Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Quick Turn-Around Tuesday: Pats Looking Ahead to Rams - 12/8/2020

Episode Date: December 8, 2020

The New England Patriots have little time to rest on the laurels of their 45-0 commanding victory over the Los Angeles Chargers. Joining host Mike D’Abate is Steve Balestrieri to discuss the prowess of the Patriots offensive and defensive lines, give credit where credit is due to the coaching staff, and take an early look ahead to the Los Angeles Rams.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Built BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON,” and you’ll get 20% off your next order.MyBookieINVEST IN YOUR INTUITION. USE PROMO CODE LOCKEDON AND DOUBLE YOUR FIRST DEPOSIT. NEW PLAYERS GET UP TO $1,000 IN FREE PLAY - DESIGNED TO ADD MORE EXCITEMENT TO THE SPORTS YOU LOVE AND THE GAMES YOU BET. YOUR WINNING SEASON BEGINS TODAY...ONLY AT MYBOOKIE!BuiltGoVisit BuiltGO.com and use promo code “LOCKED,” and you’ll get 20% off your next order.BetterHelpI want you to start living a happier life today. As a listener, you’ll get 10% off your first month by visiting our sponsor at BetterHelp.com/LockedOnDoorDashRight now, our listeners can get $5 off and zero delivery fees on their first order of $15 or more, when you download the DoorDash app and enter code LOCKEDON. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. You are now locked into the Lockdown Patriots podcast, and it is a quick turnaround Tuesday here on your daily home for news notes and analysis infused with the occasional opinion on your six-time Super Bowl champions, the New England Patriots. Lockdown Patriots is presented today by Pepsi, made for football watching. This football season will continue to be different,

and Pepsi is here to get you ready for game day, no matter how you watch this season. Pepsi is the refreshment you need to power through game day and become a member of the League of Football Watchers. Because Pepsi isn't made for those who play the game, it's made for those who watch it. Pepsi, made for football. Watch it. Greetings and salutations, Patriots Nation. Today is Tuesday, December 8th, 2020.

And as always, I thank you so much for joining me here today on the pod. My name is Mike DeBate, your host of the Locked On Patriots podcast, which of course is a proud part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. And folks, because it's your team every day, that means your questions, comments, and feedback are always welcomed and very much appreciated. Feel free to share that feedback anytime by reaching out to me and following me on Twitter at MDABATEFPC. And while you're out there doing some Tuesday traveling through the Twitterverse, please

be sure to follow the Lockdown Patriots account as well at LO underscore Patriots. Patriots Nation, I know you continue to bask in the glow of the Patriots p.m. Pacific date with the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. And even though it's a short week, fear not, because we will be getting you ready for kickoff all week long here on the pod right through Thursday. And then, of course, Friday, we're going to be breaking down all the action. So six days of podcasting condensed down into five, all in one compact work week, folks. Can't ask for better than that when the Patriots have the Thursday night matchup. But if you're like me,

I know you're not quite ready to let go of the Patriots' victory on Sunday just yet. There are still yet some praises to be sung here. And to help me do just that is our resident Tuesday voice of reason, Steve Balistrieri of patsfans.com. Steve joins me on the hot seat today and we'll be talking about the prowess of the Patriots' lines, the offensive line and the defensive line,

why they are the primary reason why this team continues to improve week after week. We'll also give a little love to the coaching staff, because let's face it, this has been a very tough year for them. A lot of key members of this organization, whether it be on the field, on the sidelines, decided one way or another that they weren't going to be in Foxborough in 2020. The coaching staff has done a phenomenal job of navigating that, and Steve and I think that deserves a little praise, maybe a little bit more praise than they get anywhere else, but we'll have you covered here on Locked On Patriots.

