Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Unpretty Win in Philly - 11/18/19

Episode Date: November 18, 2019

It may not have been aesthetically pleasing, but the New England Patriots gritted-out a 17-10 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday behind solid defensive and special teams play. Today, host Mike D’Abate breaks down the Pats win, and offers his take on why, despite the negative narrative, it is still ‘Sunny in Foxboro.’ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hello to all you Foxborough faithful and welcome to your Victory Monday episode of Locked On Patriots, your daily home for news, notes, analysis, and the occasional opinion on your six-time Super Bowl champions, the New England Patriots. This episode is brought to you in part by Away. Away creates thoughtful products designed to change how you see the world. For $20 off a suitcase, visit awaytravel.com slash locked on and use promo code locked on during checkout. If you're listening on the go

and can't visit away right now, you can find this and all other offers from Locked On sponsors at lockedonpodcast.com slash offers. My name is Mike DeBate and I am your host of Locked On Patriots, which of course is a part of the Locked On Podcast Network,

your team every day. Feel free to reach out to me on Twitter at MDABATEFPC and be sure to follow Locked On Patriots on Twitter as well at LO underscore Patriots. Folks, we heard all of the cliches last week. The city of brotherly love on one side, the hub on the other. The cheesesteaks versus the clam chowder. The Liberty Bell versus the USS Constitution. And if you made it through last week without getting sick of hearing the words Philly Special, well then you're a better

person than I am and hats off to you. But if we're being honest about what yesterday's matchup between the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles was, let's first be honest about what it wasn't. And that's a rematch of Super Bowl 52. Putting aside the huge difference in what happened on the field in both of those games, which we will get into in a minute, we're now two years removed from that game. The personnel on both squads is drastically different. And to say the Patriots were out for revenge in this game is probably disingenuous. Look, what the Patriots were out for is exactly what they collected at Lincoln Financial Field last night. A 17-10 hard-fought, gritty November regular season

victory over a very good Philadelphia Eagles football team. And today I'll be discussing exactly how the Patriots came away with the victory last night in Philadelphia. That includes breaking down some of the key plays and drives from an offensive and defensive standpoint, and I'll also provide some detail on why there's more to smile about this morning in Foxborough than frown about. After all, the Patriots did come away with a victory. They're 9-1 on the season, still sit atop the AFC. But to listen to some of the national and even local narratives surrounding this team, you'd never know it. Now that doesn't mean there aren't areas for concern.

There are, and I'm going to discuss those as well today. But to take the approach that this team's 9-1 record is simply smoke and mirrors? Quite frankly, folks, it's just not accurate, and I will be discussing why it's inaccurate throughout the course of today's show. So sit tight, everyone. I hope you all enjoyed today's podcast, and without further ado, let's talk some Patriots football. And what better way to start than with the action from last night? And the Patriots really could have asked for a better way to start last night's game. The Eagles had the ball first and got a big assist from Patriots cornerback Jason McCourty. Before the game even had a chance to warm up, McCourty was flagged for pass interference,

and that spotted the Eagles 49 yards and a big advancement down the field into Patriots territory. That set up an Eagles field goal, and just like that, Philadelphia had jumped out to a 3-0 lead. On their third drive, the Eagles put out their most impressive offensive output of the game. It was a drive that covered nearly 10 minutes and went 95 yards when Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz tossed a 5-yard touchdown pass to tight end Dallas Goddard. That was early in the second quarter, and that gave the Eagles a 10-0 lead. Now this was an interesting play. Initially, it was ruled a turnover because Patriots cornerback Jonathan Jones

ripped the ball out of Goddard's hands. And this really made all Patriots fans remember when Teddy Bruschi did something similar in the 2005 playoffs against the Indianapolis Colts. But in this game, for a brief moment, Patriots fans thought they had a turnover. But the call did go to the review booth, and it was eventually overturned. And it was the correct call. The knee did come down while Goddard had possession, and after looking at the play from multiple angles, it was difficult to uphold the original call of it being a turnover. But that being said, I want to credit Jonathan Jones on this. He's played tough football all year, and that, folks, was an example of why you should

