In the latest episode of the Greg Bedard Patriots Podcast with Nick Cattles, Greg and Nick react to the Patriots 2024 schedule and discuss when Drake Maye could play this season.
0:00 David Andrews Extended
5:00 Trade Judon?
7:32 Schedule Reaction
23:55 When could Drake Maye play?
28:47 Patriots Defense playing tons of ELITE QBs
Check Greg's Coverage out over at www.bostonsportsjournal.com, for $50 on BSJ's annual plan. Not only do you get top-notch analysis of all the Boston pro sports, but if you're a Patriots junkie — and if you're listening to this podcast, you are — then a membership at BSJ gives you access to a ton of video analysis Bedard does on the coaches film, and direct access to him in weekly chats.
This episode of the Greg Bedard Patriots Podcast w/ Nick Cattles is brought to you by:
PrizePicks! Get in on the excitement with PrizePicks, America’s No. 1 Fantasy Sports App, where you can turn your hoops knowledge into serious cash. Download the app today and use code CLNS for a first deposit match up to $100! Pick more. Pick less. It’s that Easy!
Gametime! Take the guesswork out of buying NBA tickets with Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code CLNS for $20 off your first purchase. Download Gametime today. Last minute tickets. Lowest Price. Guaranteed. Terms apply. Go to https://gametime.co !
#patriotspresspass #clns #patriots
______________________________________
0:00 David Andrews Extended
5:00 Trade Judon?
7:32 Schedule Reaction
23:55 When could Drake Maye play?
28:47 Patriots Defense playing tons of ELITE QBs
Check Greg's Coverage out over at www.bostonsportsjournal.com, for $50 on BSJ's annual plan. Not only do you get top-notch analysis of all the Boston pro sports, but if you're a Patriots junkie — and if you're listening to this podcast, you are — then a membership at BSJ gives you access to a ton of video analysis Bedard does on the coaches film, and direct access to him in weekly chats.
This episode of the Greg Bedard Patriots Podcast w/ Nick Cattles is brought to you by:
PrizePicks! Get in on the excitement with PrizePicks, America’s No. 1 Fantasy Sports App, where you can turn your hoops knowledge into serious cash. Download the app today and use code CLNS for a first deposit match up to $100! Pick more. Pick less. It’s that Easy!
Gametime! Take the guesswork out of buying NBA tickets with Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code CLNS for $20 off your first purchase. Download Gametime today. Last minute tickets. Lowest Price. Guaranteed. Terms apply. Go to https://gametime.co !
#patriotspresspass #clns #patriots
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SportsTranscript
00:00 This is the Greg the Guard Patriots podcast with Nick Cavins.
00:08 This episode is brought to you by PrizePix, largest daily fantasy sports platform in North
00:12 America.
00:13 Download the app today.
00:14 Use code CLNS for a first deposit match up to $100.
00:19 Also take the guesswork out of buying NBA tickets with game time.
00:22 Maybe you're looking at the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals for the third straight
00:27 year, six years out of the last eight.
00:29 Well download the game time app, create an account, use that code again, CLNS for 20
00:34 bucks off your first purchase.
00:36 Last minute tickets, lowest price guaranteed.
00:38 Greg, we're going to spend a lot of time today talking about this schedule that was released
00:42 last night.
00:43 But first, we have a bit of breaking news.
00:45 Just a little while ago, it was broken by Field D8s of ESPN, of course, former Patriots
00:50 employee that David Andrews has signed a contract extension through the year 2025.
00:57 You're looking at $12 million, Greg, the next two years with $8 million fully guaranteed.
01:03 Your reaction on this deal that was just broken.
01:07 So a couple of different things.
01:10 You know, as it stands right now, like David Andrews cap number was supposed to be 8.4
01:18 million this year, which I'm not all that concerned about the cap or even like, you
01:22 know what his cap number is because, you know, there's value in it.
01:25 I'll be very interested.
01:27 This should save them some money on the cap, about three and a half million.
01:32 Normally, when you get to this point and you extend, like, I'll be interested to see if
01:36 like there's a dummy year or two on this to really, you know, I think it's so I think
01:43 there's that aspect of it.
01:45 I think that's really the aim of it.
01:46 I think a secondary aim of it is to kind of reward a guy who's done everything the right
01:53 way, been a really good player here.
01:57 This is a guy who remember Belichick, you know, pretty much screwed him when he got
02:04 when he gave him his last contract extension.
02:06 He he he he originally Belichick originally offered Andrews a higher number and when off
02:13 Andrews turned it down basically to go into free agency and listen, which he didn't have
02:18 much of a market.
02:19 So Belichick ended up being right.
02:21 But then Belichick was reduced the contract that Andrews eventually signed with the team.
02:28 So I think that also factors in and I think my other sort of takeaway is this is another
02:33 move that I don't think Bill Belichick would have done.
02:37 Not even close.
02:38 I think he would have been content to make Andrews play out this contract.
02:45 You know, possibly even look at him as a cut candidate if somebody else emerges that sort
02:50 of thing.
02:53 But this this front office, this coach, I don't know who's who's making what decisions,
02:59 but let's just say Elliott Wolfe, because this is sort of another Packers type move
03:02 rewarding your own.
03:06 Things are being done very differently around here now from a contract standpoint.
03:10 And I think I think it's we've talked about it before with the winning extension, the
03:14 Kyle Duggar extension, the Christian Barmore extension.
03:17 Romandre Stevenson is probably not too far off, you know, rewarding these guys who do
03:22 the right things, who are good players with you just sort of gets them in the right mindset
03:26 to start this rebuild.
