Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Trudging Ahead: Patriots Use the Present to Forge the Future - 12/22/2020

Episode Date: December 22, 2020

The New England Patriots are not used t having weekends in January to themselves. However, the reality is that the Pats’ season will conclude in just two weeks. Joining host Mike D’Abate is Steve Balestrieri of PatsFans.com. The duo discuss the Patriots Pro Bowl selections, the process of keeping the offensive line intact for 2021, and take an early look at the matchup against the Buffalo Bills on Monday, December 28.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.BetOnline AGThere is only 1 place that has you covered and 1 place we trust. Betonline.ag! Sign up today for a free account at betonline.ag and use that promocode: LOCKEDON for your 50% welcome bonus. 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/LockedOn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You are Locked On Patriots, your daily New England Patriots podcast. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Hello to all of you Foxborough faithful. You are now locked into the Lockdown Patriots podcast. And as difficult as it may be, it's time to embrace the present and continue to look ahead to the future here on your daily home for news notes and analysis infused with the occasional opinion on your six-time Super Bowl champions, the New England Patriots. Today, Lockdown Patriots is brought to you by 1010.

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Today is December 23rd, 2020, three days until the Christmas holiday. And even though it may feel like your New England Patriots gave all of us here in Pats Nation nothing but a stocking full of coal for this year's holiday present, I assure you, all hope is not lost, and your New England Patriots will begin that rebuilding process to hopefully a more prosperous 2021. And as much as we've discussed the work that needs to be done, both on the offensive and the defensive side of the ball for your New England Patriots,

there are some solid units on this team and some bright spots on which they can build, three of which yesterday were named to the 2020 Pro Bowl, and I'll get into that in a moment. But seeing that we're continuing to embrace the present, as difficult as it may be, and look ahead to the future, we need a level-headed voice of reason to help guide us there. And luckily for us here today on the present, as difficult as it may be, and look ahead to the future, we need a level-headed voice of reason to help guide us there. And luckily for us here today on the pod, Steve Balistrieri of Patsfans.com is back

for his weekly Tuesday appearance. And Steve and I will discuss some of the Patriots' brightest spots of 2020. Yeah, there were a few of them, folks. It wasn't all bad news in Foxborough this year, including a unit on the offensive side of the ball. Yes, folks, don't adjust your settings. I said the offensive side of the ball that might have just been their strongest suit in 2020.

And last but certainly not least, we'll start that look to the future by looking into the immediate future. And that means the Patriots hosting the Buffalo Bills this coming Monday, December 28th. So as I always like to say, Pats Nation, sit tight, settle in, an action-packed agenda on the pod today. And my good friend and Patriots Paesan Steve Balistrieri will join me to break it all down here on the hot seat in just a moment. But first, we start with some pleasant news out of Foxborough, and yesterday evening the NFL

announced its selection for the Pro Bowl based on player performance in the 2020 NFL season, and your New England Patriots are sending three players to the Pro Bowl. Of course, remember that this year due to COVID-19 concerns, the Pro Bowl will be held as a week-long virtual event instead of a football game between the conference All-Stars. That being said, the three Patriots that were selected are definitely worthy. First up, punter Jake Bailey. Some can argue that Jake may actually be the Patriots MVP this year. And you know what?

I'd really be hard-pressed to argue with him. Jake has been nothing short of amazing this year. He leads the NFL with a net average of 46.1 yards per punt, and he's second in the AFC with an average of 48.7 yards per punt. But that's just scratching the surface when it comes to his impressive 2020 resume. He leads the AFC with 24 punts down inside the opponent 20-yard line, and his net and his gross punt averages are right now both on pace to set new single-season franchise records.

Because Jake is doing such an amazing job punting the football, he's also allowed the Patriots to only allow 46 return yards so far, that second in the NFL behind the 38 yards allowed by the New Orleans Saints. And what's truly remarkable here is that if he can keep that pace up for the last couple of games against Buffalo and then again against the New York Jets, he has a chance to set the Patriots record for fewest punt return yards allowed in a season, which was done back in 2007. But for all of his punting prowess, Bailey is all over the field on special teams. He also handles kickoff duties, and he's the primary holder on extra points and field goal attempts.