never give up on a play. The argument can be made that that was a turnover, and if the officials saw it differently, that could have been a turning point. And Jones has been making plays like that all year, and that's one of the big reasons why the Patriots' defense has been so formidable this year. But putting that aside, the overturning of the call meant that the Patriots now found themselves in a 10-0 deficit. And I'm sure if you listened closely, you could hear the delight of all the Patriots haters just basking in the glow of seeing the Patriots trailing in the scoreboard,

hoping and praying that those defensive woes that they had two weeks ago against the Baltimore Ravens were still present and accounted for. But the defense would put the clamps on. They did not allow a single Philly point for the rest of the game, and I'll get back to the defense in just a moment. But on offense, it's not a stretch of the imagination to say that the Patriots did struggle in this game.

They actually didn't cross midfield until Tom Brady connected with Benjamin Watson for 22 yards to the Eagles 31 near the midpoint of the second quarter. But even at that point, they weren't able to punch through, had to settle for a Nick Falk 35-yard field goal. That cut the lead to 10-3. On their next possession, the Patriots offense looked like it started to find a little bit of a groove. Brady hit Watson again over the middle for a 19-yard gain to the Eagles' four. But the Patriots' story of the day was not being

able to carry that momentum and turn it into points. And that happened again here on this drive. Julian Edelman, who is always reliable for Tom Brady, dropped what would have been a certain touchdown pass on second down. Patriots were not able to convert on third and, again, had to settle for a Nick Folk field goal from 22 yards out to get the Patriots within 10-6. And shortly thereafter, like they have so many times this year, New England's defense then delivered a big turnover. Defensive tackle Danny Shelton sacked Carson Wentz.

That forced a fumble that was recovered by Lawrence Guy at the Eagles 22. Despite great field position, the Patriots just couldn't get anything going once again against the Philadelphia defense, and that forced the Pats to settle for another field goal. Nick Folk nailed a 39-yarder this time, his longest of the day, and that made it 10-9 at the half. Before I talk about the second half of the game, I just want to give some well-deserved kudos to Nick Folk. Granted, he's not making 50-yard field goals out there, folks, but he's

doing what the Patriots need him to do. He's making field goals within his range. As long as he continues to do so, not only will he have a job in Foxborough, he can also give Patriots fans a little bit of comfort as they watch him line up for a field goal attempt. So while Folk's numbers won't get him into the Pro Bowl anytime soon, I just wanted to take a moment to acknowledge the good work he did yesterday, especially in very windy conditions in Philadelphia. That's not an easy stadium to kick in to begin with, and when you have that wind blowing, it can definitely make things interesting.

So congrats to Nick Falk on a job well done yesterday. And that's something you haven't heard a lot of here on Locked On Patriots lately, giving credit to a Pats kicker for having a good game. But when you go 3-for-3 in field goal attempts, especially in difficult weather conditions, you'll definitely get some accolades, and I'm glad to give Nick Fulk some of those today. But there was still a whole other half to be played

in the City of Brotherly Love yesterday, and all the criticism that Tom Brady and the New England Patriots offense has been receiving both this morning into this afternoon, and probably will throughout the week, credit Tom Brady for driving the Patriots offense has been receiving both this morning into this afternoon and probably will throughout the week. Credit Tom Brady for driving the Patriots down to the Eagles 15 on the opening possession of the third quarter. After cutting the Eagles lead to one point to close out the second quarter, the Pats knew they needed to come out with a strong, aggressive drive in the third quarter

and really take advantage of having the ball first to open up the half. But when it looked like the Patriots might have some difficulty finding the end zone again, that's when you saw the trickery come out, and credit Josh McDaniels for dialing this one up. Facing a third and 11, Brady tossed a backward pass to Julian Edelman. And as most of you, if not all of you know, Julian Edelman once played quarterback for Kent State. And we talked about this several times here last week on Locked on Patriots. Keep a sharp eye out for the trickery. And here it was.

