Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - New England Patriots Defeat Carolina Panthers 17-3: Drake Maye, Joe Milton, Bailey Zappe and More

Starting point is 00:00:00 All eyes on New England Patriots Nation were on Drake May, but did the Rockets steal the show? Stick around, you're about to be locked in to this victory post-game episode of 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. Thank you once again for joining us here today on Locked On Patriots, making us your first post-game listen, and hopefully your first listen each and every day. Remember, Locked On Patriots is not only a proud part of the Locked On Podcast Network,

Starting point is 00:00:45 your team every day, but we are also free and available on all platforms, 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 and download and follow Locked On Patriots wherever you get your podcasts to ensure you're getting 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 athlon sports so reach out to me and let me know what's on your mind on x at md a b a t e nfl and while you're out there showing some love to locked on patriots social media style please follow our

Starting point is 00:01:16 account there as well at lo underscore patriots and of course past fans today's episode brought to you by our friends over at LinkedIn. LinkedIn Jobs helps you find the qualified candidates you want to talk to, and they help you do it faster. Post your job for free at LinkedIn.com slash LockedOnNFL. That's LinkedIn.com slash LockedOnNFL to post your job for free. Terms and conditions apply. And Patriots fans, today we take you back to January 2nd, 2000. Yeah, going back in the Belichickian time machine, that was the last time the New England

Starting point is 00:01:56 Patriots took the field for a preseason game or a regular season game without Bill Belichick on the sidelines. But a new era was born in New England, a night of firsts on what was kind of a dreary weather evening in Foxborough. Not a robust crowd on hand for this one, but a lot of factors involved in that. But all of you dedicated Foxborough faithful were in your seats to help cheer on the New England Patriots as they usher in a new era.

Starting point is 00:02:25 And they did just that. Gerard Mayo's head coaching debut, the Patriots gained a 17-3 victory over the Carolina Panthers on Thursday night at Gillette Stadium. And here to break it all down is our good friend, the legend himself, the only man that could join me post-Cain here with the lucid cohesive wisdom and counsel we all need right now the legend himself thomas murphy thank you for coming to me in friendship here post game don murph happy to be here but happy to be here um yeah i was glad i wasn't in the stadium it was it was kind of drizzly and disgusting out there and uh and nobody got what they wanted yeah the booze that rained

Starting point is 00:03:06 down from the faithful that were in attendance tonight in foxborough in the first quarter a lot of confusion on that on social media i don't think they were directed at bailey zappy i think it was directed at the coaching staff that wanted to see more of the number three overall pick you saw drake may for one series we're going to get into that in just a moment but murph a historic night at foxborough regardless of the attendance or regardless of the weather the first time in 24 years that bill belichick was not on the sidelines gerard mayo definitely putting his own stamp on this team i know preseason games don't count for anything in the standings and in the grand scheme of things they don't count for a whole lot more. But when you can walk away from the field in your debut, regardless of what that debut is,

Starting point is 00:03:50 with a win, yeah, you're going to be all smiles. And the Patriots should be all smiles at this point. The 17-3 victory, Murph, some bright spots, some areas that the Patriots clearly need to work on. But if we're being honest, all eyes were on Drake May, and Patriots fans got a chance to see Drake take the field in the second offensive series for the Patriots, Jacoby Brissett starting the game, but as soon as the number three overall pick in April's draft came in, a little bit of a roar came from the crowd. You started to hear them come alive because they were excited to see the new number 10 in town. And Drake completed two or three of his passes for 19 yards,

Starting point is 00:04:31 both of his completions coming on screen passes. The only misfire sailed a bit high. It was off a play action, did hit Jalen Rager in the hands. That is a somewhat catchable ball, but if I'm being honest, it was a little bit on the high side. If you could touch it, you can catch it. Yeah, exactly. Absolutely. And I knew you were going to side with me on that. But bottom line, I thought a decent debut. I just think that from Patriots fans' perspectives, I think they wanted to see a little more from the rookie quarterback at this point. What were your thoughts on Drake May and his debut here? Well, my thoughts were

Starting point is 00:05:04 I'm glad I didn't blink i'm glad i didn't get up to to go refilled uh the pepsi i i'm glad you know i'm glad he get out of there in one piece and for everybody that's out there thinking well why did he only get one series it's because they didn't want to get the kid killed. All right. He went out there with the first team offensive line. And when they wanted them to come out, they were coming out. The Patriots can't afford to lose an offensive lineman right now. Never mind their future franchise quarterback.

