20 off download game time today last-minute tickets lowest price guaranteed Download game time today. Last minute tickets, lowest price guaranteed. Patriots fans, thank you once again for joining us here today on Locked On Patriots and joining me to break down the 2024 schedule release for your New England Patriots. Legend himself here on Locked On Patriots, Thomas Murphy. Murph, in the previous segment, we talked a lot about the Patriots' road trips and the opportunities, the pitfalls, everything that exists
Starting point is 00:13:12 when it comes to playing that often on the road and the impact that it could have on a very young team in New England with a rookie head coach. But you and I both know that there are a lot of opportunities on this schedule as well for the New England Patriots to prove something not only to themselves, but maybe to the schedule makers, maybe to the league, maybe to the NFL universe. As I alluded to earlier, the Patriots have only one primetime matchup on this schedule right now. That's a Thursday night matchup, September 19th, 8.15 p.m., East Rutherford, New Jersey, against the New York Jets. That's it.
Starting point is 00:13:48 How far the mighty have fallen. The New England Patriots were a primetime staple at one point. You couldn't turn on the TV each and every week without seeing them. We were kicked off. We had to stay up until midnight to watch them. Absolutely. A lot of late nights covering filing stories at 3 a.m you're not going to have that a lot this year just one night and you get it over with early in the season
Starting point is 00:14:10 it's great for the viewers it's great for the media i'm not gonna lie i was definitely happy to see all of those 1 p.m games but it also brings into stark comparison the patriots presently to where the patriots were in the past right I know you see things us mere mortals don't see when you look at this schedule we see problem you're going to see potential when you look at this Patriots schedule is there a game or games that jump out at you that allow the Patriots to maybe prove the doubters wrong a little bit, keeping London aside for just a second, because I know we'll get back to that in just a moment. But independent of London,
Starting point is 00:14:48 what games are standing out on this schedule for you, Murph? Without a doubt, the divisional matchups. Coming back from London, that only primetime game that we know of right now, you don't plan on things getting flexed into primetime, folks. You really don't. But, you know, that first game, you know, if discount double choke manages to make it to the third game of the season,
Starting point is 00:15:14 doesn't blow out an Achilles tendon or something over there. And I think that Jets game, taking care of business at home against Miami early, that's going to be uh that's going to be paramount that's that's a week five matchup october 6th yeah funny funny how uh how uh the dolphins never seem to come up here in december and then of course you know uh the um the oh god what was it the The Dolphins. You know, we always have a really difficult time down there. They go down to Miami Week 12.
Starting point is 00:15:52 And other than that, you know, sending a message to the league and being able to come out on top somehow, some way, against the 49ers on the West Coast, I think that game is really important too. You know, the Patriots need to reestablish themselves as a team to be reckoned with. Right now, they are not. That's what happens when you come off a 4-13 season.
Starting point is 00:16:22 You know, people are already checking the box. Yeah, we should beat the Patriots. Everybody on this schedule is saying to themselves, even the Houston Texans, they're saying this is a game that we should win. This is a game. There are countless webcasts and podcasts going on right now today and this week with their hosts going over the schedule patriots
Starting point is 00:16:47 and they're checking a win box the patriots have got to go in there with an eraser and and remove those check marks i'm so glad that you mentioned that game because to me i think that is the ultimate opportunity for the patriots to prove something this season right you look at the big games on the schedule you mentioned the divisional games and obviously divisional games are always going to be hotly contested right i don't care what anybody says these teams know each other very well so you can't pencil those in as guaranteed wins unless tom brady is facing the bills then that was a guaranteed win and really i think the last what few years against the jets those were guaranteed wins as well. But the times have changed, Murph. Patriots don't have easy times with the AFC East anymore. And look, that goes the same way for the AFC East teams as well.