Something that Bill Belichick pointed out to all of us in the media in his Wednesday morning conference call. Had nothing but high praise for Jake Bailey, and he definitely deserves it. So congratulations to Jake on his Pro Bowl honor. He joins Rich Camarillo, who was voted to the Pro Bowl in 1983, as the only two Patriots punters to ever win this honor. Joining Jake on this season's AFC Pro Bowl roster is cornerback Stephon Gilmore, headed to his fourth career Pro Bowl, his third consecutive with the

New England Patriots. Of course, we know Stephon has missed a couple of games. He will miss the final two with the Patriots this year, but he started all 11 games he played this year, totaled 37 tackles, one interception, three passes defended, and one forced fumble. And I have no problem saying that I think the reigning defensive player of the year right now is still the best cornerback in football. As we found out yesterday, courtesy of Ian Rappaport of NFL Network, Stephon will undergo off-season surgery to repair a partially torn quad, wishing him nothing but the best in his recovery. And even though the Patriots have some financial and logistical things to work out with Stephon

in terms of whether or not he'll be back in New England next year, I for one certainly hope that we'll be seeing Stephon back on the practice fields adjacent to Gillette Stadium in 2021. Rounding out the three Pro Bowl selections is, of course, special teams ace Matthew Slater. Nine career Pro Bowls as a special teams player. That extends his record for the most special teams Pro Bowl honors in NFL history. With the selection, Matthew is now tied with John Hanna for the second most Pro Bowl selections in franchise history. Of course, the most Pro Bowl selections held by a Patriot player is 14 by Tom Brady.

But make no mistake about it, Matthew is as valuable to this team as it possibly gets. One of the truly great guys in this or any walk of life that you'll ever meet, and I for one could not be happier to see him get the accolades he so richly deserves. A class act in every sense of the word, and he is more than worthy of this selection. So all in all, the Patriots sent three to the Pro Bowl for their performances in 2020, and if I'm being honest, I think a strong case could have been made for two additional selections. Rookie offensive lineman Michael Wainu, who has been a phenomenal anchor to that offensive line this year, and also cornerback J.C. Jackson, second in the league in interceptions,

one of the best years I've seen a Patriots young cover corner have in quite a while. I think J.C. should have been on this team, but you know what, folks? We all know here in Patriots Nation that J.C. proves his worth each and every time he takes the field. In the eyes of most of us here in Patriots Nation, I say both Michael Wainu and J.C. Jackson are Pro Bowlers. But, as a wise man once said, it is what it is. But the Pro Bowlers that were selected were definitely a bright spot for New England, and two of them in particular might find themselves the subject of some off-season discussion. Not necessarily controversial discussion, but friendly discussion more or less. Considering the season Jake Bailey had, can you make the argument that he was indeed the Patriots 2020 MVP? And when you look at the career of Matthew Slater as a special teams ace,

does it warrant a selection into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton? Well, even though emotion can sometimes get the better of you in these types of arguments, the best thing to do is to go to a source of reason. Level-headed objectivity, if you will. And it just so happens that our guest today has that level-headed reason. Discussing these topics and more today here on the pod is Steve Balistrieri, who joins me here on the hot seat when the Locked On Patriots podcast continues. But first, Locked On listeners, are we ready for some football?

College football heads into bowl season, and there are some big matchups this weekend. The NFL regular season continues to finish up, with the playoff picture becoming more clearer by the day. And there's only one place that has you covered, and one place we trust. BetOnline.ag. Sign up today for a free account at BetOnline.ag, and use that promo code LOCKEDON for your 50% welcome bonus. Several exciting games on tap for Week 16 here in the NFL coming up,

including Pittsburgh trying to right the ship against the Indianapolis Colts. Old friend and associate Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers trying to increase their playoff prowess against the Detroit Lions. And of course, your New England Patriots, substantial underdogs at home against the Buffalo Bills. Don't sit on the sidelines anymore. Get in on the action. Don't forget to use that promo code LOCKEDON to receive a 50% welcome bonus with your first

deposit. And don't forget to use the hashtag BETONLINE and visit our good friends and exclusive partner on social media at BETONLINE underscore ag to take advantage of the best bonuses in the business sign up for a free account and use the promo code locked on for your sign up bonus bet online your online sportsbook experts patriots fans the sting of sunday's loss to the Dolphins will be around for a while. And with the Patriots essentially playing off the string, it is time to look ahead to 2021. But make no mistake about it. Patriots have two remaining games on the schedule, including this Monday night in Foxborough,

against the AFC East Division champion Buffalo Bills. That still doesn't sound right, but you know what? It's 2020, and as Bill would say, it is what it is. Locked on Patriots still has you covered with a Christmas Eve crossover Thursday talking to Joe Marino of Locked On Bills and of course our Monday pregame episode of Locked On Patriots.

