Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Running Start: Breaking Down the Patriots Victory over Washington in Preseason Game One — 8/13/21

Episode Date: August 14, 2021

The New England Patriots defeated the Washington Football Team, 22-13 on Thursday evening, giving them their first preseason victory since August 9, 2019. Host Mike D’Abate breaks down the action from Foxboro, including the standout performances from quarterbacks Mac Jones and Cam Newton. Lastly, he gives his thoughts on rookie running back Rhamondre Stevenson and what it means for his future in New England.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 “LOCKED15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order.BetOnline AGThere is only 1 place that has you covered and 1 place we trust. Betonline.ag! Sign up today for a free account at betonline.ag and use that promocode: LOCKEDON for your 50% welcome bonus.Rock AutoAmazing selection. Reliably low prices. All the parts your car will ever need. Visit RockAuto.com and tell them Locked On sent you.ButcherBoxButcherBox is offering our listeners 2 five-ounce lobster tails and 2 ten-ounce ribeyes for free in your first box! You can only get this special deal when you sign up for a new membership at ButcherBox.com/LOCKEDON.StatHeroStatHero, the FIRST Ever Daily Fantasy Sportsbook that gives the PLAYER the ADVANTAGE. Go to StatHero.com/LockedOn for 300% back on your first play. 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 Locked On Patriots podcast. It is Friday, August 13th, 2021. And that's right, folks. Friday the 13th. Don't worry. After this point, no more Jason, Mrs. Voorhees, Friday the 13th hockey mask references

because it is time to break down the Patriots win in preseason game one over the Washington football team last night at Gillette Stadium. My name is Mike DeBate and I cover your New England Patriots for Patriot Maven of Sports Illustrated. I am also 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, very much appreciated.

So share that feedback. Send it to the Internet by reaching out to me and following me on Twitter at MDABATENFL. And while you're out there giving the weekend nod and saying, how you doing to the Twitterverse, please be sure to follow the Lockdown Patriots account as well at LO underscore Patriots. Patriots fans, thank football in Foxborough. It is Friday here on the pod and football is back in Foxborough, Massachusetts,

because yesterday, Thursday evening, your New England Patriots welcome the Washington football team for the first and only preseason contest to be held in New England in 2021. An eager crowd on hand to cheer on the hometown team battling sweltering summer temperatures and even a little bit of rain fell in Foxborough last night, but New England sees the opportunity to learn, to improve, and prepare for the upcoming 2021 season. After all, it's really not about wins and losses in the preseason. We all know that. It's about building team chemistry and moving forward. And here today on the pod, we're going to discuss some of the highlights from the Patriots preseason matchup with the Washington football team, which incidentally, your New England Patriots

won 22-13, including a very big night for the rookies, quarterback Mack Jones and running back Ramondre Stevenson. But Mack and Ramondre weren't the only Patriots to have big nights last night as well, and when this weekend episode of the Locked On Patriots podcast continues, we'll break down Thursday night's action, including a special deep dive into the performance of Ramondre Stevenson, who had a monster game last night. Could he be playing his way into a prominent role

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breaking down the Patriots 22-13 victory over the Washington football team on Thursday night at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Pats right now 1-0 in the preseason, and it's always better to be undefeated than staring at an 0-1 record, but it's preseason, and we know, as we said to open the show, it is not about the wins and losses. It's about learning. It's about teaching moments, and it's about correcting mistakes, building for the future, and moving forward. And what better place to start from last night's action than the quarterbacks?

Because I know every eye in the house, whether we want to admit it or not, was focused on the quarterback position. And we'll start with the incumbent starter, Cam Newton. From the minute Cam hit the field, he looked pumped to be in front of a Gillette Stadium crowd. First time he's seen in-game action wearing a Patriots uniform with that hometown crowd cheering for him. And Cam plays with raw emotion. He fed off of it and definitely led to, I think, improved play on the field for him.

He looked to be more in command. He looked to be more engaged. And that's a great sign heading into the 2021 season. Cam did start the game, but his action was limited on Thursday. But I thought he looked solid leading the offense, especially on the second drive of the first quarter. Ended up being Cam's final drive of the game. Really sharp on this drive, connected with tight end Janu Smith on a nice route.

Great catch by Janu, and these two are really developing a nice relationship. Cam loved to utilize tight ends when he was in Carolina. Didn't really get the chance to do so last year. This year, that's going to be a different story. Look for he and Jonu Smith to be a great connection. And once Hunter Henry gets back into the lineup, folks, this two tight end set that the Patriots are going to roll out is really going to start to pop.

