Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Shocker: Patriots In First Place | How Far Can Drake Maye Lead Them?

Starting point is 00:00:00 The Pats sit atop the AFC East for the first time since 2021. We start today by telling you how high we think this team's ceiling truly is. This is Lockdown Patriots. You are Locked-on Patriots, your daily New England Patriots podcast, part of the Locked-on Podcasts network, your team every day. What's happening? I am your host, Nick Cattles, born and raised in New England, been covering the Pats for the past 16 years. I'm also the co-host of the Greg Bedard Patriots podcast with Nick Cattles and a sports talk show host veteran. On today's episode, we break down an offensive player's impressive development, and his name is not Drake May.

Starting point is 00:00:50 Also, find out what we think the Pats should and will do as the trade deadline approaches. But first, we'll tell you just how far we think this team can go. go. We appreciate you joining the show, as always, making us your first listen and for being an everydayer. Shout out to the everydayers. The Lockdown Patriots podcast is a proud part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day. And don't forget, especially if you're watching on YouTube to like, comment, and subscribe to this podcast. Today's episode is brought to by Game Time. Download the GameTime app, create an account, and use code Lockdown NFL for $20 off your first purchase. I feel like Joe Kistig from back.

Starting point is 00:01:30 in the day. Can you believe it? Can you believe it? The Patriots are in first place in the AFC East after six weeks. A month and a half of the season is done. And here we are. The Patriots atop the division. A third through the season. Who thought we would be here at this point? I didn't. I did not think the Patriots would be sitting in first place at any point during 2025. But here we are. It's a reality. The bills lose to the Falcons. Next thing you know, Patriots sitting right there at the top of the division. Now, the question is, what is the ceiling? And I believe that the ceiling for this football team, if healthy, huge if always is a huge if. But if this football team is healthy, I honestly believe they can get to the divisional round of the playoffs. I feel

Starting point is 00:02:22 like they can get through the wild card. Plenty of reasons why. Let's start with the quarterback. Drake May right now and everything is in real time. We're talking about what's happening right now in the middle of October. Right now, Drake May is a top 10 quarterback. And I would argue right now, Drake May is a top at worst seven quarterback in the NFL. We went through the spiel on yesterday's episode. I'm not going to sit here and bore you with all of the numbers again. You can check out yesterday's episode. If you didn't catch it, we talk about Drake May exceeding expectations and the fact that, yes, he should be. He absolutely should be in the MVP conversation after six weeks.

Starting point is 00:03:02 He is a top at worst seven quarterback. And when you have a top at worst seven quarterback, you always have a shot to make some noise, not just in the regular season, but in the postseason. You're one special performance from a top quarterback away from moving on. That's how it works. We saw it time and time and time again during the Tom. Brady era. So when you have that guy and you feel like you have that guy, and I certainly feel like and I think you feel like that the Patriots have that guy in Drake May, yes, he gives

Starting point is 00:03:34 you a shot to get to the divisional round of the playoffs. I also look at the head coach, Mike Vrable. He's got to the AFC championship game before with Ryan Tannahill, his strategy, his approach to games, getting this team mentally prepared for the challenges. We've seen it. and back-to-back weeks, first as the underdog, and then how would they follow up winning big time Sunday night football in Buffalo? We saw they followed up with enough to win the game down in New Orleans. So I feel like Vrable will have his team ready to play. I feel like he will be all over the details.

Starting point is 00:04:10 We saw the best challenge of the Mike Vrable Patriots era at the end of that game in New Orleans against the Saints, making sure the officials took a look and realized Kishon Booty actually was inbound when that play was over, which ended the game. It's that type of detail, that type of challenge that I was looking forward to when Mike Vrable took over. Patriots also have an incredible run defense. One of the best run defenses they've had in a very long time, one of the best run defenses in the NFL this year through six weeks, which means they can make

Starting point is 00:04:47 any offense one dimensional. James Cook was cooking. No pun intended. Before going against the Patriots on Sunday night, Patriots shut him down and shut the bill's run game down. So when you could combine really good run defense and a good pass rush, yes, you need some help with the fifth guy at times. Sometimes you even send six, but you're getting pressure on the quarterback. You got a shot. pressure on the quarterback, pretty good coverage on the back end, shutting down the run game, you got a shot. And what also gives this team a shot to get into the playoffs is the schedule. And this is not hindsight.

