In the latest Greg Bedard Patriots Podcast with Nick Cattles, the duo recaps the Patriots' trade deadline moves and previews the Week 10 game against the Bears. They debate the big question: Drake Maye vs. Caleb Williams. The episode also breaks down key matchups, including the Bears' offense versus the Patriots' defense.
Greg Bedard Patriots Podcast is presented by:
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Greg Bedard Patriots Podcast is presented by:
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SportsTranscript
00:00This is the Gregg Bedard Patriots podcast with Nick Cavins.
00:10He's Gregg.
00:11I'm Nick.
00:12We'll talk Chicago Bears versus Patriots this Sunday in a couple of minutes.
00:16First download the prize picks app today.
00:18Use code CLNS.
00:19Get 50 bucks instantly when you play $5.
00:22That's code CLNS on prize picks to get 50 bucks instantly when you play five.
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00:32Download the GameTime app, create an account, and use code CLNS for 20 bucks off your first
00:38purchase.
00:39All right, Gregg.
00:40Before we get to the offensive line, before we get to Caleb versus Drake, just a couple
00:44of quick questions for you regarding the trading deadline.
00:47Were you surprised at all that the Patriots were so quiet on deadline day?
00:52No, I was not.
00:55The only thing I think we discussed in the last pod is that I felt reasonably good about
01:00KJ Osborne being on the way out.
01:04That did not happen.
01:06The Patriots probably didn't want to give him away, but could they end up cutting him?
01:13I don't know, but yeah, no, not really surprising.
01:18Were you surprised?
01:19No, no.
01:20I didn't think it made much sense.
01:22I don't think you're getting a great return on some of the guys that you have.
01:26You look at culture versus capital, and you've got to pick that balance.
01:32A guy like Godshaw, Jonathan Jones, those guys are very important for the room.
01:36Kendrick Bourne, especially with the wide receivers you have.
01:39I wasn't surprised.
01:40I know some people wanted them to buy, but in their specific situation, I don't think
01:44you're looking for anybody other than younger players that might have some term left or
01:49guys that you think that you can sign to an extension.
01:52Those guys really weren't readily available at this deadline, so I'm not surprised.
01:57You answered the second question.
01:58Yeah, Nick, one thing on that.
02:02I know a bunch of people, I'm sure, wanted the Patriots to buy, and there are people
02:07out there being like, you have to go get Drake May help right now.
02:11What people have to keep in mind is the Patriots are not where they are right now.
02:16We know this is a pretty big rebuild that they're in the midst of, and they were not
02:23going to risk, say, certainly anything third round or above, but even when you're talking
02:29like fourth round, the Patriots aren't going to give those picks away on the hope that
02:37you get a guy, you bring him in, and then he wants to re-sign with you and all that.
02:42They can't afford to risk that.
02:45This is going to be, we said this from the beginning when Elliott Wolfe was brought in,
02:50that this rebuild was going to happen through the draft, and I know certainly it's been
02:55a popular topic of discussion.
02:57I saw you tweeting about it today, about how people want to say this draft was an epic
03:05fail.
03:06I just don't agree with that.
03:11I just don't expect much out of rookie classes, any rookies.
03:18They got the quarterback in the first round, and basically this is the way that it goes.
03:24First round, if you draft somebody in the first round, you should get just about an
03:27immediate starter.
03:29Maybe towards the back end of the first round, it's more of they should start at some point
03:33their rookie year.
03:36First rounders, they contribute as rookies, but you're hoping that they become a starter
03:44in year two.
03:47From there on out, it just goes down and down.
03:49Third, fourth round picks, when you're talking about Caden Wallace and Leighton Robinson,
03:56and Javon Baker, you're talking about these are future bets where you're hoping that by
04:02like year three, that they're still on your roster and contributing and possibly pushing
04:07for a starting role.
04:08So I just, I don't know.
04:11It's like we talk about every draft cycle.
04:13I just think the draft is so freaking overrated by people.
04:17It's just become an event, and their expectations just get way too high.
04:22Do I want Jalen Polk to be playing better and playing more?
04:26Yeah, but that he isn't isn't a huge indictment.
04:29Guys go through this all the time.
04:32Baker worthy for the Chiefs has a couple of touchdowns, but I think he has like 10 catches
04:37on a year or something like that.
04:39So I don't know.
04:40I don't know how you feel about it.
04:42I have a lot of feelings.
04:44First of all, my tweet from earlier today, and if you want to follow me, it's at Nick
04:48C radio was about Jalen Polk, as you mentioned, and I just heard Michael Holly and he was
04:53with you last night.
04:54I was watching you guys from BST last night and Michael threw out, I think Donald driver.
05:01He threw out Greg Jennings, and I think what people do is they just kind of throw out these
05:09names thinking of who those guys eventually became.
