Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - New England Patriots Preseason: Takeaways vs. Titans, Bailey Zappe, O-Line Struggle; Mapu, Munson Shine

Starting point is 00:00:00 Another preseason in the books for your New England Patriots, but the lessons that they learned are just starting to begin. Stick around. You're about to be locked into this weekend 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. Welcome to the Lockdown Patriots podcast.

Starting point is 00:00:45 We are a proud part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day. Subscribe or follow for free on YouTube or wherever you listen to podcasts to get the latest episode as soon as it's available. I am your host, Mike DeBate. I cover your New England Patriots for Patriots Country of Sports Illustrated, so reach out to me and let

Starting point is 00:01:01 me know what's on your mind on the Bird app, on X, on the bird app on x on twitter however you refer to that platform these days i like that it's creative at mba bate nfl and while you're out there showing some love to the twitterverse please be sure to follow the lockdown patriots account as well at lo underscore patriots that That's fans. We are recapping the Wingland Patriots 23 to seven preseason loss to the Tennessee Titans. Lots to talk about. And as you can see, joining me today is a man that needs no introduction, but I'm going to give him one anyway.

Starting point is 00:01:37 A legendary kind of Murphy Fisto himself, Thomas Murphy of E2G sports. Thank you so much for dropping by today. Don Murph. I'm huge in the Crimean Peninsula. Happy to be here. Hope to help the ball club, man. Thanks for having me back, Michael. Anytime, bud. Anytime. We are proud and we are honored to welcome you here into this weekend episode. And folks, don't forget, today's episode is brought to you by our good friends over at LinkedIn Jobs. LinkedIn Jobs helps you find the qualified candidates you want to talk to,

Starting point is 00:02:07 and they help you do it faster. 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. In terms of conditions, apply. And, you know, Murph, right off the bat, I think it's important to remember this is a preseason game. This is not necessarily indicative of what we're going to see in the regular season. In fact, I think it's highly likely that it's not indicative of what we're going to see. But I also can't blame Patriots fans for expecting better than what they got last night. So,

Starting point is 00:02:42 you know, I like to end on a high note. We're going to try to do that today. So, let's get the unpleasantries out of the way early, if you don't mind. We'll start there. Mack Jones remaining on the sidelines. Bailey Zabby getting the start in what was a frustrating night for the second-year quarterback. Finished 8 of 15, 57 yards, but I don't think the sat line tells the tale. Murph, when you look at this from an offensive perspective, from a quarterback perspective first, why didn't this work on Friday night?

Starting point is 00:03:11 Well, first of all, right off the bat, the best decision that was made last night by Bill Belichick was not to start Mac Jones. It really was. Anybody who thinks any different is catastrophically wrong. Wrong.ically wrong. Wrong. So wrong. You know, last night was even more of a patchwork on the offensive line than it had been in weeks past.

Starting point is 00:03:34 And it came to show. Now, I was pretty hard on Zappi last night live. I thought there were a couple of instances where he could have gotten rid of the ball a little bit quicker and avoided some sacks. But other than that, what the hell was the question again? What went wrong? It's a loaded question. I don't blame you because there are so many ways you can go on this.

Starting point is 00:03:59 There just wasn't enough time. Zappi had no time to do anything. Uh, the, um, uh, the play action game was non-existent because the line was so porous and, uh, there was just no time to do anything. There was no rhythm to the night and,

Starting point is 00:04:19 you know, and everybody needs a little rhythm to the night and that wasn't happening last night. Uh, and also I, I didn't like the fact that Zappi came out again in the third quarter. I think that we should have sat him down, let the wounds heal just a little bit, and moved on. And seen some guys that are trying to make this roster and possibly, you know, put a little excitement into the evening.

Starting point is 00:04:49 And we didn't get much of that last night. No, we truly didn't. And I'm glad that you mentioned that about him coming out for the third quarter. I think universally on Twitter, if you go back, folks, and you take a look at some of the tweets that were coming out during that time, a lot of people were confused by it. A lot of people were bewildered by the fact that he was coming back out after Trace McSorley had taken the ball to end the second half.

