Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Statement: Patriots Must Prove Progress Against Panthers!!

Episode Date: September 25, 2025

Can the New England Patriots bounce back against the Carolina Panthers? Nick Cattles breaks down this crucial Week 4 matchup, analyzing Drake Maye's potential performance and the Patriots' offensive s...trategy.Cattles examines Carolina's defensive strengths, particularly Derrick Brown's disruptive ability, and how the Patriots can exploit weaknesses in the Panthers' run defense. He also dissects Bryce Young's limitations and the Patriots' defensive approach to contain Carolina's offense.With in-depth analysis of key players, offensive and defensive strategies, and game-changing factors, Cattles provides a comprehensive preview of this pivotal contest. Will the Patriots secure a much-needed home victory and improve to 2-2 before facing the Buffalo Bills?Tune in for expert insights and a bold prediction that could shape the Patriots' season trajectory.Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms…🎧 https://link.chtbl.com/LOPatriots?sid=YouTubeLocked On NFL League-Wide: Every Team, Fantasy, Draft & More🎧 https://linktr.ee/LockedOnNFL#patriots #newenglandpatriotsListen on Amazon Music: Stay connected to your team every day with Locked On, now available ad-free on Amazon Music! Follow your favorite Locked On NFL podcasts and catch new episodes daily.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!5-Hour ENERGYEnough with boring, flavorless caffeine, it’s time to give your caffeine a flavor upgrade with 5-hour ENERGY®️ shots. Get the favorites you love or be bold and try something new in-store and online at https://www.5hourENERGY.com or Amazon today.DoorDashWith DoorDash Streaks, you save every Saturday you order — stack it up all season and you could save up to $250. Order this Saturday. Keep the streak alive. Fuel your gameday — only with DoorDash. Terms apply. Promo period through 11/18.SquareTo learn more, go support your favorite neighborhood spot and see what Square has been up to in your neck of the woods. And then if you have extra time, check out https://square.com/go/lockedonnfl.PrizePicksDownload the PrizePicks app today and use code LOCKEDONNFL to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup.GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNFL for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime.FanDuelRight now, new customers can bet just FIVE dollars and if your bet wins—you’ll get THREE HUNDRED dollars in bonus bets to use across the app.FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

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Starting point is 00:00:00 Sunday's game is the difference between a manageable, understandable kickoff to a new program or a flat out bad beginning. We start there. This is Lockdown Patriots. You are Locked-on Patriots, your daily New England Patriots podcast, part of the Locked-on podcast network, your team every day. What's happening? I am your host, Nick Cattles, born and raised in New England, been covered.
Starting point is 00:00:30 this football team for the past 16 years also co-host of the Greg Bedard Patriots podcast with Nick Cattels and a sports talk show host veteran. As a reminder, we're going to go live on Sunday right after the game on YouTube. So don't miss out on that live post game after the game on Sunday. On today's show, though, we'll tell you how Drake May can have a very successful Sunday. And we'll tell you why we feel good about this Pat's defense putting together their most complete game of the season against Carolina. But first, it's time for this team to make a point. We appreciate you joining the show, making us your first listen
Starting point is 00:01:06 and for being an everydayer, the Lockdown Patriots Podcast, a proud partner, the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day. Week four is not a must win. I'll never go into the fourth week of the football season saying this is a must win, unless maybe you start zero and three and you think you're a contending football. football team. But for the Patriots, I'm not walking into Sunday saying this is a must win, winner go home situation. It's just not the case. But if you are building the program correctly,
Starting point is 00:01:39 if you are doing exactly what you want to do, this is a game that you win. If you're Mike Vrable, this coaching staff, these players, this is a game that you win. It is a statement of progress that you're going in the right direction, especially coming off that game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. What we saw last weekend was inexcusable. Five turnovers, one too many flags, a team that came out flat at home. Inexcusable.