Starting point is 00:17:32 They can't overlook the Patriots because of the fact that they know each other so well. So taking those out of the equation, because I think you adequately sum those up, and I could not have done a better job myself. You look at the other games on this schedule. Obviously, Cincinnati, the road opener, and then you've got Seattle, the home opener. These are exciting matchups. The 49ers in San Francisco is going to be fun to watch the Texans. We talked about the new look Texans and how that's going to look. That's going to be a fun one to watch. But what I'm looking at very closely is the two games around the bi-week this year,
Starting point is 00:18:02 week 13 against the Indianapolis Colts and week 13 against the indianapolis colts okay and week 15 against the arizona cardinals and on paper these are not going to be blockbuster games folks i'm not expecting these games to be you know games of the week or anything of that nature there are talented players on both of these teams indy and arizona and the way these two teams have been built the last couple of years is incrementally trying to rebuild themselves into playoff contenders. Maybe they're a little bit further along on the rung right now than the New England Patriots are. They've had more practice. Absolutely. That's a good point. I love that. See, dynamite drop in money. But when it comes to the Colts, when it comes to the Cardinals, this is a good opportunity for
Starting point is 00:18:43 the Patriots to see how truly far away they are from being able to leapfrog these teams maybe in a year or two. Indy right now going into the bye week, if the Patriots come out strong and they go into the bye week on a win, that can show a lot. They come out and take it to them and go into the bye week on a win. That says a lot to me. But what's going to say even more is what you've alluded to earlier, how they look coming out into the bye week on a win that says a lot to me but what's going to say even more is what you've alluded to earlier how they look coming out of the bye did that break break their rhythm did it break their spirit do they come out playing flat typically coming off of a bye the patriots were always razor sharp under bill belichick say for last year but week 15 against
Starting point is 00:19:22 the cardinals that's an opportunity for the patriots to make a statement and say you know what we had a break it was the latest break you could possibly give us it didn't matter we're going into an opposing stadium and we're going to take it to a team that's trying to rebuild themselves into a playoff contender and arizona's got some talent on both sides of the ball whether you talk about kyle and murray or that new defense now now that's got Mack Wilson in it. The Patriots would love to see him, no question about it. So those are the two matchups I'm going to be watching closely. Those are great points, and I wholeheartedly agree. By that time in the season, we should have a fully functioning football team.
Starting point is 00:19:59 Everybody should definitely be on the same page. We're probably going to get into the Drake May thing in a second here or two. And, you know, health is paramount. You know, last year we saw, you know, the attrition of what happened on the offensive line, what happened with the wide receiver group, you know, just through injuries. A lot of this is going to come down to how healthy the Patriots are when they face these teams and how healthy their opponents are going to be at the end of the year. Absolutely. And that's such a great point. And health is the great equalizer, folks, when it comes to all of these matchups. I mean, the New England Patriots could very easily find themselves facing a team that's not necessarily operating at full strength.
Starting point is 00:20:48 Can they take advantage of that? The converse is true as well. The Patriots may not be operating at full strength. Will that make them an even easier target for some of these teams that feel they're facing the Pats in a must-win game, in a guaranteed win game? Really hard to be on the opposite end of that spectrum but you know what the Patriots are out to prove that they're no pushover I think they'll do that this year
Starting point is 00:21:09 and they're going to have to if they want to increase their opportunity right to contend sooner rather than later Murph before we take our leave of the biggest game I know on the side of the screen folks for the benefit of those of you listening our screen says today biggest game besides london right um london is probably the marquee matchup that's on the patriots schedule this year i know you haven't had a chance to weigh in on it your thoughts on this game and what it means for the bats no i think it's it's it it's a huge game for the patriots you know i don't normally mike touched on it earlier you know that you end up getting the bye week after your trip overseas. And that's always been a huge help.
Starting point is 00:21:50 It's always been something that the NFL has done for, you know, not just the Patriots, but, you know, everybody going overseas. It's a lot to ask of somebody. You never know. We might see Mac Jones in London. That's a possibility. I did mention that yesterday. You know, stranger things have happened, folks. Who knows? Maybe by that time, Drake May may have showed something to the Patriots decision makers.
Starting point is 00:22:13 And he may be going head-on-head with either Trevor Lawrence. Or can you imagine the week leading up to it if it's going to be Drake May versus Mac Jones? That could be really, really fun to cover if you're a New England Patriots media member. And if you're a fan, yeah, that could be a lot of fun that week leading up to it. Social media will be a buzz. Speaking of Drake May, folks, the New England Patriots may have plans to put their new number three overall draft pick in the lineup sooner rather than later. But does the late bye week this year throw a wrench into those plans?
Starting point is 00:22:48 Murph and I are going to talk about debuts galore when it comes to this new era in New England and the 2024 NFL schedule when this episode of the Locked On Patriots podcast wraps up right here on the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Listen up, Boston sports fans. It's winner-take-all time in the NBA and the NHL, and FanDuel's giving you a shot to bring home a big win of your own. At the Garden, your favorite green team, NBA Playoff Action. Do you have enough confidence in your fandom to make it work for you?