Starting point is 00:05:49 That's why, you know, that's why it went this way. That was the plan. That's what Gerard Mayo said after the game that Brissette was going to get a series and then May was going to get a series. And then the one guy that we don't give a damn about, we're going to let you see a lot. And that was Bailey Zappi. Yeah. And we'll get into Zappi in a little little bit a little bit of an ebb and flow night for him but looked good on the touchdown drive and we'll get into that touchdown drive because there was a couple of things that i want to highlight on that as well but i agree with you when it comes to what

Starting point is 00:06:17 we saw from drake may and when it comes to the promise that obviously this kid has but you want to see more of it i think patriots fans need to take the approach that obviously this kid has, but you want to see more of it, I think Patriots fans need to take the approach that you outlined, Murph. And Gerard Mayo said this after the game. He reiterated the point that you made. He said, look, we wanted to get Drake out there with the first team offensive line. That was paramount. They were only going to take a couple of series, and then we're going to pull them out because we don't want to risk them getting injured.

Starting point is 00:06:43 You certainly don't want to have Drake taking snaps behind the second and third and then risk possible injury to him. So at this point, to me, it does make sense. I know the fans are a little squeamish about it, but I do think that there were there was a method to Gerard's madness tonight. And I do think it was the right call based on the weather, based on what we've seen from the offensive line and based on the combinations that the Patriots could have put out there. Obviously, Drake coming out of the game, Bailey Zappi coming in. And we're going to talk a little bit about Zappi and why he played so much tonight in just a little bit. I don't want to steal necessarily that thunder, but the Patriots needed some sort of an offensive

Starting point is 00:07:20 spark. And say what you will about Bailey, he provided it. The game's first touchdown with just under eight minutes remaining in the second period leads the Pats on a five plate, 31 yard drive in just a minute 34. So you can see the veteran leadership and Bailey Zappi being able to lead his team in a short amount of time down the field. 23 yard punt return from David Wallace.

Starting point is 00:07:42 I loved seeing that. And I want to get to that in just a moment as well because, dare I say, shades of who made that man a gunner could have possibly been seen in this kid. I don't want to get on the hype train just yet, but David has been really good in training camp. Zappy then connecting with Kayshaun Booty, who's also been very good this training camp.

Starting point is 00:08:00 28 yards, high points to catch, brings Newland to the three yard line and then a guy that we talked about over the weekend kevin harris that lower body strength in the red zone getting the job done powering his way for the two yards into the end zone that's lead seven nothing what were your thoughts on the uh the touchdown pass who were you most impressed by on this drive oh oh without a doubt i was i was most impressed by uh bailey zappy on this drive you know he he he came out he put in the work he read the the defenses in uh a manner that that you and i both hoped that we'd get to see drake may do in this game and we were denied that but um but zappy put together a great drive and um you know know, at the end of it, there was a fantastic block thrown by, oh, God, was it Leverett?

Starting point is 00:08:53 Yeah, Nick Leverett. Yeah, Nick Leverett. That was a beautiful block thrown to be able to spring that touchdown run in. Completely agreed. And, look, Harris is the type of guy that you love to utilize in the red zone but I love the fact that Bailey wanted to utilize Boudet we've seen these two have a connection before whether it be last season uh you know a couple of times in the preseason during the regular season these two clearly had a little bit of a synergy going and I'd like to see that

Starting point is 00:09:20 continue for Kayshaun going into the remainder of training camp in the final two preseason games. He was impressive. He's someone that I think you need to keep an eye on. There were a couple of contested opportunities I thought he left on the table, but overall a solid performance for Kayshaun. It did. You know, Bailey Zappi took care of his buddy, Kayshaun Boutte. And Boutte, you know, it said to make the most of your opportunities.