Starting point is 00:02:12 I don't care if you're one of the worst teams in the league, one of the best teams in the league. Turning the football over five times is egregious. It's ridiculous. And you can't come out. on Sunday against the Panthers after that game last weekend against the Steelers and look like you're flat, look like you couldn't care less. You can't do it.
Starting point is 00:02:34 Can't do it, won't do it. Clean it up. This has to look like a cleaner operation on Sunday. Be a serious program. Show me, show your fans, show everybody else in the world that cares about football. Show every single one of them that you are a competent football team. because last weekend, that was not competency playing out. It just wasn't.
Starting point is 00:02:58 So be a serious program like I thought we were going to see with Mike Vrable. It's been an underwhelming start. It's still early. They can figure things out. And I think they are going to figure things out. But that starts this Sunday. I mean, you need to start winning games at home. How bad have the Patriots been at home?
Starting point is 00:03:19 Mike Reese had a note over the last day. or two. Patriots are 3 and 16 at home since 2023. 3 and 16 at Jolette Stadium. It's embarrassing. Here's the good news. The Panthers, during that same stretch of time, the last 19 games, the Panthers are 2 and 17 on the road in that span. So the last 19 home games for the Patriots, 3 and 16, last 19 away games for the Panthers, 2 and 17. 17. You cannot allow a team that has won two of their last 19 games walk into Gillette Stadium, two of the last 19 games on the road, walk into Gillette Stadium and beat you. You just can't let that happen. You have the better quarterback. Drake May is a better quarterback than Bryce Young. And we'll get into Bryce Young a little bit later. We'll get into
Starting point is 00:04:17 what Drake May has to do on Sunday to be successful because I do think there is going to be against this Panthers defense. It's not an easy defense to deal with, but I do think Drake May can do some things on Sunday that will all make us very happy. You have the better quarterback. Home field advantage against the team that can't win on the road with the better quarterback. This is the type of game that you win. This is the type of game that you take care of the football. Your quarterback takes care of the football. He proves, the team proves. that they are better than what they looked last week. You have the more talented team.
Starting point is 00:04:57 Now, I'm not sitting here telling you either of these teams are very talented because they're just not. But if you're looking at the preseason rankings and you're looking at these rosters and you're trying to, you know, rank all 32 teams, the Patriots would be above the Panthers in pretty much every single ranking that you look at from just a pure talent standpoint. They're the more talented team. I mean, the Panthers were dying to sign Milton Williams.
Starting point is 00:05:25 In the 23rd hour, as we know, Milton Williams decides to go to the Patriots because the Patriots up their offer. But the Panthers need talent. They're scratching and clawing trying to find that talent in a similar fashion to the Patriots. But the Patriots had a better offseason than the Panthers. Patriots, I think, had a better draft than the Panthers. They are the more talented team. So when you start to look at this in totality from 30,000 feet,
Starting point is 00:05:51 coming off that game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, at home for the second straight week, you want to prove to your fans that you can win in front of them, and you have a team coming in that hasn't won on the road much at all the last couple of years with the less talented quarterback and the less talented team. Oh, and by the way, even though it's been an underwhelming start
Starting point is 00:06:13 for Mike Vrable and his coaching staff, I would still take Mike Vrable over Dave Canales. And I like Dave Canales. I think he could be a good coach. but I would still take Frable. I would still take Josh McDaniels. Now the defensive coordinator, not really the defensive coordinator for the Patriots, as we know.
Starting point is 00:06:34 Terrell Williams is not calling the plays. It's again going to be Zach Corp. But I would still take this Patriots coaching staff over this Panthers coaching staff. So you've got the better staff, you've got the better team, you've got the better quarterback, you're at home. This is a game that you should. win. It feels like, again, I would say have to win, but it's not really a must win, but this is a game that you absolutely should unequivocally win on Sunday. And then you've got to think about
Starting point is 00:07:04 what the next game is, because that also lends importance to what happens on Sunday. Imagine this. The Patriots end up losing on Sunday to Carolina. Let's just paint the picture. You lose to Carolina on Sunday after you had that ridiculous offensive performance fumbling and stumbling and bumbling on offense against the Steelers, just giving them that game. Now you've lost back-to-back games against teams that you should have beat. The only win on the season that you have is down in Miami. And I'm sure people will say the only reason why you have that win is because Devon A. Chan steps out of bounds. Now, the Patriots would have gotten the ball, and who knows what happens after that. But the Miami Dolphins would have certainly had the lead if A. Chan doesn't step out.