05:13But I wanted to look back at what they were at the beginning of their career, and we talk
05:22about the Packer way and Packers.
05:24Oh, they draft great wide receivers all the time, and here we are.
05:27First wide receiver pick by Elliott Wolfe and the dudes of bust.
05:31First of all, nine weeks into somebody's career is not when you call them a bust.
05:33I'm sorry.
05:34I will keep saying that until I turn blue in the face and pass out.
05:38I just don't believe in that.
05:39You got to give guys time as Greg just said, but when you look back, Greg, at those, at
05:44those picks, at those wide receivers, Donald driver and his rookie season had three catches,
05:48three catches for 31 yards, his rookie season, Greg Jennings, 45 catches for six 32, Jordy
05:54Nelson, 33 catches for three 66, Randall Cobb, 25 catches for three 75.
06:00Even Devante Adams, who ended up becoming arguably the best receiver in the NFL for
06:05a couple of years in his rookie season, he had 38 catches and four 46 and remember those
06:10guys had Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers throwing the football to them.
06:14So everybody calm the hell down with the draft picks to expect, you know, all of those guys
06:20to make immediate impacts is just completely unreasonable and expecting really more than
06:27your first round pick right off the bat to make a huge difference is, you know, is, is
06:33unusual.
06:34And I know people will look at the commanders and look, teams nailed draft.
06:39Sometimes it happens, right?
06:41And sometimes you do have three or four guys or two or three guys that immediately contribute,
06:46but we're talking about the vast majority.
06:48And you mentioned Xavier worthy.
06:52Let me just say this.
06:54I'm a huge fan of Marvin Harrison, Jr.
06:58And everybody was going out of their ever loving mind before the draft, man, you got
07:03to draft Harrison, you draft Harrison.
07:06He's generational.
07:08I don't necessarily disagree that he could be truly special.
07:11He has 28 catches this year, 28, and he was the guy in this draft.
07:18It's not like he's on pace for a hundred catches this year.
07:20He's not on pace for the 13, 14, 1500 yard season that people were saying that he's going
07:25to have now, maybe he'll get there as he improves during the season.
07:28But guess what?
07:29Jalen Polk could also improve during the season.
07:31And maybe by the end, we're talking about a guy who has 35 catches, 40 catches and gets
07:35out of this.
07:36So, you know, you could look at Malik neighbors who has, I think, 25 catches or Roma dunes
07:41A's and somewhere in the twenties, just it's this like unrealistic expectation and it drives
07:50me nuts.
07:51And the people that, you know, in the other game, I'll just, before I kick it back to
07:55you, Greg, cause I know you got something else to say.
07:57The other thing about the draft that drives me nuts is the revisionist history.
08:01Now of people that are like, oh yeah, Elliot Wolf drafted Drake may congratulations.
08:06That's easy.
08:07He's the guy you were going to draft.
08:10Okay.
08:11If, if you thought that he should draft Drake may, and I thought he should draft Drake man,
08:15that was the right call.
08:16Fine.
08:17But I know, and you know, Greg, you heard from a lot of these people before the draft.
08:21Why don't they trade down and draft Joe Alt?
08:25Why don't they trade down and draft JJ McCarty?
08:28Why don't they draft Marvin Harrison jr.
08:30So let's not act like everybody was on the Drake may bandwagon because he looks good
08:36early in his career back in April, because that was certainly not the case.
08:41And, you know, both of us were on the same wave wavelength with that.
08:45I mean, yes, I thought that from what I saw on film, I thought Drake may needed development,
08:50but I didn't care.
08:51If, if you thought he had the potential to be a guy, which we've seen now, then you take
08:56him third.
08:57I don't care if he doesn't play a game until 2025.
09:00That's what I said at the time.
09:01And I stand by that, but you know, back on the receivers, you know, I do think people
09:06have these outsized expectations, outsized expectations.
09:09I mean, Malik neighbors is really, and Brian Thomas is coming on now in Jacksonville, but
09:14I would say Malik neighbors, he has, he's, he's, he has 55 receptions this year.
09:20So like it, but he was the sixth overall pick.
09:24Yeah.
09:25And I just want to say, I mixed him up with Roma doons.
09:27It's wrong.
09:28And I was about, I was just about to get to, you know, even if Jalen Polk and Jalen Polk
09:34has 10 receptions, all right.
09:37Even if, even if Jalen Polk had 20 receptions, let's say people would still be unsatisfied
09:44with that because of their unrealistic expectations.
09:46I mean, like you said, Marvin Harrison jr, the fourth overall pick only has 28 catches
09:51this year.
09:52And he has, you know, Kyler Murray, they have a decent offensive line.
