Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Time for 2021? - Patriots Slim Playoff Hopes Spawn Thoughts of the Future - 12/15/2020

Episode Date: December 15, 2020

The New England Patriots’ slim playoff hopes continue to dissipate with each passing day. As a result, the Pats might be best served by turning their sharp eye towards 2020. Joining host Mike D’Abate is Steve Balestrieri of PatsFans.com. The duo finally put Thursday’s Pats-Rams loss to rest, discuss New England’s potential future stars, and turn their attention to Sunday’s matchup with the Miami Dolphins.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/LockedOnSimpliSafeRight now, my listeners get a FREE home security camera, when you purchase a SimpliSafe system at SimpliSafe.com/LockedOnNFL 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 in to the Lockdown Patriots podcast. It is Tuesday, December 15th, 2020, and is it time already to move on to 2021? Well, you'll find out right here today 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. Locked on Patriots is presented today by Pepsi, made for football watching. This football season continues 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. Patriots Nation, thank you once again 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 Locked On Patriots account as well at LO underscore Patriots.

Pats fans, it is mid-December and usually around this time of year, the biggest concern amongst all of us Patriots fans are what seeding are the Patriots going to get in the playoffs? Will they lock up the number one seed in home field advantage? Will they be forced to play a playoff game on the road? Because by and large, the division was usually a formality, and the Patriots were simply wondering when they were going to play their playoff games, and how many of them would they be forced to play. In 2020, definitely a different circumstance for all of us here. As I said yesterday here on the

pod, for the first time since 2008, a new AFC East division champion will be crowned. The Patriots playoff hopes hanging by a minuscule thread, and that thread gets weaker and weaker by the day. I'll get into just how minuscule that thread is in just a moment. But all of this seems to point toward the Patriots using the next three games to prepare for 2021. And if I'm being honest, that's where my attention is starting to focus. And joining me

here today on Locked On Patriots is our resident voice of reason, Steve Balistrieri. And my Patriots Paisan from Patsfans.com and I will discuss the New England Patriots prospects for 2021. Whether it's time to see what the youngsters on this roster can really do and contribute to the team next year. And no folks, even though we'll touch on the quarterback position slightly, that's not going to be our main focus. We're talking young corners, young receivers, young tight ends, young defensive linemen, basically youth all over the field. We'll also start to turn the attention of our shop by toward the Miami Dolphins in a Sunday matchup in South Beach, the team that currently holds second place in the AFC East.

So once again, uncharted territory for the Patriots under Bill Belichick this late in the season, but to help us safely and reasonably navigate those waters is my good friend and more than capable navigator, Steve Balistrieri. So sit tight, folks, and Steve will join me here on the hot seat in just a moment. But just a moment ago, I talked about the Patriots' playoff chances and how they were hanging onto them by a minuscule thread. Well, that thread got even more minuscule last night. And how bad are the Patriots' chances of getting into the playoffs? Well, depending on the source that you use, the Patriots have anywhere

from a 2% chance to a 3% chance of making the playoffs. And sitting at 6-7 with just three games remaining, the pat streak of 11 straight playoff appearances is probably nearing its end. And why are those chances even more minuscule now than they were just 24 hours ago? Well, because last night on Monday Night Football, the Baltimore Ravens defeated the Cleveland Browns. And in doing so, the Ravens increased their chances of making the playoffs and simultaneously decreased the chances for the Patriots to make them as well. I said yesterday that as long as there was a chance, I would continue to entertain the thought.

And technically, folks, there is a chance. And I want to thank Ness and Zach Cox for pointing out exactly how the Patriots might be able to make the playoffs. And here's the path. First and most importantly, the Patriots will need to finish the season 3-0. That means they need to beat Miami this week, Buffalo the following week, and close out the regular season with a win over the New York Jets. Considering the way Miami and Buffalo are both playing, that's difficult, but folks,

it's not impossible. Then the Patriots would need a ton of help, and this is where it starts to get a little unrealistic. According to Zach, any three of these five scenarios would have to be met in order for the Patriots to make it in, assuming they win all of their games. And the five scenarios are this. One, Cleveland Browns would need to lose each of their final three games. Two, either the Indianapolis Colts or the Tennessee Titans would need to lose each of their final three games. The third scenario is that the Dolphins would lose at least two of

their final three. Scenario four, the Ravens would need to lose at least two of their final three. Scenario four, the Ravens would need to lose at least two of their final three, and the fifth and final scenario was that the Las Vegas Raiders would need to lose at least one of their final three games. If at least three of those five scenarios comes true, and the Patriots win their final three games, they'll be in the playoffs. So in case those of you are wondering if there's still a chance, that is the path to the postseason for the Patriots. It's a narrow one for sure, and I'm probably being generous when I say that. Technically, is it possible that the Patriots can defy the odds? Absolutely.