Starting point is 00:07:57 And we all know what happened against Vegas in week one. And you could be looking at a one-and-three record heading to Buffalo to play Josh Allen and the Bills on Sunday night football. one and three going to Buffalo for Sunday night. Now, I'm not going to sit here and guarantee a one and four start, but it certainly feels like that would be the case. And instead of being maybe four and one, three and two, whatever it would be, you're sitting there at one and four trying to figure out what you truly are. Now let's paint the other picture.
Starting point is 00:08:37 You go into Sunday, you take care of business, you beat the Panthers, You get back on track. You show the world that the Pittsburgh Steelers game was an anomaly. The only reason why you lost that game is because you turned the ball over five times. You take care of your business at Gillette Stadium. You beat Carolina. And then you go into Buffalo for Sunday night at 2 and 2, at 500, which is pretty much where a lot of us thought the Patriots would be at the end of the first month.
Starting point is 00:09:07 Now, I thought they'd beat the Raiders. Before the season kicked off, I thought they'd beat the Raiders. I thought they'd lose to the Dolphins. When Aaron Rogers signed with the Steelers, I didn't love their chances against the Steelers. I loved their chances last week after watching the Steelers. But before the season kicked off, we said two and two pretty much, right? If you could end the first month of the season at two and two,
Starting point is 00:09:32 you'd feel pretty good about it. One in three, not so much. One in three, the way the team has lost some games. Definitely not so much. The assignment on Sunday is for the Patriots to make that Pittsburgh game look like a blip on the screen. Make it look like a blip, a speed bump, no big deal. A freakish end. Say, oh, well, hey, five turnovers.
Starting point is 00:10:02 When's that going to happen again? And we were still in the game. Sunday make a statement. Show your progress and tell everybody. that Pittsburgh was just an unfortunate slip-up, and now your program is going to be cleaner. Your team is going to play better and more disciplined as you head into that Buffalo game on Sunday night.
Starting point is 00:10:26 That's the mission. All right, let's get to Drake May. Drake May will have his opportunities to ball out on Sunday, but we'll tell you why he needs to proceed with caution. That's coming up. This is Lockdown Patriots, part of the Lockdown Podcast Net. network your team every day. This episode is brought to by Square.
Starting point is 00:10:49 Your favorite neighborhood spots run on Square. There are certain businesses that truly make the neighborhood feel like home, whether it's the local sports bar packed on game days, the coffee shop that knows your order by heart, or the corner deli that's been serving your community for decades. These are the places that bring people together. When neighborhood businesses thrive, the whole neighborhood thrives. There's always that spot in the neighborhood. that comes alive every Sunday during football season.
Starting point is 00:11:14 You know what I'm talking about. Everyone's in team colors. The energy is incredible. And it feels like the entire block is in there chairing together. Kind of place where you walk in and everyone knows your name. The staff are like family. They've been serving this community for years. Those local spots are what make the neighborhood feel like home.