Starting point is 00:23:23 Well, if you're going to do so, do it with FanDuel, because right now, new customers get $150 in bonus bets with any winning $5 bet. That's $150 to bet on spreads, money lines, player props, and so much more. Visit FanDuel.com and make every playoff shot count. FanDuel, America's number one sportsbook. Patriots fans, thank you once again for joining us here today on Locked On Patriots. And we are breaking down the newly released 2024 NFL schedule for your New England Patriots. And here today to break it all down with me is my good friend, the legend himself, Thomas Murphy. Murph, we've been talking a lot about the Patriots schedule, the road games,
Starting point is 00:24:10 the biggest games, the London game, but we all know that the games on paper are fun to speculate, but the impact they have on the players on the field is really where these games are won or lost. And the Patriots have themselves a new franchise quarterback, or at least we believe that the Patriots have a new franchise quarterback in the number three overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft, Drake May. We got a chance to see a little bit of Drake's performance last Saturday during rookie mini camp. He was there for three days, got a chance to see the field on two of those days and big piece of feedback that we got from gerard mayo is that he still needs a lot of work so
Starting point is 00:24:52 you're getting the impression that drake is someone that is impressing with his talent his potential but his fundamentals are still not there when it comes to being a starting quarterback in this league not a shock i think a lot of people understood that was going to being a starting quarterback in this league. Not a shock. I think a lot of people understood that was going to be the case coming in, but you're going to start to see that anxiety level of Patriots fans kind of reach a fever pitch. Now the Patriots are heading over to London on October 20th. That's it. They don't get their bye week until week 14. Right. A lot of people were thinking that the schedule makers were going to build in a nice transition period where if Jacoby Brissett started the season, he'd be able
Starting point is 00:25:31 to hand the keys of the kingdom over to Drake May during that bye week. But at week 14, that presents as much problem as it does promise. Murph, when you look at this and you look at the potential debut of Drake May, does the schedule, the way it fell, make it more likely that we'll see him this year or less likely? Wow, that's a tough question. I thought, you know, for sure we were going to see him this year anyway. All right. So I can't go with the more or less likely because we knew we were going to see him this season. They weren't going to sit him down for the whole year, no matter what anybody says.
Starting point is 00:26:07 I still believe, and I might be answering Mike's next question before he asks it, I still believe that it's going to be at home against the Jets after the London game. Yeah, I do believe that it is going to end up being that week. It pushes it back. I think it could have been earlier if the bye week was earlier. But I don't think it's going to push him out and we're going to wait until week 13 and then let him face the Bills three times, twice in his first four games. Very good point. You look at the way the schedule was laid out and you said it perfectly. You're not going to want to throw
Starting point is 00:26:43 Drake into the wolves right off the bat. Let them go face the teams that are, that are also rebuilding. Okay. Not that the jets are rebuilding, but after that they have Tennessee and Chicago. And, and by that time they'll get the scouting department. They'll have a good idea of what they're doing out there, how they're going to have to attack them offensively and defensively. Drake should be deep enough into, um, into this, uh, Patriots playbook, this, this, this minuscule Patriots playbook. It's not the encyclopedia built Hanukkah anymore. Um,
Starting point is 00:27:18 and have a good handle on things and let him ease himself into it. And God knows, I mean, I think that's the soft landing spot is after London. I don't think they'll debut him in London, but, you know, the week afterwards, I think that's what we're looking at. Week seven. Look, the London trip has enough hype and enough publicity on it as it is. I don't think it's necessarily the opportunity the Patriots are going to take to debut Drake May. Now, if he's already entrenched as the starter, if he comes out of training camp as the best
Starting point is 00:27:52 player and he's right off the bat, then yeah, he's going to get the start in that game. Last and certainly not least, the Patriots new rookie head coach is definitely going to be making his debut. That is not up in the air, folks. That is not speculation. That is dead certain on September 8th against the Cincinnati Bengals. That will be his head coaching debut at any level. And then the Patriots come back home the following week to take on the Seattle Seahawks. Murph, is there any circumstance where you can see the Patriots taking one of these games in one of Mayo's debuts?
Starting point is 00:28:26 Can they take them both? Or are they looking at an 0-2 start here? No, I think absolutely they can get off to a good start and take one from the Bengals. I really do. The Bengals start off slowly, it seems, year after year with Joe Burrow under center. And I think they could go in there and steal one. And then in game two, when they're playing the Seahawks, it's the home opener. Everybody's going to be on a high.
Starting point is 00:28:59 Everybody's going to be looking forward to it. You know, I do believe that they could end up 2-0 after the first two games of the season. I think the first real test is going to be down at the Jets that Thursday night if Aaron Rodgers is still standing upright. Well, obviously, I mean, you know, at this point, when you look at the Jets, I mean, they definitely want a healthy Aaron Rodgers, and that's what they signed up for when they traded for him. So they're looking at him being healthy. Now, obviously, health is always the great equalizer. Folks will see what the Jets and what all teams look like at every point in the season.