Starting point is 00:05:10 A lot of WPF tweets. Yeah, absolutely. And unfortunately, it may be, and I'm not saying it is, folks, but it may be indicative of the progress that the Patriots believe that Bailey Zappi has made and what still needs to come. Obviously, he was out there for a reason. I mean, the Patriots, if they had seen enough of him, would have definitely held him back. I don't think Bailey's in any danger of being caught. I think that's pretty obvious, but I think they needed to see a little more from him. And last

Starting point is 00:05:40 night, again, being under pressure, the sacks, that is going to mess with your psyche if you're any quarterback, whether you're a seasoned veteran, a second year, or a rookie. That's a lot to overcome. So I definitely understand and give him the sympathies on that. But where I think Bailey Zappi failed last night was ball security. And this is something that I believe Bill Belichick is going to be working with him. Bill O'Brien is definitely going to be working with him. Bill looked fit to be tied, for lack of a better term, more often than once. Yeah, and you saw a couple of them on camera, folks,

Starting point is 00:06:12 if you watched the broadcast on Patriots Preseason Network. And also, that was probably mild compared to what was going on behind the scenes. Oh, sure. One of the easiest ways, and we say it over and over again, Murph, to earn your way into the Belichickian O'Brien doghouse is to not protect the football. Oh, sure. show that last night. I talk it up to a bad game because Zap is usually not the type of guy to cough up the football that much, but even in the face of just unending pressure that he was getting last night, you still need to protect the ball better. I saw a lot of one-handed handling of the football last night. As a starting quarterback in the NFL, you can't do that. No, you really can't. You got to put that ball away. This is not a loaf of bread, people. We keep harping about this and talking about it. And yes, you can put some on the offensive line in that hit that he took there. But you have got to be able to tuck that ball away and keep it in a safe space. Three times, three times the ball hit the turf and he lost one of them

Starting point is 00:07:25 and it was a big one yeah it was a big one and unfortunately it kept the patriots out of rhythm and out of sync pretty much all night uh you mentioned tracy sorely getting a few snaps we even saw malik cunningham but very limited snaps um tracer was credited for over one and malik was credited over to seeing limited action uh Malik was credited 0 for 2, seeing limited action. Uh, New England's quarterbacks, All Might, Longmer, mustered only eight completions, being sacked to combine six times. So we're going to get to those big round men in a minute, because that is a problem. But were you surprised by the usage of either Trace McSorley or Malik Cunningham?

Starting point is 00:08:00 And what do you think it did to their stock when it relates to earning a roster spot? Um, it didn't help anything. I'll tell you that much. Um, you know, right now there were a lot of people out there tweeting that, uh, that formally Cunningham to, to get him into the game and maybe he could have shown a bit more, but as of right now, I, I just, I can't give him a spot. I really can't. And the chance of him, of the Patriots losing him diminished from, from what people have seen over the, over the past week or so. It really has. It's, the kid is a quarterback. I have no, no doubt in my mind, but the seasoning needs to be put on, and it needs to be put on both sides of this young man. I don't think he helped himself last night in any way.

Starting point is 00:08:55 Yeah, if there's anything right now that could save Malik Cunningham and make him a member of this roster, it is that emergency quarterback role. And the Patriots may look at it and decide they need to carry three in order to actually fulfill what that role is designed to do. Now, the Patriots could roll the dice. They could take their chances and they could say, you know what? We need a roster spot elsewhere. There are a lot of guys fighting for a spot on this team. We're going to carry two. We're going to see if maybe Malik can get onto the practice squad. It's a risk because I know there's a team in Baltimore right now that likes what this kid does, knows that it fits very well with the system they're using, and also happen to have gone to the alma mater of their starting quarterback. I think they'll be very interested in Malik Cunningham if he's on the cutting room floor,

Starting point is 00:09:41 but folks, those are the chances you have to take. I like Malik. I would probably put him on the roster just to prevent anything like that from happening. But Bill Belichick makes those final decisions. And if Bill Belichick does decide to cut him loose, I completely understand where he's coming from as well. Yeah, me too.

Starting point is 00:09:59 Murph, before we completely just pile on the quarterbacks last night, we wouldn't be doing our job unless we talked about the offensive line and yeah let's do it it is still a problem uh there's no question about it a lot of the first teamers were taking the night off so we're going to give them a little bit of a pass but when you look at the guard and the tackle position last night andrew stew chasen hines anchoring the left side yeah right side riley rafe who now we're wondering what's going to happen with him yeah that in a second and city so at right tackle i thought this right