03:29 That might be a little bit tough.
03:30 You're going to need these guys to see you through some lean times and making sure that
03:35 they feel valued is important.
03:39 We've talked about it before, but, you know, a lot of people, some people scoff at like
03:44 the contract stuff and, you know, all the players getting paid, all this stuff.
03:49 There's there's only a few ways that you can show a player how much you respect them and
03:55 contract security and giving them what they are worth is a big part of that.
04:00 It's part of the reason why Tom Brady didn't want to stay here anymore.
04:03 And so I think I think all of those things combined are a reason to do it.
04:08 It's a minor thing, but I think it's a good thing and sort of helps the program along.
04:15 Good luck, Jake Andrews.
04:16 This might be another signal that that front office not necessarily in love with the offensive
04:21 line picks in last year's draft.
04:24 You would figure that Andrews was going to replace Andrews.
04:27 At least that looked like the plan from Bill Belichick.
04:31 Doesn't look like that's going to happen.
04:33 Maybe Andrews, the Jake version can find a spot at guard.
04:37 Also, I think this tables any conversation, any thought about the idea of Cole Strange
04:43 being moved to center now that you're keeping David Andrews.
04:47 And I like, you know, Greg, when you look at this, it's it's the idea of keeping the
04:51 core of this team, the guys that you think are good players, but not only good players
04:55 on the field, but good for the culture, keeping them in house and keeping them happy.
05:01 And I'm all for that.
05:02 I do have a question for you.
05:04 With all of these guys coming back and these extensions now getting done, you brought up
05:07 Ramond Ray Stevenson, another guy we got to talk about.
05:11 Obviously he's still here.
05:12 He wasn't traded on draft weekend.
05:14 Matthew Judon.
05:15 Should we anticipate him getting a deal done?
05:19 That is a.
05:22 That is a good question.
05:26 I think that might be more of a situation.
05:28 Well, I I don't know.
05:30 I go back and forth on it.
05:32 You know, if they don't do something to him before, like we get the training camp, we're
05:37 going to run in the same situation as last year where he's like, I'm not holding out
05:41 or am I holding in just, you know, I have to get my body right.
05:45 All that bull crap when we knew it was a hold in, you know, he didn't start really practicing
05:51 him and was it Devon?
05:54 Who was the other guy who Lawrence guy?
05:56 Right.
05:57 And then Lawrence guy.
05:58 Oh, yeah.
05:59 Yeah.
06:00 Lawrence guy.
06:01 He didn't start really.
06:02 He never got anything done to his contract.
06:06 But as soon as Judon got something done, all of a sudden he was taking part in everything.
06:12 You know, if I were in charge, I would play this along because I want to see what I have.
06:18 And, you know, maybe I think about dealing Judon.
06:21 If you know, remember, Anthony Jennings is back on a contract extension, multi years.
06:27 Josh Huch is just on a one year deal.
06:30 Is this we don't know how this personnel staff, how this coaching staff use Josh Huch?
06:36 Is he going to be out there every day in every play?
06:39 And you know, are they going to deemphasize how much you need to hold the edge and stuff
06:43 like that?
06:44 Are they going to do things differently?
06:46 You know, I would like Matthew Judon to be back and part of this team.
06:50 But I would want if I were in charge, if I were Elliott Wolfe, I would want to see what
06:54 else I have.
06:55 Does he really factor in that much or do we want to play younger players?
06:58 Do we want to play?
07:00 Do we want to play players that have a chance to grow and be part of this core going forward?
07:05 Where Matthew Judon really has what a year or two, three, maybe it's a designated pass
07:10 rusher left in this league.
07:13 He gets hurt more and more every year.
07:16 I would wait.
07:17 But would it surprise me if they made him a good faith offer, a bump to keep him happy
07:22 for one year?
07:23 Yeah, I could see that.
07:25 All right, let's get to the schedule.
07:27 The Patriots schedule releases powered by game time.
07:32 Let's start with the first five weeks, Greg.
07:37 Pretty tough.
07:38 Pretty, pretty, pretty tough.
07:40 Warren Sharpe tweeted out that when you use projected win totals, the Patriots have the
07:45 third toughest first five weeks of the season.
07:48 They start the year on the road at Cincinnati against Joe Burrow and company come back home
07:55 to Seattle to play Gino Smith, and then they go on the road for two more at the Jets, which
08:01 is a Thursday night game and the Jets home opener on September 19th.
08:07 Then they travel out to San Francisco on September 29th to come back home and wrap up those final
08:15 of the five games we're talking about here.
08:17 They play Miami at home.
08:19 Just your general sense of the first four or five games here for the 2024 season.
08:25 So I disagree with and I understand you're absolutely right to point.
08:31 I like Warren Sharpe.
08:32 I like his stuff.
08:33 I think it's smart for the most part.
08:37 I don't I think that I think the opening is I think first of all, I think the schedule
08:43 is pretty balanced overall.
08:45 And if I'm the Patriots, I'm pretty happy with the schedule.
08:48 Let's do what we're just talking about the open.
08:50 I don't think the open is that daunting.
08:53 Yes.
08:54 Do we expect the Cincinnati Bengals to be good in the open?
08:57 And obviously San Francisco in there is going to be tough and they're going to be I think
09:02 I already saw I think the Patriots are already seven and a half point underdogs to the Bengals
09:07 and that's on the road.
09:09 And Cincinnati is always a tough place.
09:11 That's a that can be a sneaky weather game.
09:13 The Patriots don't have many weather games, but sometimes, you know, that's basically
09:17 like northern Kentucky in September.