But what I enjoyed seeing most on this drive was Cam's flip to running back James White coming off of the screen. And if we're being honest, how much did we miss seeing James White coming off of the screen? Tremendous to see him back in the lineup. I think James is poised for a bigger year in the offense than he had last year for obvious reasons. But this drive was about Cam Newton, and I thought he did a great job. Looked very much in control. He looked engaged.

He looked poised. Finished the night completing four of seven passes for 49 yards. But we all know in preseason, it's not about the stats. It's about how you look and the snaps that you can take, making the most of your opportunities. Cam Newton did that on Thursday and I thought he turned in a pretty solid performance. That being said, a lot of eyes, most eyes, were on Mac Jones. We knew that Mac was going to get the lion's share of the snaps over Cam Newton. It was inevitable. Rookie first round pick, definitely the Patriots wanted to see what he could provide, and folks, Mac Jones might be everything is advertised and more. Mac took the field to a tremendous impressive ovation from the crowd at Gillette,

and from the start I thought he showed good movement in the pocket, solid footwork, even his ability to throw in a little RPO to the Patriots offense, something he doesn't quite get the credit he deserves for it, but go back and take a look at some of the highlights he had from his days at Alabama. Mack was not afraid to throw the RPO into his repertoire, and even did that a couple of times last night. The highlight of the night, at least in my opinion, ended up being a non-catch and that was in the second quarter when Mack dropped a dime right into the hands of Christian Wilkerson, put it where only the receiver could get it. It would have been a touchdown. Wilkerson unfortunately dropped it and those are going to happen in the preseason, but these two are developing a nice synergy. I'm liking what I'm seeing out of the potential connection between

Mack Jones and Christian Wilkerson. And even though Christian dropped that pass, they still connected on several others throughout the night. But give Mack credit, he didn't let that drop get to him. He showed poise, came right back, and still managed to find his receivers for some nice gains. Much to my surprise, and the surprise of a few others at Gillette, Mack came out to start the third quarter. And when he did, the Patriots decided that they were going to test him in their no-huddle offense. Mack passed that test and then some. Looked strong both under center and from the shotgun.

Early in the third quarter, leads a methodical drive going 8 of 9 for 43 yards. Mack would end up finishing the night completing 13 of 19 passes for 87 yards, and he was impressive. Now, as you're listening to this, I know the question on everybody's mind is, did he do enough to impress the Patriots' brain trust in order to earn the starting job? Let me start by saying I've been as impressed with Mac Jones' performance as anyone. I think he's showing wisdom beyond his years. I think he's showing a solid skill set.

And I think this kid can be a solid quarterback for this team for many years to come. But you cannot anoint the starting position to a quarterback that's only completed 13 of 19 passes for 87 yards in one game setting in the preseason, especially when there's an incumbent starter already on staff. Bill Belichick has already said on a couple of occasions, Cam Newton is our starting quarterback. It's a completely different story when a quarterback is brought in as the undisputed starter from day one.

That's not the label that Bill Belichick and company put on Mac Jones from day one. That's not the label that Bill Belichick and company put on Mac Jones from day one. So I still expect, barring any injury concerns, that Cam Newton will still be your starter on day one against the Miami Dolphins on September 12th. Will that change throughout the season? I think that's still anyone's guess. If both quarterbacks continue to play at the same level that they're playing, then I think Cam will probably continue to get the ball more often than not. If he regresses at all and Matt continues to play at a high level and outplays Cam Newton, then you might see a quarterback switch at some point in the season. But again, folks, from what I've seen so far and just from what makes the most sense in Patriots Nation right now, I still think Cam Newton is the starter of this team.

So overall, a solid night for the quarterbacks, but still think Cam Newton is the starter of this team. So overall, a solid night for the quarterbacks, but it wasn't all about the quarterbacks when it came to highlights on Thursday night because the running backs also took center stage as well. And if I'm being honest, I think the running back positional grouping might be the deepest spot on this Patriots roster. Each of the Pats primary rushers made an impact. Damian Harris, Sonny Michelle, even J.J. Taylor all had solid runs on Thursday night, both in short yardage and in extended bursts, but the night belonged to the rookie. Ramondre Stevenson out of Oklahoma proved that he is a player in this league, folks. Stevenson finished the game rushing for 127 yards and only 10 carries, even notched two touchdowns,

the most impressive of which coming late in the fourth quarter on a 91-yard run to the end zone. The crowd got up and cheered. His teammates on the sidelines, including Cam Newton, James White, all excited for the kid. If he continues to show this type of progress throughout the preseason, he might be poised to make an immediate impact on a very talented Patriots running back core sooner rather than later. I'll have a little more on Ramondre's performance in the next segment, but ultimately, Patriots running backs look very strong, and at the end of the day in 2021, this may be the most important element of the Patriots offense. Those of you wondering about the defense, well, they were not neglected on Thursday night and they won't be neglected here on today's pod.