Starting point is 00:05:26 This is not hindsight being 2020, Monday morning quarterback, yeah, yeah, yeah. No, it's not about any of that. We said this before the season. The Patriot's schedule is soft, pillow soft, charm and soft. So let me remind you what we're looking at here. This week at Tennessee, Tennessee, they're one and five. Then you host the Cleveland Browns with rookie quarterback Dylan Gabriel. Cleveland is one and five.

Starting point is 00:05:52 Then you've got two games back-to-back tough. You host the Falcons. We saw that defense racing around the field against Buffalo on Monday night. Not an easy task. Talented players like Bejohn Robinson and Drake London. So you've got to deal with Atlanta. That's a tough one. Then you go on the road to play.

Starting point is 00:06:11 Tampa Bay against another MVP candidate in Baker Mayfield, that will not be easy. You have to imagine the Bucks will be healthier at that point. So those are the two tough games. But you got Tennessee and Tennessee, you host Cleveland, and then after those two tough games, you play against the Jets. Last time I checked, they have not won a football game yet this season. Justin Fields literally just had one of the worst starts we've ever seen a starting quarterback have out in London.

Starting point is 00:06:41 And if you're not facing Justin Fields, you're facing Tyrod Taylor, who's been a career backup for the most part. And I wonder if Aaron Glenn is already dead man walking in New York. Then you travel to Cincinnati, no Joe Burrow, since he right now is two and four. And I wonder with that offensive line and Joe Flacko's lack of mobility, will Joe Flacko still be healthy? We'll see. Then you play the Giants, you host them at Gillette Stadium. That is a prime time game. Giants could be a little feisty.

Starting point is 00:07:12 Jackson Dart, Cam Scataboo. They got some talented players on defense. Maybe the Giants are a little bit frisky, a little bit feisty. Then the by week. Then you play at Baltimore. Baltimore's one and five. I would not count them out if healthy, but their defense has been trash. Then you play the Jets again, Week 17.

Starting point is 00:07:33 I mean, that is just Tank City. You also host Buffalo. My bad. You also host Buffalo. won't be an easy game. But then you get the Jets and the Dolphins to finish the season, week 17, week 18, tank city USA for both of those teams. I don't even know if Mike McDaniel or Aaron Glenn will still be employed at that point. And remember, the Patriots right now are four and two. If they go through that stretch of games that I just shared with you, they go through

Starting point is 00:07:59 that stretch of games and they go six and five, they finish at 10 and 7. 10 and 7, I believe, especially this year, get you into the playoffs, which brings me to my next point. In the AFC right now, does any team scare you? Are you freaking out about facing any team? Maybe Kansas City, Rishay Rice coming back. I still think Kansas City is going to play its best football as the season goes along. We saw that with the Patriots for a long, long time with Brady and Belichick. And I think Kansas City is at that point now. They get the benefit of the doubt. And you've seen some of that offensive life, Patrick Mahomes, look good this past weekend. So Kansas City, yes, but does Buffalo scare you?

Starting point is 00:08:38 You just beat Buffalo in Buffalo. Pittsburgh. Does Pittsburgh scare you? You should have beat Pittsburgh if you didn't turn the football over five times. Indianapolis, off to a great start, but Daniel Jones in a big game, we'll see. And I think Indy's defense is a little suspect. We just saw that against Arizona and Jacoby Brissette. Does Jacksonville and Trevor Lawrence shake you in any way?

Starting point is 00:09:03 Not me. The Los Angeles Chargers, really good quarterback. really good head coach, but the offensive line is falling apart. And they're now down to their third running back. Amari and Hampton will likely be back at that point. But what do you got there? Denver, are you afraid of Bo Nix? Of course, that defense is really good,

Starting point is 00:09:20 but I wouldn't be afraid of Bo Nix and that offense. So the AFC is there to at least get through the wildcard round. And yes, you need to fix things. You need to fix the run game, which has been putrid. We've talked about it. The run game and the offense has to come around. You do not want to be one-dimensional. That would be a disaster.

Starting point is 00:09:45 I think they'll eventually get better, but we'll have to wait and see. And yes, your past defense still gives up the occasional big play. You've got to make sure when you get to the playoffs, you can't be given up chunk plays over and over and over again. I think the Patriots need to be much better in the low red zone area. offensively. They have not done a good enough job. Most recent example was against the Saints. When you're sitting there first and goal, around the five yard line, just inside the five

Starting point is 00:10:17 yard line, and you can't score a touchdown. It's a disaster. Two bad runs, a delay of game, a wide receiver screen, you're kicking a field goal. And the red zone defense has been one of the worst in football. I'll have to see them play against the better red zone offense than the Saints before I believe they've turned something over there. So yes, there are are weaknesses, there are things they've got to work on, no doubt about it. But look at the schedule, look at your quarterback, look at your coaching staff, and look at the conference. This team can get to the divisional round of the playoffs. I wouldn't go beyond that, but they can get there if they're healthy. That's the ceiling. If things fall together well, they stay healthy, that's the ceiling.

