Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - New England Patriots; Bill Belichick Talks QBs, Protecting Mac Jones from Eagles Defenders on #MailbagMonday

Starting point is 00:00:00 Patriots fans, as the late great Gorilla Monsoon would say, the time for the talk has just about ended. Your New England Patriots are hosting the Philadelphia Eagles this Sunday. And according to Bill Belichick, both the roster and his quarterback room are ready for the challenge. 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.

Starting point is 00:00:25 Part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Hello to all of you, Foxborough faithful. Thank you once again for making Lockdown Patriots a daily part of your New England Patriots coverage. Don't forget that we are a proud part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day. Subscribe or follow for free on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts to get the latest episode as soon as it's available. I'm your host, Mike DeBate. I cover your New England Patriots for Patriots Country of Sports Illustrated. So reach out to me.

Starting point is 00:01:18 Let me know what's on your mind on the Bird app, on X, on Twitter, at MDABATENFL. And while you're out there showing some much-deserved love to the Locked On Patriots podcast on social media. Follow their account as well at LO underscore Patriots. And Patriots fans, of course, thank you for joining me here today on the pod. I hope you all had an amazing Labor Day weekend. And, of course, a special shout-out to all of you Locked On Everydayers out there. We're honored. We're humbled by your support. And Patriots fans, I'm saying we because, as you know, today on the pod, it is Mailbag Monday. And we have a great question today heading into our week one preview mailbag segment in just a moment. But if we're opening the mailbag, that's right, folks.

Starting point is 00:01:55 You know that means our good friend, the Count of Murphy, Pisto himself, Thomas Murphy of E2G Sports, has dropped by to make this hashtag Locked on Murph Monday. And without further ado, let's welcome him in. Thank you so much for joining me today in friendship. Don Murph. Oh, happy to be here. You folks wouldn't know a wrist lock from a wrist watch. Keep it with Gorilla Monsoon there.

Starting point is 00:02:21 Absolutely. We're going to talk in testable Florida too. We really and truly do right rest in peace gorilla you you are sorely sorely missed I might still watch wrestling if he was still around but gorilla was truly a great one he was man he really was happy to be back Michael happy to be back um still battling a chest cold here hopefully uh we can keep that down to a minimum this week. And you know what, folks? It's all about no days off.

Starting point is 00:02:48 Weekend Warriors, this man defines it. He was our weekend warrior last week playing double duty, doing a show over the weekend. Coming back here on Monday for Locked On Patriots Mailbag. And the Patriots preparing to host the Philadelphia Eagles in their season opener on Sunday at Gillette Stadium. 4.15 p.m. kickoff. Tom Brady Appreciation Day.

Starting point is 00:03:09 We're going to be talking Tom throughout the week. But don't forget, folks, we're going to be keeping the majority of the focus on the Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles because the NFC champions deserve every bit of it. It's going to be a tough game for the Pats. And whether they're up to the challenge or not is still a matter of conjecture. But I think a couple of the guys in this room think they're well-suited to take on that challenge, and we're going to get into that in just a moment. But Murph, it just dawned on me as we were about to start recording this show today,

Starting point is 00:03:36 we haven't actually had a chance to weigh in on the Patriots roster together. It's the first opportunity Murph and I have to sit down here on Locked On Patriots and talk about the Patriots roster moves from top to bottom. Last time we did, the 53-man roster was yet to be set. It is set now. And in the interest of Mailbag Monday, Murph, I wrote in my own question because I had a question for you, my friend. When you look at this roster from top to bottom, first of all, what are your thoughts on this 53-man roster, and is this roster ready for Philadelphia in one week's time when the Patriots host them at Gillette

Starting point is 00:04:12 Stadium? It's a versatile juggernaut, okay? We're getting back to doing what the Patriots do best, and that's going to be exploit your weakest link, whether it's on offense or on defense. You're going to see a lot of shifting of game plans from week to week into how Bill O'Brien and Gerard Mayo and, of course, Bill Belichick are going to attack you. There are many different moving parts to this defense, and he's going to use them to their utmost. And also for this offense, I really like the versatility that is sitting here on this offense. What a lot of people aren't talking about while you're looking at the depth chart and the lack of running backs that happen to be on it, just two.