Starting point is 00:10:31 side did a serviceable job i thought the left side struggle although andrew stuber experiment is not looking good right now so under two strip sacks in as many games uh murph you know the big round men up front better than anybody. Tell us what us mere mortals did not see last night. What went wrong with this unit? There's a complete lack of communication in a glance here and there. Nobody knows who to pass anybody off to. Stuber looks just lost out there. He gave up two sacks, one of them a one of them, a strip, one of them on third down that you really can't do. And these guys are simply not on the same page. And I have to right now at this point in time, question Adrian Clem and how, because he's had these guys to work with

Starting point is 00:11:19 for a long time now, and I'm not seeing any progression. I'm really not. Clem was brought in here as, I don't want to say a savior, but a better than competent offensive line coach, a man who's been in the trenches, who's coached at every level. And I've expected more out of this grouping. Now, now, having said that, Tennessee started a lot of their first-teamers on defense. And so take it to heart, but then let it go. Because once again, and we've said it before, these guys are not going to be dependent on as a group. Hopefully, it's me knocking on wood over here during the season.

Starting point is 00:12:10 When everybody gets in there, yes, I think these guys can come in and plug a hole for a series or two or for a quarter or a half. But right now, just relax, for lack of a better term just relax for a second and see what what's going to happen now now the other side of that coin is the starters haven't been able to play together whatsoever you know because of health and circumstances these guys aren't out there these guys need to get together and get on the same page. We need some health on this line. Yeah, we absolutely need some health on this line. And that follows into Riley Rafe's exit due to a knee injury. We saw him get his knee rolled up in the first half. He exited,

Starting point is 00:12:55 did not return. Bill Belichick spoke to the media after the game. And then again on Saturday morning, coy both times. So we're expecting some news to come out on Riley Rafe within the next day or so, folks. We'll continue to keep you monitored here on Locked on Patriots as soon as we know what that status is. But his ability to play both on the right guard, the right tackle, maybe even swing over to play left, this could be a significant loss for the team. Right.

Starting point is 00:13:20 It really could. This throws a real monkey in the wrench into what everybody is hoping to see through a rotation this year. City got rolled up on him and that was the last thing. He went off to the tent and then directly from the tent went back down into the locker room. So let's hope that things aren't as dire as they might be. Yeah, exactly. And you mentioned communication just a few moments ago, and then we'll take a leave of the subject

Starting point is 00:13:53 and we'll move into some more pleasant things that happened, folks, because believe it or not, there actually were a couple that did happen on the field. But communication is definitely key to the offensive line. You've articulated that very well here on the airwaves of Locked On Patriots several times. Do you think the lack of continuity among the starters getting out there, guys that know how to communicate, with the exception of David Andrews, who really has been out there more than he's not been, but missing guys like Cole Strange, Michael Wainu, Trent Brown,

Starting point is 00:14:21 does that have anything to do with the communication between coach and unit for the veterans to be able to adequately relay that message to the younger players that might not be used to getting it? It really does. You might see these guys over on the sidelines in street clothes or anything, but if they're not out there leading by example, you know, and being able to get into their replacements face, you know, saying, look, man, you can't, you can't make us look bad because I have to step out for a blow because we're on a long, long drive. Yeah, it does. It definitely makes an effect. Any coach will tell you that,

Starting point is 00:14:55 that players learn more from other players than they do from us during the, during the course of any season. And, and yeah, I do. I think it's a hindrance. Yeah. And it probably is, but the way that any season. And, uh, and yeah, I do. I think it's a hindrance. Yeah. And, uh, it probably is, but the way that these players are playing in the last season veterans as, as a, uh, as an example is, has made, uh, made the job harder. Absolutely. And you talk about someone who has a reputation of being a great communicator, like Adrian Clem, take a listen to Pittsburgh Steelers players that have played under him when he was coaching in the NFL,

Starting point is 00:15:28 definitely at Oregon and at UCLA. This is a guy that was a great communicator. He could reach across the line and connect with a player because he played the position. And that is so important and so vital, especially in the modern game, to be able to translate that type of vision into a younger player and get them to understand

Starting point is 00:15:45 it because you've been in the same position that they're playing in so i definitely think that that's a concern for the patriots good news is that cole strange and michael wainu are expected right now right to be ready for the season opener we're hoping that's the case folks neither one of those is confirmed where's the mic pop list yeah exactly and that at that point and you even heard bob soci mentioned this on the broadcast last night maybe it's a situation where mike does return now to the tackle position but with the injury to rave what does that do does bill murray now come in and take a shot at the right guard position he came in to spell riley last night and actually played pretty well.