Starting point is 00:09:46 This kid, he made the most of his opportunities tonight, man. He's somebody that's fighting for one of the last roster spots right now. And he did himself no harm this evening. Whether you're showcasing your talents for this team, another team, or regardless of what you're doing out there, you're giving this team an opportunity to win it says a lot about your character and a lot about your poise but Murph I don't think we'd be doing ourselves justice if we didn't talk about another quarterback

Starting point is 00:10:14 making his debut here in New England wanted to go the whole full gamut on Drake's debut but it was only one series there's only so much bite onto, but Joe Milton making his debut in a Patriots uniform. He's been a fan favorite now for quite some time. The arm strength, the back flips. We all love watching what this kid can do in training camp. He proved on the field tonight that he can definitely go ahead and do it. Four of six passes, 54 yards to go with a touchdown. Also ran for 24 yards on three carries of course everyone's really 73 yards oh my god did you see that kid scramble amazing holy absolutely amazing one

Starting point is 00:10:54 direction to the other um you know it was almost like well is he is he not is he gonna is he don't and he goes ahead and he does it uh this kid's athleticism is tremendous, and he put it on display tonight and I think put Patriots and the rest of the NFL right now on notice that this kid has pro-level ability. Look, folks, let's not get too far ahead of ourselves. Joe Milton was out there, and I tweeted out that, yes, Joe Milton is greater than the future gym teachers of America. Okay.

Starting point is 00:11:26 He was out there against the third and fourth string guys. And I'll give him all the credit in the world. He hit the open man. He looked off the safety and made a nice pass down the sideline and off a double move. Who did he hit there? Remind me. Who did he hit there for that touchdown? Jaquay Jackson. 38 yards. Jaquay Jackson. That was a nice move by Who'd he hit there? Remind me, who'd he hit there for that touchdown? Jaquay Jackson, 38 yards.

Starting point is 00:11:47 Jaquay Jackson. That was a nice move by Jaquay Jackson there. A nice double move and Milton hit him. But guys, you know, slow your roll. I mean, this will give the national media a little fuel for their whole Joe Milton is going to end up starting on this team before Drake May. But no, it was a nice drive. It was a nice quarter that he got in there. Got his feet wet. I'm just telling you, go and watch some Tennessee film. Okay?

Starting point is 00:12:16 There's a reason he was taken in the sixth round. And it was nice. And it was exciting. The game wasn't too exciting until he came in, but you know, it's right now, I just want you all to slow your roll. I think it's important that Patriots fans do approach this with a little bit of temperance. And I'm in agreement with you for the most part here. Look, we saw Malik Cunningham pop out last year, and Malik Fever was really starting to take over in New England. People were starting to wonder whether or not this kid could be the next thing here in New England,

Starting point is 00:12:52 someone that maybe wouldn't take the full-time starting job just yet, but maybe someone who could come in on gadget plays and things of that nature. Joe Milton is still completely different. This kid is a quarterback and a quarterback only, folks. You're not going to see him experimenting with different positions out there. But it is impressive what he was able to do. You mentioned him looking off the safety. That's a veteran move that a rookie is making.

Starting point is 00:13:14 You love seeing that. Jaquay Jackson out of Rutgers. Got to love the Rutgers guys. The McCourty twins were all over this. They loved it. And he did. He showed a lot of veteran leadership as well as a young player making the double move and making that happen so this is a great moment

Starting point is 00:13:31 and i tweeted this out during the game a great moment for joe milton a great moment for jacquay jackson their stocks are going to be up all weekend long for people like us people like the national pundits that are going to be pumping these guys' tires, they deserve it. But we need to continue to see it on the field during practice, next week against the Eagles, and then in the preseason finale against the Commanders. If we continue to see these things on a regular basis, both of these guys might be playing their way onto the roster. But ultimately, Milton came in and gave the crowd,

Starting point is 00:14:01 I think gave the game the shot in the arm it needed for this to be a feel-good victory Friday for New England. And moving forward into the weekend, I think they can have a little bit of a swagger to say that, you know what, it's preseason, but it's a win. And it was nice to get one. Overall, I think a solid night for the quarterbacks. I thought they did what they needed to do. And now it's going to be about watching what they can do against competition.