Last but certainly not least, the Los Angeles Rams are squarely in front of the New England Patriots crosshairs, and we'll begin to take a look at those Rams as I ask Steve his initial impressions on this team and what the Patriots need to worry about when it comes to their matchup on Thursday night. So once again, an action-packed agenda here on today's pod. Sit tight, settle in, as my good friend Steve Balistrieri, our resident voice of reason, joins me here in the Locked On Patriots hot seat in just a moment. But before talking pigskin with my Patriots paisan, I wanted to give you a little injury update on the New England Patriots.

And as we stated yesterday, the Patriots did suffer a couple of concerning injuries after Sunday's game, and it looks like those problems may spill over into this week, folks. Now, the Patriots didn't exactly hit the practice fields on Monday, but because of the quick turnaround with Thursday night's game, they were required to issue a hypothetical injury report. And on that injury report, the Patriots reported perfect attendance. No non-participants. That's excellent news for the Pats. The Rams, on the other hand, did have two non-participants.

One was running back Cam Akers, who is the lead back for the Los Angeles Rams. He's dealing with a shoulder injury. Of course, Akers did play on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals. Pretty good performance, too. He rushed 21 times for 72 yards and a touchdown. If he's unable to go in this one, could be a big break for the Patriots' run defense, so keep a sharp eye. The other Ram that did not participate in yesterday's practice was defensive end Michael Brockers. Brockers started and played 30 defensive snaps against the Cardinals on Sunday. His is also a name to keep an eye on as the week progresses, but definitely keep a sharp eye on Akers' availability. Patriots had a number of players limited in their participation. Cam Newton once again listed with the abdomen. Of course,

unless something drastically changes this week, wouldn't put too much stock into that. We've spoken to Cam in the media throughout the week. He seems poised and ready to go. Other notables on this injury report, tight end Ryan Izzo. And yesterday here on the pod, we reported that Mike Reese had indicated, thanks to our good friend, the countess of class herself, Ms. Claire L. Cooper, who asked a brilliant question to Mike, as to what a stinger meant.

And let me be clear, no one has actually confirmed that this is what Ryan Izzo has suffered, but it would make sense, considering his injury, that now he's listed with three maladies, a hamstring, a hand, and a neck injury. Definitely worth keeping an eye on Ryan as we progress toward Thursday. Much of the Patriots injury report looks like a list of the usual suspects, but again, two that I'm keeping a very sharp eye on are JC Jackson, listed with a hip and a knee injury, and Jonathan Jones with a neck injury. Now, Jones left the game on Sunday, did not return.

Miles Bryan, a quarterback, stepped in for him, did a fairly good job, but Jonathan is such a key part of defending the slot. You hope he's going to be able to go in this one, but with the quick turnaround time, might be difficult. JC Jackson is another one to watch. Not only the hip injury, but the knee injury as well. He was hobbling around the sidelines a little bit this weekend. If he's unable to go, then Jared Goff and that LA Rams passing attack may catch a huge

break in this one. So again, folks, things to keep an eye on. It's still way too early to make a determination as to whether any of these players, both on the Rams side or on the Patriots side, will give it a go Thursday night. But with a quick turnaround time, that picture will start to come together pretty quickly. So pay attention to Tuesday's injury report. Most definitely pay attention to Wednesday's injury report. And again, we'll list the inactives on Thursday evening when these two teams are ready to

do battle. But as I said yesterday here on the pod, before we can rant on the Rams, there's still a little chatter to be had with the Chargers. And to do so, Steve Balistrieri of Patsfans.com will join me here on the hot seat, where we talk the O-line, the D-line, the coaching staff, and we bring it all home with Steve's opinion on the LA Rams. This and more when the Locked On Patriots podcast continues. But first, as 2020 draws to a close, we all reflect on exactly how much it's changed our habits.