09:20 So it could be hot.
09:23 But here's my thing on the Bengals.
09:26 If people remember correctly, and I'm just looking back on it, they the Bengals are notoriously
09:32 even under Joe Burrow, you know, going to the Super Bowl, coming off Super Bowls, all
09:37 this stuff.
09:38 They are a notoriously slow starting team.
09:42 Last year, they started one in three.
09:45 Their opener at Cleveland, they got Pollack's 24 to three by the Browns.
09:51 The year before, this is when I'm pretty sure they were coming off.
09:55 Oh, no, this is the year they went to the Super Bowl.
09:59 OK, they they started.
10:02 Oh, and two, they lost in overtime at home to the Steelers.
10:08 And I just want to check who the hell played quarterback for the Steelers in that game.
10:14 It was Mitchell Trubisky and Joe Burrow played like complete dog crap in that game.
10:21 He had four interceptions.
10:23 That's the 2022 season opener in the.
10:27 I don't think they had a turnover against the Browns, but they got they got killed.
10:31 So the Bengals, at least when Joe Burrow as the quarterback, they do not start well at
10:37 all.
10:38 And so I don't mind that spot.
10:40 Yeah, they're a talented team, but I don't think it's overly daunting.
10:43 I'm not like really afraid of it.
10:45 The Seahawks.
10:47 I mean, who the hell knows what you're going to get with the Seahawks?
10:50 Yeah, they had a winning record the year before and all this stuff.
10:53 You know, they got a that's a West Coast team coming east.
10:57 A new coach, a new I mean, John Schneider is still the GM, but a new head, a defensive
11:03 head coach like do they know what the hell they're doing?
11:07 I don't think that's a bad spot.
11:09 The Jets.
11:10 Who the hell knows what you're going to get out of the Jets and 40 year old Aaron Rodgers
11:14 coming off an Achilles with a rebuilt offensive line.
11:18 Tyron Smith could already be hurt by that point.
11:21 Three games in, you know, at San Francisco, that's daunting.
11:25 OK, you know, going out there, you know, but at least you're going out there with off of
11:32 a Thursday night game.
11:33 You have 10 days.
11:35 You can figure crap out.
11:36 And then the Dolphins at home.
11:40 You know, another team that I think is figuring out a lot, you know, a new defensive coordinator.
11:45 The offensive line is in flux.
11:48 So yeah, I mean, on paper, is that a tough open?
11:52 Yeah, but I think they've had tougher ones in recent years.
11:57 So I'm fine with the open.
11:59 I think they have they have a chance to win some games there and get off to a solid start
12:04 at least.
12:08 I think that the schedule is tougher than you do.
12:10 I will say that just from from listening to you talk about it being balanced and all of
12:16 that.
12:17 I think this is a wretched schedule.
12:18 I think the the teams that we knew they were going to play really tough to begin with.
12:24 I don't think the league did them any favors.
12:26 Yes, I get the idea of Cincinnati slow starter, all that.
12:31 I would also mention Joe Burrow.
12:32 I think in two of the last three years he's coming off of injuries.
12:35 He was injured, I believe, last year at the beginning of the season.
12:38 It wasn't wasn't really ever himself and healthy.
12:41 So I don't know how much to put on Cincinnati and just being slow starters.
12:45 I don't know how much to put on him, you know, being injured and not feeling right.
12:49 I think Cincinnati is a really tough game, really tough at Cincinnati to start that season.
12:55 Seattle, I think Seattle, you've got an opening there.
12:58 I think, you know, Mike McDonald, rookie head coach like you have, you know, Smith against
13:02 this defense in Foxborough.
13:04 I like your chances.
13:06 I think the Jets are really tough and the Patriots had really.
13:09 Yeah, I mean, they had difficulty with the Jets last year with Zach freaking Wilson at
13:13 quarterback.
13:14 Even if you have Aaron Rodgers at 80 percent, he's a thousand times better than what you
13:19 had in Zach Wilson.
13:20 They've added weapons to that offense.
13:22 The defense is not a joke.
13:24 The Jets defense is always competitive with Robert Sala.
13:27 It's the home opener.
13:29 First time since Rodgers blew his Achilles that that crowd is going to see him in action.
13:34 That's going to be absolute chaos in New York.
13:37 And then you follow that up by going against the defending NFC champions on the road against
13:41 San Francisco.
13:42 That's no joke.
13:44 In Miami is always challenging with that offense.
13:46 You know, Mike McDaniel and Tyree kill.
13:48 That's always going to be a challenge.
13:49 I think that's a pretty rough start of the five games.
13:52 Then we get to game six.
13:55 And I want to mention game six just because it is our game time hot ticket.
13:59 Houston on October 13th.
14:01 We'll get into Drake May a little bit later, Greg, and how this schedule might lend itself
14:06 to May and when you might think about pulling the trigger on playing him.
14:10 But I think the game time hot ticket is fun here at Gillette early on in the year because
14:15 you get a chance to watch CJ Stroud and with the weapons he has Nick Casario coming back
14:21 to New England.
14:22 So that'll be a fun storyline game early on.
14:24 Yeah, I mean, I do think I think that extends, you know, if you if you think the start is
14:30 is tough, you know, I do think the the Texans fall into that.
14:35 You know, I do think that, you know, and I do think they're a talented team.
14:39 And I think Nick Casario has done a really nice job there.
14:42 I do think sometimes, you know, and we sort of saw it with Mac Jones.
14:49 You got to remember anything that sort of flashed last year that maybe you weren't expecting,
14:55 like a CJ Stroud type of thing.