Starting point is 00:16:28 And Bill has been one of their more consistent linemen throughout this training camp, throughout the preseason. Connor McDermott banged up. Cody Russo banged up. It's a tough go along the offensive line. But if the Patriots get their starters back, that strengthens this line so much. It's almost like a power boost that they're going to get in terms of bringing them to where they need to be. So a lot of concerns, still a lot to think about, but Patriots offense simply needs to be better than 79 total yards of offense on just 42 plays that they mustered up last night in their preseason finale. You can bet the Patriots are going to eclipse that, but the question is by how much and how much will the line allow them to do it yeah Murph we love talking about anything when it comes

Starting point is 00:17:11 to the New England Patriots and we kind of took all the negatives and we push them off to the side right now we've kind of got that out of our system but you know what folks there were some highlights in this game and Murph and I are going to talk about a couple of them that really happened mostly on the defensive side of the ball. But all the good that came from the Patriots 23-7 loss to the Tennessee Titans on Friday night, I'm going to talk about that right here when this episode of the Locked On Patriots podcast continues on the Locked On Podcast Network, your team, every day. Locked On listeners, some say the key to a happy life is love and others will say

Starting point is 00:17:45 financial security. I'll leave it to you to determine the path of your own happiness. But what is my key to a happy life? Comfortable pants. That's right. I said it. Or shorts because there are still some summer days left. And that's great news because today's show is brought to you by our good friends over at Bird Dogs dogs the most comfortable lower body wear you will ever have bird dogs make you look good i own a pair of their joggers they are by far my favorite pants a perfect mix of fit and comfort and just in time for that last gasp of summer i'll be wearing my bird dog shorts the best shorts i've ever owned to keep myself comfortable and cool bird dog shorts fit way better than regular shorts that are made of that stiff, restricting

Starting point is 00:18:27 cotton. Bird Dogs fixed that issue by inventing cloud knit fabric. It looks just like khaki, but it stretches so you get a way slimmer fit without having to sacrifice movement. And Bird Dogs also uses anti-stink sweat wicking fabric that keeps you cool and dry all day long. Go to birddogs.com slash locked on NFL or enter promo code locked on NFL for a free white tech hat with your order. Just like the one I'm wearing.

Starting point is 00:18:53 That's birddogs.com locked on NFL or promo code locked on for a free white tech hat. You will not want to take your bird dogs off. We promise you. Patriots fans, thank you for taking time out of your weekend to spend here with us on the White Tech hat. You will not want to take your bird dogs off. We promise you. Patriots fans, thank you for taking time out of your weekend to spend here with us on this special edition preseason finale recap here on Locked On Patriots as the Patriots fall to the Tennessee Titans 23-7 in their last preseason tilt of 2023. And if you heard Murph say thank God under his breath,

Starting point is 00:19:22 I think he's thinking and saying everything we're all feeling. It's time to get back to real football. And Murph, what we saw on the field last night didn't necessarily whet the appetite of Patriots fans for real football. But at the same time, there were some positives to take away from the field. There were some players that showed up last night, played very well uh and i think did a whole lot to further their cases for roster spots and we're going to get into that in just a little bit but when you look at this game what are the positive takeaways that you have what went right for the on the field for the patriots against the titans in nashville on friday all right let's talk a little early run

Starting point is 00:20:01 defense all right the patriots, the defensive line really stepped up during this game. Anthony Jennings was everywhere. Yeah. Everywhere. It's like his mother

Starting point is 00:20:11 lifted open the window and started screaming, Anthony! Anthony! And he was just there. He was just there. He was at the ball. He was making stops.

Starting point is 00:20:22 I just loved it. It was fantastic. So, yeah. Two big, huge, huge green thumbs up for the the run d on on friday night great great point absolutely anthony jennings ronnie perkins showing up uh folks i'm gonna do the respectful thing what happened i don't know about you but i got replaced vibes from that moment but uh you know that's just me uh i happen to love that movie you're gonna see shane falco run out and run the huddle and whatnot but yeah you know what folks

Starting point is 00:20:48 check out the replacements this weekend if you don't know what i'm talking about and then read about what happened to ronnie ronnie nothing to feel ashamed about we've all been there trust me but bottom line i thought there were some players that really showed up and you mentioned anthony jennings i mentioned ronnie perkins cal just, you know, I'm not trying to jump ahead. I know what we're going to talk about in a little bit. But Calvin Munson really solidified his place on the 53 for me. He showed that he's going to be more than a core special teamer, that he's somebody that you can run out there and depend on, you know,

Starting point is 00:21:23 for five or six plays a game. That's all it takes sometimes. Absolutely. So well said. Because we knew Calvin had the skill set. It's the field awareness. That is what's separating him from his peers right now. Ten total tackles, one for loss.