So be sure to stay locked into Locked On Patriots throughout the holidays. But today here on the pod we get our weekly dose of reason and accountability. And to help me further break down the Patriots outlook, not just for the remainder of 2020, but also into 2021 is my Patriots Paisan.

He is an amazing columnist for patsfans.com and one of the best guys in this or any business. Steve Balistrieri joins me today for his weekly appearance on Locked On Patriots. Welcome back to the pod, my friend. Hey, Mike. Thanks for having me. As always, it's a pleasure, but I wish we were talking about something a little more positive today. I do too, buddy. I think we all do here in Patriots Nation. Look, it's been a long time since the Patriots have been on the outside looking in, especially when it comes to the playoffs.

And, you know, neither one of us have had January weekends to ourselves in quite a while. I don't know about you, but I'm soliciting ideas right here on Locked On Patriots on how I should spend my January. I've been asking my followers what I can possibly do with my subscribers. You know, I'm open to suggestion. Let's just say that. But, you know, the Pats do have some 2020 miles still to travel.

The season is not over yet, even though it feels like it is. And we'll start to look ahead to that matchup with the Buffalo Bills in a moment. But first, for all the negativity in the fan base right now, Bud, the Patriots did have some bright spots this year. And three of those bright spots were honored yesterday with Pro Bowl selections for the 2020 team cornerback stefan gilmore special teams ace matthew slater and a guy we know pretty well punter jake bailey and steve let's start there because when bailey was taken as a fifth round draft selection by the patriots in 2019 i was actually in the patriots press room when that selection was made and there was a little bit of a rumbling about what is he doing? Why is Bill taking a fifth round draft selection and putting it into the hands of a punter?

The fan base was really not happy about this. I mean, you heard everything from how could Bill take a punter in the fifth round? Ryan Allen just won us a Super Bowl. Bill, the GM GM strikes again. We even heard on terrestrial radio between the hours of 2 and 6, don't move, Mike. He blows. But in any case, you know, it's funny you don't hear that anymore when it comes to Jake Bailey.

He's developed into one of the most consistent members of this team, really, since his rookie season. He's had some ups and downs in year one, but I think he was solid last year and he has really been a weapon for the team this year. His leg strength, his hang time, his ball placement have all been excellent. And, you know, our inside joke between Steve and myself, folks, is that some of the punts we watched him put up in practice still haven't landed yet. I think there may be some truth to that. This guy's got incredible, incredible strength and hang time for a punter. And it really has helped the Patriots flip field position,

even though the offense has really struggled this year. Jake ranks fourth in the NFL in gross punting average, which is 48.7 yards, folks. First in net punting, which is 46.1 yards. And those numbers are incredible makes no leaves no argument as to whether or not he deserves this spot he's absolutely deserving of this but i'm gonna put you a little bit on the hot seat here steve do you think that there's any merit to the argument that jake bailey has been the Patriots MVP this year? I think you can make that argument. I mean, you look at this game and just about every other game,

he's put the Patriots in great position. And then on Sunday's game, I mean, you know, he only punted twice. The first one was 56 yards, which was like he boomed the heck out of that one. But that wasn't even his best punt. His 37-yarder from Miami's 40-yard line was absolutely perfect. He bounced the ball right inside the five. Matthew Slater does what Matthew Slater always does. And, you know, great hand-eye coordination.