Starting point is 00:11:31 And so many of them run on Square. Square is a proud partner of more than 4 million neighborhood businesses around the world. You can go to square.com slash go slash lockdown NFL to learn. more but before you do go support your favorite neighborhood spot you'll be happy you did square see you in the neighborhood it's almost a weekend time to look back and crown this week's MVP on who delivered powered by door dash just like you can win every saturday with door dash streaks saving more every time you order these players delivered when it mattered most let's break it down even though it was a very tough loss against pittsburgh robert spillane put together his best game as a patriot
Starting point is 00:12:08 Spillane spearheaded a defense that kept the Steelers to one first down in the middle quarters and kept the Patriots in the game despite five turnovers. Spillane finished with 15 tackles, nine solo, one tackle for loss, some pressure and an interception that began the third quarter. Robert Spelane came through, no hesitation, no delay. Now let's hope Spelane and the paths get back on track this week and start a nice little streak. And just like Robert Spelane delivered for the Patriots, Door Dash delivers your Saturdays. With DoorDash streaks, you save every Saturday you order.
Starting point is 00:12:40 Stack it up all season, and you could save up to $250, including $100 in DoorDash credits. Order this Saturday, keep the streak alive, fuel your game day, only with DoorDash. Terms apply, promo period, through 1118. Carolina's defense has had a little bit of a hot streak in the last six quarters. When you look at their second half against the Arizona Cardinals, and then you look at last week's game against the Atlanta, Alkins, this defense is playing well. They're feeling very good about themselves, and they know they know they have to keep
Starting point is 00:13:14 this competitive on Sunday because they also know their offense is not necessarily an explosion waiting to happen, which we will get into during the next segment. But defensively, what you will see is you'll see some creeper pressure where it looks like the Panthers are going to blitz somebody at the line of scrimmage. That person drops off into coverage and they blitz somebody else from somewhere else. you'll see some of that you'll see some changes in the coverage between the pre snap and the post snap they did that to michael pennix last week confused pennix a couple of times by the way penics was god-offal last week some of that was the panthers defense but some of that was just pennics and the falcons who
Starting point is 00:13:52 could not get out of their own way it was a tough watch trust me what i tell you i sacrificed myself in my time by watching that football game for all of you so they'll change pre-snap to post that they'll quote unquote spin the dial and all that good stuff they play a lot of zone they played more man last week but they will play a lot of zone coverage and so this is going to be a challenging defense because of what they can do and what they can morph into compared to you know some of the other defenses that you've seen over the past couple of weeks and that's going to be a challenge for Drake May now let's start with the people up in front
Starting point is 00:14:33 because Jared Wilson did not practice on Wednesday. Jared Wilson did not practice on Thursday. That feels like Jared Wilson will not play on Sunday. And if Jared Wilson does not play on Sunday, that means Ben Brown is next man up. And that's going to be a difficult situation because it did feel like Jared Wilson was making progress. He had a pretty good game last weekend against the Steelers. And you want to keep that chemistry and that cohesion between Will Campbell and Jared Wilson as much as you can because it's a rookie left side of the line,
Starting point is 00:15:06 as we've discussed plenty of times. So Jared Wilson doesn't look like he's going to play. It's likely going to be Ben Brown. Now, the first priority, if you're Josh McDaniels and you're sitting in the offensive film room this week, the first name that you put on the board is Derek Brown, because Derek Brown is a devastating football player. He is a freak of a man, six foot five, who knows,
Starting point is 00:15:33 hundred pounds, whatever he weighs, and he can move, he's strong. The Patriots interior offensive line has to do a good job against Derek Brown. And Josh McDaniels mentioned this with the media on Thursday and said, look, Derek Brown, yes, he's a left defensive end, which would put him on the right side of the offensive line, but he does move. They will move him along the offensive line. So first of all, you've got to make sure you know where he's at. Second of all, you've got to make sure that your interior offensive line does a good job.
Starting point is 00:16:06 Garrett Bradbury, Mike Owenu, Ben Brown. You got some questions there, right? Owenu's been inconsistent. Now, Garrett Bradbury had his toughest game of the year last week against the Steelers, but all in all, Garrett Bradbury's been pretty darn good. Jared Wilson, as I mentioned, was progressing. But now if you got Ben Brown, who is a natural center, not the biggest guy in the world. He's going to be their left guard.