Starting point is 00:14:27 I'm especially looking forward to seeing how guys like Milton, May, even Zappy respond to the joint practices that we're going to have this week against the Philadelphia Eagles. That's going to be telltale. It is. It is. You've got to stack these days on top of each other and go out and prove that you can do the job on a week-in and week-out basis and on a daily basis in practice. Because, you know, if you can't bring it in practice and know what you need to do, nobody's going to trust you on Sunday. Absolutely. Could not have said it better myself. And bottom line, folks, the New England Patriots do have a quarterback decision to make. Four bodies long, they're not going to carry four on this roster.

Starting point is 00:15:11 Will they carry three with one on the squad? Will they carry two with one on the squad? It's going to be interesting to see how the Patriots shake out. But one name that continuously gets left on the cutting room floor on a lot of 53-man roster projections out there. He's the guy that saw the most time on the field tonight. Why was Bailey Zappi out there when we could have seen more of Drake May, when we could have seen more of Joe Milton, maybe even more of Jacoby Brissett?

Starting point is 00:15:38 Murph hit on this a little bit just a moment ago. We're going to expand that in just a moment when this episode of the Locked On Patriots podcast continues a proud part of the Locked On Patriots podcast continues. A proud part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Locked On listeners, when you're hiring for your small business, you want to find quality professionals that are right for the role. That's why you have to check out LinkedIn Jobs. LinkedIn Jobs has the tools to help find the right professionals for your team to help you do it faster.

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Starting point is 00:16:43 Post your job for free at linkedin.com slash locked on NFL. That's linkedin.com slash locked on NFL to post your job for free. Terms and conditions apply. Patriots fans, thank you once again for joining us here today on Locked On Patriots. We are bringing you post-game coverage of the Patriots' 17-3 victory over the Carolina Panthers. Opening up the preseason, the Pats are now 1-0, hoping to make it 3-0 heading into the regular season. But there are still two teams in the way,

Starting point is 00:17:16 two formidable teams in the form of the Philadelphia Eagles and the Washington Commanders. But tonight, we are dedicating our efforts to breaking down the Pats' victory over the Panthers. And hopefully you're making this your first post-game listen or maybe your first listen on Friday morning. If you've done so, the tip of the cap.

Starting point is 00:17:34 Thank you so much for doing that. And I implore you now to make your second listen, our good friends over at Locked On Fantasy Football. Get daily insight into the best fantasy draft strategies so you can win your league this season. Locked On Fantasy Football is part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. And folks, as we continue to break down the past 17-3 victory

Starting point is 00:17:59 over the Carolina Panthers, we're going to be talking quarterbacks an awful lot because the action on the field lent itself into a lot of quarterback talk Murph we've talked about Drake we've talked about Joe Milton um haven't talked much Jacoby Brissett we pretty much knew what we were getting in Jacoby it's great to see him back in a Patriots uniform but one quarterback that we saw a lot of and as a matter of fact he it sounded like he was booed for his efforts jogging out on the field was bailey zappy we talked earlier about the touchdown drive that bailey orchestrated we talked a lot about drake and we talked about joe milton and we talked about

Starting point is 00:18:37 how the quarterback play was divvied up but a lot of people are still asking themselves the same question was bailey zappy being showcased for a potential trade, for a potential new team? Was he in there for mop-up duty? Like you said, was it a situation where he's our most expendable quarterback, so if he gets injured, we still have the three we want to go into battle with this season? Murph, you see things us mere mortals don't see, and you're not afraid to tell us the way it

Starting point is 00:19:05 is what was your opinion on why Bailey Zappi played so long on Thursday night oh first what I touched on earlier they didn't want to get their young franchise quarterback killed okay they they were only going to run the the first team uh um offensive line out there for so long because they didn't want they can't afford an injury to any one of those guys. And third, yeah, they were doing him a solid. This is something that, that Bill has done in the past. He did it for Jacoby Reset a few years back. It was, it was,

Starting point is 00:19:39 I don't want to say a showcase for a trade unless somebody loses somebody really quick this weekend and they say, hey, you know, we can give you Bailey Zappi. He was out here. Look what he did this week. But I'm not seeing that. I'm seeing that as, you know, a possible look forward to a release maybe early. And like I said before, they really like Joe Milton and what he showed tonight, what he was able to do tonight with his head really showed the powers that be that, yeah, he might be somebody that you'd want to stick or keep around as a third QB.