They don the ball at the two-yard line. It's just, I mean, these guys all work together. And I'm sure we'll touch on special teams more, you know. But I thought Bailey has been their best weapon all year long. He's been their most consistent weapon all year long. Yeah, he really has been if you think about it. I mean, save for the fact that Nick Falk, I think, has really surprised a lot of people this year. I really want to give a lot of credit to Nick. I did a little yesterday here on Lockdown Patriots. Going to do it again because

this is a guy that not a lot of people thought would even be on this team earlier this year, myself included. I thought the Patriots were ready to roll with Justin Rohrwasser. It's a name we haven't said a whole lot this year here on the pod. It's a name the Patriots were ready to roll with Justin Rohrwasser. It's a name we haven't said a whole lot this year here on the pod. It's a name the Patriots nation hasn't said a whole lot here. And the Patriots did expunge valuable draft capital to bring in Justin. But Nick coming in has been definitely a breath of fresh air, and he's been consistent all year long. But Jake Bailey has just been that type of punter that you know if the Patriots are unable to advance the ball,

he's going to pin the opposing offense very deep in their territory. And a lot of that is coverage related. I'm not going to sit there and say that he doesn't benefit from having great coverage guys like Matthew Slater and Justin Bethel in the lineup. No question about it. He does. But again, the leg strength, the hang time, the ball placement, these are all things that a punter needs to put together Jake Bailey is not only adept at all three he's one of the best in the league if not the best in the league at all three and when you can put those together you know you've got

something special so for all of the love that Bill loves to throw around for Johnny Hecker out in Los Angeles uh I think that uh he's definitely got a keeper in Jake Bailey, and no one knows that better than Bill Belichick. Well, maybe Cam Atchard. I think he's probably definitely toasting, giving him a Christmas toast this year more than on one occasion. He's definitely made that unit look great. But you speculated that we were going to talk about special teams, and we're going to continue to talk about special teams because few, if any, on this team conduct themselves with the class and the sincerity of Matthew Slater. Even the most ardent Patriots hater loves Matthew. And there's no mystery as to why just one of the most genuine, one of the most heartfelt guys of any Patriot that I've had the opportunity

to speak directly with Matthew was by far my favorite, simply because he just makes you feel better about yourself. He makes you feel better about everything in the world when you talk to him. But that being said, he's still one of the best at the position in the game today. No Patriot on this roster has more Pro Bowl nominations on his resume than Matthew Slater. The ninth time now he's made the cut,

including two straight. And, you know, really, even at age 35, Slater is always the first player down the field on punt and kickoff returns. He's helped the team make key tackles as well as blocks. He's actually helped to stop five return attempts this year, according to Pro Football Focus and the credits that they give him for that. It's no secret. I've said several times here on Locked On Patriots, that's not by happenstance.

That is by design. Matthew Slater is always in the right place at the right time. But Slater's ability to impact the return game, in my opinion, is still unparalleled. And it leads you to the question about his status, not just in football right now, but in NFL history. And I know special teamers don't usually get a lot of love in Canton. But I think Slater is a surefire hall of famer. Steve, do you believe that when all is said and done that he will be enshrined someday?

Because we know it's a given that he'll be a Patriots Hall of Famer. I don't think there's any question on that. We're going to see him with the red jacket on. But is there a gold jacket in this guy's future? I would certainly hope so. I mean, you know, there's been a few special teamers through, you know, the modern era of the NFL that are quite deserving of that. And like you said, they don't get a lot of love.

And I understand that there's only, you know, so many guys that can make it every year. But they really need to start recognizing some of these guys that do this because, I mean, as Bill Belichick says, special teams is a big part of everything they do. And you go back through, you know, this era with the Patriots where, you know, they were dominant. You can almost put a stamp on just about every big game

where special teams loomed large for them. And Slater's been a tremendous part of that. He's been head and shoulders above everyone else. You can see it when they play other teams. You know, before and after the games, players who play on special teams make a beeline for Slater because there's that respect factor there. I certainly hope he makes it into Canton.