And the impact it's had on our daily routine is probably too much to get into just in this podcast. But one thing it's definitely done, it's affected our methods of football consumption. Most of us who crave the thrill of live action simply haven't been able to live that out. Many of our favorite team stadiums are not allowing fans into the stands, which only fuels our competitive fire even more. Some of us watch football on Sunday, chomping at the bit to put on the shoulder pads and

get out there on the field into action. Well, folks, I hate to burst your bubble, but for the majority of us, just not going to happen. Thanks to a lack of natural athleticism or commitment or overbearing sports parents, fewer than 1% of 1% of 1% of people will ever play professional football. But listen, all is not lost because instead of entering the NFL, we can all join another league, the League of Football Watchers. After all, this football season has been different, but Pepsi is here to get you ready for game day, no matter how you watch. Pepsi is the refreshment you need to power through any game day. Because Pepsi isn't made for those who play the game, it's made for those who watch it. Go to madeforfootballwatching.com to check out the latest football watching content from Pepsi. Made for football.

Watch it. I don't know about you sports fans, but breaks in the action always make me hungry. I'm Mike DeBate, host of the Locked On Patriots podcast. And folks, if there's one phrase that we've heard a lot of during 2020, it's quote-unquote new normal. And some may embrace that phrase, some may find it annoying, but one thing most of us can agree on is that it's true. I'm sure that we can all relate to our classrooms, our workplaces, even our places of recreation

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Patriots Nation, we continue to savor the Patriots 45-0 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, but make sure to stay locked into Locked On Patriots all week long. Tomorrow here on the pod, we begin our in-depth look at the Los Angeles Rams and the Patriots Thursday night matchup in the City of Angels. And of course, Crossover Thursday, bright and early Thursday morning with Locked On Rams, getting you ready for kickoff all week long. So while it's a short week, it's a week loaded with info here on Locked On Patriots.

So be sure to stay tuned for that. But here today, Pats fans, to help me take a deeper dive into the Patriots Sunday victory is my Patriots Paisan. This man is an amazing columnist for Patsfans.com. I said it before. I'll say it again. Without reservation, without hesitation, he is one of the best guys in this or any business.

My good friend Steve Balistrieri joins me here today. My friend, welcome back to Lockdown Patriots for your now weekly appearance here each and every Tuesday. That's it, man. And, you know, I've been looking forward to this one since Sunday afternoon because we have a lot of positives to talk about, for instance. We sure do. I've got looking forward to this one since Sunday afternoon because we have a lot of positives to talk about for James. We sure do. I've got to say it. Patriots solid in all three phases. We've been waiting all year long to say they played well in all three phases of the game, and they certainly

did it on Sunday. And we could talk about the offense. We could talk about the defense. We could talk about the special teams. We'll dabble into all those, but I really wanted to hit the play of the lines today. And let's start with the defensive line, Steve. By extension, the front seven as well, of course. From Adam Butler to Chase Winovich to Josh Uche, the Patriots, I think, have a nice pass rush nucleus coming together and forming here. And that's going to continue to sustain them for a number of years to come. Murph and I talked a little bit yesterday about how this unit is really coming together, especially Uche and Winovich really emerging as pass rush threats. But even though the Pats' most impressive contributions on Sunday were in that pass rush,

I think New England's defensive front is really improving in other areas too, especially in the run defense. I think they've stepped it up by having the defenders on the line of scrimmage, they've been absorbing blocks much better, and setting the edge well so the linebacker level can make plays. I know if we're nitpicking a little bit, there are still some concerns about setting the edge, but I think the Patriots did a fairly good job of that on Sunday. One name that really stood out to me in my second and third viewing of the game

is John Simon. His name doesn't get mentioned an awful lot, but I wanted to give him a little bit of love today on the show because, again, in my subsequent viewings of the game is John Simon. His name doesn't get mentioned an awful lot, but I wanted to give him a little bit of love today on the show because, again, in my subsequent viewings of the game, I watched John a little bit more closely, and he got great penetration off the edge. He forced the run back inside where the interior of the Pats defensive line was really stout, kept that second level clean to help facilitate tackling, all three phases working well together. And I know they say not to get excited over one game, but I'm trying not to. But I think this is a trend that I'm seeing with the Patriots,

and it seems to be getting better each and every week. Steve, am I pumping the tires too much here on the Patriots defense? Or is this unit emerging into a defense that can help the Pats potentially make a playoff run in the closing weeks? Well, I'm not exactly sold on the playoff run just yet. However, you know, you're looking at these pieces on this defense and all the young guys and your first and second year players, guys like, you know, Adam Butler, you know, Josh Uche, you know, Case Winovich, Kyle Duggar, all these guys are playing a really nice role for them, and they're emerging.