Several solid performances on the defensive side of the ball. JC Jackson continues to defend well at the cornerback position. Matt Judon showing a lot of size, speed, and strength at the linebacker position. He's going to be an amazing addition to this team. But I do want to give a little extra credit to linebacker Josh Uche, who I thought turned in a very solid performance at linebacker, played both the inside linebacker as well as on the edges a little bit. Entering his second year with the Patriots, he's poised for a breakout year in 2021. He was all over the field on Thursday, folks, provided solid coverage against the run and

even in the pass. And Uche ended up finishing the night with two tackles. A little bit of a scary moment in the second quarter. He headed to the ground near the end zone. He remained on the sidelines for the rest of the game. And a lot of us were wondering whether or not this might linger into this week, keeping a sharp eye on his health status. But Uche took the podium shortly after

the game was over last night, and I'm glad to report that it seems like everything is okay. He was in good spirits, didn't seem to be wearing a brace or anything else that would indicate any type of difficulty. Don't forget, it was very hot in Foxborough last night. Sometimes those muscles have a tendency to cramp up in that weather. Ultimately, though, I do think Josh Uche had a great game, and I look for him to really emerge as one of the more exciting players in this Patriots defense. I also want to spend a little time giving some credit, and well-deserved credit, to a player that I've been a little critical about the last couple of weeks, and that's cornerback Juwan Williams. He came into Thursday's game needing a strong showing,

and he spent a good amount of time on the field playing both cornerback and a little bit of safety as well. Credit to Jawan Williams, he made the most of his opportunities, intercepting Washington quarterback Steven Montez off of a tipped pass. He secured it being in the right place at the right time, but then showed off some great skill and returned at 36 yards. That return gave the Patriots great field position, and they would capitalize on the turnover with a touchdown. Williams also factored prominently into Washington's final scoring play of the game, a two-point conversion attempt after a late touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Once again, the Washington quarterback, Steven Montez, trying to find his receiver in the end zone, looked like he had a connection with Antonio Gandy-Golden. However, Williams with a heads-up play, able to knock the ball loose, and the play was ruled an incompletion upon review. Whether this performance was enough to save Juwan Williams' job with the team this season, still up for conjecture. But if this kid can get into a rhythm and be that type of big physical corner that the Patriots were hoping he'd be when they drafted him in 2019, we might look back at this game and say that's the reason why he is still on this team. And if he continues to play at this level, he'll have earned every bit of it. Last but certainly not least, special teams took center stage. And even though the Patriots' best specialist is an all-pro punter named Jake Bailey on this roster,

rookie kicker Quinn Nordine continues to capture the attention of many Patriots fans and media alike. He also continues to make the most of his opportunities. With incumbent kicker Nick Fulks still on the sidelines, the rookie stepped up and showed why he's one of the best stories out of training camp this year. Nordean went three for three on field goal attempts on Thursday, connecting from 35 yards, 50 yards, and 40 yards respectively. Each of those kicks splitting the uprights, and a few of them even had room to spare. Now some may still question whether or not he can do it on a consistent basis, saying we need to see more of it deep into the preseason and into the regular season before we're ready to anoint him our kicker of the present and future.

But there's one thing you can't deny with this kid, folks. He has power. But unfortunately, he's no longer perfect inside the friendly confines of Gillette Stadium. Hadn't missed a kick either in organized team practices or into last night's preseason game itself, but following a Ramondre Stevenson touchdown run in the fourth quarter, Nordean would miss the extra point. I wouldn't read too much into it, folks. It's still the preseason, and I still see a lot of potential in this kid. We'll see if the Patriots continue to give the ball to him in these situations when they take on the Philadelphia Eagles next week in Philly.