After receiving Brady's backward pass, Edelman fired a pass of his own into the end zone and found Philip Dorsett, who was alone, and hauled it in for the score. It was Edelman's second career touchdown pass. The other, of course, came in a playoff win over the Baltimore Ravens in January of 2015. But this wasn't the first time the Patriots tried to dial up some of that trickery. You might remember that earlier in the game, the Patriots tried a similar play when Rex Burkett took a handoff and threw a backward pass to Brady, who ended up firing a ball down deep, and that fell incomplete.

But this time it connected, and it connected for the Patriots' only touchdown of the game. James White then ran in the two-point conversion, and that put the Patriots ahead 17-10. And believe it or not, folks, that's exactly where the score would remain for the remainder of this one. The teams ended up trading punts the rest of the second half. But the real story of this one was the Patriots' defense and special teams coming up big when needed most because neither team could get into any type of sink on offense. Tom Brady finished the game with a very mediocre stat line. He only threw for 216 yards, didn't throw any interceptions, also did not throw a touchdown pass. On the flip side, Carson Wentz didn't fare much better. In fact, he was sacked five times

and turned the ball over once at the hands of this Patriots defense. Of course, I wouldn't be telling the full story if I didn't say that Wentz probably couldn't get much going without his two best receivers. Deshaun Jackson is out for the season on injured reserve. Alshon Jeffrey was inactive for this game. Also, his top running back threat, Jordan Howard, was sidelined by a shoulder injury in this one as well. Nelson Aguilar was actually Wentz's top option, not named Zach Ertz or Dallas Goddard. For all of the praise that I and my guests last week heaped on the Eagles 12 personnel, Bill Belichick and the defensive coaching staff did a great job of neutralizing both Ertz and Goddard,

even though Goddard had the touchdown in the second quarter. But Aguilar was probably expected to play a bigger role, and he had his opportunity, but unfortunately, he just wasn't able to capitalize on it. Aguilar could not make the catch on a Wentz fourth down heave into the end zone from the Patriots' 26 with just under a minute minute left and I do want to give Carson Wentz some credit on this play. He faced a pretty good amount of pressure from a very formidable Patriots zero blitz was actually able to make a fairly decent throw here. It was a catchable ball unfortunately for the Eagles.

Aguilar just could not reel it in. So the Patriots improved to nine and one on the season and the Eagles fall to 5-5. But unfortunately, each team was bitten by the dreaded injury bug, and we start with the Patriots. And Philip Dorsett had the Patriots' only touchdown reception of the day, but apparently it came at a price. He left the game shortly after with a head injury in the second half. He did not return to action, and his condition will continue to be monitored throughout the week. As for the Eagles, right tackle Lane Johnson also left the game with a head injury, and listen, we've had some fun at Lane Johnson's expense with the fun comments, and I did make

a few of those last week, but ultimately, when it comes to head injuries, that's certainly not a laughing matter, and I sincerely wish the best for Lane in his recovery. Hopefully the injury is not too serious, and he'll be back in action very soon. But up next for the Patriots is a return home to the friendly confines of Gillette Stadium on Sunday to host the Dallas Cowboys. But we're just scratching the surface of scrutiny here in New England as the narrative continues to be that the Patriots are not winning, quote unquote, pretty enough. Well, to that I say a win is a win.

And don't worry, Pats Nation. Be happy. Your team is 9-1. Despite the moronic mumbling of the National Morning Hot Take shows, you don't become 9-1 by accident or by default or any other cliches that they like to throw out there. The Patriots are playing solid football. There are areas that need improvement for certain, but the good news is that help is on the way. And that means roster returns and coaching adjustments. What do I mean by that? Well, I will tell you.

However, before I proceed with that, I wanted to take a minute to address all of you guys out there. And ladies, you'll appreciate this too. Now, this is a topic that's often taboo, but always commands your attention. And that is performance in the bedroom. Well, now you can increase your performance and get that extra confidence. Listen up.