Is it likely? Definitely not. That's why their chances of making the playoffs are 2% to 3% at best. But one thing can't be ignored. This is 2020. And if there's ever been a year where up was down, left was right, good was bad, or day was night, this is definitely the year.

And could your favorite football team in Foxborough possibly pull off the impossible? Well, I'd consider it very difficult, but not impossible. At least, not yet. But if the seemingly inevitable should occur, we here at Locked On Patriots have got you covered. And in just a moment, our resident voice of reason, Steve Balistrieri, will join me here

on the hot seat as we wrap up our coverage of the Patriots Rams last Thursday, take a look ahead to the Miami Dolphins, and in between, we'll talk about some of the Patriots prospects for 2021. But first, this episode is brought to you by 1010. Now, you may have read about this in the New York Times or Forbes, and we're excited to tell you about it. 1010 is an exclusive collection of 10 one-of-a-kind engagement rings designed by 10 of the most distinctive designers working today. Using only diamonds responsibly sourced from Botswana, 10 design masters have each produced a uniquely beautiful commitment ring, launching exclusively on January 18th at BlueNile.com.

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Patriots fans, New England's playoff chances are down to a minuscule thread, but the days of the dynasty will continue to live on. And tomorrow here on Locked on Patriots, we will be taking a dip back into those dynasty days, as it will be my honor to welcome Jeff Benedict, author of the New York Times bestseller, The Dynasty, about the dynamic run of your New England Patriots, talking Belichick, Kraft, Brady, and so much more. So stay locked into Locked On Patriots for my conversation with Jeff right here tomorrow on Locked On Patriots. But here today on the pod to help me take a deeper dive into the Patriots 2020

prospectus is my Patriots Paisan this man is an amazing columnist for patsfans.com a regular guest here on Tuesday now on Locked On Patriots and most importantly one of the best guys in this or any business I say it every week folks and it only becomes more true with each passing day Steve Balistrieri joins me here today on the pod. Welcome back to Locked On Patriots, Steve, and thank you for always taking the time out to join me. Always my honor to share the mic with you, buddy. Hey, it's always a pleasure to talk football with you, Mike.

And yeah, I look forward to hearing that one tomorrow with the author of the dynasty and you you know the one guy with none of us have been able to snag yet on a podcast is willie mcginnis who i would love to sit and talk with willie oh absolutely i mean you can only imagine the stories and the inside information that willie would be able to provide just phenomenal but jeff was given an inside look from the patriots by the patriots and uh i'm definitely looking forward to talking with him folks if you haven't checked out jeff's amazing book definitely do your best to check that out oh um definitely i appreciate that check that out tomorrow folks but here today on the pod my friend uh You always bring that level of wisdom, of counsel, and just that level-headed approach that allows us to be able to make some sense out of everything that we're seeing

in Patriots Nation right now. But, you know, not for anything but the Patriots' playoff chances, I said minuscule earlier, they're slowly starting to dwindle away as each day passes. The Baltimore Ravens' victory over the Cleveland Browns last night, yet another hit against them. And it's looking more and more likely that the Patriots will be approaching these last three games with an eye on 2021. But again, you're the resident voice of reason here on Locked On Patriots. From yesterday's conversation that I had with our good friend Thomas Murphy, there was a

lingering concern that I still have from the Pats loss to the LA Rams on Thursday. And it was the intermittent use of Chase Winovich. And Murph had mentioned this, and I said that we would delve into this a little bit deeper. So I thought maybe we would discuss this today. Chase played 24 defensive snaps on Thursday night. That's just 38%. Most of those came in the second half as the team opted to use Anthony Jennings opposite John Simon in a 3-4 and the nickel 2-4-5 looks early on. Simon and Jennings struggled against the run. This was probably one of John