Starting point is 00:20:20 Absolutely. Yeah. And especially, I'm glad what you said about his quarterback awareness, his field awareness his field awareness the play awareness these are things that you look for in a young quarterback and if they don't have them it's very difficult to jettison a quarterback that you know does have that like i remember milton's a lot older than drake may he's he's the same age as i think bailey's how old's bailey zappy um 25 25 so he's just a year younger than Bailey Zappi, right? He's a 24 year old experienced quarterback.

Starting point is 00:20:51 But, but like I said earlier, just, just remember who he was going up against tonight, but it was the mental aspect of the game that I'm telling you really impressed Gerard Mayo. Yeah, that's the very, very good point. And again, when you look at what Bailey was able to do,

Starting point is 00:21:10 punting on six of the seven drives that the Patriots had him in there for, now a lot of that was the unit in front of him and behind him. So I don't want to put that all on Bailey's shoulders, but it was lackluster compared to what you saw from Joe Milton and compared to what a lot of Patriots fans wanted to see from Drake May and maybe even Jacoby Brissett. You kind of give them the benefit of the doubt because it was only one series. But Bailey had a solid amount of playing time out there. And it was a situation where, unfortunately, it just came up on the short end of the stick.

Starting point is 00:21:43 12 of 20 passes completed, 108 yards on the night. So at this point, if Bailey Zappi is going to be showcased for a potential trade or an early release like you said, Murph, which I think is probably the more likely of the two scenarios, it gives teams film to be able to watch. But my question to you, Murph, is this type of film something you feel completely necessary don't forget he's going to be going up against lesser competition and he went up against top number one

Starting point is 00:22:12 units last year how much of a difference does it make in team's opinions from last year to this year's preseason it doesn't make much difference what it does is is um give other coaches you know it puts bailey in the front of their minds you know it reminds them okay let's go back and take a look at this this and this you know let's go take a look at what he was able to do last year when he was under center and uh and how he handled things and maybe he's some kid that we would want to come in and be a long-term backup project. That's all. All it does is say, hey, remember Bailey Zappi when a lot of people really wouldn't because the Patriots didn't give anybody much reason to give them a second glance last season.

Starting point is 00:23:00 Very good point. And again, yeah, you don't want to watch too much of that film last year on a 4-13 team, but there were some bright spots, and say what you will, Bailey Zappi was now. But I also think it allows Bailey to kind of be able to leave New England, if that is indeed what is going to happen, with a little bit of dignity and maybe with a little extra good game film that will allow teams to say, yeah, he can work in our system. We can make him better with a better supportive cast around him. Yeah, a lot of times it can make the difference. And I think it will make the difference in this case.

Starting point is 00:23:46 I agree. I agree. And while he had some some bad games last year, he also had some good ones. He beat the Steelers, you know, and Denver. And he threw for, you know. You know, plus 250 yards in each game, I think a couple of touchdowns, I think three touchdowns against Pittsburgh. So, you know, there's something to go back there and take a look at the good days and the bad days, and maybe another team will want to pick him up. And then again, maybe he showed the Patriots enough tonight that they want to keep him around as the third quarterback on this team. Yeah, absolutely. And again, young quarterbacks like Drake May and Joe Milton are going to benefit from more reps. There's no question about it. And if you give Bailey Zappi the reps early and you allow him

Starting point is 00:24:35 to showcase what he can do, it's a win because then he can go on and he can move on to another team, maybe catch on with another team before the end of camp or before the end of preseason. But May and Milton are going to benefit from those extra reps. They're going to see if Bailey's not getting them against the Eagles and against the commanders. So again, folks, there's everything works in a cycle here. And I think that's what we always have to remember. We can get caught up in the moment. I was wondering why he was out there so much. A lot of my colleagues were in the media, a lot of tweets going around. Murph and I going back and

Starting point is 00:25:07 forth during the game saying, what's going on? And then you start to look at it with maybe a little bit more of a clear head, and you understand the method to the madness of the New England Patriots and Gerard Mayo. So, bottom line, Murph, do you see a scenario at all in which Bailey Zappi returns to New England?

Starting point is 00:25:24 I do. If Milton does not stack more good reps in practice, doesn't show out in Philadelphia, you know, he's somebody that they think that if he makes some mistakes, he's somebody they think they can stash on the practice squad and are really worried about putting Drake May in harm's way too soon. If something should happen to Jacoby Brissett, that would mean that, without a doubt, Drake May is in there. If week two something happened to Jacoby Brissett, Drake May is in there. It's not going to be Joe Milton.