And, you know, you were talking about John Simon, and, you know, Simon and Lawrence Guy are kind of like the veterans who kind of roll underneath the radar. You don't hear a lot about them, but for what the Patriots asked them to do, they're so solid. And they, you know, they handle their responsibilities extremely well. I think it's exciting for the future because you're seeing these young guys, and I know the Bill can't draft proud, doesn't like to hear it, but, you know, all these young guys they're adding, and, you know, they're playing really valuable roles, and it's exciting to watch, and especially, you know,

getting another guy, Miles Bryant. I know we're getting ahead of the game when we're talking about the secondary, but, you know, Jonathan Jones gets hurt hurt and he steps in and plays pretty well. Absolutely. And look, Brian is a guy that our good buddy Murph sold the, you know, the sun,

the praises of consistently throughout this off season and into this year, miles is someone that has really come in, made great contributions. You heard the players really rally around him on Sunday in postgame interviews and whatnot. Had a lot of great things to say about him. And, of course, the secondary definitely feeds off of great performances by the defensive front. It's the ability for them to be able to set their game. Stephon Gilmore comes in, plays absolute blanket coverage all over Keenan Allen.

I thought J.C. Jackson was solid. They really erased that combination of Allen and Williams, who were a pretty formidable receiving tandem. I covered them out in L.A., and I know how difficult they are to defend and shut down. Patriots made it look easy, and that's not by happenstance, folks. That is by design. The Patriots come in with a very solid game plan, and they know exactly what they're doing. As well as the defensive line, I think, has looked, and the defense as a whole, I still

say that the one constant this season, to me, has been the offensive line, Steve. And to me, that's the unit that should be given the majority of the credit if, in fact, this team can make a playoff run here in the closing weeks of the season. And I kind of agree with you on that. I'm not completely sold on the playoff run yet, but it exists. And as long as it exists, we're going to give it its just due here on Locked On Patriots. But back to the old line, going into this game, there were legitimate concerns about how Joey Bosa was going to affect the Patriots game plans.

I was concerned. I know that. Again, I covered Joey in LA. I know what we were doing. I also know that the Patriots are as good as anyone at taking away what their opponent does best. And I think the O-line did that very well on Sunday. They came into this one without Isaiah Wynn. So we knew that if Bosa was going to get lined up against Jermaine Illuminor, it was going to be a major mismatch the Patriots I think understand and I I say that with all due respect to Jermaine I think he's played great this year I think he's been very good but that's not a knock to him but Bosa's a tough cover without any question about it and to me the guy that I thought matched up

the best against him and the Patriots employed. This was Michael Wayno. You know, I think in a lot of ways, this kid had a growing pains party on Sunday and he's been excellent all season long. I'm not going to make it seem like, Oh, well this was a breakout game and he's been laying between the weeds.

He's gotten a lot of credit this year for a lot of the great work that he's done. The Patriots also only threw the ball 19 times while Cam Newton was in the game. So you can marginally disrupt an elite pass rusher like Bosa by focusing on the run. But when they did pass, Bosa again was lined up against Nwainu and he was great. Just refused to allow Bosa to significantly impact the game. When Cam and the running game get this kind of protection, it really allows them to tailor make the offense to their strengths. Steve, this offensive line is starting to facilitate an improvement in the skill positions that we're seeing from the offense.