09:55Like he's in a pretty good situation and he, he only has 28 receptions.
10:01Who's with Caleb Williams.
10:02He's surrounded by other guys like DJ Moore and Keenan Allen.
10:06And you know, we'll talk about those guys.
10:09He only has 25 catches.
10:11And I think Xavier worthy, who I think a lot of people were saying the Patriots missed
10:16out on, they should have traded back in the first round.
10:19I mean, with Patrick Mahomes and J Travis Kelsey and a bunch of injuries at the chiefs
10:25wide receiver position where they're, you know, bringing in Deandre Hopkins and they're
10:30trying to find people, you know, worthy has been basically healthy the whole time.
10:35He has, he has 19 catches.
10:37Yeah.
10:38He has three touchdowns, but he has 19 catches and you know, look at the situation that Polk's
10:43in.
10:44So I just think people have these things in their mind, but they just, every year they
10:48forget like it's not reality.
10:50I mean, we have top 10 picks who aren't doing all that much more than Jalen Polk and people
10:56are bummed that the 37th pick, uh, you know, is off to a slow start.
11:00It's just, let alone what else is going on with this team where they can't block and
11:05they have no scheme.
11:06Um, they got to dump, Oh, you know, the cheese Patriots, they can't draft wide receivers
11:11anymore.
11:12Jalen Polk will be fine.
11:13And people just have to have patience and, uh, you know, let's just beat the dead horse.
11:18Xavier Leggett, Xavier Leggett has 26 catches on the season for 244 yards.
11:23Keon Coleman has 22 catches for the season for 417 yards.
11:27I think people got triggered because the lad McConkie having a good game a couple of weeks
11:31ago and lad McConkie has been, he's been good 35 catches though.
11:35It's not like he's got 50 catches.
11:37Neighbors is the one dude that's walked into the NFL and said, yeah, I'm going to own this
11:40place.
11:41So take a deep breath.
11:43All right.
11:44Um, moving on from that, I'm telling people to take a deep breath.
11:49I need to take a deep breath because I'm on Twitter today.
11:53And Greg, I got to tell you, I thought my head was going to explode in my living room.
11:59When I saw Alex fan pelt telling us pretty much not to be surprised if Michael Wenu is
12:09playing left guard some point soon.
12:12And apparently a one who practiced yesterday at left guard.
12:17What are we doing and why are we doing it, Greg?
12:23I don't know.
12:24I'm, I'm at like what's end with this.
12:26I mean, just like, it's just one, one puzzling decision.
12:31I mean, by the way, just to, to, to just to put in perspective, the geniuses that we're
12:38talking about that are making these decisions, you know, let's just, let's just revisit the
12:44Jeffrey Simmons decision.
12:46You know, just briefly, I went off on it the other day.
12:50To me, it was egregious.
12:51And one of the dumbest things I've ever seen, uh, covering the NFL, um, just to put in perspective,
12:57how bad that decision was to, uh, let go of the continuity that you had built with the
13:04Wenu at right guard, DeMontre Jacobs at right tackle.
13:07You could have had the third straight starting lineup, the same thing, getting some continuity.
13:11These guys used to playing each other.
13:13No, you know, we talked about it before.
13:15These geniuses decided to move a one who back out to right tackle where he hasn't been
13:19any good.
13:20Let's move the rookie laden Robinson and at right guard against Jeffrey Simmons, and then
13:25also not have a plan against Jeffrey Simmons, just to put into perspective, how bad the
13:30Patriots plan was with that.
13:32I went back and looked at it, Jeffrey Simmons, according to PFF, Jeffrey Simmons had eight
13:37total pressures in that game, one sack in seven hurries.
13:42His previous high this season was four against the Colts.
13:46So everybody else is making it a priority to limit Jeffrey Simmons because of how good
13:51he is.
13:52The Patriots, of course, they don't do anything, double anything he's done this season.
13:55And that was the most pressure Jeffrey Simmons has had in a game since week nine of 2021.
14:02So I mean, we're talking an all time, just dumb ass, bad plan from this offensive collective,
14:14their brain trust.
14:15So now this same group that brought you that decided, let's now move Michael Wenu over
14:21to the left side of the line where he hasn't played, I think since 2021 and they're going
14:29to try this.
14:30I mean, look, on the surface, I can understand their, the thinking probably Nick is we like
14:39Leighton Robinson.
14:41We want him to play.
14:42We want to see more.
14:43We want to see what he can do for the rest of the season building into next year.
14:49I'm sorry.
14:50Now's not the time for that.
14:52It's not.
14:53That's for like the last month of the season when everything is thrown away.
14:56Like this team, this team, this coaching staff, like they're on the rocks, man.
15:03They're like, it's, it's not going well and they need to do everything they need to do
15:08to win games, to look like a competent outfit.