I would love to see his dad and him, you know, together in football's Hall of Fame. Absolutely. And his dad, Jackie, is such a strong influence in his life, as his entire family, his mom, everybody. And when you talk to Matthew, you can see it light up in his eyes when he talks about his family and he talks about his father and the respect that he has not only for him as a father obviously the deep love that they have for each other but the respect that he has for what he's done on the field and for that moment for Matthew I can't think of a better way for him to get the honor and the accolades that he deserves than to stand alongside his dad in Canton that'd be an amazing amazing thing for both players and both of those guys

deserve it because they really are two of the great guys that you'll ever meet but that being said I agree with you on the field Matthew Slater's contributions to this team in the latter half of the dynasty years for the Patriots and especially this year are indelible and when you're consistently listed as one of the best at what you do in the NFL during the era in which you play, that's a Hall of Famer in my book. I don't care what position it is. I don't care if special teams gets a little less love. This is not the offensive and defensive Pro Football Hall of Fame.

This is the continuous, comprehensive Football Hall of Fame. And I think Matthew Slater deserves to be there. Another guy that I think absolutely deserves enshrinement is Tasker. I think he's another one that's been overlooked for quite some time as well. The New England Patriots have a special player in Matthew Slater without question, and I believe he definitely deserves to be in there.

So hopefully from our lips to God's ears, he'll get that enshrinement, but definitely glad to see him back in the Pro Bowl and glad to see him getting the accolades he deserves. On a special teams unit this year that really has been one of the Patriots' bright spots, you mentioned Matthew, we've mentioned Jake, but also Nick Folk. Also Gunnar Ryszewski coming on in the last couple of weeks, showing maybe some prowess in the return game. Dante Moncrief, prior to going out on injury, showed a little bit of promise as well in being able to do some kick returns.

And of course, Justin Bethel is always back there in coverage. And the Patriots plug anybody and everybody into that special teams unit because everybody contributes in a New England Patriots system. Steve, it's nice to give the accolades. It really, really is. And they're well-deserved for the Patriots pro bowlers. But as I said earlier, there are still two games left for this season. And one of the Patriots most consistent units faces some off-season questions, regardless of the quarterback situation, a stout offensive line is going to be an absolute must

to provide adequate protection for whoever is calling signals in new England in 2021. How will the Patriots build that line? Steve and I will also look ahead to the Patriots to provide adequate protection for whoever is calling signals in New England in 2021. How will the Patriots build that line? Steve and I will also look ahead to the Patriots' post-Christmas Monday night guests, the Buffalo Bills. More with Steve Balistrieri when the Locked On Patriots podcast continues. Locked On 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, you need the energy to accomplish your

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locked for 20% off at builtgo.com. That's B-U-I-L-T-G-O dot com promo code LOCKED. Let's go! 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. Patriots Nation, Steve Balistrieri of Patsfans.com joins me here today on the pod. And Steve, no question about it, lot went wrong in sunday in miami um very few bright spots your post-game grades have been given via patsfans.com folks as always one of my favorite columns of the week is viewing steve's grades and i definitely encourage you to check them out. Not glowing grades, as you would expect, no question, but one unit that did grade highly. And really, I think that's been the case all season is the offensive line. As you wrote, and I thought you wrote this very eloquently, the O-line played a pretty good game. They opened up some holes in

the running game. The team did average 5.3 yards per rushing attempt, posted 117 yards on the ground. Sonny Michel, I thought, stepped up and played as well as he could in the absence of Damian Harris. I think the opportunity for more was there, and you wrote that as well. The pass protection wasn't too bad. Justin Heron filling in at left tackle was beaten on two straight plays, with the first being a sack. But overall, his game wasn't bad, considering the role he was asked to play. David Andrews had to leave with a leg injury. James Ferentz came in and filled in.

The Patriots just have that next man up mentality when it comes to all of their operations, but really on the O-line. But when you look at this O-line for 2021, there could be a big absence, and that big absence could be in the form of Joe Tooney if the Patriots decide not to pony up and give this man a contract and he decides to go elsewhere which I think is likely also we don't know the status of Marcus Cannon whether he'll be back next year that seems

highly unlikely at this point so it could be a lot of young players like Harone like Michael Wayne who I thought could have been a choice for the pro bowl i thought he was worthy of it when you look at this offensive line as a whole steve uh based on what you're seeing this season is it encouraging into next year and can they get by if they lose some key veterans like a toonie or even like a marcus cannon well uh you know looking at some of the opt-outs i think cannon will be gone next year because of his cap situation um you know uh with with the salary cap being reduced next year a nine i believe it's nine and a half million dollar cap hit for marcus cannon i think they

showed with the young guys that they can get by with what they have. And I thought the young guys played pretty well, especially you mentioned Uenu and Haran. You know, those guys were, you know, when they came out on the draft, they were thought to be strictly guards in the NFL, and they've shown that they're much more than that. They can play guard. They can play guard. They can play tackle.