Do you think this is sustainable and it can continue? Or is this more on Cam and his receivers and even the running backs elevating their game a little bit more to match what the offensive line brings each and every game? Yeah, it's a good question because I think this offensive line is really, really good. I mean, when you're looking at them as a whole, when they're playing together, they're really, really strong. I think they're one of the better offensive lines in the NFL. And you have to look at this, you know, kind of through a prism because, you know,

the opponents know the Patriots want to run the ball. They know they're going to force feed that running game down your throat. And they're still able to do it. Now on Sunday, I really liked what I saw with the play calling because Josh McDaniels kind of threw some different looks at them, you know, so they wouldn't be able to stack the box. But these guys still all got it done. And Ueno, as a rookie, going against Joey Bosa, you know, on paper,

that's a mismatch for Bosa. But I thought Ueno handled himself really, really well, didn't he? I mean, you look at, you know, the final tally and things, and I thought he handled that very difficult, you know, matchup. I thought he handled himself really, really well. And the offensive line as a whole, I think they're outstanding. I thought the pass rush held up really well, too. Newton got sacked once.

But, you know, overall, I thought the protection for him was really, really good. I agree. And you mentioned Cam's sack, and I thought you eloquently put that in your column today, which was a brilliant piece, folks. Definitely check that out on patsfans.com. Steve gives his grades for the week on the Patriots. High marks all the way around, and who could blame him? It was a high-mark game for the Patriots, but I thought you pointed that out quite nicely. Cam Newton did take the sack, but it was more of the game planning than anything else. The Patriots were game planning for him to get the ball out of his hands,

utilize the run, not hold on to it. And in a case like that, when, you know, the pass rush can get through, it is difficult to see, you know, the forest from the trees at that point. But ultimately, when you hold a guy like Joey Bosa in check, like the Patriots did on Sunday, again, no easy task. A lot of credit to Uenu, but you give a lot of credit to the Patriots, you Sunday. Again, no easy task. A lot of credit to Awenu, but you give a lot of credit to the Patriots offensive line as a whole and the coaching, which we will get into in a minute. But I'm not being a nitpicker here, Steve. I promise you I'm

not. But I was a little bit surprised by the coaching on the other end of the bench, too, where you come to the Los Angeles Chargers. I thought Anthony Lynn and Gus Bradley especially really did not put their defensive line, their front seven, I think in a great position to be able to match wits with the Patriots whole line. I was really surprised that they didn't put Bosa in a better situation, allowing him to rush the backup, rush the tackle a little bit more effectively on the left side. To me, I think that was a major gaping hole in game planning. Really makes you appreciate what you got on the Patriots bench as opposed to what other teams have to deal with.

And we've talked about those lines, and they were great on Sunday, buddy. But what sets the Patriots apart, again, from most teams is their preparedness. And that means coaching. In just a moment, folks, I will seek the wisdom and counsel of our resident voice of reason on the prowess of the coaching staff, and maybe we'll even take a quick look ahead to those L.A. Rams coming up on Thursday night. This and more when the Locked On Patriots podcast continues.

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Chad Ford, and predictions on each division from rejecting the screen. Subscribe to Locked On NBA wherever you get your podcasts. Patriots fan Steve Balistrieri joins me here on the pod for his Tuesday lending of reason on Locked On Patriots. And, buddy, we've talked about the Patriots' contributions both on the offensive and the defensive lines, and they've been pretty extensive. But when we watch a performance like we did on Sunday,

and again, going into the break, we tipped on this just a little bit, but I'm going to ask you to expand upon it now. We see how well the Patriots are prepared week after week. They very seldom are caught off guard. They're very rarely surprised. Then you look at the other side of the field and how ill-prepared the Chargers were. We talked a little bit about Anthony Lynn, Gus Bradley, the lack of preparedness going in, going against the offensive line. We saw it when the Patriots were on defense as opposed to the Chargers offense. They just looked like they were light years above. Definitely looked like they were light years above on special teams. Bill Belichick, obviously, Josh McDaniels, they're going to get the majority of the credit. Even Gerard Mayo, even Steve Belichick have gotten some credit this year. But I think the job that guys like Cole Popovich and Carmen Priscilla have done with the offensive line

and Cam Atchert have done with the special teams are amazing. These units are clicking on all cylinders. We talked about the O-line. We'll probably talk a little bit more about the special teams here. Murph and I gushed glowingly about them yesterday. But they're not just doing a great job with the unit that they have and some uncertainty and having to plug in players and find new players to come in.