14:59 The teams have had the whole offseason to pour over the film.
15:02 And I think you saw some of this with Mac Jones going from his rookie year to year two.
15:06 Of course, there were other Matt Patricia circumstances at play and all that.
15:11 But I do think that's very real that, you know, they the Texans haven't changed a whole
15:17 lot Bobby Slowick has returned as offensive coordinator, but all the teams are going to
15:20 be pouring into the film.
15:23 And maybe they they come up with some things to trip up the Texans and maybe maybe they
15:27 come back down to earth a little bit, but certainly for the Patriots in a rebuilding
15:31 thing, it's it's challenging.
15:36 That would be an interesting spot, you know, for Drake May.
15:40 But me personally, I'm I'm pushing off his debut as long as possible.
15:46 And I'm sure we'll get into when I think I would pull the trigger on that.
15:51 You'll get back to that idea soon with Drake May and what Greg thinks the Patriots should
15:56 do.
15:57 The Patriots, Greg, they went to the NFL and they said, hey, guys, can you do us a favor?
16:02 Can you make sure that we play San Francisco and Arizona back to back week so we don't
16:07 have to travel from the East Coast, the West Coast twice, two different occasions this
16:10 year?
16:11 And the NFL said, hey, we've got a suggestion for you.
16:14 Go screw.
16:15 We're not going to do that.
16:16 We are not interested in helping you whatsoever.
16:18 So they are not going to the Patriots will not have back to back games on the West Coast.
16:23 They will play San Francisco, which we just brought up on September 29th in San Francisco
16:29 or where they actually play, as we know, not really San Francisco.
16:33 But then you also have in mid-December, you've got to travel after your bi week, which will
16:38 get to the bi week in a minute.
16:39 But then you have to travel to Arizona on December 15th right after the by.
16:43 So your thoughts on not getting those games back to back out there.
16:48 So my my question is, are we sure that was we're sure that was rejected, that the Patriots
16:54 indeed?
16:55 It was reported that they asked.
16:57 Yes.
16:58 OK, I was just looking to see because Reese is normally on top of this stuff.
17:02 If he said anything about that now, you know.
17:08 I'm like, I'm just wondering if that could have been a Belichick maybe request, like
17:14 I don't know how the timing works on all that stuff.
17:18 I I would be surprised if it was some Mariller is summarily rejected by the NFL.
17:25 I haven't heard too many instances of that, but, you know, maybe that's the case.
17:29 I mean, I just if that did happen, that's that's a tough break because, you know, doing
17:37 those back to back things, it's not it's not really about the travel.
17:41 It's more about like that.
17:43 You can gain, you know, the camaraderie and all that stuff of being on the road.
17:49 But the Patriots will have plenty of chances for that.
17:53 I mean, they had the London trip.
17:55 Maybe that factored into it.
17:57 They usually go over early for that.
17:59 So asking the team to to stay out West and go early to London, maybe they just thought
18:07 that was a bridge too far when maybe they withdrew their requests when it when it became
18:12 known that they were going to play the London game.
18:15 But yeah, I mean, I guess we'll have to see how it goes.
18:20 Yeah, I saw it reported somewhere before.
18:24 It was either this weekend or a little bit earlier than that.
18:26 But Reese yesterday and his post about the schedule last night, he added in there, along
18:33 with his biggest takeaway he had.
18:34 And while the Patriots would have liked to have their road games against the Niners and
18:38 Cardinals paired up so they could stay out West, they instead will be making two cross
18:42 country treks in a season.
18:44 So Reese, again, standing by this thought that they did want those games married and
18:50 they didn't get it from the NFL.
18:52 All right.
18:53 Week 14 by Greg, is that awful?
18:58 It's pretty awful.
18:59 Yeah.
19:00 I mean, in, you know, all all aspects except for one.
19:05 And we'll get into that.
19:07 And I just can't I can't believe what the what the NFL is doing with these by weeks.
19:13 Maybe they're setting the stage for the 18 game schedule and double by weeks.
19:19 But I mean, I think they I think I saw they have six.
19:22 Patriots are one of six teams with a biweek basically December.
19:27 What is it?
19:28 Eighth, ninth, somewhere around there.
19:31 Week 14, week 12, I think is the is nobody has a buy in week 13, if I'm correct.
19:38 And week 12 also has another team, another six teams, five or six teams that have buys
19:45 then.
19:47 This is just absurd.
19:48 I mean, to make NFL teams and NFL players have to play 13 weeks, consecutive weeks of
19:56 NFL football, let alone, you know, yeah, you have the gap between the preseason games like
20:03 the last preseason game is August 25th and then they play September 8th.
20:09 So you basically get like that's basically like two weeks from the end of the preseason
20:15 to beginning of the season.
20:17 But I mean, you know, largely you're going every week since the start of training camp.
20:22 And so the Patriots are going to be going like, you know, 13.
20:26 So you have August as well.
20:28 13.
20:29 So that's like 21 straight weeks of football.
20:31 I mean, that's just absurd.
20:35 And you know, 13 weeks of actual NFL games week after week, including one in week three
20:43 is on the short week, the Thursday night game.
20:47 This is just ridiculous.
20:48 It just, it just is like they might as well just go to 18 games with the double buys.
20:52 Like, you know, right now, at least that would give players a chance to get through these
20:56 seasons healthy.
20:57 Yeah, it's regosh damn Diculus.
20:59 It's a Travis sham mockery, whatever you want to throw on it.
21:02 You can put the tent over the circus to have a team play that much football without a break
21:07 is insanity.