Starting point is 00:05:02 But no, what you're looking at is a pair of guys that can basically attack a field and a defense in the same way. It's two guys that can both run up in between the tackles, get to the outside a little bit, and catch the ball out of the backfield. So yeah, I'm thinking that this offense is going to keep people on their toes and a little off balance because they're really not sure what's going to happen because the way things are looking right now, who's that third down back?

Starting point is 00:05:34 Well, it's the one of the same guys that's going to be in there on first and second down. Absolutely. So glad that you mentioned the running backs because a lot of the attention is on the quarterbacks, folks. And we're going to talk a little quarterbacks in just a moment. We're not forgetting that position at all. But the running back position is a little bit thin when it comes to the 53-man roster. From Andre Stevenson, Ezekiel Elliott, that's a very good 1-2 combination up at the top of the depth chart. You make the assumption that at least one of the running backs on the

Starting point is 00:06:05 practice squad is going to get elevated for this game. You've got Ty Montgomery on this squad. You've got Kevin Harris on this squad. In your opinion, which makes more sense against the Philadelphia defensive front? Do you think their Patriots are going to go for Montgomery, or do you think they're going to go for Harris in this situation to try to spell and to try to take a little pressure off Zeke and Mondre at the top of the chart. If he's healthy, they're going to go with Montgomery. If he's healthy, that's the move. That's why he's here. You know, call it a little bit more than a gut feeling, but I think that's the way they're going to go is juniors here in case of injury of, you know, not not necessarily catastrophic injury,

Starting point is 00:06:49 but as somebody to plug back in there when the going gets tough and, you know, some of these old guys can't get going. Yeah, absolutely. And don't forget, folks, one thing that the Philadelphia Eagles defensive front struggled with last year, there wasn't much that they struggled with. They struggled a little bit with motion. So keep your eye on jet sweeps this week. You might see Kendrick Bourne, obviously Taequann Thornton on IR. That's not going to happen. I think the Patriots would like to do it with Mario Douglas,

Starting point is 00:07:18 but there is a little bit of a shoulder issue that he's working at right now. It's early in the season. There are still 16 games to be played beyond the one that's going to be played at Foxborough this Sunday on September 10th. Murph, any parting thoughts on this roster from top to bottom that don't include the

Starting point is 00:07:35 Philadelphia Eagles? What was your gut reaction to the guys that made it as opposed to the guys who didn't? Where do you look at the Patriots roster and see prowess and potential uh and did they leave themselves deficient in any area that may hurt them not just this week but down the line as well well you know we talked about the running backs and and you know that might be an issue going there I like this wide receiver room I love Kendrick Bourne I love

Starting point is 00:08:01 Devonta Parker you know the kids the kids, the kids are all right. And, and, and that is, you know, Juju Smith Schuster, you know, there there's the knees going to hold up folks, the knees going to hold up. And on the, on the backend, I I'm, I'm still a little worried on the other side of the ball about the depth that that the Patriots have at cornerback. If somebody goes down, we could be in a bit of a pinch. But the way things stand right now, no, I'm loving this. I'm loving this from top to bottom. This roster right now, because of its versatility on both sides of the ball, is going to be very intriguing, not just in week one, but into week two, week three.

Starting point is 00:08:43 As we start to get into the meat of the season, when you start to hit week five, week six, you're going to see a lot of these guys align in different areas, different locations. Matthew Judon talked about the defensive uniforms earlier this offseason, and I really think you're going to start to see that, whether it be Marte Mapo or Keon White or the defensive backs that they have with Miles Bryant being able to play multiple positions. Marcus Jones, I think, resembles that remark as well. Even somebody like a Jabril Peppers in the secondary has the ability to play multiple positions. Adrian Phillips, a gentleman I wrote about just today for Sports Illustrated, you can check that out when it drops later on. Guys that can play multiple positions and really cause confusion among a lot of the

Starting point is 00:09:28 offenses that you're going to be seeing. That's always a good thing. Yeah, exactly. The Enigma D. Other people like to call it an Amoeba defense. This is an Enigma defense because you just don't, it's wrapped up in a riddle. As the late, great Winston Churchill once said, a mystery wrapped in a riddle inside an Enigma. That could be a good way to describe this New England Patriots defense this year.