You know, Haran had a couple of, well, he had a bad sequence there, but overall I thought he did pretty well. Owenu has been fantastic all year. I think Owenu will be your starting right tackle next year. You know, if Joe Tooney leaves, which I think is very, very possible, then they'll have to make a decision on, you know, where they're going to go with that. But if they keep Tooney, I think Haran might be your swing tackle next year.

I think they'll move away from Illuminor. You know, it'll be Isaiah Wynn and Awenu, and I think Haran will be your swing guy. And James Ferentz is like, you know, he's one of those kind of plug and play guys who comes in. I thought other than he had one kind of funky snap on there, but other than that, I thought he acquitted himself very well. I think the offensive line has been a strength of this team all season long, and I look for that to continue in 2021.

Obviously, it'll be better with Tooney, but I think there's a very good chance he'll be gone. Yeah, it's hard to imagine a scenario where Tooney is going to get the best deal for his value and feel that he's getting the best deal from his value in New England. You have to think that there are teams out there that are going to open up their wallet. And look, we know about tampering. We know about back channels and things of that nature. Joe Tooney's agents and Joe Tooney are very well in tuned as to what the market is going

to be for him. So to envision a scenario where he comes back to the Patriots is not impossible, folks. It could happen, but I don't think it's likely. And if that's the case, then we will see some's a new draftee, whether it's a new quarterback that comes in via free agency or maybe even via trade, one of the big things that will absolutely be needed, especiallyasillo and Cole Popovich did a great job this year coaching up that unit in the absence of Dante Skarnecchia. They're going to need to be equally as good, if not better, in 2021 to have this team try to get back in contention for a playoff spot. Lastly, my friend, we do have to look ahead. And even though there's going to be a lot of looking back and a lot of looking ahead to 2021, there is still some immediate tasks at hand for the Patriots in 2020. And the first up is the Buffalo Bills, which, again, I said earlier, were the AFC East Division champs. Not really something that sits well with Patriots fans, not something that's easy to believe, but they're going to visit Foxborough on Monday and they're the, they're the division champs for the first time since 1995. I was in my very early teens to put that in perspective. So clearly it's been a while

since Buffalo is coming here and been the division champions. But what can you say? I mean, you got to tip your cap to this ball club. Josh Allen is playing at an elite level. Stephon Diggs clearly emerged as a playmaker in that offense. They're running the football with efficiency. Very good in the slot with Cole Beasley. Defensively, the Bills boast a very good secondary, a tremendous secondary in my opinion, and a front seven that's getting healthy at the right time. Steve, what are your impressions of this Buffalo team,

and what do you think we can expect to see on Monday in Foxborough? Well, you know, it's funny you mention that, because I kind of had a feeling after they, you know, secured the division crown that it might be a little bit of a letdown with Buffalo, but with Pittsburgh, you know, almost in a free fall right now, losing their third game in a row. Buffalo now has a chance at the number two seed. And so I think we're going to see Buffalo coming in to this game ready to go.

So I think that, you know, it's going to be a tough matchup for New England because the problems with the run defense. And then when the run defense suffers, it kind of, you know, kind of walks its own way into pass defense because you have too many of your secondary guys trying to help out, you know, in support of run defense. I think it's a tough matchup this week because Buffalo's offense can score. We've seen that. And I just have that feeling that the Patriots' offense, I mean,

they haven't scored a touchdown in two weeks. I think they're going to have a really rough time of keeping up with them. The passing game has been substandard, although the running game has been good. We talked about that. I thought Sonny Michel had his best game in a very long time. But good teams will figure out a way to stop that when you're one-dimensional. Yeah, without question. And let's not forget that the Patriots are going to be without