Simon's weakest games as a Patriot this season. And Nesson's Doug Kye had pointed out very eloquently via a tweet that, and I thought it was an interesting point, that New England actually did much better defending the run with Chase in the fold. When you look at the Rams' rushing attack minus the golf scramble and the kneel down, which are not factored in here, with Winovich on the field, the Rams' runners were able to carry the ball

11 times for 28 yards. They did get a touchdown on that. But with Winovich on the sidelines, they were able to carry the ball 23 times for 150 yards. Now, obviously, I think the Pats were probably thinking that Chase is best used in the pass rush. So they were better off using Jennings and Simon against the run. But those stats that Doug pointed out show that Chase is actually pretty effective in defending against a good running attack. And let's face it, the Rams have a very good running attack,

one of the better in the league. Steve, do you think that the Patriots are maybe selling Chase short as a complete defender? Or do you think that maybe they're selectively putting him in and that this is a part of his development i think uh the game on thursday night they just they knew the rams were going to run the ball they they knew what happened to them against san francisco that runs kind of a similar scheme not exactly the same but similar you know a lot of the concepts are the same. I just think they thought

going in that, you know, they'd be able to handle the running game better with, you know, a couple of the bigger guys, Jennings being one of them. I don't think it was a knock on Winovich at all. And I think the first two drives kind of skewed those numbers a little bit because those first two drives, Patriots, well, the first attempted run was 35 yards. I mean, they were gashed badly on those first two drives. And then the defense kind of settled in a little bit. They worked. I thought they worked Winovich in a lot more in the second half.

And, yeah, I think, you know, he's turning into an all-around player. I just thought it was a game plan specific type of thing. I didn't read much into it at the time. I mean, maybe we should have. But, you know, it's one of those things that I didn't think it was anything that we need to put up a red flag over. No, I completely agree. And I'm glad that you mentioned that because Murph and I kind of talked about this a little bit yesterday again here on the pod and start to get the sneaking suspicion

that, well, maybe we're going back into the days of the early days of the season where Chase was being used very sparingly. And we were looking at whether or not he was going to be able to make the contributions that we knew he was capable of making it's a little bit different when you actually look at the game plan the specifics how he's utilized the types of snaps and that he was utilized very uh very heavily in the second half so i think if they were trying to scheme him out or trying to develop him or anything like that, you would see a little bit less of Chase in the second half, even when the Patriots decided that they were going to abandon that early defending strategy of using Jennings and using Simon. I think Chase did show, I think the Patriots brass, that he's capable of making those plays. And that could help in the long run when it comes

to keeping him out on the field, both for run defense and pass defense, helps make him a more complete defender. And I think the Patriots will reap the benefits of that down the line when Chase really develops into more of that complete defender that everyone's hoping that he can be. And I think you're starting to see seedlings of that being planted in New England. Steve, staying on that subject sort of for a little bit, you are the master of grades. Each and every week, one of my favorite pieces is your weekly Patriots grades for patsfans.com. And there was a lot to lament in the Patriots' loss to the Rams without any question. And we're about to turn the corner and kind of move on from that game. But not to steal your thunder from your great work, but if you were

to hand out both highest marks and to keep in line with your military background, maybe a dishonorable discharge to either Patriots players or Patriots units this week, who would get your highest marks and who would get your lowest conduct report? Who would essentially come in high and who would essentially have come in low for you with the Patriots on Thursday? Well, I think, you know, when I look at, you know, the game on Thursday night, I think, you know, when I look at, you know, the game on Thursday night, I think the guy with the highest marks, once again, goes to Jake Bailey. I'm always impressed with him.

The special teams, I thought, were a little disappointing. I thought they were going to, you know to probably factor in more so than they did, but I'm always impressed with Bailey. I'm a definite Damian Harris apologist, so I'm always impressed with whatever he's doing out there. The offensive line, to me, they didn't assert their will like I thought they were going to, but I didn't really mark them down. And I wouldn't give anybody what you termed a dishonorable discharge, but I'd give a general discharge for the, you know,

for the benefit of the government, the way they word those. At the quarterback play, I thought Cam did not have a good game whatsoever, especially that interception, you know. He could see that Harris was being held up. That was a big turning point in the game. They had just intercepted Jared Goff. It looked like they were going to be able to crawl back into the game and make it at least a competitive game. Then he saw that he was being held up.