Starting point is 00:16:29 and you can see some of the issues there. So they have to do, they have to do as good of a job as possible against Derek Brown because Derek Brown will wreck a quarter. Derek Brown will wreck a game and you can't have it. So make sure that you are responsible against Derek Brown. Do not let him take over. He is priority number one for this offensive line and this offense. Otherwise, I do think the Patriots offensive line has the upper hand against Carolina.
Starting point is 00:16:59 Carolina's defensive line is not necessarily awesome. I wouldn't even say it's really good. It's Derek Brown, and then you got some questions. And for the offensive line of the Patriots, Ben Baldwin, the computer cowboy posted the pass block composite ratings through week three, and the Patriots are seventh. And that looks at Pro Football Focus. That looks at SIS, and that looks at ESPN.
Starting point is 00:17:22 And then you put them all together, and you come up with this composite. I've used this the last couple of years. I think Ben Baldwin does a very good job. So the Patriots are seventh in that composite rating. Now, I will tell you, ESPN has them down to like 27th or 28th and past block win rate. So ESPN doesn't agree. But I would say all in all, if you're watching, I test tells you they've been good. The offensive line has been pretty good, especially in pass protection.
Starting point is 00:17:47 And this Panthers pass rush is not very good. They're 32nd, which the last time I checked was dead last in the NFL and sack rate under 1%. they are 30th in the NFL in pressure rate at 24.3% and they don't blitz a lot. They're 24th in the NFL in blitz rate. So they're not getting to the quarterback. They're not sacking the quarterback. They're not blitzing a ton. And you've got Prince Lee, Umann, Mieland, Mieland, along with Nick Scorton, a couple of other guys mixed in that you'll see on the edge.
Starting point is 00:18:21 But they're not getting to the quarterback. So this should not be, this should not be, because Derek Brown is not necessarily the greatest pass rusher either. He's better against the run. But again, you're just going to make sure you limit him. But this should not be a case on Sunday of the Panthers defensive line owning you, of the Panthers defensive line making life miserable on Drake May. He should not be scattered in the pocket. He should not be facing a ton of pressure like last week. The Pittsburgh Steelers, completely different defense they blitz a ton they're aggressive and it felt like drake may especially early in that game he was feeling that a little bit but he should not feel that
Starting point is 00:19:03 this week if if the carolina panthers get to drake may that is on the patriots offensive line as simple as that now they do have good corners Carolina panthers corners are good j c horn is is a really good football player they have a secondary that will forced turnovers so again you got to take care of the football you can't mess around the linebackers are shaky safety shaky patriots should have the advantage there with running backs and tight ends especially running backs if when Carolina plays man which they don't do a ton of as I mentioned earlier but the Patriots should be able to attack the linebackers and the safeties and for Drake may this is all about the reeds make the correct reads understand
Starting point is 00:19:51 understand what Carolina's defense is throwing at you. The pre-snap, post-snap changes. Don't get fooled. Understand what you're seeing. Understand what you then see after the snap. Make the right read. Be patient in the pocket because Drake May should have time. And if you have time, you've got to be patient.
Starting point is 00:20:12 Don't rush. Don't try to squeeze footballs into incredibly tight spaces with good coverage. So make the right reads, be patient. and be efficient. And Drake May has been very efficient this year. His expected points added, when you look at the added adjustments, he is eighth in the NFL, according to Kevin Cole. Now, expected points added in the adjustments,
Starting point is 00:20:40 it's, you know, you adjust it or scaled to account for factors that might bias a player or team raw EPA total. And Kevin Cole says the added adjustments with the total EPA there, Drake May's eighth. You've got quarterbacks in the top seven like, you know, Jared Goff, Daniel Jones, who's been great, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Baker Mayfield, Justin Herbert. Drake May is in that company. And the true indication of efficiency is, you know, how do you do an expected past situations? And Evan Lazare had this stat.