Stephon Gilmore's services for the rest of the year. Stephon plays and always has played his former team very tightly. That's a game that he always circles, whether the Patriots are in contention, whether it means something or whether it doesn't. There is always still a little bit of a chip on Stephon's shoulder, and he's done a great job in matching up with some of the corners corners that you see in Buffalo they won't have those services this time around J.C. Jackson emerges as the number one and as adept and as uh you know competent as he is at being able to do that this is not a knock at J.C. and and anyway um they are one corner one strong corner down

and Josh Allen has proved that he can exploit secondaries when there are some coverage issues and the Patriots front seven is coming off of arguably its worst game of the season after that debacle in Miami you have to think that on both sides of the ball right now the Patriots are going to be outmatched and Buffalo like you said does have something to play for thanks to the Cincinnati Bengals just embarrassing the Pittsburgh Steelers. And they're in free fall right now. So without question, it's a lot for Buffalo to play for. And, of course, they would love nothing more than to come up and celebrate that billboard that they put up in Foxborough.

Not a good sight, but just not a good sight for Patriots fans. You know, the league's best fans and you see the buffalo bills logo in foxborough it's just yeah tough to take but you know it's been it's yeah it's an epitaph i think for 2020 and uh hopefully it'll serve as motivation uh for 2021 but uh we live in hope and maybe the patriots are saving some of their best for last who knows i know i'm the eternal optimist i I'm trying, buddy. I'm trying. I'm trying. It's the season of perpetual

hope, Steve. We live in Christmas hope. And speaking of that, from the bottom of my heart, thank you so much for joining me here today. And each and every week here on Locked On, Patriots, you've become a weekly guest here on the pod. My subscribers and our

listeners love it. We hope to keep you coming back for, you know, weeks and weeks and weeks to come, but it being the holidays, I just wanted to thank you again for always being there for the handoff when I need you. Please let our listeners know what they can expect from the great pen and

the great voice of Steve Balistrieri in the coming days, as we head into the holidays, both on patsfans.com and, of course, on the one and two Patriots Place combinations with you, our good friend Thomas Murphy. And let's not forget the Countess of Klaas herself, Claire Cooper. Please enlighten us as to what we can expect in the coming days from you, buddy. Yeah, I mean, you know, I'm watching Bill's tape right now,

and like I said, it's going to be a tough matchup for the Patriots. But, you know, the last time they played them in Buffalo, they gave them a really good game. They had an opportunity to win that game. They let it slip away like so many they've done this year. I'll be looking at Buffalo, and then I'm going to start taking a dive at what we're going to be looking at in 2021. You know, it's time. It's almost time to start looking at who stays,

who goes because of the salary cap being lowered this year. I think it will have an effect on the way they decide to rebuild this football team. And I think, you know, it's going to effect on the way they decide to rebuild this football team. And I think, you know, it's going to start with the quarterback. We'll have to see, I believe, you know, what direction they're going to go with this. And then after that, free agency, you know, there's a lot of guys that will be out there in free agency.

And the Patriots have the, you know, the flexibility to make some moves. So that's what I'll be doing. And, of course, I'll be watching the football game. Hopefully we'll be talking next week about them upsetting the Buffalo Bills. You know what? I would love it if that were the case. And, again, we live in hope. Let's hope for, you know, the best love it if that were the case and again we live in hope let's hope for you know the the best when it comes to this and you know bottom line but it's it's 2020 and

stranger things have happened maybe the Patriots can pull it out and you know be play the role of spoiler for a change we're used to having our plans either spoiled or accentuated in this time of year maybe the Patriots can actually play spoiler and rain on the Buffalo Bills parade a little bit and prevent them from jumping through tables or whatever they do up there in Buffalo. But in any case, I wish you and your family a very happy holiday. Stay safe. Stay well, as always. And we look forward to breaking it all down with you next week as we march toward the

end of the 2020 season for the Pats. Thank you, Mike. Merry Christmas. And just like that, Patriots Nation, two down and two to go here on this holiday week of Locked On Patriots. And don't worry, Locked On will continue to have you covered as we march toward Monday night's matchup with the Buffalo Bills. Tomorrow here on the pod, we'll be breaking down the Bills. And of course, a Christmas Eve crossover Thursday edition of Locked on Patriots with Locked on Bills host Joe Marino. So to ensure that you do not miss a single second of the action, download and subscribe to the Locked on Patriots podcast on platforms such as Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, wherever you get your podcasts.

Just make sure that you're staying locked 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.