Rather than just throw the ball in the dirt and live to fight another day, he tried to force it in there. It gets picked off. But overall, he just wasn't good. He was not good. And we all know he's dealing with the stacked deck against him in terms of wide receivers, no viable tight ends, yada, yada. We've talked about that forever.

But at the same time, you know, we give quarterbacks the lion's share of the credit when teams win. And, you know, on the flip side, they get the most of it when they lose. Yeah, without question. I mean, it's a quarterback league, and the quarterbacks get all of the praise, but they will get a lot of the negativity that comes from the play on the field and look it's hard to ignore the evidence uh you know we've talked about actually talked a little bit yesterday with Murph about Cam's performance and how my

second third and fourth viewing of this game actually made me feel a little bit better about some of the throws that he made there was were some difficult circumstances that he was under. It was a little bit on the offensive line protection, which was not as good as it has been traditionally. But there were some throws and there were some moments that are purely on Cam, and he does have to own that. And to his credit, Cam is a guy that has owned it every single day, every single minute that he's spoken to the media or that he's given any type

of evaluation of his performance, he's always the first one to tell you that he needs to improve. And I do, I've been impressed by that with Cam all year long. I've never heard him either even given a hint of throwing someone else under the bus. And to me, that leadership is something that is endearing to Patriots Nation. And I think that it has us all rooting for him. And we hope that he's able to finish off the season strong with some strong performances, regardless of what that means for the Patriots. But Steve, you know, we can dwell on the past all we want to, but it's not going to change the present.

And that present and even the future is very uncertain and murky when it comes to the Patriots' postseason hopes. I think at this point we can probably agree that they're virtually non-existent. And in a moment, folks, I will seek the wisdom and counsel of our resident voice of reason. When it comes to looking ahead for your New England Patriots, where should the Patriots focus their attention on development? And we'll even take a first look at the Pat Sunday opponent, the Miami Dolphins. This and more when the Lockdown Patriots podcast continues. Lockdown listeners, breaks in the action always make me evaluate what I've accomplished and what still needs to be done. And no matter how much remains on your to-do list,

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Locked on, listeners, the wait is almost over. The 2020-2021 NBA season is almost here, and the Locked On NBA podcast will get you ready with a special week of shows beginning December 14th. Get previews of every team, division by division, from all 30 of our Locked On local NBA experts, plus waiver wire editions from Locked On Fantasy Basketball, rookies to watch from Chad Ford, and predictions on each division from rejecting the screen. Subscribe to Locked On NBA wherever you get your podcasts. Pats fan Steve Balistrieri joins me here today on Locked On Patriots to lend his wisdom and counsel on this Tuesday edition of the pod, becoming Steve's usual day.

And I, for one, could not be happier. I love the fact that I get to talk football with this man each and every week. And it's always, always a great time. And it's always my honor, buddy, to welcome you here. And again, Murph and I spoke yesterday a little bit about this. And I want to ask you to expound upon this subject a little bit. We actually, we touched on this in the in the previous uh segment as well and that's the quarterback situation uh continues to be the highlight of the Patriots uh season so far people have most of their sharp eyes focused on that

and Murph and I both agreed that sticking with Cam Newton through the end of 2020 is most likely the best course of action for this team for the remainder of the year. Now, next year, that's a conversation for another day, but quarterback isn't the only position that needs addressing. The Patriots have a ton of questions right now in the offseason. Some positions like cornerback, wide receiver, defensive line, that's just to name a few. Those positions are going to be under the microscope.

And those are positions where the Patriots have some young talent, and they find themselves in an unfamiliar territory in December, meaning that they're essentially playing out the string. As the saying goes, there's no training like on-the-job training. So Steve, when you look at this Patriots roster, and if in fact the Patriots are out of contention, is there a particular group or maybe a couple of groups of positions where you're looking forward to seeing what the young kids can do and maybe give the Patriots a glimpse into the future to help them set their roster both in terms of the draft and in free agency in the offseason? Yeah, you know, that's a great question because I think some of the younger guys on defense, you know, and you mentioned them earlier in the pod, Anthony Jennings, Josh Uche, you know, Kyle Duggar. These, I think, are going to be guys that are going to be kind of your, you know, they're going to be the backbone of your team in the upcoming future. So I think, you know, I'm looking forward to seeing more and more of these guys

because I think they need to make a decision with some of the, you know, the veterans, guys like Dr. Hightower, Pat Chung, you know, guys who opted out. I think, you know, when you're looking at that, of course, you have Damian Harris on offense. And, you know, he's not a younger guy per se, but I think they need to make a decision where they're going to go with a guy like Dante Moncrief, who has showed he can fill in with some special teams. He's done a good job blocking.