Starting point is 00:21:11 Drake May is third, an EPA per play in expected past situations. And in the pod earlier this week, I talked about Drake May's third and fourth down work. Drake May is first an EPA per play on late downs. So take care of the ball. I think you'll have some opportunities with your tight ends. And Drake May should have a good day. If he makes the right reads, he's patient and is efficient. The running back situation, who knows?
Starting point is 00:21:42 I think we're going to see Trayvion Henderson start this game. I think you're going to see Henderson and Gibson with most of the carries. I expect, maybe this is a mistake by me, but I do expect Ramandre Stevenson to not play this weekend. Now, he might be active in case of injury, but I don't think he's going to play. We'll see if he does. And will the offensive line consistently block it up? Because the run game should have opportunities against this Panthers defense. They have not been good against the run.
Starting point is 00:22:11 30th in yards per play. They're 32nd, dead last and stuff rate. They're 25th in EPA per rush. Here's a key number. The Panthers run defense. They're 21st in yards before contact allowed. Running backs are almost getting a yard and a half before they're even touched. And Will Campbell is critical because if you look at what teams have done against Carolina,
Starting point is 00:22:35 Carolina faces the third highest run rate outside the offensive tackle. So lots of pitches, lots of tosses. That's what teams have done against the Panthers. They've had issues holding the edge. And of course, we all know, as I said earlier, Derek Brown will be lined up on the right side for most of the day. So this should be a good day for Will Campbell to get out in front and block for his backs. Carolina is 15th and third down defense. So right about the middle. So along with that and their cornerbacks, you want early down success, which means run the ball.
Starting point is 00:23:12 And one more note, you got to finish drives. Carolina Panthers have the seventh best red zone defense in the NFL. Little Ben don't breakish, so you've got to finish drives. I will tell you how the Pat's defense can shut down this Panthers offense as we continue with today's episode of Lockdown Patriots, part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day. Let's talk about Mazda. Mazda crafts cars for those who do more than simply move.
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Starting point is 00:24:47 Bimu. I do not fear this offense of the Carolina Panthers. I do not fear this offense. Now, I do like what they do. And I remind you, Sunday live, postgame, YouTube. And as you watch this, don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe, help us out. I do like the plan going into games by Dave Canales in this offense for the Panthers. They're going to give you a lot of looks.
Starting point is 00:25:14 They will have shotgun with the splitbacks. they'll run some pistol when you have the quarterback and the shotgun with the running back directly behind the quarterback. They'll go under center a decent amount. They do have West Coast vibes. This is more of a West Coast offense. So you'll see under center. You'll see play action.
Starting point is 00:25:31 You'll see bootlegs. It'll look familiar to you if you've been watching the Patriots the last couple of years. But inevitably, they've got Bryce Young. And I just don't think Bryce Young is the type of quarterback that can put his team on his back and say, all right, fellas, I'm carrying you to the promise line. I just don't think he's that type of guy. He has limited arm strength. He's only 5 foot 10, so sometimes he has trouble when he's standing in the pocket.
Starting point is 00:25:56 And what the Patriots have to do is they have to limit Bryce Young's ability to run. Keep him in the pocket. Don't let him loose. Don't let him extend. Don't let him scramble for first downs. Limit his legs. Because as a pure passer, he's not a guy that's going to. dominate. At least I don't expect it. He's 26th in passer rating. He's 26th in completion
Starting point is 00:26:21 percentage over expected at minus 5.2%. He's 27th in EPA. Analytically, he's been one of the worst quarterbacks in the league. And he's not a guy that's going to take shots downfield. It's a lot of quick game. And it's a lot of short passes. It's a lot of in the middle of the field stuff. So you've got to make sure that you contain him in the pocket, get those arms up as defensive lineman because he's only 5'10, and just make his life miserable. And, you know, I talked about this last week against the Steelers. Same kind of deal against the Panthers.