Starting point is 00:09:49 And really on the offensive side of the ball as well, because there are so many ways in which these guys can be deployed. So Murph, in that regard, the New England Patriots do have a little bit of mystery surrounding their quarterback position. One area they don't any longer is the starting position no one is disputing now that matt jones is the starter but as steve balistrieri and i talked about over the weekend here on lock on patriots patriots made an interesting addition to the quarterback room in the form of matt corral bill belichick was asked about matt and mac and bailey zappy and even a little bit about Malik Cunningham this morning on WEI's The Greg Hill Show,

Starting point is 00:10:27 and also, once again, when Patriots reporters had the chance to join Bill on a video conference Monday morning. Bill had some interesting things to say about the quarterbacks. We're going to break that down and what that means for the Patriots in week one and beyond when this episode of the Locked On Patriots podcast continues right here on the Lockdown Patriots podcast continues right here on the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day.

Starting point is 00:10:51 Lockdown listeners, football season kicks off this Thursday, and there is no better way to get in on the action than with Underdog Fantasy and their Pick'Em game. Just pick between two and five players, select whether they'll go higher or lower on one of their stats, and then do what you usually spend kickoff night doing, watching the game. You can win up to 20 times your money in a single game by going five for five. It's a fantasy game, but you can win real money. It's legal in over 30 states, and it is a ton of fun. If you want to build your dream today,

Starting point is 00:11:21 head over to their easy-to-use mobile app or website, underdogfantasy.com. When you sign up with the promo code LOCKEDON, not only will Underdog double your first deposit of up to $100, but they also have a Pick'Em special live now in their Pick'Em lobby. Remember, that's Underdog Fantasy. Sign up with the promo code LOCKEDON, use the link in the description, or scan the QR code if you're watching us on YouTube. Patriots fans, thank you once again for joining us here today on Locked on Patriots. It is hashtag Locked on Murph Monday. It is hashtag Mailbag Monday.

Starting point is 00:11:57 And we're about to open the mailbag to a great question submitted by a YouTube viewer. And every day, if you will will it's a great one folks and you're definitely going to want to stick around for that in just a moment but Murph in terms of questioning and in terms of getting ready for the Philadelphia Eagles I think the best questions this week actually came from those in the fan base and those in the media directed at Bill Belichick because less than one week removed from what some and some meaning myself described as Bill Belichick because less than one week removed from what some, and some meaning myself, described as Bill Belichick playing a game of waiver wire roulette. And folks, just for the record, this was not me questioning Bill Belichick's prowess of

Starting point is 00:12:35 coaching this team. I'll definitely say that I took a little literary license in describing it as waiver wire roulette, although he did take a little bit of a risk exposing two backup quarterbacks to anyone being able to come to blame them but bill belichick strategy paid off once again be it bailey zappy back in the fold malik cunningham back in the fold and now matt corral is in the fold for your new england patriots let me get into backups in just a moment but one of the things that bill did say on Monday morning when he spoke to Greg Hill and also spoke to reporters by video conference was that Mac Jones is the undisputed starter.

Starting point is 00:13:13 And Bill, for the first time, really, I think, gave a little bit of insight into this and made a little more insight than he's used to giving when asked about why Mac was his choice. And I'm going to quote him directly here. He Mack had a really solid spring in camp he was out there every day ready to go in excellent physical condition I'd say he's made a lot of improvement over the spring and training camp in reads decision making and timing and in terms of getting more work with the guys he's throwing to he's worked very, and I'm looking forward to the season here with Mack. Murph, your reaction to that?

Starting point is 00:13:50 We've said since the get-go, way back in February and March, that this was the deal, okay? That Bill believed in Mack, that Mack is going to be the number one guy here. We even said, you know, we even called that Malik Cunningham would end up being on the cutting room floor. At the end, I'm glad Malik is back and I'm glad he's still a part of this team. He's somebody I think has a future, but that nobody was going to pick these guys up. I really, you know, it was a little, it was a little bit shocking that Zappy got cut and

Starting point is 00:14:24 brought back. But Bill, like you said, had to play a little roulette to get the guys that he wants on and then move guys off to IR and bring other guys back. The opportunity to bring Corral in was just too good. Bill liked what he had seen from Corral in college. He liked what he'd seen of him in joint practices a year ago and in that game. And he's somebody, like he said, he's somebody that he would want to work with. Corral, I believe, is an upgrade over Zappi.