Starting point is 00:29:38 I'm glad you made the point about the Cincinnati Bengals. I think a lot of people were looking at this and saying Joe Burrow's back. He's healthy. Yeah, that's a guaranteed loss for New England on the road. The way the Patriots have been able to play Burrow in the past and try to keep him contained is not all of a sudden a blueprint that Gerard Mayo is going to throw in the garbage because it's a new era. He understands the genius of a Bill Belichick defense. He played in it and he coached it. And that's the type of style you're going to see. All of the Patriots defensive players that we've spoken to in the media so far
Starting point is 00:30:09 have all said, not much is changing on the defensive side of the ball. We're enhancing, we're getting better, but it's not a situation where we're going into this and saying it's a completely new ball game. I think you're going to see, I think you're going to see a more aggressive style of defense, you know, with going to see a more aggressive style of defense, you know, with all those, a lot of the, uh, the pressure rates that, that you saw out of the Patriots over the past few years, they've always been, you know, top of the league. I think you're going to see a lot more guys getting to the quarterback this year than you have in the past. I think, uh, Gerard is really going to, uh, let the dogs out and let them go eat. So, you know, going after Burrow is not always the best way.
Starting point is 00:30:50 The crush and contain has worked in the past, and I think that's what they're going to do. But, yeah, I do think this defense is going to be much more aggressive this season as it progresses. But going in there to Cincinnati and stealing the first game of the year, I think that's a distinct possibility. I'm not going to mince words about this. With all due respect to the preseason, your New England Patriots,
Starting point is 00:31:15 we're on a Cincinnati Murph. That's what we're doing. We are looking at the Bengals in the week one opening game in the Queen City, and that is going to be a fun one to watch. And who knows, maybe Gerard Mayo will be coming back home looking for his home debut with a 1-0 record. It could happen, folks. And that could turn to 2-0 with the Seattle team. I think they could definitely come home on a high after winning that first game and take number two. Like I said, the big test, the big early test is going down there to East Rutherford
Starting point is 00:31:47 in week three and getting that Thursday night win. Yeah, absolutely. Can the Patriots' new wide receiver core match up against that stifling Jets secondary? That's going to be tough. And you know they've loaded up that front seven, too. The Jets are loaded on both sides of the ball this year. Those games are not going to be easy. So a tough start for the Pats, a tough road ahead. But you know what? Bottom line, folks, that's why they play the games and they don't assign championships
Starting point is 00:32:13 on paper. Anything and everything can happen in the NFL. And what are your thoughts on the Patriots schedule? What are the must wins? What are the biggest games on the season for you? Drop a note in the comments section below. We'd love to hear your thoughts. And you know what?
Starting point is 00:32:28 If the comments are juicy enough, we may even do a complete show on them. Yep. Hashtag a mailbag Monday down there if you've got a question or if you've got a comment that you want us to expand on. Oh, absolutely. And we'll get to it on Monday. The mailbag is going to be brimming with scheduled questions. There's no question about it, folks. Keep them coming in because Murph and I will be back here on Monday to answer mailbag is going to be brimming with schedule questions. There's no question about it, folks. Keep them coming in
Starting point is 00:32:45 because Murph and I will be back here on Monday to answer all of your questions, but we are not done yet this weekend, folks. Definitely stay locked into Locked On Patriots for more expert analysis, not just on the Patriots schedule, but also on the Patriots rookies. Yeah, more Locked On
Starting point is 00:33:01 experts coming your way, so download, subscribe to, follow follow you will not want to miss a single second it's been a good terry that's thank you i've really loved it man i've really loved it thank you absolutely we truly have some of the greatest local experts you'll find anywhere in sports media right here on the locked on network and we're only scratching the surface you ain't seen nothing yet folks a lot to come. And thank you for the kind words, my friend, because when it comes to Locked On Familia and when it comes to knowledgeable guests,
Starting point is 00:33:30 you sit at the top of that throne for a reason, my friend. And that's why we give you your very own branded hashtag and your very own embroidered chair, folks. Hey, man, I'm always here for a sit down with you, Mike. But what can I say? Thank you so much for helping me break down the schedule today. Before I let you go, please let everyone know what you got cooking in Murph's kitchen between now and Monday when you return to your rightful spot here on Locked on Patriots. I got a couple of Red Sox pieces in the hopper.
Starting point is 00:33:57 You can read them over at diehardsbostonsportsfans.com. You can follow me on Zitter at TeamRF207 and see whatever else tickles my fancy. If you can't wait till Monday, ask me the questions over there and I'll get to them Monday. Absolutely, folks. And definitely keep them coming in all weekend long. You don't have to wait until Sunday night. Hashtag
Starting point is 00:34:17 those questions. Just put Mailbag Monday. Tag Murph. Tag myself. Tag the Locked On Patriots account or keep sending them in via email. You guys have been flooding the email box and we absolutely love tag the Locked On Patriots account, or keep sending them in via email. You guys have been flooding the email box, and we absolutely love it. LockedOnPatriots at gmail.com. And in the meantime, folks, I am Mike DeBate, and on behalf of my good friend, the Count of Murphy, Fisto himself,
Starting point is 00:34:37 the legendary Thomas Murphy, I encourage you all to stay safe and to stay well and to be the change you wish to see in the world. Have a great day, everyone, and we'll see you back here again tomorrow on Locked on Patriots.

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