Starting point is 00:10:57 All right, we're getting closer to the trading deadline. We'll tell you how the paths should, and I think likely will approach that deadline. That's next. This is Lockdown Patriots, part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day. I'm Cody Roark from Lockdown, Broncos. And this episode is brought to you by Peloton.

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Starting point is 00:13:13 So what are you waiting for? Visit fandul.com to download the Fandul app today and get started. The trade deadline, if you don't know, is. three weeks away. We are three weeks away from the NFL trading deadline, November 4th. That's the date. Circle it on your calendar because I believe the Patriots should. And more importantly, I believe the Patriots will be aggressive to add talent before or at the trading deadline. Now, why will they be aggressive? Let's start with the owner. Robert Kraft is 84 years old. And he is desperate to win.

Starting point is 00:13:57 He wants to win. The clock is a ticking. Tick, tick, tick, tick, tick. I know it. He knows it. We all know it. That's the way the world and life works. And Robert Kraft, after watching back-to-back four win seasons, he's had enough.

Starting point is 00:14:11 He's had enough of that losing. And I believe that he is desperate. He wants that urgency across the organization. And now you wake up and you're on top of the AFC East, just more artillery for the front office and Mike Vrable to go to Robert Kraft and say, Robert, we need to get going here. We got a shot. We've got an opportunity.

Starting point is 00:14:35 Lay out the case, as I just did last segment. Do we have the green light? And I believe that Robert Kraft will give the front office, Mike Vrable, the green light to make moves. This is an opportunity to press fast forward on your timeline. We thought that, hey, maybe good season I predicted that the Patriots would finish 9 and 8, which would give them a shot at the playoffs. Nine wins might get you in. But now we sit here, 4 and 2.

Starting point is 00:15:08 First place, as I mentioned last segment, you go 6 and 5, you finish with 10 wins. The door is a jar, folks. The door is a jar. And Mike Vrable and company, I believe, going to run through that. that door. They have an opportunity to press the fast forward button on this timeline and get to the playoffs maybe a year before they thought they would get to the playoffs. And if you're Mike Vrable and you've been standing in front of this locker room preaching belief, you believe in this team, you believe in the quarterback, you believe in the coaching staff, you have been

Starting point is 00:15:45 from the very first day of camp, you have been preaching to this team that you are going to do everything you can with every fiber of your being to make them a good football team to get them to the playoffs, to make them eventually a contender. And I just feel like you can't sit or stand in front of that room and preach belief and push competitiveness and talk about how you want to get to the promised land eventually. You can't sit there or stand there and say all of that and then be in first place after six weeks with the conference having, for all intents and purposes, a down year so far, and not be active. I believe this team will be active.

Starting point is 00:16:35 I believe Mike Vrable will do something, if not multiple things, before and or at the trading deadline. The circumstances, they add up. All the reasons are there. on the table. You've got a young team. You've got a young team. And if you look at Drake May's development and his growth, you look at other players, we'll get to one next segment. You look at other players, their development, their growth. Craig Woodson, for example, defensively, he gets better every single week at safety. The left side of your offensive line, you certainly hope is going

Starting point is 00:17:14 to get better. They weren't great against the Saints, but you hope they get better. But you look at this team, one of the youngest teams in the NFL, if you can make a move or a couple of moves that inch the football towards the goal line closer and closer at this point of the Mike Vrable tenure, then you should take the swing, take the swing, and you have the resources and you have the assets to get deals done. you want to talk about cap space over the cap that website i looked at the salary cap space for not just this year right now on the books but also 26 and 27 here's what it looks like 2025 right now you have 54.6 million dollars of salary cap space not too shabby in 26 you have 53.2 million dollars of salary cap space and yes you've got to get deals done You'll be looking at Christian Gonzalez trying to get done. You'll be looking at Drake May trying to get that extension done.

Starting point is 00:18:25 There are other things and other ways that you can work these deals out and not sacrifice the majority of your cap space. Christian Gonzalez, he can get done this off season. Drake May can get done the next off season. Christian Barmore is already done. Milton Williams is already done. So you've got 54.6 million. right now in space. Next year, you got $53.2 million.