Starting point is 00:14:56 He's more talented. That's why he went earlier in the draft. And now Bill has everybody that was a part of that trade. Isn't it amazing isn't it amazing that bill belichick accepts a trade offer from the carolina panthers gets two picks and the carolina panthers get matt corral the guy they wanted the guy they initiated the trade for and bill belichick walks away in that draft and doesn't just use those two picks on anybody folks he gets bailey zappy and he gets martin mapu and now he has matt corral in the stable um you know you can accuse bill belichick of a lot of

Starting point is 00:15:30 things but uh the chess and the checkers game he just continues to prove it right murph i don't care what anybody says uh bill still has a lot of these tricks left up his sleeve and i know i'm being tongue-in-cheek here a lot of this is luck of the draw and I'd be disingenuous to say it's short, but don't sell short the ability of Bill Belichick. This wasn't the plan, but you know, when a plan comes together, you claim it. Absolutely. When you have a chance to recoup value, you take it and you take it with both hands. And that's exactly what Bill Belichick has done.

Starting point is 00:16:00 But I thought it was very telling about what he had to say about Mac this morning and something I really enjoyed listening to and him being a little bit more candid about Mack looking more comfortable. Folks, that is the Bill O'Brien effect. We've been saying it over and over. Mack throughout training camp looked sharp in red zone work. This is an area where he did not look sharp one year ago, an area where he really wasn't tested i think properly in his rookie season in that regard because mac is getting more of these opportunities murphy side he's not settling for the check down the way he did last year now he's still going to take them folks so every time mac makes a check

Starting point is 00:16:35 down i don't want people panicking and saying oh here we go he's regressing and he's becoming old mac there really is nothing wrong with taking a check down every now and then folks you have to do that as a quarterback and you're going to see him take more chances down the field this year. A lot of that is because he has. It's just amazing how, how much more confident a quarterback can look when they're confident in the play caller over there on the sideline. When they know that when they look across a line of scrimmage

Starting point is 00:17:05 and see an opportunity, they can check out to it. They can audible to it. Mack wasn't allowed to do that last year. Okay? He just simply was not allowed to do it. And that was where most of the frustration came in. And quite honestly, you know, around week seven or eight, I was asking, why aren't you

Starting point is 00:17:26 just ignoring these idiots and checking out yeah it's true and one of the things that i think you hit right on the head murph is he didn't have the same type of authority that he's being given by bill o'brien at the line of scrimmage matt can finally make his own decisions whether it's in the red zone or whether it's in open field. And I think so much of that is predicated on what they're seeing from him and the job that he did coming into camp in shape, ready to learn, understanding of his mistakes and willing to put in the work to correct those mistakes on the field. When you see the effort there on behalf of your quarterback as a coach, you're going to go beyond above and beyond in most cases to make sure that he has all the tools he needs to succeed now you also mentioned matt karelmer and right bill belichick had some stuff to say about he and bailey zappy as well um basically saying that he's still glad to have bailey on this roster believing he's a

Starting point is 00:18:21 good young developing player but you kind of touched on this just a little uh just a few moments ago and i want to give you a chance to elaborate on it because it does tie in quite nicely to what bill belichick had to say and he said that based on what we saw with the carolina panthers and his college film at mississippi and i'm talking about mackerel here folks he's a player we wanted to work with Murph in that regard it sounds an awful lot like this is someone that the Patriots had targeted maybe during the draft maybe during you know waiver wire cutdowns and whatnot they put in a claim on this kid because they believe in him what type of prowess can Matt Corral bring to this quarterback room that we haven't had here yet?

Starting point is 00:19:07 Raising the IQ level of this room, and that's not me getting on Mac Jones at all. You'll be hard-pressed to find a smarter quarterback than Mac Jones. But yeah, raising the IQ level for the offense that Bill O'Brien wants to run. Corral is a fantastic passer. He's, he's somebody that is good in timing patterns and, and can, can run RPO and like, like no one else here in, you know, under contract in, in, in New England right now can.