But can he be a good part of this offense when you're trying to throw the football? So those kind of guys I think you need to make a decision on. And with three weeks to go, let's see what they can do. I agree. And I mean, especially with uh to the wide receiver position um guys that have made a little bit of an impact and you know I know with you know practice squad eligibility and stuff like that Isaiah Zuber is someone that actually caught my eye and you'd want to take a look and see what you have there uh maybe there's some chance that he could uh be

someone in this offense that could uh you know, show a little promise next year. Guy that Murph and I spoke about yesterday, cornerback Miles Bryant, you know, I mean, is someone that, you know, I think has shown flashes of being able to make some plays and be a factor in that secondary. Maybe not going to be the number one or number two shutdown corner in the league, but Miles is definitely capable of coming in here and giving the patriots uh a little bit of of help in in that area maybe even the slot after jonathan jones is ready to move on so there's a lot to like about some of the youngsters that the patriots have again i think you're absolutely right though when it comes to um the uh the wide receiver position It's not just about youngsters.

It's about veterans, guys that can come in here and make an impact. And Dante Moncrief has definitely caught the eye of the Patriots brass. I like what he brings in the kick return game. I think he brings good instinct when it comes to his play on the field. And he's a veteran. He brings that ability to pull on game experience and put it into practical action. So I like your suggestions, and I think you're going to be right on a lot of them, to be honest. Patriots definitely have some time now to be able to evaluate,

and we'll see whether or not they put that to use for some of the younger players, and we get a chance to see what some of these young guys can do. And, of course, the tight end position, Asi Asi Keene. You look to see what these guys can do. And of course, the tight end position, Ossie Ossie Keene. You look to see what these guys can do and hopefully, hopefully we'll get a little bit of a glimpse of that before the season is over.

I know our good friend Claire is clamoring for some tight end action and maybe we can get some here in New England before the end of the season. Murph, last but certainly not least, that leads me into the ultimate look ahead. And that is what's directly in front of you. Uh, and the Patriots right now are heading to South beach, taking their talents down

there to South beach, uh, to take on the Miami dolphins, the second place Miami dolphins in the AFC East and eight and five record mathematically, they are not eliminated from division contention. They can still challenge the Buffalo Bills. The New England Patriots, unfortunately, cannot. But Miami still has a slight path to that division title, albeit I think the Bills are going to wrap this thing up. But Miami is coming off of a loss against the Chiefs, 33-27, that a lot of people are calling a moral victory. They played them tough on both sides of

the ball, and I think Miami is proving that this defense is legitimate. They can hang with anybody, and their offense is starting to round out maybe in the offseason with a couple of more playmakers on that team. They might be able to make some noise, and Brian Flores has done a tremendous job in Miami this year. Steve, when you look at the Miami Dolphins in anticipation of Sunday's game, what are your early thoughts on this team and how is this team much more equipped and better to be able to handle the Patriots and give them not only a game but also possibly hand them a loss, something they couldn't do in the opening week of the 2020 season? Well, I think Miami's defense is head and shoulders much,

much better than they were when they met the Patriots early in the year. I think, you know, that they intercepted Pat Mahomes three times yesterday. So are on Sunday, excuse me. You know, when I'm looking at them, I think that defense is going to be really, really tough. Ryan Flores knows this team. You know, he has spent a lot of time here. He knows how the Patriots' offense is constructed. I think he saw it in the first game.

I think they're going to be better equipped to stop it this time around. I think, you know, looking at that, and I think their quarterback situation, I like what I've seen from Tua. I think he's the future of that franchise. And at the time I wasn't, I wasn't in favor of him switching out quarterbacks because I thought Ryan Fitzpatrick had been playing so well, but it turns out that, you know, I think Florida has made the right call.