Starting point is 00:18:52 And in 2027, you have $84.3 million in salary cap space. You can absolutely add to this football team without crippling your books. There's no doubt about it. And you also have draft assets for the 2026 draft coming up. You've got your first, your second, and your third round picks. You actually have two fourth rounders, one of them from Kansas City. you have a fifth rounder you have two sixth rounders again thanks to Kansas City and you've got two seventh rounders thanks to the Saints

Starting point is 00:19:25 so your first your second your third two fourths a fifth two sixth and two sevens you have some picks that you can deal you can absolutely wheel and deal some of these picks and I know that Mike Vrable the Michael Parsons stuff months ago he talked about you know where this team is and and you don't want to want to sacrifice future assets too often unless it's the right player yada yada well now we're in the season we're in the season you see your own team you're evaluating the conference you're evaluating your own division you're seeing who's available and what the asking price is and you have the resources you have the assets now with all of that said i'm not sitting here

Starting point is 00:20:08 pushing the patriots to be desperate i don't want a dumb move i don't want a move just because feel like you have to make a move? Who are you bringing in? Does that person fit the culture? What is the age of that player? Do you think that player has much left in the tank? What's the contractual status? Are you going to run right into a situation that might make you uncomfortable from a negotiating standpoint? So all of these things matter. The age, the tank, so to speak, the production, what has that player done versus what that team is asking for in return for that player. You don't want to overpay for somebody who's not going to significantly impact your football team moving forward. So reasonable price. Nobody's saying go crazy, go bananas,

Starting point is 00:20:57 be desperate. Positional value, if you need a running back. If a running back is out there, let's say Derek Henry, is it worth giving up a second round pick? Or do you look at the offensive line and all the things we talked about on yesterday's episode about some of the issues with this run game. Is Derek Henry the magic elixir? What does it cost? Is it worth the cost? All of those things matter. All of those things should be discussed. But big picture from 30,000 feet, the Patriots should be, and I believe will be aggressive in adding talent before and or at the trading deadline. All right. There's one offensive player that has consistently improved, and it's time for that player to get some more shine. We'll do that next. We continue with today's

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Starting point is 00:22:45 Swipe, tap, Ticket, go, download game time today. K-Shan Booty keeps improving. In 2023, K-Shan Booty had two catches. His rookie season, two catches. In 2024, last year, he had 43 catches, 589 yards, and three touchdowns, and given the circumstances, a trash offensive line. A pretty bad quarterback situation before Drake May came around. Offensive coordinator, Alex Van Peltz.

Starting point is 00:23:16 We all know, is he an offensive coordinator right now? Not the last time I checked. Playing for a losing team. Not many other weapons on the team to help you. And it was still a good season for a second year wide receiver. 43 catches, just under 600 yards and three touchdowns. Not bad. But so far, through six weeks of the current season,

Starting point is 00:23:37 Kisham Booty has 18 catches. That is 41.8% of his total from a year ago. So almost 42% of the catches he had last season he has right now through six weeks. He has 301 yards, which is over 50%. It's 51.1% of his total receiving yards number from last season. And he has already tied his touchdown total from last year at three. If we want to have some fun and talk about on-paced, the quote-unquote on-paced numbers. Kisham Booty right now, if he continues to do what he's done for the first six weeks,

Starting point is 00:24:19 he'll finish with about 50 catches, 850 yards, and somewhere around 8 or 9 touchdowns. And let me ask you this. If Kisham Booty finishes with 50 catches, 850 yards, and even 8 touchdowns, what do you think? You know what I'm thinking? That's a legitimate NFL wide receiver. That's a legitimate number 2B slash 3A guy. If you can get 50 catches, 850 yards and 8 touchdowns from your third year wide receiver, you feel pretty good.

Starting point is 00:24:54 Kayshan Bouti is only 23 years old. And if he can continue to play the way he's playing, that game he had against the Saints was just tremendous in so many different ways. if Kishan Booty can continue to play at that kind of level. Now, he's not going to do that every week because Drake May, he's fine in the open guy. Game plans change from week to week. But if at the end of the year we're looking at 50 or more catches, 850 or more yards and 8 or 9 touchdowns,

Starting point is 00:25:26 I feel like there's no doubting the idea that Kishan Booty is a solid piece for the future of this franchise, that you can look at him and say, He's a 2B, maybe a 3A. But it goes beyond, it goes beyond stats. Because what Kishan Booty is doing, which is vitally important, is he's coming through. He's coming through during the critical moments. We talked about it a little bit after the Saints game. But let's throw some more onto the pile here.