Starting point is 00:21:40 Yeah, just a phenomenal game for the kid last night. And you really, really are glad to see it for someone that has kind of bounced around between the practice squads here and in Miami. Good to see him. After the Zappy turnover, you know, the first snap Munson just dropped chestnut for a four yard loss right there, you know, with the goal line in sight. It was it was it was nice to see him have that kind of day. And you mentioned Ronnie Perkins.

Starting point is 00:22:05 And that was the best I've seen Ronnie Perkins since I started watching film of him in Oklahoma, for God's sakes. It's like, where has this kid been? Well, he's been injured, people. Last night showed everybody why Bill Belichick rolled the dice and wanted this kid in the fourth round. It showed why he's still here. And, you know, it's just inched right up. You might see him on that final 53. In my initial 53, I had him off because I was just, you know,

Starting point is 00:22:37 I just didn't think that he could stay on the field long enough. But last night reignited my love for Ronnie Perkins. Yeah, absolutely. And if nothing else, the effort that he provides and the fact that he showed up when he most needed to show up shows you exactly how much he cares and how much he wants to be a member of this team. And his teammates had nothing but great things to say

Starting point is 00:22:57 about him after the game as well. So Ronnie Perkins balling out. You mentioned Calvin Munson. I had a funny feeling that these names are going to be popping up again soon, maybe in segment three, folks. So stick around stick around stay locked in you don't want to miss it uh but uh i think we need to get in on the hype train murph i think we need to get with the program and walk alongside our brethren at the pats pulpit who really had a ball with this last night i saw kai get into the action um two words murph marty long awaited debut folks and

Starting point is 00:23:29 marty did not disappoint you talk about aggressive style each one of his four tackles was aggressively made uh they want to talk about heat seeking missile this kid is it he draws a beat on the ball on his target and he is going to be relentless in his pursuit. He's going to hit you hard, folks. And we didn't see that much last night, but you know it's coming. But I love the fact that this kid could get all over the field. He was all over the field last night. He really and truly was.

Starting point is 00:23:57 He's in man coverage. Then you see him switch to the split safety zones. Then you see him align mostly as a sub package linebacker. And really doing a great job. No matter what we can see him play an off the ball role next to Juwan Bentley. He can get in there. He can align at both safety positions, 11 snaps last night, folks at a free safety, and he can play in the box. This kid's multifaceted skillset. And I wrote about this last night for sports illustrated. I think sets him him apart not just from his peers on this team but i think sets him apart from a lot of the third

Starting point is 00:24:30 rounders in this nfl draft love this the minute they made it and i love it more and more each time i see marty on the field great great debut for him it really was it was fantastic to see him out there's a fantastic to hear him i've many times, folks, close your eyes and listen to this kid hit. And it's unbelievable. And you could hear it last night. And with the issues on the offensive line and the lack of Marty Mapo in the frontal lobe here, I began to question Bill and his pick there. And maybe we could have gone for an offensive tackle there in the third round.

Starting point is 00:25:13 And then he took the field last night and I was like, yeah, no, no. It was the right move. It was the right move. Bill from strength. Absolutely. And let's not forget his ability and his eagerness to learn the playbook right uh to absorb every bit of coaching that he's getting this is a highly intelligent football player some of the more learned new england patriots in that defensive

Starting point is 00:25:37 backfield have absolutely sung his praises like you can't imagine and the linebackers as well you've heard matthew judon talk about Marte with such conviction and such admiration. And Adrian Phillips really talks about this kid so glowingly in a way that he's able to adapt to what the Patriots need him to do and just do anything that's required of him, really sounding an awful lot and looking an awful lot like a prototypical Patriot.

Starting point is 00:26:04 So barring injury, barring anything unforeseen, Marte Map awful lot like a prototypical Patriot. So barring injury, barring anything unforeseen, Marte Mapo looks like a keeper, folks. And I think the Patriots are going to love this pick. And look, he even turned Murph around. How much better can you get than earning the respect of this great man right here? I'm sure that's definitely a feather in his cap on the trophy case of Marte Mapo right now, which I'm sure is going to be added to in the coming years here as he wears a Patriots uniform. And that leads me quite nicely into what we're going to wrap the show with today, folks.