Starting point is 00:26:58 Carolina's offense, it just lacks explosivity. Bryce Young is 29th in the league in yards per attempt at 5.3. This offense is 30th in the league, yards per play. The only guy, especially if Xavier Leggett is out and he hasn't been practicing because of a hamstring, didn't play last weekend. The only guy that brings explosiveness is Ted McMillan, somebody who he spent a lot of time talking about leading into the draft. Ted McMillan is the only explosive element in the past game for the Carolina Panthers. And he's limited with a calf. He did return to practice on Thursday.
Starting point is 00:27:37 but he was limited, and he is the only explosive element, but he's explosive. You've got to make sure you take care of him. Nate Tice posted that. McMillan is tied for the most 20-plus yard receptions this season with six, and he will move around. You will see him line up and slot from time to time, so you've got to be aware. Again, Leggett is dealing with a hamstring. Jalen Coker is on the IR with a quad.
Starting point is 00:28:02 So it's Ted McMillan and Hunter Renfro. That's what you're looking at. those are guys you can cover those are guys that you can defend especially if Christian Gonzalez comes back which it certainly looks like he's going to if you've got Christian Gonzalez and Carlton Davis on that field on Sunday you should be able to do a good enough job against Ted McMillan and Hunter Renfro don't let McMillan explode put the onus on Bryce Young and as far as the trenches the Patriots I think have the advantage like I said with the offensive line I think the Patriots have the
Starting point is 00:28:37 advantage with their defensive line against the Panthers offensive line, especially in the interior. The Carolina Panthers have a backup center and a backup right guard right now. Going through some injuries on that offensive line. So I'm talking to Milton Williams. I'm talking to Kyrie's Tonga. I'm talking to Christian Barmore. The interior of this defensive line should win consistently on Sunday.
Starting point is 00:29:02 If they're doing their job, they're winning consistently. And Carolina, they got some weird run numbers. And I know Julian counsel during the crossover said they want to run the football and establish to run. They've got some quirky numbers. Now, I do think that Chuba Hubbard and Rico Dowdo are good backs. I do. I think they're good backs. I think they're good backs off to slow starts.
Starting point is 00:29:25 But they're 25th in the NFL in yards per play when you look at run, 3.7 under 4 yards of carry. But they're not too bad in EPA at 14th. they're 31st and 10 plus yard run. So they're not busting big chunks of yardage in their run game. But they're average with stuff rate. And they're actually in the top 10 in success rate when they run the ball. Now they are also awful. And this goes to the offensive line.
Starting point is 00:29:51 They're 28th in yards before contact per attempt. The offensive line is not getting push in the run game. And that's why the defensive line should win. the Patriots should win that matchup in the trenches. The interior defensive line should be a major headache for this Panthers offense. No doubt about it. Now, I also think you won't see a ton of pass rush because Dave Canales and this
Starting point is 00:30:19 offense will get rid of the football quickly, a la Miami, a la Pittsburgh. So a lot of quick passes. But you should be winning up front. And you should absolutely win up front against this. this run game. Make them one dimensional. Limit Tet McMillan, and I'm not sure this offense can do a ton against you. As long as you play responsible football. One more note, the dirty kickoffs, something to watch for. Carolina has this like knuckleball kickoff, and I was watching that game
Starting point is 00:30:52 against Atlanta, and I'm telling you, Atlanta was a mess. It was a blooper reel. Dudes could not figure out how to get that kickoff. So you don't want that to swing a game. Here's my prediction. Patriots win 2317. 2317, they get back on track, two and two heading to Buffalo. All right, that wraps up this edition of Lockdown Patriots.
Starting point is 00:31:16 Thank you for making us your first listen and for being an every dare. Reach out to me on Twitter at Nick C. Radio. And don't forget to throw a comment in on the YouTube channel, hit that like button and subscribe. And for your second listen, get a double dose. the Lockdown NFL podcast with Tyler the Madman Roland and Tony Wiggins. Find Lockdown NFL on YouTube or wherever you listen to podcasts. Have a great day, a great start to your weekend, and we will see you on Sunday for a postgame live stream.

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