And that's exactly what the next matchup will be for the New England Patriots. Thursday night, August 19th, the City of Brotherly Love Patriots preseason game two will be against those Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. But Quinn Nordine won't be the only rookie with eyes on him. Won't even be Mac Jones, folks. Ramondre Stevenson might have the sharpest eye of Patriots Nation on him. And I, for one, will be very interested to see if he's up for the challenge. One thing that might be a pretty good indicator is how many snaps he'll receive. But what does it all mean in terms of his future with the Patriots? Is that

future going to begin sooner rather than later? Find out when this episode of the Locked On Patriots podcast continues. Locked On listeners, get all the latest news, odds, and info for all of your sporting needs, including Major League Baseball, the NBA, NHL, all of your UFC MMA action, and of course the NFL, with the only place that has you covered and the only place we trust. BetOnline. BetOnline is the fastest and easiest way to bet on all of your sports action. Before the start of your next favorite sporting event,

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welcome bonus on your first deposit when you use the promo code LOCKEDON. Bet online, you're online sportsbook experts. Pats fans segment two kicking off here on the Locked On Patriots podcast, recapping the Patriots 22-13 victory over the Washington football team on Thursday night. And while every single Patriot on this roster was glad to be back in action, definitely glad to be playing football in front of the fan base again, but for the rookies, it just hits a little different.

It's their first taste of professional action on a football field. And we talked a little bit about Mac Jones and the job that he was able to do running the Patriots offense in segment one. We briefly touched upon a huge night for rookie running back Ramondre Stevenson. And to quote Jerry Maguire, he had a big night, a very, very big night. All right, I know I'm being a little melodramatic with the movie quotes here, but he finished the night rushing from 127 yards on only 10 carries, getting two touchdowns, including the highlight of the night, which is his 91-yard run to the end zone. And rightfully so, this got the fan base buzzing.

Is Ramondre Stevenson the running back of the future here in New England? Don't forget, folks, Damian Harris is still the feature back here, and I don't look for that to change anytime soon. But Ramondre Stevenson was impressive on Thursday night, and while it's still too early to determine whether Ramondre has earned his way into the Pats running back circle of trust, he took a major step toward putting his name on the national map, and if we're being exact, 91 yards to be exact. But Stevenson's prospectus with the Patriots has been the subject of much debate, really since his arrival in New England when the Patriots drafted him in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. A lot of the fan base was clamoring for a wide receiver at this spot. Patriots hadn't taken one yet. It was looking to be their biggest need.

Everyone thought the Pats would go wide out here, and they ended up going with Ramondre Stevenson. It should be noted that Stevenson's prowess wasn't just for being able to run with power and run with a little bit of finesse. He was also one of the best catchers out of the backfield on the Oklahoma Sooners roster. So, in a way, the Patriots did go with someone that can effectively catch passes, just not someone with the letters WR next to his name on a depth chart. But from the time that Ramondre was drafted, the questions start. We've talked about it here on Locked on Patriots several times, whether it be with Murph or Steve Balistrieri,

or some of the other great guests that we've had here on the pod. Would this be yet another redshirt project at the position for Bill Belichick, Josh McDaniels, and the Patriots coaching staff? Or does Ramondre Stevenson have what it takes to be the team's secondary option, maybe even the heir apparent to Sonny Michel, as soon as this season? Well, regardless of their future intentions, obviously the Patriots are impressed by what they saw in Stevenson.

And it goes back to his days at Oklahoma. He's got a very impressive collegiate resume. In his first year in 2019 with the Sooners, Stevenson finished the season 515 yards on 64 carries, six touchdowns, averaging just over eight yards per carry. For his 2020 Swan Song in college football, he was named the MVP of the 2020 Cotton Bowl, rushed for 186 yards and one touchdown, all on only 18 carries. This, combined with his ability to receive the ball out of the backfield, made him an intriguing option for the Patriots as they tried to assemble their 2021 draft class.

And watching Ramondre Stevenson on the field last night really made me realize why the Patriots may have been drawing a beat on this kid right from day one. I think he has the potential to be a dual threat rusher with the Pats. He showed on Thursday that he can blend power and athleticism into his running style, as well as anybody that I can see on this roster. When you need him to be there for the power run, he can do it. And he showed that last night night power sidestepping his way to his first NFL preseason touchdown anyone continuing to question his speed and folks there have been some analysts out there that question whether Ramondre Stevenson had the speed to be an effective running back in the NFL well he put those questions to rest last night a blazing 91 yard

run in the game's closing moments again again, bringing the crowd in Gillette Stadium to its feet, earning him the praise of a lot of his teammates, and no doubt that made Ramondre Stevenson quite proud of himself, and he should be. All in all, I guess you could call this a standout performance for Ramondre Stevenson in his first preseason action, but I'm seeing an awful lot of conjecture going on throughout the fanbase and even media alike that Stevenson might be playing his way into being a primary factor in New England's offense as early as this season. I've gone on record to say that I think he has the talent to do so. I do not back down from that. I still believe he does. But remember, this is a team