Starting point is 00:26:32 And that is players that help their case the most in terms of earning a roster spot. Don't forget, Tuesday, 4 p.m. Eastern is the roster cut down deadline. The Patriots must go from 90 to 53. That means 37 players currently on this roster will be looking for work in just hours. And it's a hard thing. It's a tough thing, but it is a necessity in the NFL. Which players, based on their preseason performance with special emphasis on last night's game, may have helped their cause to stick around a little while longer.

Starting point is 00:27:05 Murph and I will reveal our choices when this episode of the Locked On Patriots podcast wraps up right here on the Locked On Podcast Network, your team, every day. Locked On listeners, buying tickets to your favorite events should not be stressful. Get excited for game time, the fast and easy way to buy tickets for all of the sports, music, comedy, and theater near you. With killer deals on last-minute tickets and their best price guarantee, you can stop stressing over the tickets and start getting hyped for all of the fun you're going to have. The GameTime guarantee means you'll always get the best price. If you find tickets in the same section and roll for less, GameTime will credit you 110% of the difference.

Starting point is 00:27:47 That's why it's the fastest growing ticket app in the country. Get images of your seat before you buy so you know exactly what to expect when you arrive. Buy tickets in a matter of seconds, just two taps and you're set. And tickets are sent directly to your phone so you never have to dig through your email. Snag the tickets without the stress with game time download the game time app create an account and use the code locked on nfl for 20 off your first purchase terms apply again create an account and redeem code locked on nfl that's l-o-c-k-e-d-o-n-n-f-L for $20 off. Download GameTime today.

Starting point is 00:28:28 Last minute tickets, lowest price guaranteed. Cats fans, thank you once again for taking time out of your busy weekend to join us here on Locked On Patriots. Recapping the Patriots 23-7 loss to the Tennessee Titans in the preseason finale. And of course, folks, we've broken down the good, the bad, and the ugly when it comes to this game. And we're going to try to put on our Belichickian prognostication hats in just a moment and determine which Patriots may have helped their cause to stick around for a little while longer after roster cutdowns

Starting point is 00:28:59 are made this Tuesday at 4 p.m. But in the meantime, Murph, I think it's only fair that we remind our great listeners that Monday is once again Mailbag Monday. Yeah. If you're listening to the show right now, don't delay. Do it today. You've got a question. Put those questions in the comments section on YouTube right below. Just put the hashtag Mailbag Monday in so we know that you want to submit your question here to answer on Locked On Patriots.

Starting point is 00:29:26 And don't forget, there will be calls going out all throughout the weekend on Locked On Patriots to submit those questions. So get those in. Murph and I are looking forward to answering your questions, your comments, and your concerns right here on the airwaves of Locked On Patriots. But now that the preseason is in the books, it's quite obvious that the Patriots are going to turn their attention to building a roster. And we know there are several players on the roster bubble.

Starting point is 00:29:50 We've been kind of hinting about it for a little while, but now it's time to take center stage based on their performances last night. And even if you want to include the rest of the preseason, who do you think has done the most to help their cause for a roster spot in 2023? you think has done the most to help their cause for a roster spot in 2023 um how about going with somebody that we didn't see a lot of last night and that's kashon butte okay um butte played the first series of this game and then was kind of relegated to the bench and it was bill has seen

Starting point is 00:30:22 enough you know that these guys have seen you know know, Boutte is on this team and he could only hurt himself last night. And Bill didn't give him a chance to. And so that's that's that's my take is the fact that Bill came out and said that the starters weren't going to get a lot of a lot of run in this game. And that who you're going to see out there are the guys that are fighting for a position. He wasn't out there enough. I think he's got his position. Yeah, I agree

Starting point is 00:30:53 with you. Sorry, do you hate that answer? No. No, I don't hate that answer at all. You know, we've been on the booty train from the beginning here. We didn't need to be brought in or drag kicking and screaming onto that. We always believed in this kid from the minute he was drafted,

Starting point is 00:31:09 simply because of the prowess that he showed in that first year and a half as a member of the LSU Tigers. This is a kid that was on his way setting records, really being a formidable wide receiver in every facet, whether it be on the perimeter, making catches, contested catches, showing speed out of the break. This kid could do it all. And yeah, is he ever going to be the same player again after the injuries and the difficulties that he went through in LSU? He might not be at that level,