BlueChew.com. That's blue like the color blue. BlueChew brings you the first chewable with the same FDA-approved active ingredients as the well-known name brands, so you know they work. Sports fans love using the word explosive, and BlueChew is that and more. You can take them anytime, day or night, even on a full stomach. And since they're chewable, they work up to twice as fast as a pill, so you can be

ready whenever an opportunity arises. Blue Chew is prescribed online and shipped straight to your door in a discreet package. So no in-person doctor's visit, no waiting in the pharmacy, and best of all, no more awkwardness. They're made in the USA and, since Blue Chew prepares and ships direct, they're cheaper than a pharmacy.

Right now, we've got a special deal for our listeners. Visit BlueChew.com and get your first shipment free when you use our special promo code MLB. Just pay $5 shipping. Again, that's B-L-U-E-Chew.com, promo code MLB to try it for free. Blue Chew is the better, cheaper, faster choice, and we thank them for sponsoring the podcast. For 31 other NFL fan bases, it must seem unfathomable for a team that is 9-1, coming off of a win on the road in the second half of the season, and still have the most popular narratives be negative rather than positive.

But folks, when you're in New England, and your barometer for success is six Super Bowl titles unfortunately that's the reality here in Foxborough and I would be drastically wrong if I didn't acknowledge that there are issues that the Patriots still need to address however with the exception of two weeks ago against the Baltimore Ravens this team has continually found ways to win for the majority of the season that's been because the Patriots defense and special teams have come up with big plays and big moments. Because of that, this Patriots offense has been much maligned. And unfortunately, folks, some of that's been warranted. Now, I'm not buying into the negativity train, so please don't let me lose you. But to state that the Patriots offense is

clicking on all cylinders would be a gross understatement. And you all know how I like to end on a high note. And we'll end the show today on a high note because it was a win. We should end on a high note. But let's get the negatives out of the way first, and that was a pretty dismal performance yesterday by the Patriots offense. And you have to start with the man under center. Look, Tom Brady will be the first to tell you that he did not have a stellar performance yesterday. Brady set his career high in first half incompletions yesterday with 14. He finished the day going 26 of 47 for 216 passing yards. But it really wasn't all bad for Tom. He did have a few great throws, including the pinpoint pass to Watson down the seam for 22 yards, did suffer the tough luck with the Edelman touchdown drop, and you could see Julian was really upset about having dropped that. In fact, as he was heading back to the bench, he slammed his helmet

and the helmet bounced, I think, taller than Julian is. But for the majority of the day, Brady looked out of sorts. And look, a lot of that is because of the play of his offensive line. And I'll get to the O-line shortly, but I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the lack of production from Tom's supporting cast. A lot of Brady's offensive weapons seem like they're still trying to find their comfort zone in this offense, and I want to credit Henry McKenna of USA Today's Patriots Wire for really nicely articulating this last night in saying that Josh McDaniels really seemed intent on experimenting with pushing personnel into situations where they need an increased comfort level. That's why

Sonny Michel got four targets in the passing game for two receptions and 11 yards. That's also why Nakheel Harry saw a handful of early snaps even before Philip Dorsett suffered the head injury that took him out of the game. This is a very good analysis. When you have players at the offensive skill positions that are not comfortable in where they should be and in the routes that they're running, it's really impossible for a quarterback to find his rhythm. And this definitely showed up last night.

Look, the Patriots love to bring out those trick plays. Josh McDaniels is known for that. And I joked about this last week on Locked On that you should all keep a sharp eye out for trickery and that the New England Patriots would try to avenge quote unquote the Philly special. But ultimately, they brought out that trick play last night because nothing else was working on offense. The trick play worked and ultimately it gave the Patriots enough points to be able to win this game. But after the game, anyone that

saw Tom Brady's post-game press conference knows that he has never looked so upset and frustrated after a win as he did last night. And Tom is always a true professional. He's never going to throw anybody under the bus or make it seem like this was someone else's fault other than his own. But a big part of this has been the play of the offensive line, specifically on the left side. And I know on this show, I've tried to defend Marshall Newhouse several times. And I'm not putting all of this on his shoulders. That's unfair and definitely not warranted.