that likes to take a temperate and planned approach when they develop their young running backs. They have a tendency to redshirt these guys for a reason. They want them to sit, learn the offense, get comfortable, and then be effective. They did it with Damian Harris. They even did it a few years ago with James White. I'm not saying for certain that they're going to do that with Ramondre Stevenson, but when you take a look at the track record, it seems likely. As good as Ramondre looked last night, and he really has

looked good running the ball in camp, his backfield receiving skills have been slow to develop. He's also spending a great deal of time working on his athleticism, because ultimately what you have to do to be an effective running back in the NFL is make defenders miss in short-yarded situations. Maybe the best indicator about what the Patriots see in Ramondre Stevenson, both in the short term and in the long term, is his running backs coach Ivan Fears, who recently replied when he was asked about what the rookie needs to improve on. One word, and I'm quoting Ivan Fears here, folks.

Quote, everything. Now, that may seem pretty scathing, but it's just the way business is done here in New England. Ivan Fiers knows that as a rookie, there's room for improvement in every aspect of your game, no matter how impressive you are. That doesn't necessarily mean that he's not impressed with what he sees from Ramondre Stevenson. It just means that even if he's impressing everyone at the highest level, there's still room to grow. There's always room to grow for a rookie. So don't read too much into that. But it also could be an indicator that the Patriots might be reticent to give him too much responsibility too quickly and either ruin his confidence or put him in a position where he can't

succeed. The Patriots have a lot of depth at the running back position. Damian Harris will continue to be the feature if they hold on to Sonny Michel, and I think they will. He actually played pretty well last night. Sonny looks to be your second option. James White will be your primary option on third down out of the backfield, and even J.J. Taylor looks like he's got a lot to contribute to this team. In a four-man rotation like that, Ramondre Stevenson is not going to be called upon to be the feature, which means their best option for him at this point may be bringing him along slowly.

And let's not forget my man Murph's main man, Brandon Bolden, who I still think has very much a place on this team. All of a sudden, you're looking at a stacked running back position from top to bottom, five guys that can really be strong contributors to the offense in 2021. In the final analysis, if you're a fan of Ramondre Stevenson, don't worry. He is very much going to be a part of this team's offensive plans in the future, maybe even as soon as this year. I just don't look for it to be a huge role this year. He passed his first test last night against Washington's stout run defense, and even though he's competing against mostly backups, Washington's backups are still very

good folks. His performance is deserving of the praise he's getting today, and that praise will continue throughout the weekend, but it remains to be seen as to whether or not he's actually going to see significant snaps this Thursday evening as the Patriots take on the Philadelphia Eagles. If Stevenson does log any playing time against Philly's top options, well that may indicate that New England plans on using him more often this year. But if not, that impressive start that we saw Thursday might just be the first step towards a slow and steady progression to what he hopes is going to be a bright future in the NFL. One thing we know for sure, folks, the New England Patriots will take things one day at a time. Stevenson may have had a big night on Thursday, but that's not going to be enough for Bill Belichick to change his plans. It never has been. It never will be. He'll continue to do what's best

for the football team. And if that means bringing Ramondre Stevenson along slowly or fast-tracking his progress, that's exactly what he's going to do. And with that, folks, we put a bow on the week that was here on the Locked On Patriots podcast. And even though preseason game one is in the books, there's still plenty of Patriots coverage to come as the Patriots gear up for game two against the Philadelphia Eagles this coming Thursday, August 19th. So to ensure that you do not miss a single second of the action, download, subscribe

to, and follow the Locked On Patriots podcast on platforms such as Spotify, the Odyssey app, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, wherever you get your podcasts, just make sure that you are staying locked in to Locked On Patriots. And for those of you that are looking to make a little extra on the NFL's action in the coming days and weeks, betting on the NFL does not have to be a guessing game if you listen to the new Locked On Bets podcast hosted by your boy Q and handicapping expert Lee Sterling. Get daily picks, blowout specials, wrong team favorite picks, and Lee Sterling's lock of the day. Follow the Locked

On Pets podcast brought to you by BetOnline.ag wherever you get your podcasts. Once again, my name is Mike DeBate. I thank you so much for listening and for continuing to make Locked On Patriots a daily part of your New England Patriots coverage. Until next time, Foxborough faithful, stay safe, stay well, be the change you wish to see in the world. Have a great weekend, everyone.