21:09 And I'm glad you brought up the 18 game schedule because, you know, Devon got chow made it
21:14 a point to say, yeah, we're not going to talk 18 games unless they want to talk to buys.
21:19 And when you do this kind of thing to teams during a 17 game schedule, it's just the one
21:25 thing that really is a hair across my tuk tuk is how the NFL tries to tell us all the
21:30 time.
21:31 Oh, player safety, this player safety, that they're going to wear the condom helmets during
21:34 games if they want to.
21:35 Now, all these, all these things, right?
21:38 When it comes down to it, you have teams now playing on Wednesday this year for Christmas.
21:44 You've got 18 game schedules that you want to do.
21:47 You couldn't care less about having teams travel all over the joint internationally
21:52 and how that impacts players and their rest.
21:55 And it's just it's such a joke.
21:58 And we all know it's a joke.
21:59 And this is just the latest example of that.
22:02 All right.
22:03 We'll get into Drake May in a minute.
22:04 I'll ask Greg when he thinks May should start in his estimation, given this schedule.
22:10 But before we do that, let's tell you about game time.
22:13 Hey, everybody.
22:14 The NFL schedule is out, including for your Patriots.
22:19 I know you want to get to a game.
22:21 I know you want to probably go on the road and see the Patriots in some sort of cool
22:25 place like London, maybe for the Jaguars or Nashville or Miami.
22:32 Or how about Arizona in the winter, December 15th?
22:38 Definitely not Buffalo on December 22nd.
22:40 Stay away from there.
22:41 I beg you.
22:44 But you're going to want to go on the road.
22:45 You're going to want to see the Patriots.
22:47 You never know when Drake May is going to get a chance to play.
22:49 Guess what?
22:50 You should go over to Game Time, the Game Time app.
22:52 It is an authorized ticket marketplace of the NFL, which makes getting tickets even
22:58 faster and easier.
23:00 Prices on the Game Time app actually go down the closer it gets to kickoff.
23:06 With killer last minute deals, all in prices, views from your seats.
23:10 I love the view from the seats.
23:12 I got to see where I'm going to sit at anything.
23:15 Game Time, it's right there on the app.
23:17 I love it.
23:18 So which games are your favorite?
23:21 I mean, if I were you, I would...
23:25 San Francisco, of course.
23:27 Got to go there.
23:28 Great time of year to go to San Francisco.
23:31 London, who's going to join me in London?
23:33 That's a great trip.
23:34 Check it out on the Game Time app.
23:37 Download the Game Time app, create an account, and use code CLNS for $20 off your first purchase.
23:43 Terms apply.
23:44 Again, create an account and redeem the code CLNS for $20 off.
23:51 Download Game Time today.
23:52 Last minute tickets, lowest price guaranteed.
23:55 Drake May, Greg.
23:56 We look at this schedule.
23:58 Buy week, week 14.
24:00 You and I, I believe, discussed the idea of maybe waiting a little while with Drake May.
24:06 And if you had that buy week in the middle of the year, it would be perfect to kind of
24:11 insert him in at that point.
24:13 Now that you got a week 14 buy and how this schedule stacks up early, what are you thinking
24:19 about Drake May?
24:20 If you're Gerard Mayo and you want to play him this year, because we don't know if that's
24:24 a given, but if you do want to play him this year, where are you circling the calendar?
24:32 I am the only part of the late buy week that I'm happy about is to me, it's provided that
24:41 the Patriots are out of contention at this point.
24:45 I think the week 14 buy week is perfect to insert Drake May and let him have the final
24:52 four games to get his feet wet.
24:55 Patriots are out of it.
24:56 You know, you got two road games.
24:58 You got the bills two out of the last three games, which is also just ridiculous.
25:03 They don't play the Buffalo Bills until December 22nd at Buffalo.
25:07 But you know, get Drake May out in the cold in Buffalo, get them against Josh Allen.
25:14 A couple of times you got Justin Herbert there.
25:18 To me in an ideal world, if the Patriots aren't in contention with Jacoby Bursette at the
25:25 buy, to me, that's the perfect place to get Drake May his on the job training, get his
25:33 feet wet for next year, build some momentum for next year.
25:37 To me, that's ideal.
25:41 I'm less worried about when the right time is.
25:43 I just think.
25:46 When Drake May is ready, he's ready.
25:48 And no matter where you kind of put him in the schedule or try to slot him in, it would
25:52 be nice if you use the buy to have that extra time to get him ready.
25:57 I would agree with that part.
25:58 You know, maybe you give him that extra week to kind of feel good about himself, even though
26:03 it doesn't seem like Drake May needs extra time to feel good about himself.
26:07 He's a very confident young man.
26:08 He's got plenty of swag.
26:10 But when you look at this, like to me, it's just like, is he ready?
26:13 You know, whenever he's ready, he's ready.
26:15 You can argue that putting him in there against Tennessee because there, you know, there weren't
26:19 a very good team last year.
26:20 So maybe the Tennessee game on the road wouldn't be bad.
26:23 And then you got Chicago and the week after that.
26:27 And then you can build into the buy and then you take that by.
26:30 The thing is, after the bye week, it is kind of difficult because you go to Arizona, then
26:35 you go to Buffalo, then you got the chargers and the bills.
26:39 So you're really facing two teams, at least two teams.
26:42 I don't think Arizona will be there just yet, but who knows?
26:45 They were better than we thought last year.
26:47 You got two teams that are contenders.
26:49 I mean, with the chargers, we always talk all chargers, but the idea is you've got Jim
26:54 Harbaugh now running that shop.