Starting point is 00:19:43 That's, that's, that's also not a knock on Malik Cunningham, but his arm is not what Matt Corral's is. And Bailey Zappi's IQ when running RPO is nowhere near it. Yeah. And, you know, when you look at what this skill set, what Corral's skill set brings to the table in New England, RPO leaps at you right away. He did it so well

Starting point is 00:20:06 at Ole Miss under Lane Kiffin. And let's not forget folks that the Lane Kiffin, Nick Saban connection from 2014 to 2016, Saban's offensive coordinator was Kiffin. So that type of collegiate success that he had at Ole Miss, I'm not saying it's going to be replicated immediately by stepping on the field under Bill O'Brien and under this type of system that the Patriots are going to be running, but Mac Jones is very good at being able to run an RPO-heavy scheme. Matt Corral is very good at it. And the fact that these two complement each other so well, I'm really looking forward to seeing what this brings into the Patriots offense this season. And you've got Malik Cunningham there that can be a wild card in terms of the gadget plays that he can bring to the table and also his ability to run and be a

Starting point is 00:20:55 mobile quarterback and a dual threat. All of a sudden, the Patriots went from the liability of quarterback to really, I think, almost a carte blanche in terms of what they want to run in their skill set. With Matt Corral as the number two quarterback here, you are looking at something. I really can't compare it to another group in the league right now, but if something happens to mac jones during the game everything that that everybody prepared for during the week is moot because it's a completely different game plan when he comes in you know what murph regardless of the alignment of their quarterback depth chart new england patriots are going to welcome the Philadelphia Eagles for what

Starting point is 00:21:45 promises to be an exciting matchup on Sunday kickoff set for 4 15 p.m eastern I know a lot of us are waiting for halftime and the prodigal son returning and Tom Brady and the celebrations but this is going to be a hell of a game one of the things I think a lot of Patriots fans are looking at and if they're not they should be One of the things that the Philadelphia Eagles do well is getting after the quarterback. They plan on doing it a lot on Sunday, unless the New England Patriots can stop them. It's going to be up to the offensive line. I know that sends shivers up and down the spine of a lot of Patriots fans that have not seen a whole lot this offseason and the preseason and in training camp that gives you an awful lot of confidence in the offensive line.

Starting point is 00:22:28 We're going to take a question from one of our great listeners in just a moment and talk about one of those keys when this episode of the Locked On Patriots podcast continues a part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Locked On listeners, our partners over at eBay Motors have teamed up with Locked On fantasy football host Vinny Iyer to bring you some of the best fantasy picks each week all season long. Whether you're prepping for a draft or scouting the waiver wire, every week we're going to provide you players that are guaranteed to fit on your roster.

Starting point is 00:23:00 So with draft prep underway for the upcoming season, let's see who Vinny has picked out for us on this week's eBay's Guaranteed Fit Fantasy Picks of the Week. If you need an undervalued running back to help give your fantasy football team a smoother ride in 2023, look to Bill's second-year man James Cook. Cook will have a key receiving role but can earn more touches than that because of his explosive ability versus older injury-prone Damian Harris. Dalvin's brother also plays in a high-scoring offense where there will be plenty of pleasing big play chances. Folks, Vinny Iyer from Lockdown Fantasy Football is going to help you win your fantasy championship and eBay Motors knows a championship team is about each player being a perfect fit.

Starting point is 00:23:45 It's the same thing with your vehicle. With eBay Fit and over 122 million parts and accessories for your vehicle right at your fingertips, you can make sure your ride stays running smoothly. From brakes to taillights, shocks, struts, you name it, eBay Motors has it. And they'll make sure that it's the right fit for your car because ebay guaranteed fit helps you understand exactly what part you need for your vehicle the first time so go forth switch gears crank the ac and say goodbye to sweating if your ride needs a little fixing up because with ebay guaranteed fit everything your vehicle is calling for is just a click away for

Starting point is 00:24:22 the parts and accessories that fit your vehicle, just look for the green check. Get the right parts, the right fit, and the right prices at ebaymotors.com. Let's ride. eBay guaranteed fit only available to U.S. customers. Eligible items only. Exclusions apply. Patriots fans, thank you once again

Starting point is 00:24:42 for joining us here today on Locked on Patriots. It is Labor Day. It is on Locked on Patriots. It is later day. It is hashtag Locked on Murph Monday. It is also hashtag Mailbag Monday. And we're turning it into Mailbag Monday in just a moment. But don't forget, folks, check out the ultimate NFL preview all throughout the Locked on Podcast Network right now. All divisions, all conferences, all 32 NFL teams, all of the hosts of each and every