Starting point is 00:26:02 It's not going to be Joe Milton. It's not. But if Bailey Zappi is around or whether it's on the roster as the third stringer or on the practice squad, he's somebody that could jump over whoever is on the active roster and end up starting on that Sunday. He's done it the last two years. He's come in in relief of Mac Jones and done a fairly good job. It's a kid who can navigate a pro level offense especially this one here in new england so it's always good to have a little extra firepower as billy rose would say always great to have extra insurance especially

Starting point is 00:26:34 at that position so folks something to keep an eye on over the course of the next couple of days maybe bailey hasn't given his swan song here in new england maybe there is still a possibility this kid sticks around on the roster. We're going to learn a lot more about this team this week, heading into their preseason matchup against the Eagles. But Murph, we're not quite ready to take our lead from the Panthers' win just yet because there were several players, not quarterbacks, that stood out in a good way for the New England Patriots on the field on Thursday night.

Starting point is 00:27:04 Murph and I are going to talk about who had big games and who we're looking for more from heading into the final week of training camp practices. We're going to wrap up this Victory Friday, Victory Thursday night, first preseason game victory episode of Locked On Patriots in just a moment when we continue right here on the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Listen up, Locked On listeners.

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Starting point is 00:28:41 that's L-O-C-K-E-D-O-N-N-F-L, for $20 off. Download GameTime today. Last-minute tickets, lowest price, guaranteed. Patriots fans, thank you once again for joining us here tonight or on Friday morning for your post-game victory Friday, victory Thursday night coverage of the new england patriots 17 to 3 win over the carolina panthers at gillette stadium on thursday night joining me as always to break down these games and to lend a thicket of wisdom and counsel the way only he can

Starting point is 00:29:19 is the legend himself my good friend the kind of murphy fisto thomas murphy murph in the previous two segments we we talked a lot about Drake May, Joe Milton, Bailey Zappi, a lot of quarterback talk. But you and I both know that there are a lot more players out on the field than just the quarterbacks. Few defenders had a couple of standout nights. A couple of special teamers opened some eyes. There were some pretty good performances from patriots not named drake may

Starting point is 00:29:45 or bailey zappy or joe milton in your estimation when you look at this game from top to bottom whether it's offense defense special teams who stood out to you as a performer that raised your eyebrow and said keep an eye on this guy yeah jeremiah farms he had an excellent game just just was just everywhere. Did everything that you would expect out of that position. I made a lot of comments earlier to get Godchow signed because he's the only nose tackle on this team. I think Jeremiah Farms is somebody that could step in quite nicely when needed. Oh, without question.

Starting point is 00:30:24 And especially if you're facing the loss of Christian Barmore and you're looking for bodies along that defensive front, you definitely need someone that's capable of coming in and doing what Jeremiah did tonight. Four tackles, one sack, one for the loss, and a quarterback hit in the first half. A great game tonight for Jeremiah Fonsen. Very glad you mentioned him.

Starting point is 00:30:44 And then on the offensive side of the ball, we already talked about him a little bit earlier, and that was Nick Leverett. Nick Leverett, yeah. He had a fantastic game. I feel a little bit better about the depth on the inside of this interior offensive line than I did before kickoff tonight. Yeah, without question. And I think that Nick right now, not only showing that he can play along the interior and the guard positions, but being the backup center

Starting point is 00:31:17 for David Andrews, knowing that Jake Andrews is on season-ending IR, that's a key point for the New England Patriots, who right now are looking for everybody they possibly can to step in and play well along the offensive line. You need those guys to rise up and do what they need to do. He did that tonight, so I'm glad that you mentioned him. I also want to give a tip of the cap and some love to running back Terrell Jennings, who started this training camp on the injured list. A lot of people were wondering when he was going to get in there. He comes back and had a very good game tonight. This is a kid that during his time at Florida A&M put together a pretty nice little career. 381 carries, 754 yards, 24 touchdowns across 45 games.