26:55 So it's a pretty difficult, you know, first four games of an NFL career, not even counting
27:02 the weather in Buffalo and that issue.
27:05 One thing that really jumped out at me, Greg, I saw this.
27:08 The Boston Herald last night on Twitter, the Patriots have the fourth most air miles this
27:15 season, i.e. they are traveling a buttload compared to other teams in the league.
27:22 How do you think that impacts them?
27:24 Not necessarily the players, but more the coaching staff like this is Gerard males first
27:29 year as a head coach.
27:31 There's a lot of things that he's trying to figure out.
27:34 And now he's got to deal with flying all over the joint and trying to steady the ship, so
27:39 to speak, during game week.
27:41 How challenging could that be?
27:45 I don't think it's that big of a deal.
27:48 I mean, look, I mean, really outside.
27:52 It's really three games.
27:53 It's the London game is the two West Coast games.
27:55 And so, you know, you know, is that tough?
28:01 Yeah, but, you know, I don't think it's that big a deal.
28:04 I think it's I think it's good to you know, that the that the London game is a divisional
28:10 opponent.
28:11 Excuse me.
28:12 The London game is is the Jaguars and is sort of in the middle.
28:19 You know, I don't think it's all that daunting.
28:22 I just most of their you know, they're at Cincinnati at the Jets at Tennessee, as Chicago
28:29 at Dolphins at Arizona at Buffalo.
28:33 You know, so it's really the two West Coast games in London.
28:36 I don't think it's that big of a deal for an NFL team.
28:39 And, you know, look, is it is this coaching staff going to be challenged this year by
28:43 a lot of things and trying to figure things out?
28:45 Yeah, but I don't think I don't think travel should impact that very much.
28:49 All right, let's talk about this defense, because I think it was on the podcast earlier
28:54 this week.
28:55 I mentioned just the murderers row of quarterbacks that this team is going to face.
28:59 And now that we have the schedule, we can kind of clump some of these games together.
29:03 So five of the first six weeks, you have Joe Burrow, Aaron Rodgers, Brock Purdy, and it's
29:09 not necessarily Brock Purdy.
29:11 It's that San Francisco Kyle Shanahan offense to.
29:14 And I say again, it's not necessarily to on his own.
29:17 It's the two Mike McDaniel Miami offense and then CJ Stroud.
29:22 Then you look at post by Kyler Murray, not the easiest guy to face because he can extend
29:27 plays and all that stuff.
29:28 It's going to drive you crazy running with the football.
29:30 But you've got Kyler Murray and then you've got that ending of the year that we've mentioned
29:34 a couple of times.
29:36 So you've got Josh Allen, then Justin Herbert and then Josh Allen again.
29:41 So Justin Herbert is, you know, the meat in the sandwich there.
29:45 But you've got Allen, Herbert and Allen to end the year.
29:48 And Greg, last season, this defense was ninth overall in DVO.
29:53 I would say this, if they are a top 10 and DVO way this year, they are sure as hell going
29:59 to earn it.
30:00 Yeah, yeah.
30:01 You know, I could say that's true.
30:05 I mean, and they were also, you know, top 10 without Christian Gonzalez and Matthew
30:10 Judon.
30:11 Um, right.
30:12 Who we think that they're going to have back.
30:14 Um, you know, I'm, I just want to see, I'll be interested to, you know, one, a few, I
30:21 don't know, you're pointing out because you do think that the schedule is tough, especially
30:26 the, the, you know, the, the open to the season.
30:30 But you know, I do think, um, I do think that there's a soft middle, um, you know, I, again,
30:38 Houston, I don't know how good they're going to be.
30:40 They could be really good, but then at Jacksonville, I'm not never enthusiastic about the Jaguars,
30:46 you know, they have talent, but they never seem to achieve it.
30:49 I don't think that much of the jets, especially the second time around, you know, who knows
30:53 what their injuries on how old that roster is.
30:56 And Robert Sala, like, you know, in that offensive coaching staff, like, I don't, yeah, the defense
31:02 is good, but I don't think Robert salad can coach game coach at all.
31:06 I don't think that the offensive coordinator is any good.
31:08 Tennessee is sort of like your mirror image in terms of, you know, they hired the, they
31:15 had, they got rid of a Patriots tough guy, hard ass head coach, the Patriots go with
31:21 the defensive head coach, the Titans go with the offense.
31:24 They spent money in the off season.
31:26 Um, you know, we're aggressive in the draft, like, you know, all that stuff, everything
31:31 that you didn't do, but you know, you know, which, which program do I have a more enthusiasm
31:38 for, I would say the Patriots and then at the bears.
31:40 Yeah.
31:41 You know, a lot of talent on paper and we got Caleb Williams and Roma dunes a, and you
31:46 know, they have a bunch of guys coming back DJ more.
31:49 Um, the defense is usually pretty good under Eber Floos, but like, you know, if, if their
31:54 program, if the Patriots are moving in the right direction with their program, they should
31:58 have an opportunity to, to, to win some games.
32:01 I mean, one thing we haven't, I also think they got to, they got to benefit from, um,
32:07 there aren't really any bad weather games outside of Buffalo.
32:10 Um, they go at Jack at Jacksonville in October and at Miami, November 24th, those, both of
32:17 those games could have been in September.
32:19 We've seen that in years past where they've had to go there in September.
32:22 Um, so I think they got, they got lucky.
32:25 They also get soft dome teams, the Rams, the Colts and the chargers coming to new England.
32:32 The Rams is November 17th.
32:33 So maybe the weather's still good with global warming, but you know, you have a chance to
32:37 get the Rams are coming from the West coast.