Starting point is 00:25:06 podcast dedicated to the NFL right here on the Lockdown Podcast Network, giving you our thoughts as to how this whole season is going to play out. I had the great fortune of sitting down with talented hosts such as Kyle Krabs, Joe Marino, and John Buchko to talk about all of the AFC East, and it really was a blast, folks. You can find it on our video timeline on YouTube, and you can also find it wherever you get your podcasts. That's the ultimate NFL preview brought to you in part by the Locked On Podcast Network. But today, Murph, we have a great question submitted by one of our listeners on YouTube,

Starting point is 00:25:42 and they want to find out what is the key to Mac Jones staying upright. Well, folks, there really is no other way to say it. It's about the offensive line. But is it really the key to beating the Philadelphia Eagles? Well, that's what our listener wants to know today. One of the great handles I've seen, at CoolGenuinePhil3051, and he he says do you agree that the key to a week one win is the ability of the o-line to be successful giving mac jones time to operate

Starting point is 00:26:12 in the pocket hashtag mailbag monday and phil first of all thank you for hashtagging the mailbag monday it was easy to see easy to point out and murph i think this is a great question and you've been the guru of big round men up front, protecting the quarterback and also helping the block for the run. What are your thoughts on this? Is this the key to beating the Philadelphia Eagles this Sunday for your New England Patriots? No, it's not the key.

Starting point is 00:26:40 It is a key. Don't get me wrong. It is a key. It's a key, not the key. Yeah, it's a key it you know don't get me wrong it is a key um yeah it's a key not the key um a key as as in if if this line is healthy and we've got everybody out there and you know we we've got a little issue over there on on the right side let's see you know say city sows out there you know you might need a little chip help you know a little hunter little Hunter Henry chip up a little Gusecki chip help, you know, somebody out there just to give him a hand, but no, the, the key to, to winning this game is going to be shutting down the, uh, the, uh, the Eagles offense is it's going

Starting point is 00:27:16 to be to slowing down quarterback Jalen hurts and all of his, his weapons that he has over there, Devonta Smith and A.J. Brown and this plethora of running back situation. It's going to be keeping these guys under 26 points or 24 points. That's going to be the key to it, making them drive the field, wait for mistakes to happen, and then capitalize on it. But no, don't get me wrong. One of the keys is going to be keeping Matt upright and not uptight.

Starting point is 00:27:49 Yeah, absolutely. And keeping him upright and not uptight was something the Patriots simply were not able to do with any degree of consistency last year. And look, Mac found himself struggling most when, Murph, when he was under pressure, under duress. And when those teams that were savvy enough to pick up on it and had the personnel to do it, we're able to win their battles up front. And then they can start sending those strategic blitzes from the second and third level of

Starting point is 00:28:16 the defense. By the time Mack had the opportunity to even accept the snap and try to make a throw, it just wasn't going to happen. There was no ability to do that the pressure confused him it caused him to open at the top of his drop in the wrong direction that led to a lot of suspect decision making and without that adequate protection that he was getting up front folks that's where mac had difficulty that's where he had insufficient time to operate that led to a lot of those short yardage checkdowns that fans

Starting point is 00:28:46 just you know when he didn't have a running back that could pick up the blitz absolutely guess what yep that's not two of them that is yeah that is not the case this year because if you're picking up the blitz and next getting rid of the ball and shedding the ball early all of a sudden those perimeter corners are not going to have the time to take away his preferred routes, his preferred targets. It opens up the field in a way you haven't seen Mac take advantage of in the two previous years. Last year, simply by poor design.

Starting point is 00:29:17 And in the first year, simply because he was a rookie. And I think they were trying to give him every opportunity to succeed in a more simplified offense. He's going to see that blitz coming. He's going to be confident that somebody's going to be there to pick it up. And he's going to fill a hole, right? The hole that the blitz are left. Okay.

Starting point is 00:29:33 Absolutely. That's going to be the game plan. It's also one of the keys that you'll see coming out on Friday. Sort of piggybacking off for what Phil had to ask, because the O-line obviously murph is only going to be as good as its starting components we're starting to see cole strange get more snaps uh hopefully we'll get good news on him and he'll be out there trent brown has been a mainstay so far david andrews you know is as solid as they come but the right side is still

Starting point is 00:30:01 giving people some proverbial fits michael wayne who is as big a part of that as anyone. When you look at Mike, when he does come back, whether it's week one or whether it's week two, whether you see him in subsequent weeks, are we going to see him at right tackle or are we going to see him continue to man the right guard position? I think we're going to continue to see him man the right guard position. I think that's the smartest path to take.