But they're doing this in the shadow of two very good coaches. Asher definitely having taken over for Joe Judge, who's doing very good things now down in New York. Big win for them over the weekend against Seattle. And of course, Popovich and Brasillo are doing this in the shadow of a legend in Dante Skarnecchia. How much appreciation should this Patriots fan base and really the Patriots team have for the job that the coaching has done this year a lot of them have been maligned at times we've gotten on Josh we've even gotten on Bill but

I I think this coaching staff has done a phenomenal job with the hand they've been dealt this year what say you buddy absolutely couldn't agree more um you know when you look at the turnover that they had through free agency, you know, starting with your quarterback, Tom Brady, and then all the pieces they lost on defense, which was the strength of the team last year, you know, coming into this year, there was a lot of questions of how things are going to play out.

And then, you know, at the eve of all of this starting, you start having all of these players opt out, which I think we talked about that earlier this year. Six of them, we had Pegg to play in either being a starter or playing a significant role on this 2020 team. I think Bill Belichick overall has done a masterful job. Once again, as we, you know, he's had his, his moments, but I mean, you look overall, this team could easily with a couple of finishes,

the eight and four or nine and three. I mean, you can easily make that argument, you know, if they finish a couple of games, you know, the opportunities were there. Then we'd be looking at a very, very different scenario, you know, coming into the final stretch. I think the coaches have done a great job. You know, when you're replacing a legend like Dante Skarniecki,

it's not the easiest thing in the world to do. But Dante's been very vocal about what a great job these guys are doing. Pescar Neccia. It's not the easiest thing in the world to do. But Dante's been very vocal about what a great job these guys are doing, especially with the young guys like Michael Owen. They've had to mix and match when they've had some

injuries. You can't say enough about them. And the special teams, other than the return game, has been solid all year. Now the last two weeks, I don't know what they're putting in Gunner's Wheaties, but they need to double up on it because the past two weeks, he's been incredible. And, you know, three weeks ago I was falling for his benching. So, you know, how's that?

But the bottom line, my friend, is, you know, right now uh but the bottom line my friend is you know right now they've been solid all year and you know other than they haven't got much in the return game now they're getting those you know returns and boy this unit is incredible you know and i'll go back to your favorite player adrian phillips who said he played against Cody Davis. He played against Matthew Slater. He played against, you know, Justin Bethel. And he said he's so glad that they're all on his team now. And he said that, you know, it'd be a nightmare trying to game plan against those guys. It's amazing that you say that. I was talking to a friend of mine that I used to see on the Chargers beat every now and then this week,

and we were going back and forth offline. And we talked about Adrian Phillips, and he says, it's amazing how someone like Adrian Phillips, who's a Pro Bowl special teamer, a guy that is known for a special team's prowess, is going into a Patriots system. And he's known more for the contributions he's made on defense rather than special teams because the Patriots are so well stacked in that area. It really is an amazing thing that Cam Atchard and the special teams has done. I laughed out loud when you said about Gunnar and the Wheaties. I hope that came across and it didn't delay.

Sometimes there are a little audio delays, but I did laugh at that because one of our listeners here on Locked On Patriots sent me a DM. And anybody that's seen the Spaceballs movie, you know I love the meme. I constantly throw that out there. And they said, it looks like Gunner

had a little liquid Schwartz this weekend. It made me laugh because it really is. Anybody that's seen the movie, they know that's the gas can that they put in the end. It makes the Winnebago peel out. You see the streaks on the stars. It did. It looked like he was definitely in another gear. But I think a lot of it, and Murph touched on this yesterday, I think a lot of it is knowing that now the Patriots can focus Gunner on what he does well in reading punt protection, in reading that type of blocking.