32:39 Like I think those are, um, you know, advantageous.
32:42 And of course we haven't talked about yet that the Patriots got one primetime game,
32:48 a Thursday night game, which almost every team has to get one Thursday night game.
32:51 I guess that, I guess that's not a rule anymore.
32:53 Cause I think there's one, one or two teams that don't have any primetime games.
32:58 I want to go back to your Tennessee, uh, your Tennessee point and then jump to the, the
33:03 primetime idea.
33:05 I think the Tennessee game's interesting just because as you mentioned, uh, two teams
33:08 and kind of similar spots walking into this off season and you couldn't have two polar
33:14 opposites, how Tennessee attacked the off season, how the Patriots attacked the off
33:17 season.
33:18 And it's fascinating that that game is smack dab in the middle of the year.
33:21 You're talking about nine, uh, in early November.
33:25 So it'll be fun to see where those teams are, who's performing, who's not performing.
33:30 That'll be fun for us to take a look at.
33:32 It's a big scoreboard game.
33:33 It's a big scoreboard, like right in the middle, they've had enough time to work out the kinks
33:37 and all that stuff.
33:38 And you know, new offensive schemes and all that stuff.
33:40 Like we should get a good test about like, you know, it's what we'll call a Felger bowl
33:44 because Felger was pants off about how, what the Titans did, um, all off season and hated
33:50 what the Patriots did and just, well, I can't, I can't, if the Patriots beat the Titans that
33:54 week that Tuesday on Felger and mass, I am just going to laugh my ass off in his face.
33:59 Maybe I'll bend over and wave my ass in his face the entire time.
34:04 Oh boy.
34:06 Uh, so, all right, let's get back to the prime time game now.
34:12 One prime time game.
34:13 You mentioned it and it's, it's week three.
34:15 You get it right out of the way.
34:17 It is the home opener for the jets.
34:18 As I said earlier, I think that place is going to be going bananas Rogers, you know, coming
34:24 back and all that stuff.
34:25 Uh, given if he's, if he's healthy, if he gets through the first couple of weeks, but
34:29 it's early enough that fireman it's early enough that fireman Ed won't want to, uh,
34:34 jump off a bridge someplace.
34:35 He wouldn't, he won't quit the season just yet, but, but you do look at this and I would
34:40 imagine Greg that Robert craft is not thrilled, uh, having one prime time game, especially
34:44 it being on Thursday night, but this really is the NFL telling everybody what we know
34:50 coming off of a four win season.
34:53 I don't think anybody would deem this Patriots team sexy to watch.
34:56 You don't have Brady, you don't have Belichick kind of is what it is.
35:00 I'm sure craft is just, just pining for those days of, of Monday nights and Sunday nights.
35:07 Yeah, for sure.
35:09 And that's, that's where Drake man comes in.
35:11 Um, you know, as soon as Drake may is ready to go, um, and to your point, you know, when
35:16 he's ready, he should go.
35:17 I just worry about, I push it off with Drake man, cause I'm worried about, I've seen it
35:21 too many times where the, the bad habits that you work out that you get rid of that lay,
35:28 when you put these young kids under stress too much, it all comes back and you've almost
35:31 like gone backwards in terms of wellness.
35:34 So that's what I'm focused on.
35:35 But like, that's the importance of whenever Drake may gets his chance, you know, if he,
35:40 let's just say it's when I say the week 14 by and he comes out and they go to Arizona,
35:44 they win that game.
35:46 And then he goes toe to toe with, if he goes toe to toe with Josh Allen, who, by the way,
35:52 it could be a blessing getting the bills late because you know, they're in sort of a transition
35:57 period, you know, with the whole Stefan digs, you know, they lost a lot on defense.
36:02 Like you could be looking at, you know, Sean McDermott's a dead man walking if he's not
36:07 fired already by this time, like in terms of where the bills are.
36:12 Um, we'll, we'll have to see how that goes, but back to may, if he can finish up with
36:19 going toe to toe with Josh Allen twice and Justin Herbert, all of a sudden that sets
36:23 up the Patriots, not only, um, you know, as a team and the enthusiasm for them going forward
36:28 for the next season, but just in terms of now you have a face to put on the marquee.
36:33 Like when you, you know, get into these division battles with Aaron Rogers and Tua and, uh,
36:39 Josh Allen, like now all of a sudden you have, you know, Drake may and you know, he's the,
36:45 he's the Hick from North Carolina and you know, goofy and all that stuff.
36:49 Yeah.
36:50 Uh, now you got somebody up there.
36:53 I mean, but he's a good looking kid.
36:54 He, now you have something to sell and now all of a sudden the Patriots are back in business.
36:59 Just you bringing up the Buffalo thing.
37:01 Imagine if it's off the rails, you know, for a fact towards the end of the year, if it's
37:04 off the rails is bill Belichick Buffalo bound.
37:08 That'll be the, for both of those games, the entire game is bill an option.
37:13 I can, I can feel it deep in my, what if Bill's the, uh, the interim coach, they bring them
37:21 in just to piss everybody off in new England.
37:24 Yup.
37:25 He's there.
37:26 So they fire McDermott, the season's lost.
37:27 They bring bill in just to start.
37:30 Um, you know, they bring them in just to start being in the building and figuring out like
37:35 what they need to do, uh, going forward, that sort of thing.
37:38 And he's like just the overlord, like watching the Patriots and the bills.
37:42 That would be awesome.
37:43 Talk about wrestling and he comes running out of the stands with a steel chair and he
37:46 nails the drum on the back.