Starting point is 00:32:00 Keep an eye on this kid. The Patriots are looking for a fourth running back that can come in and do the job. I like to Michael Hasty as much as the next guy, but Terrell Jennings making a strong case, I think, for a roster spot tonight. Oh, without a doubt. You probably on a lot of websites probably can't find him on the depth chart. You'd have to go and look at at somebody at the roster. And but no, he had a fantastic evening evening i can't argue with anything you said then no oh shane yemenes also had a pretty good game yeah in the first half matthew judon kind of putting his arm around him coaching him up uh you saw him go into the strip

Starting point is 00:32:37 sack these are all opportunities uh for players like this christian ellis at a second christian ellis yep i was just about to throw his name out there. He had a nice sack there. But no, these are the opportunities that these guys need to go out and seize, and they are. Joe Giles Harris, another guy that had a pretty good game in the first half and into the second. Folks, these are the types of games where you're able to build. And even though some of the names that we're mentioning right now may not be household names, keep a sharp eye on these guys. If they continue to play well and play at a high level, they're going to give the Patriots brass a lot to talk about when it's time to weed this roster out

Starting point is 00:33:12 and talk about veterans, guys that have been here for a while, that may not be lighting up the scoreboard any longer. Younger, hungrier players, especially for a young, hungry team, this is the time to make your argument because you can make it with a team that has, dare I say it, Murph, it pains me to say, low expectations. Patriots do have low expectations right now.

Starting point is 00:33:34 Maybe it allows some of these younger players to hook on and to be able to make a roster. But again, don't fall in love with performances that you see on one given night. They have to be sustained. And that's what we're going to watch for this week. Murph, before we take our leave of this game, any parting thoughts from this matchup? Any players that you want to keep your sharp eye on this week that we haven't mentioned, or players that you think deserve a little more love than maybe they've gotten nationally thus far?

Starting point is 00:34:02 No, not really. Joe Milton, keep an eye on him this week. See how he performs, when he's taking snaps in the rotation. That might play out a few things. But I'd just like to reiterate how exciting this new kickoff is. You can hear the sarcasm dripping from my guy's voice right now he is my god people what are we doing i'll try to be diplomatic and just say that it's going to be interesting it's going to take a little getting used to i don't want to i don't want i shouldn't have to that might be a conversation for another day because i think we could fill an entire show

Starting point is 00:34:44 just based on that. But you know what? Drop us a line in the comments section below. What are your thoughts on the new kickoff formations, the new kickoff rules? Did we miss any of your favorites that had big games tonight that you thought may deserve a little bit more love? We always want to hear from you. We are always happy to hear from our listeners, especially our everydayers out there. All of you who make Locked On Patriots possible each and every day.

Starting point is 00:35:08 And what can I say, my friend? You're always there for the handoff when I need you. Post game, he's right there in the chair ready to roll with the wisdom and counsel that you can find only here on Locked On Patriots because of my good friend on the opposite side of the mic. Before I let you go, my friend, please let everyone know where they can reach out to you, interact with you, and watch you got marinating in Murph's kitchen

Starting point is 00:35:28 for the next couple of days until you're back here on Locked on Patriots. It's late, man. I want to go to bed. Follow me on Zitter at TeamMurph207. Give me some grief there. Absolutely. Leave a comment.

Starting point is 00:35:38 I'm sorry. Absolutely. You know what? I get some well-deserved rest, but I encourage you to follow my good friend on Zitter, as he likes to call it, at Team Earth 207. You will always be entertained by the tweets that come out of that account, but counts for a lot in any walk of life, especially right here in sports media. And of course, you can continue to catch him multiple times per week on Locked On Patriots. And we're not done with our coverage here on Locked On Patriots for the week just yet. We still have further breakdowns of the Patriots' victory over the Carolina Panthers,

Starting point is 00:36:21 a quick look ahead to the Philadelphia Eagles, and especially a look at what's going to happen this week when the Eagles come to town for joint practices. This is always a lot of fun. I'm looking forward to it. Murph's looking forward to it. So make sure smash that subscribe button, download and follow locked on Patriots, because you are not going to want to miss a single second of the action.

Starting point is 00:36:42 In the meantime, I'm Mike debate. And on behalf of my good friend, the kind of Murphy Fisto himself, a 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. See you back here again next

Starting point is 00:36:56 time on Locked on Patriots.

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