I thought the blocking on his punt return for the touchdown was absolutely flawless on Sunday. You looked at what they did, giving the illusion that they were going to rush the punter, that they were going to gun for the punter, and then dropping into coverage and blocking and letting Gunner do his thing was absolutely amazing. To me, I think one of the more unsung parts of his emergence is the fact now that on kick returns, Dante Moncrief can take a little bit of the pressure off there as well. That's developing into a pretty nice tandem. Moncrief is looking like a nice, solid, under-the-radar acquisition that the Patriots have made.

And maybe he can help pay dividends in the long run. But I agree with you on the coaching staff. They deserve a lot of credit from the opt-outs to the loss of Tom Brady to the loss of key coaches in this system. Patriots next man up. It's not just on the field, folks. It's in the coaching staff as well, and they continue to do it, and they continue to do it at such a high level. But Steve, there is a quick turnaround for the patriots this week thursday night against the la rams and rams are coming off of a pretty impressive win over the cardinals who the patriots saw a couple of weeks ago jared goff throwing for 351 yards still

proving that he can get the job done uh daryl henderson, has been very good. He had a 38-yard touchdown run. So right now, these Rams are in a tie for the NFC West. And I don't know if a lot of people thought that was a possibility at the beginning of this season, but the Rams have looked good so far, both on offense and on defense. We haven't even mentioned Aaron Donald, who's one of the great defenders in the league. Just from a major outside perspective, overarching, I would say, what are your initial thoughts on the L.A. Rams? What should the Patriots be concerned about as they head into this matchup Thursday night? Well, I think number one is the Rams are excellent at stopping the run. You know, when you look at that,

I think they're only allowing like 93 yards and 3.9 yards for carry. So they're well-versed in stopping the run. They're also very good overall at stopping the pass, so they don't have to sell out one or the other. You know, and I think that's going to be the tough thing for the Patriots this week. If they can get any kind of running game going, they have a shot at winning back-to-back games here in L.A., especially on a short week. You know, if you can assert your will in a short week, that makes a big,

big difference because, you know, with the short, you know, with the very limited amount of time you have to put a game plan together, sometimes you have to simplify things and, you know, being the physical ground and pound type of team, that might be the ticket. However, like I said, with Aaron Donald and all those pieces on defense, they're very tough to run against. I think that's going to be the key to this game, whether or not they can come out on top. Yeah, I think you're absolutely right, especially with the run defense,

because as we all know, the Patriots offense is so predicated and so run heavy. Last couple of weeks in a row, they faced some suspect run defenses. Albeit Arizona's, I think, is pretty solid, but especially with the Texans, we saw them. They came in with a very porous run defense, but they looked very good against the New England Patriots. Of course, Chargers, that's where they struggled on defense as well. The strength of their defense was a little more in the pass defense than the run, but still, the Los Angeles Rams definitely present a major problem there.

And they present some problems on offense as well. We saw the ability of the Rams to be able to put up points. Goff is still able to put up significant points through the air. Henderson, again, can run the ball. Cooper Cupp has emerged as one of the better receivers in the NFC this year. So a lot to look at for the Rams, and we'll continue to look at that as we head up to kickoff on Thursday night. But, Steve, what can I say, buddy?

I thank you for coming by the pod today, lending your wisdom and counsel. Always an honor to be able to talk with you. A little offensive line, a little defensive line, a little coaching, sprinkling in a little opinion on the opponent coming up. But what can our great listeners, or what can our listeners look forward to from the great pen of Steve Balistrieri in the next couple of

days leading up to kickoff, and even in the little lull over the weekend, maybe into next week, as the Patriots prepare for an AFC East gauntlet that really could determine the fate of their season. Right, well, you know, obviously time is short this week. I usually like to, you know,

spend a couple of days and watch the next opponent. I like to watch as many games as I can squeeze in, you know, especially against if there's common opponents involved. But, you know, this week we're kind of short, so I'm having to squeeze as much, you know, watching Rams games as I can in. But, you know, when you're looking at this, I mean, I'm going to dive into the Rams.