Starting point is 00:30:27 Why weaken two spots? Not that he's a huge weakness out there on the right-hand side, but I think they can piece it together. I really do. I think that, you know, with the guys that are able to block from the backfield with the – and I'm not, you know, calling Hunter Henry a blocking tight end by any in any way shape or form but i think he can help out there i think those guys can help

Starting point is 00:30:51 before they release and get down bust that seam and uh so no i i believe he's going to stay at at right guard that's where he's going to be happiest that's where um mac will will be able to be at his most confident. Yeah, absolutely. And I think that one of the things that people have to remember about Ueno, yes, absolutely. Michael Ueno can definitely align at the tackle position. We've seen him do it. 600 snaps at right tackle in his rookie season. Played very well there, by the way.

Starting point is 00:31:22 Also took 276 snaps at right tackle in 2021 as the you know even though he started the season as the starting left guard but here's the thing about it the Patriots went out and got Riley Reif who is going to start the season on injured reserve Calvin Anderson still working his way back in that's going to be a slow process but they went out and got for Darian Lowe they went out and got Tyrone Wheatley Jr. to man these tackle positions. Awenu is built to play guard. He's comfortable to play guard. He's got a great skill set at that position. That wingspan serves him so well on the interior as opposed to on the outside because it's impossible for a guy to be able to get to that interior and be able to bypass him on a block because of that massive wingspan so new england i think is very well predicated to keeping him where he is i think

Starting point is 00:32:10 bill belichick is very squeamish about messing with the continuity of the line and to put mike in a position he hasn't played in at least over a year if not more uh simply because of a temporary deficiency i think is bad business for the New England Patriots, unless they're permanently going to move him out there to tackle. And then at that point, folks, all bets are off. So in that vein, Murph, yeah, I think you've articulated it very well. It's a key, but not the key. I happen to agree with you.

Starting point is 00:32:39 I think the key is going to be stopping that Philadelphia offense led by Jalen Hurts that is going to be a monster of an offense to try to stop. Phil, thank you so much. A tip of the cat. Great question. Great question. That's timely and absolutely allows us to move into full coverage mode when it comes to the Philadelphia Eagles and the New England Patriots.

Starting point is 00:33:01 But Murph, we're not going to do that just yet because you said you had a question for me here on this Lockdown Mailbag Monday. So without further ado, you can put on the host cap, my friend. Put me on the hot seat for a change. You have any questions for me, counsel? Yeah, Michael. Here in New England, we are famous, infamous, at least Bill is, for giving rookies a red shirt season.

Starting point is 00:33:27 Now, this year, I don't see that happening to quite the degree that we have in the past. A lot of those times it happened with a wide receiver or a running back. I want to hear from you. Who is going to be in week one the impact rookie the impact rookie in week one hmm that's a good good question uh i know fans would love it to be a guy like demario douglas or kashon butte you want to see these young receivers break out have a big game and all of a sudden put the rest of the league on notice that, you know what, the Patriots have a passing game. They have someone that can get open in the slot, make things happen, or they have a vertical

Starting point is 00:34:11 weapon that can make contested catches and be exciting in the open field. I don't think it's going to be either one of those guys. As you said, Demario Douglas still with the shoulder. I think they're going to try to bring him along as slow as possible. I think if you're looking at someone that comes through and has an impact on this team, week one, it's going to be Keyon White because of the way he's able to defend against the run. And I think that's where you're going to see him be as much of a weapon this year as anything. Because Philadelphia is going to look to establish their dominance on the ground early.

Starting point is 00:34:46 Keyon White is someone that can change the complexity of that. Takes pressure off of guys like Christian Barmore. Takes pressure off of Devon Godchild. Takes pressure off of guys like Lawrence Guy. Run defenders that have to be in that interior. Keyon White's going to help in that regard. But he's going to get after the quarterback as well. He's going to start putting pressure from the outside. I love what I'm seeing from him in that

Starting point is 00:35:07 situation. If you're looking at someone that's going to make that impact right away against the Philadelphia Eagles, to me, there's no question about it. It's going to be Keon White. And I think it's going to be on white in a big way. That's it. That's the answer that I was looking for. That's the answer that I thought I was going to get. And as soon as this is going to be a lot of fun, folks, you're going to have a blast watching this young man play football. Him and Marty Mapu. Like I said, I don't know if any of you are like Mike and I who watched the game several times, you know, but if you do, if you record the game and you're sitting there and you know you're watching it a second time, close your eyes when you know that Marty Mapu is about to make a hit. And just sit back and listen to him. Just sit back and listen to the pads explode.