Starting point is 00:31:35 but that doesn't mean that he's not going to be a serviceable and very good NFL wide receiver. The Patriots at this point, like Murph said, said have seen enough of him and the fact that they pulled him early last night does show that they have high hopes for him and Bill Belichick kind of I want to say tipped his hand when we spoke to him on Saturday morning uh by a video conference but he says he had a big camp he had a strong camp I thought he got better each and every day Bill usually doesn't drop those types of hints if something's up he would either say well everybody played well and you know we're just going to evaluate we're going to see what happens he specifically mentioned uh butte's progression and how impressed he was by it so take that for what it's worth folks i agree with you i think um my original way out of this roster yeah my

Starting point is 00:32:21 original answer was going to be calvin munson but we talked about Calvin so much already that, you know, I flipped it. There you go. And, you know, and Calvin's ascent to being in contention to earn a roster spot really is something that has happened within the last couple of weeks here in training camp. Calvin was quiet early on doing his job, doing it very well, but starting to make that leap and you see the Patriots putting him out there more and more and giving him more responsibilities, that knowledge, that previous knowledge that you have in a Patriots system is so vital to being able to succeed here. And credit to guys like Calvin Munson, like Matt Sokol at the tight end position. Guys that have been here for a little while or had previous stays, Ronnie Perkins absolutely is another one. I throw even Anthony Jennings into that, although I don't think Anthony was ever on the roster bubble.

Starting point is 00:33:09 But you're seeing progression and growth from these guys because of the time that they've spent here. Those that put that time in definitely get something out of it. I even want to give a little love to J.J. Taylor. He's making himself a very, very tough cut. Right. That's the thing. It all comes down to the love affair with Ty Montgomery and his love affair with the

Starting point is 00:33:31 hot tub. Can't make the club from the tub, but I still think that this coaching staff loves what he does when he's healthy so much that it's still going to be J.J, my favorite little ricochet rabbit who once again gets relegated to the practice squad. But you're allowed to bring so many guys up from the practice squad now that I do think he makes it there.

Starting point is 00:33:58 And and I think he'll be a excuse me, a frequent call up if that's the case. I do, too. I think he'll be a frequent call upup if that's the case. I do too. I think he'll be a frequent call-up. Look, I would love to be able to roster J.J. Taylor. I think he is one of those guys that gives 150% every time he's out there and knows that he's the type of player that has to give that amount in order to be successful, but he always does it. And you don't want to push players like that down the line.

Starting point is 00:34:26 You want to give them stage to be able to perform. You want to give them the opportunities. It's usually a numbers game, and I think that's what it comes down to with J.J. Taylor this time around. So a lot of decisions the Patriots have to make, but one thing I think we did get some clarity on last night, Murph. We didn't get clarity on a whole lot, but we did get clarity on a few things. You mentioned Boudet being a member of this team I think that's almost a

Starting point is 00:34:48 foregone conclusion now with all due respect to Corliss Waitman who I thought had a decent game and a decent preseason I think Bryce Beringer has definitely solidified himself as the punter great point he had some difficulty in practices folks we. We've all reported on it. There were some inconsistencies. There were some times where he might have shanked a couple of punts or come up short. Waitman outperformed him. Oh, yeah, absolutely.

Starting point is 00:35:13 Waitman outperformed him in some of those practice settings. But when the lights were on, like Murph said, Bryce Beringer came up big, and he came up huge, not just last night's game which that 69 yarder was unbelievable i mean just you know alex barth you know yeah absolutely it's true he really did both alex barth and brian hines of pats pulpit has gotten in on the uh the act on that one too this kid is electrifying when it comes to the leg that he can use 49.2 net average last night two of his punts landing inside 20 but this is not the first time he's done it he's done it all throughout the

Starting point is 00:35:51 preseason folks he had two 60 plus yarders against the packers one in the first quarter one in the second quarter 61 60 yards respectively and he had a 62 yard punt in the second quarter against the texans in the preseason opener that's four um and that's impressive if you're a rookie getting limited sample size right in the preseason because don't forget leighton was getting snaps in between over there as well so as much as i do like corliss and i think he worked extremely hard he had a good camp uh bryce is the guy and i don't think there's any question and i'm sure corliss might might get picked up and catch on somewhere else it's just the barringer is just he's the man you know take a big whiff you know what i'm talking about folks take a big whiff

Starting point is 00:36:35 this kid this kid gets it done and um you know it like i said there are guys who who don't as a coach i can tell you there are guys during practice where it just doesn't happen but when they step into the box when the lights are on boom there we go there we go and and this kid is a boom there we go yeah absolutely and I think he put some ice in the box when it comes to the punter battle now the kicker battle folks that's another story yeah very interesting over the course of the next couple of days uh Murph before we take our lead in on this subject a little bit I know we didn't really plan on talking do not carry two don't carry two send junior back down to to to Texas to to you know kick for uh for Dallas and be at home. It's keep the kid, all right?