But, you know, you mentioned Jared Goff. I mean, I know somebody described a country as this, but I believe that when you talk about Jared Goff, he's a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma. Because you're talking about a guy who can be absolutely lights out one game, and then he just looks absolutely lost in others. And the Patriots made him look kind of lost in that Super Bowl, but there's a lot of different pieces. So it's going to be interesting to see how that all works out. And then over the weekend, I think we'll start digging into, you know,

especially if the Patriots can come out successfully, how can they actually make this work, you know, in terms of getting a playoff berth? I know they're going to need a lot of things falling in their favor. But, you know, you never know. They have a big game coming up in Miami. So that will be next on deck, and we'll start delving into that. And hopefully by the middle of next week,

you and I will be talking about a 5-1 run instead of a 4-1 run. We hope so. From your lips to God's ears, my friend, when it comes to the New England Patriots, again, a lot has to go right for the Patriots to be seriously in contention. Right now, a 21% chance of the playoffs,

but there's still a chance so we're still giving it it's just due uh but that begins and it all begins with whether or not they can come out with a win thursday night and that's not going to be an easy task folks this is a different la team uh than we saw on sunday uh the rams are much more formidable and much more capable of giving the patriots a lot of fits on th night, much more so than the Chargers were on Sunday. So, Steve, again, stay safe, stay well. Thank you for coming on on a short week here on Locked On Patriots to get us ready for game day and to lend your wisdom and counsel like only you can.

We look forward to breaking it all down next week and maybe even taking a very early look at the Miami Dolphins the following week. Thanks again, buddy. Take care, and we look forward to talking to you again next week. Yeah, in fact, I look forward to talking with you, I should say, within the next hour or so as you join the big green man in myself. I'm sure he's calmed down by now. Probably not.

Over the big win. Well, you know what? We like our Murph with a little extra sass. No, all kidding aside, folks. Yeah, I teased on this yesterday. I will be the guest, the esteemed guest, and I have the great fortune of talking to these great gentlemen

today on their podcast, One Patriot's Place. Again, it's my favorite Patriots listen throughout the week and to be a guest on their podcast, One Patriots Place. Again, it's my favorite Patriots listen throughout the week. And to be a guest on their show and be able to be put on the hot seat instead of always grilling these two guys week after week is definitely my honor and something I'm looking forward to. So keep a sharp ear and eye out, folks, for that one. Definitely want to listen to that in tandem with Locked On Patriots, of course.

But thank you, my friend. And I look forward to sharing your wisdom and counsel and maybe even lending some of my own to your show this week. Absolutely, my friend. We can't wait. Absolutely. So let's do it. Thank you, Steve.

Much appreciated, bud. We'll talk to you next week right here on Locked On Patriots. All right. Just like that, Patriots Nation, we are nearly halfway through your work week and one day closer to the Patriots Thursday night matchup with the Los Angeles Rams at 8.20 p.m. Eastern, 5.20 Pacific from SoFi Stadium in Englewood, California.

And of course, you can count on Locked On Patriots all week long for the latest news, notes, and analysis from Foxborough as we take you right up until kickoff on Thursday. And don't forget, we're back at it Friday morning, bringing you the breakdown and analysis as the Patriots finish up their West Coast swing here in the 2020 NFL season. So to ensure that you do not miss a single second of the action, subscribe to and download the Locked On Patriots podcast

on platforms such as Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, wherever you get your podcasts. Just make sure that you're staying locked into Locked On Patriots. Once again, my name is Mike DeBate. I thank my good friend Steve Balistrieri for his time, his insight, and his appearance on today's pod. But most of all, I thank you so much for listening and for making Locked On Patriots a daily part of your New England Patriots coverage.

Until tomorrow, stay safe, stay well, continue to be the change you wish to see in the world. Have a great day, everyone.