Starting point is 00:35:56 It's going to be a blast. There were two ways that you could have answered that question. One was the right way. One was the wrong way. And, of course, Michael got the right one. Well, I think Matt Poole was going to have an impact on this game. And I think he will be someone to watch. There's no question about it. I'm really looking forward to it. And I really hope that Matt Poole gets the opportunity to align both as a safety and a linebacker in this game, just to really put the rest of the league on notice to show what this

Starting point is 00:36:24 kid's capable of doing. But if you want my honest opinion on who's going to be the guy that's going to really turn heads um right from day one and especially in this game yeah there's no question about it i think you're going to see uh kian white for all of the reasons that we talked about in a three-point stance outside linebackbacker, rushing the passer, defending against the run. And Murph, if he drops into coverage, we're going to take a little victory lap here next week on Locked on Patriots because I think he has the ability to do it. So, folks, who's going to be your impact player this week?

Starting point is 00:36:57 We're going to continue our coverage here on Locked on Patriots all week long. Pats Eagles this Sunday. Going to be a fun one up at Gillette. And bottom line, Murph, what it signifies is football is back. Real football begins this week on Locked on Patriots. And of course, all throughout the NFL. So be sure to stay locked in to the Locked on Patriots podcast.

Starting point is 00:37:19 Murph, what can I say, my friend? I always appreciate you being there for the handoff and kicking off the week in style. Who knows, folks, we might have Murph drop back in here for a little game preview coverage before the Pats and the Eagles hook it up at Gillette on Sunday. But in the meantime, please let all of our listeners know where they can reach out to you, where they can find your great work and what they can look forward to from the great pen, the great voice of Thomas Murphy this week. Well, of course, you can check me out at E2GSports.com. I've got a nice little Red Sox piece up there to piss you all off.

Starting point is 00:37:51 All you Red Sox faithful, all of the Illuminati will be up in arms over this one. And, of course, you know, I'll be doing a couple of Patriots pieces, including my monster keys to the game, which will come out on Friday. I can't put them out on Thursday. Can't do it because, you know, all the coaches around the league come and check out the keys before they hit me. I can't give them that much time to game plan. So check those out.

Starting point is 00:38:17 And, of course, you can find me on the Bird app at TMURF207. That's Zitter. Find me on Zitter at TMer of 207 and other than that you know whatever tickles my fancy and and yes i could be back here at the end of the week just to go over a couple of those keys absolutely folks and definitely i always say this each and every week i'm going to continue to say it all season long here on lockdown patriots you turn the keys you go to the top. You don't turn the keys, you're never heard from again.

Starting point is 00:38:48 So be sure to stay locked into those keys because Murph is definitely the best in the business, including what he does. And folks, I say this with confidence, he is seldom wrong, if ever. So definitely check those out. It is definitely one of the best pregame leads that you'll find anywhere in Patriots media.

Starting point is 00:39:06 But, folks, what can I say? It's always an honor and always a privilege to join this man each and every week on the microphone, but it's mostly my honor, my true privilege to join you each and every day here on Locked On Patriots. All of you everydayers, all of you casual listeners, and all of you first-timers, you truly make Locked On Patriots a daily part of your New England Patriots coverage, and I could not be more honored and more humbled to do so. In the meantime, folks, for all of the very latest when it comes to your New England Patriots, keep it right here on your daily home for Patriots coverage, the Locked On Patriots podcast.

Starting point is 00:39:40 On behalf of my good friend, the Count of Murphy, Fisso himself, the legendary Thomas Murphy, I'm Mike DeBate reminding you all to stay safe and to stay well and to be the change that 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. There will be no filters. It's just audio. No filters.

Starting point is 00:40:01 You're stuck with us. We look this way. Our deepest apologies on that, folks.

Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - New England Patriots; Bill Belichick Talks QBs, Protecting Mac Jones from Eagles Defenders on #MailbagMonday

There aren't comments yet for this episode. Click on any sentence in the transcript to leave a comment.