Starting point is 00:25:55 Alex Barth from 985, my old stomping grounds, he posted all five of Kishan Booty's catches in New Orleans went for first downs. That's nice. But listen to this. Alex Barth writes, Kashan Booty's last 10 catches in a row going back to the Steelers game have all been for first downs, 10 straight catches for first downs. Overall, 16 of Kashan Booty's 18 catches this year have moved the chains.

Starting point is 00:26:22 And one of the two that didn't was a 14-yard gain. Now, what does that tell you? It tells you that the quarterback trusts and believes in Kashan Booty, which is a huge, huge part of this puzzle. It also tells you that Kishan Bouti has the clutch gene. We've seen the clutch gene from Drake May the past few weeks. You see the clutch gene from Kishan Bouty. Have to have it tight plays.

Starting point is 00:26:50 Third and 11, back shoulder, make it happen. End of the first half, make it happen. First touchdown against the Saints, contested catch, difficult, make it happen. So Kishan Bouti continues to grow when it comes to productivity, continues to grow his relationship, the trust and the belief between he and the young quarterback, and he has shown that he has the clutch gene. But that's not it.

Starting point is 00:27:18 We talked about during the off season, an awful lot about the Patriots needing a downfield receiver, somebody who can create some explosive plays. Now, I mentioned last year, I mentioned this multiple times that Kishon Bouty was inefficient. when it came to catching deep passes. He had a number of drops. Now you can credit that to the quarterback at times.

Starting point is 00:27:38 You can credit that to the coverage. But he wasn't necessarily super efficient downfield. Well, he has been fantastic downfield. Taylor Kyle's from CLNS writes that Kayshan Booty has been elite when it comes to deep passes and targets. Per pro football focus, Kishon Booty is tied for the 21st most. targets on deep targets he's got seven on deep targets and when you talk about deep targets you're

Starting point is 00:28:10 talking about usually 20 plus air yards so he's tied for 21st in targets he's got the third most receptions he's caught six of those seven targets he's tied for the second most receiving touchdowns he's got three he's tied for the most contested catches he has three and if you ask about the passer rating on deep targets. Kisham Booty, the passer rating when throwing to him under those circumstances is tied for the highest at 158.3. And the incompletion on the deep pass was on an uncatchable target week one against Vegas. And his catches have not been easy catches.

Starting point is 00:28:52 Again, back to Taylor Kyle's. Kisham Booty leads all qualified receivers in next gen stats catch rate over expected at plus 25.2 percent. Tough catches, plays downfield, trusted by his quarterback, critical moments, clutched gene. And we can't forget that. Kay Shan Booty was a legitimate talent at LSU. He had two obstacles. He had an ankle injury, which destroyed his combine and hurt his value, and also maturity and red flags. Now, for that last part, pretty interesting tweet. from Jacques Doucet, a Baton Rouge TV sports director. He caught up with Kashan Booty after the game in New Orleans.

Starting point is 00:29:38 Kayshan Booty said, quote, I wasn't always the person I wanted to be three, four years ago. I had a lot of off-the-field stuff, a lot of character concerns, unquote. Kishan Booty admitting I wasn't the greatest guy. I had some character concerns. there were issues. And I am taking accountability and telling you, yes, there were character concerns. There were issues. I wasn't the dude I wanted to be three or four years ago.

Starting point is 00:30:08 Doucette continued, he tweeted, it's my understanding. Kishan Booty stopped by LSU during the offseason and thanked LFSU football head coach Brian Kelly and others for what they did for him. Coach Kelly likewise texted Kishan Booty after his big game on Sunday. If we are seeing the on and off field development and maturity, it seems like we are seeing from Kishan Bouti, he could be an absolute gem, an absolute steal from the 2023 draft, and he could play a big role moving forward with Drake May and this Patriots offense. So shout out to Kishan Bouti working on himself on and off the field as he continues to get better. That wraps up this edition of Lockdown Patriots. Thank you for making us your first listen and for being an everydayer. Reach out to me on Twitter at Nick C. Radio.

Starting point is 00:30:59 And don't forget to throw a comment in on the YouTube channel. Hit that like button and subscribe for your second listen. Get a double dose of the Lockdown NFL podcast with Tyler the Madman Roland and Tony Wiggins. Find Lockdown NFL on YouTube or wherever you listen to podcast. Have a great day. And we will see you for our Tennessee, New England crossover tomorrow. Thank you.

Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Shocker: Patriots In First Place | How Far Can Drake Maye Lead Them?

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