37:48 Yup.
37:49 Thanks for here.
37:51 Thanks for shiving me in the back.
37:52 Here's yours.
37:53 Oh my God.
37:56 It can't be, it is it's bill Belichick.
37:59 Uh, all right.
38:00 So a couple of things, cause I do think the schedule is tough, very tough, but there are
38:05 a couple of things that, uh, some silver linings.
38:08 First of all, in October, I find this interesting.
38:10 Uh, you only leave Foxborough once in October and that's to go to London.
38:15 So you're not really playing on anybody's home turf in the entire month of October.
38:20 You play Miami at home, you play the Texans at home, then you get that trip to London
38:23 against the Jags and then you come back to play the jets at home on October 27th.
38:29 And the other thing I would mention this from, this is from a Brian Burke of ESPN.
38:34 Greg, uh, he posted last night, the, the net rest differential.
38:39 So how many days do you have off, uh, more than your competition has in a given week?
38:45 And the Patriots have the second best net rest differential since 2002.
38:51 The only team that has a better number is actually this year's Baltimore Ravens.
38:56 And the Ravens have, I think, uh, multiple Thursday night games and they also play on
38:59 Christmas.
39:00 So they have that Wednesday game.
39:02 So that kind of swings it to their side, but still that the Patriots have the second best
39:07 net rest differential since Oh two, which means they're going to have plenty more rest
39:12 than their competition a week to week this year.
39:15 And that is something that is very significant.
39:18 Yeah, for sure.
39:20 And you know, before you said it was, it was the Ravens.
39:23 I was like, well, this is what you get when you're not playing on Monday nights or Sunday
39:27 nights and you know, you, they only have you on Thursday once and nobody wants to see you
39:31 on Christmas or, uh, Thanksgiving.
39:34 And so it's sort of like a net benefit to, uh, being at least underrated as far as the
39:41 NFL goes.
39:42 But that, that, that is for sure.
39:43 Um, a big advantage.
39:45 We've seen them get sort of screwed in that regard, but that's what happens when you're
39:48 good.
39:49 And it just amazes me that the Ravens are better.
39:51 Um, of course I'm sure that nobody will bring up like conspiracies theories on how the NFL
39:57 like loves the Ravens and I mean, it's beshadi for some reason, but
40:01 you got another question for Greg, but before I get to it, check out Greg and Mike Giardi
40:07 who just landed a job, even though you don't like me, Mike, congratulations.
40:11 Check out BSJ, a side gig, not a job side gig.
40:17 Congratulations on the side gig.
40:18 Giardi, uh, 50 bucks over at BSJ for the year with those two guys tag team in the Patriots
40:23 with film.
40:24 Uh, obviously Corrales gets to cover another Eastern conference finals, tough life for
40:28 him recently.
40:29 Uh, Hagerty is, is covering game six tomorrow night at the TD garden between the Bruins
40:35 and the Panthers.
40:36 Looks like Marshy will be back on the ice for that one.
40:38 So check out BSJ, tons of great coverage.
40:41 Anything about this, uh, schedule Greg that we haven't touched on just yet that you wanted
40:46 to mention?
40:47 Hmm.
40:48 Um, no, I mean, again, I, uh, like, you know, I do think, I don't think the schedule is,
40:57 you know, all that daunting.
40:58 I do think they have a chance against the Bengals in Cincinnati.
41:01 I think they definitely have a chance to Seattle at home.
41:04 So you know, they have a chance to start to an L I'm not afraid of the jets.
41:08 Um, and even being there on Thursday night in the big Apple, San Francisco will definitely
41:12 be a loss.
41:13 Dolphins are probably a loss.
41:14 Texans are probably a loss.
41:16 And then, you know, then you have a bunch of handful of games where, you know, we'll
41:20 see.
41:21 I think there's, there's a lot of toss up games for this team.
41:24 And you know, you get the Rams later in the season coming here, you know, who knows, um,
41:29 if Stafford's going to be healthy at that point with an elbow, that's basically like
41:33 hanging on.
41:34 So, you know, in the Colts, you never know what you're going to get.
41:36 Anthony Richardson could be hurt, uh, by that time.
41:39 So I just think in general, like I like the schedule.
41:42 I don't think there are any too many stretches where you're just like, Oh my God, they're
41:46 going to get there.
41:47 They're going into a wood chipper.
41:48 Um, so, uh, I'm encouraged by the schedule.
41:52 I just, uh, the late by is just absurd.
41:56 Don't ever say that Greg Bedard doesn't surprise you out there because we're thinking wet blanket
42:01 Bedard and a lot of people, including myself, look at the schedule and said, Oh, well, that's
42:08 awful.
42:09 But here's Greg sprinkling in a little positivity for all of you.
42:13 And I must say, I must say that you, you've made me feel slightly better about this schedule
42:18 that I did before we started recording this podcast, Greg.
42:21 So job well done, sir.
42:22 I still think it's not a good one, but I give you credit.
42:25 I give you some points.
42:26 Uh, don't forget this episode brought to you by prize picks largest daily fantasy sports
42:31 platform in North America.
42:32 You can download the app today.
42:34 Use that code CLNS for our first deposit match up to a hundred bucks.
42:38 He's Greg.
42:39 I'm Nick.
42:40 Everybody have a fantastic weekend.
42:42 We got the Bruins on Friday night, might have the Celtics on Sunday.
42:46 Depends on what happens in the NBA tonight.
42:48 But everybody enjoy yourself.
42:50 We're back early next week until then.
42:51 It's the Greg Bedard Patriots podcast with me.
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