But you also have to be realistic. And last night, there were a couple of instances where Eagles front seven members of that defensive line got through and got to Brady unscathed, not even touched. And Tom was under a lot of pressure last night, specifically in the first half. He was knocked down, knocked around an awful lot, and really took a beating. Because of the inconsistent play on the offensive line, it's prohibited the Patriots from being able to get anything going in the passing game, obviously because Brady's not finding

his comfort level. But it hinders the running game as well. Whether it be Sonny Michel, Rex Burkhead, or James White in the backfield, they're not able to find the seams in the defensive line for the Patriots to be able to run through. The O-line is simply not creating them. And the runners need to do a better job as well, particularly Sonny Michel, who I'm a big fan of and still continue to be, by the way. However, he has not had the same type of sophomore season that he had in his rookie campaign last year. But when you add up all these intangibles, Brady is frustrated, and it's not a wonder why he's frustrated, folks.

But you all know me. I always look for the silver lining, and here it is. Two words, Isaiah Wynn. Okay, I know, that's a name, not technically two words, but Isaiah Wynn coming back this week is going to be such a key for this New England Patriots offensive line. And that's not to say that Wynn is going to come in and magically fix all the problems. The Patriots haven't been solid on the right side either. Shaq Mason, Marcus Cannon have been a little better each week, but they need to step up their game as well. Ted Karras has done a pretty good job in

center. He needs to step up his game a little bit. Joe Tooney on the left side has done a very good job with the guard position, but he needs to be a little bit better. Wynn's presence simply solidifies. It allows Marshall Newhouse to go back into the role that he's more comfortable in playing in. He's a pretty good backup lineman at this stage in his career. He can play on either the right or left side in situational packages. Wynn, on the other hand, was groomed to be the Patriots' left tackle this year.

Anyone that watched Wynn during training camp knows that this is exactly what he has been prepared for. There's also a reason why the Patriots did not franchise Trent Brown. They did not bring him back as a free agent. They believed that Wynn could carry the load, and they still do believe that. Unfortunately, he's been bitten by the injury bug, and injuries have been a concern of his since he was drafted last year out of Georgia. But when healthy, he has the size, athleticism, and strength to be a key cog in that Patriots offensive line. Not only helps in pass protection by giving Tom Brady more time to throw the football,

but it also opens up running lanes. And that's why Isaiah Wynn coming back is such a big part of this offensive line. It's not that he will magically come in and fix all the problems. It gives the Patriots versatility and depth, something that they are severely lacking at the position right now. If Wynn's return, as expected, increases the productivity in the offensive line, that's going to open up the running game. All of a sudden, Sonny Michel may find that extra burst.

He may find the seam to get five yards where right now he's only getting one. It helps to open up play action and guys like James White and Rex Burkhead can catch the ball out of the backfield and burst for big yards. Most of all, what it does is it gives Tom Brady an extra one, maybe even two seconds in the pocket to be able to find his receivers. Guys like Philip Dorsett, who hopefully will not be out for an extended period of time. Guys like Mohamed Sanu, who had some frustrating moments last night. Brady and he looked very good in the game against the Ravens,

not so much last night against the Eagles. That chemistry needs to be worked on. Julian Edelman is as reliable of a receiver as Tom Brady will ever have that's not named Rob Gronkowski. And yes, folks, I will be addressing that subject before we close the show today, too. But getting back to what Wynn does for this offensive line, it really opens up the offense. And that is something that the Patriots are in desperate need of. They have the talent.

They have the capabilities. They absolutely have the quarterback. Now they just need something to help bring it all together. And Wynn coming back and stabilizing this offensive line is definitely a huge step in the right direction for the New England Patriots. And the Patriots know this better than anybody. Bill Belichick speaking to the media on Monday, he iterated his desire to have Wynn activated this week. So you know that's a plan of theirs. And hopefully when the Patriots welcome the Cowboys to Gillette Stadium on Sunday, Isaiah Wynn will be taking those first snaps at left tackle.