I think Tua is starting to come into his own. And I think the Patriots are going to have a – they always have a rough time in Miami. We all know that. But I think they're going to have a really rough time this time around because I think this Dolphins team is for real. Yeah, I do too. I really think that this Dolphins team is for real. And, look, this is a type of team

uh that a lot of people are saying they don't want any part of in the playoffs uh in the NFC a lot of people are saying that about the Washington football team if you can believe that which that that defensive front is legitimate I mean you know you look at maybe uh offensively they may have difficulty moving the ball putting points. I think Alex Smith has been a tremendous story down there in Washington. And I really, you know, just in awe that he's even on the field. But in the AFC, I definitely think Miami is that type of team that you don't want any part of because that defense has really rounded into one of the more elite units in the conference. Intercepting Patrick Mahomes, making him look mortal, is something that Bill Belichick has been able to do. And you know Brian Flores took a lot of notes when he was here in New England about how to defend a guy like

Mahomes. I think he put it into action on Sunday, and they looked great doing it. And this team is capable of making plays on offense. Tua has really developed into the type of quarterback that Miami has hoped that he would, and going back to him has been a good decision. And I was on the fence myself about it, going back and forth between Tua and Fitzpatrick, and is that going to wreck the continuity of this team? It doesn't seem to have done so. Tua is once again in control, and Miami right now is going to be a tough team. So the Patriots always have a house of horrors down in Miami does that continue even without Tom Brady in the lineup we know it was Brady's kryptonite does this continue to be the Patriots kryptonite who knows maybe they go down

to South Beach find a little rejuvenation and maybe this one could be a positive for the Patriots but we'll continue to break that down as the week progresses. Steve, what can I say? You always, always are willing to come on, lend your wisdom and counsel, give us your level-headed approach, and tell us exactly what we need to hear in Patriots Nation. In the coming week, my friend, please enlighten our listeners what they can look forward to when it comes to the great pen and the great vocal work that you do

for Patsfans.com, for Patriots 4th and 2, 1 and 2 Patriots plays. Please enlighten us. What can we expect from the great mind of that you do for Patsfans.com, for Patriots 4th and 2, 1 and 2 Patriots plays. Please enlighten us. What can we expect from the great mind of Steve Balistrieri? Well, thank you, my friend. I always appreciate the kind words. I've been looking at the Dolphins moving forward, and I'll be pending some pregame keys to the game

and matchups to look for against Miami when they go down there. That's number one. And, of course, we'll start looking at some of the future. We'll start delving into, hey, this guy needs a closer look or that guy needs one or maybe phase another player out. You may be seeing enough of one guy, and, you know, your long-term plans aren't going to be including this guy.

We're going to start doing that kind of stuff. And, of course, later on this afternoon, I'll be joining the Big Green Man for our weekly podcast, and we're going to be joined by a really special guest, and we're going to talk about much of really special guest and we're going to talk about much of the same thing that we just talked about here absolutely and we always look forward to the primer and i think it's a great lead-in to one and two patriots place each and every week uh you and murph hitting the microphone to kind of prime what's going to be talked about throughout the

week but what can i say buddy you're always you are you are locked on patriots familia here as well and uh there's, there's no doubt about it. We look forward to it. I look forward to it each and every week, stay safe and stay well, bud. Next week, compact week with Christmas coming up, but we will have a game to break down in Miami. And I'm sure we'll have a lot to talk about the next time you and I hit the microphone. So in the meantime, again, stay safe and stay well.

And we look forward to talking to you next week. But thanks again for everything. Thank you. And just like that, Patriots fans, we're almost at the midpoint of your work week. And while we will continue to take a look ahead to the Patriots matchup on Sunday with the Miami Dolphins in South Beach, tomorrow here on the pod, New York Times bestselling author Jeff Benedict, author of The Dynasty, will join me here on Locked on Patriots. And that means taking a trip back in time in the Belichickian time machine

and we'll examine Jeff's insight on some of the most iconic moments in the history of the Patriots' dynasty. So an episode you will not want to miss, folks. And to ensure that you do not miss a single second of the action, subscribe to and follow Locked on Patriots on platforms such as Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts. No matter where you get your podcasts, just make sure that you're staying locked in to 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, Pats Nation, stay safe, stay well, continue to be the change you wish to see in the world. Have a great day, everyone.