Starting point is 00:37:26 Keep the kid. Yeah, he's a fourth rounder, folks. I don't think anyone is thinking that the Patriots are going to cut this guy. He hasn't been disastrous. I mean, I know they cut Roe Wasser a couple of years ago. That was a complete disaster. And they needed to rid themselves of that as soon as they possibly could. But Ryland has shown enough that he's close enough to Nick Falk

Starting point is 00:37:50 to warrant a spot on this team. I'll always love Nick for the contributions he made here. I thought he had a great tenure here in New England. I do think the Patriots are going to try to move him in the next couple of days. So keep in mind, folks, that that may happen. It may not, but who knows? I agree with you. I think keeping two kickers is so tough.

Starting point is 00:38:08 Bill could just be playing it so close to the vest, and he understands that every three points is going to count and every extra point is going to count and want to give this kid some time. But, you know, I'm more of a learn-on-the-job kind of guy when it comes to football. I'm not with baseball. Get back down to the minors where you freaking belong. But there are no minors here. All right?

Starting point is 00:38:33 And this kid is not going to end up on making it through waivers and getting to a practice squad. Because, like you said, you trade it up for him. Let's, you know, let him happen. Let it happen. Yeah, absolutely. And I think the Patriots are ready to roll their dice and roll the dice and take their chances with Jack Ryland. And we'll see.

Starting point is 00:38:53 They're going to be rolling the dice and taking their chances an awful lot over the course of the next couple of days as they fill out this roster, folks. And the New England Patriots march toward their season opener on Sunday, September 10th, Tom Brady Appreciation Day at Gillette Stadium as they take on the Philadelphia Eagles. We are going to be watching and getting ready for regular season football. Can't wait for that, folks. But you

Starting point is 00:39:15 know what's coming first, and you can't wait for it? Mailbag Monday. So be sure to get your questions in. For me and the kind of Murphy Fisto himself. We can't wait to answer your questions, but in the meantime, but what can I say? But thank you for joining me here today on a weekend. Not only is he the green King of sting, the monster master of disaster, but he's also now the weekend warrior here on lockdown Patriots had another nickname onto the list because you deserve them all. But before I let you go, please let everyone know where they can interact with you and what we can look forward to over the weekend, if anything, from the great Penn, the great voice of Thomas Murphy.

Starting point is 00:39:50 Well, you know, of course, you can catch me on Zitter at Team Earth 207. You know, the former bird app. It's Zitter now. I'm over there at E2GSports.com. I'm going to put out my final roster projection the day after the roster has come out. It's a bold strategy. I do one a year. I do one a year.

Starting point is 00:40:11 I do a way too early one right now. I'm not going to get into it. I'll leave that to you guys. I got too much going on with Mookie Betts in town. And, you know, the up and down ride that the Red Sox have been this year for me, fire bloom. Yeah, we all saw that image of Mookie and Chyna kind of meeting in the tunnels of

Starting point is 00:40:34 Fenway Park. Ought to be a fly on the wall for that conversation. Had to be a little awkward, no question about it. Check that out whenever Murph puts pen to paper, folks, definitely check that out, anytime he does work for E2G Sports, it's always appointment reading

Starting point is 00:40:50 my favorite Sox coverage in the business and while you're at it, if you want some Sox coverage as well, give a listen to my colleague Gabby Herbert over at Locked On Red Sox as well, but in the meantime folks, continue to stay safe and to stay well and be the change you wish to see in the world.

Starting point is 00:41:06 Get your questions in for Mailbag Monday, but most of all, have a great weekend. I'm Mike DeBate. He's Thomas Murphy. We're going to see you again in just hours. Thank you all for your support for Locked On Patriots, folks. We couldn't do it without you, especially all you everydayers out there. Have a great day, and we'll see you again here on Monday. How's Jeter Downs working out, Haim? How's Jeter Downs working out? I love it.

Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - New England Patriots Preseason: Takeaways vs. Titans, Bailey Zappe, O-Line Struggle; Mapu, Munson Shine

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