But I did tease earlier that we were going to end on a high note, and that's exactly what I'm going to do. And that is assigning game balls for the Patriots' 17-10 win over the Philadelphia Eagles. The first game ball that I want to dole out today may surprise some people, but those of you that watch the game probably won't be surprised by this. And that's punter Jake Bailey. Bailey has been tremendous all season, and he had a tremendous game yesterday. He accounted for 381 total yards with eight punts.

That included six inside the 20-yard line. His longest punt of the night was a 55-yarder. He was truly a standout in this game, which was really a battle of field position, especially in the second half. With the exception of the opening drive in the third quarter, neither team put any more points on the board. And Bailey was such an intricate part of that. So he definitely deserves a great mention for another great game this week. And he continues to impress week after week and looks like such a solid draft pick.

And last but certainly not least, the game ball does have to go to the Patriots defense this week. And specifically, I will single out the New England Patriots secondary. Throughout the entire fourth quarter, the Patriots did not allow any points. And that was in large part to the secondary play. Carson Wentz ended up finishing 20 of 40 for 214 yards with a touchdown. But the Patriots secondary, particularly Stephon Gilmore and JC Jackson, who had a great game in this one, they were very impressive in keeping the Eagles pass catchers at bay and that helped Patriots safeties

to be able to provide physical coverage one play that I did want to mention placed toward the closing minutes of the fourth quarter and that was when cornerback Terrence Brooks was whistled for a penalty and that penalty was essentially the result of what some including including the broadcast team last night for CBS, thought that Brooks was leading with his head and that he had jammed his head into the neck of his defender. Anyone that watches the replay sees that that is absolutely not the case. Brooks was leading with his shoulder. That's a completely clean hit. And albeit the Patriots took the penalty, it didn't end up costing them any significant points or problems in the game. However, it should be noted that before you malign a guy like Terrence Brooks for making what was indeed a clean hit, take a look at the replay and you'll see that he was indeed leading with

his shoulder. He didn't lean with the crown of his head. And in my opinion, not only should this have not been labeled as a dirty play, I don't believe it should have even been flagged as a penalty. So ultimately, the Patriots move to 9-1, as we stated earlier, and now they prepare for the Dallas Cowboys coming into Gillette Stadium on Sunday, November 24th, once again a 4.25 p.m. start time in the friendly confines of Foxborough, Massachusetts. Before I close out our Victory Monday episode here today on Locked on Patriots, I wanted to take a very brief moment to address the news that Rob Gronkowski took to his social media page on Sunday and advised that on Tuesday he would be making a quote-unquote big announcement. to reiterate that point simply by saying I would not, if I were you, have a whole lot of expectations about this announcement indicating that Rob Gronkowski is coming back to play in the NFL. As always, I could be wrong on that. And if I am, I'll be the first one to admit it, and I will be

as happy as you all will be. Look, there's no question about it. Every Patriots fan, media member, anyone connected with this team in any way would love to see a guy like Rob Gronkowski back simply because of the entertainment value he provides. On the field, there was nobody better that played the tight end position. You cannot lose that type of prolific contribution and not feel the sting. But every indication that Rob has given since the time he retired indicates that he's very comfortable with this decision. It's hard for me to envision a scenario in which Rob Gronkowski decides to come out of retirement now to make one more stretch run. Again, I'm not saying it's impossible. I'm

just saying file this one under highly unlikely. As always, I'll do my due diligence. We all will. We'll have two sharp eyes on Rob Gronkowski tomorrow to see what this big announcement is. But in my opinion, my gut's telling me it's not going to be related to a return to the grid iron anytime soon. But as always, folks, we live in hope. As for me, I will be back tomorrow to help bring you the latest news, notes, analysis, and the occasional opinion on your six-time Super Bowl champions, the New England Patriots. We'll put a final lid on the Philadelphia Eagles Week 11 matchup, and we will turn our attention to the silver, blue, and white of the Dallas Cowboys and their visit to Foxborough coming up this Sunday on November 24th.

As always, please join me each and every day on the Locked On Patriots podcast and subscribe to Locked On Patriots via your preferred podcast provider. Once again, I'm Mike DeBate. Thank you all so much for listening today. Best wishes and have a great day, everyone.