15:11And now if this thing blows up in its face, like the Simmons did, I'm sorry, these guys,
15:17these guys are putting themselves in the crosshair all by themselves and just shooting themselves
15:21in the foot.
15:22I just, it's, it's just ridiculous.
15:24And I'm tired of talking about this kind of stuff.
15:27It reminds you of, uh, you know, week four against the Niners when they didn't help on
15:32Nick Bosa and Nick Bosa had nine quarterback pressures in that game.
15:37Just nine pressures alone.
15:40It makes no sense.
15:41All right.
15:42Before we get to the, uh, Caleb Drake showdown, Greg, tell the fine people about your prize
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16:05correct picks.
16:06Trying to get back on the horse, been struggling a little bit.
16:10Thanks to the jackasses that run the Patriots offense and I can't figure out what the hell
16:14they're doing from week to week.
16:17Um, well we are going Drake may over 20 and a half rushing yards.
16:23I will admit I don't feel great about that because watching, uh, Kyler Murray only had
16:28six yards rushing, um, against the bears last week.
16:33Um, I do think that the bears do a good job closing in the pocket, but I think Drake's
16:38just of the mindset that like, he's just going to run like the bejesus cause that's basically
16:43all they can do on offense.
16:44I'm going to remandre Stevenson, uh, over a half rush plus receiving touchdown.
16:50I think if the Patriots are going to do anything in this game, it's going to be on the ground.
16:55The bears defense is 30th against the run in DVO a, uh, Hunter Henry over 42 and a half
17:03receiving yards.
17:04Um, I do like the bear safeties.
17:07I do not like their linebackers.
17:09Um, old friend, Tremaine Edmonds, who we all know when he was with the bills, um, very
17:14slow.
17:15I just think that Drake knows the Hunter Henry's like the one guy he can count on in the passing
17:20game.
17:21So I'm banking on that.
17:22I'm going Joey Sly.
17:23I'm going with both kickers in this game, uh, Joey Sly and Santos over one and a half
17:30field goals made.
17:31I think it's going to be low scoring and Deandre Swift.
17:35The bears running back.
17:36I'm going over a half rushing and receiving TDS.
17:40Um, he has a crappy offensive line, but I do think that, um, I do think that he's a
17:47weapon in both the run game and the past game.
17:50He usually carves up.
17:51He usually has good games and the bears have good games against the defense like the Patriots.
17:55So I'm looking to him to hit pay dirt, download the prize picks app today and use code CLNS
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18:14All right.
18:15This game, of course, a lot of people looking at it as the Caleb Williams versus Drake may
18:20showdown one versus three, uh, looking at these quarterbacks, Greg, of course, you've
18:25seen a lot of Drake may you've done some work on Caleb Williams this week, right now, right
18:31now, who would you rather have in a football game?
18:36Uh, all things being equal, same team, same coaching, stuff like that.
18:42Oh, that's interesting.
18:43So I'm going to, I'm going to answer this two different ways.
18:45I'm going to answer that question with Caleb Williams.
18:49And the reason is, is that, you know, in my draft evaluation, I had Caleb Jaden Drake,
18:54and I thought all three were worthy of, you know, where they went.
18:58Um, I had them one, two, three in this draft.
19:00Um, you know, if we're taking circumstances out of it, I still think
19:06that Caleb Williams is the overall most talented quarterback in, out of this group.
19:14Um, now I would pose the question, this question, who would I rather
19:21have as my franchise quarterback?
19:24I would say Drake may, does that make sense that those two answers are different?
19:28Okay.
19:29Um, I just look, I, I don't feel that follow the bears all that closely.
19:33Um, there's just something, and I, and I watched the hard knocks and
19:38I've heard Caleb talk sometimes.
19:40And like, I, there's just something about him that I don't like, like,
19:44I find disingenuous that he's a little fake that, you know, and you could see,
19:49I, I was, I was watching the Cardinals tape and you know, we'll talk about it
19:54but I gotta tell you, um, that was some of the worst offensive film that I've ever
20:00seen, and I do think that they're in similar situations in that both offensive
20:06lines stink, the coaching stinks, Caleb Williams has weapons to, to work with.
20:12He does.
20:13Um, but you know, I, I see Drake, I see Drake lifting his situation.
20:20I don't see Caleb helping his situation.
20:23And, and, and in a lot of ways you see him contributing to a poor situation
20:29because I don't think that there's very much enthusiasm for the offense.
20:33I think, I don't think Caleb likes the system and I, I think that filters
20:38down to DJ Moore's walking off the field during the middle of plays.
20:42Keenan Allen's given questionable effort.
20:44Like it's just, it's a bad situation in Chicago that could get really
20:49bad on Sunday and like, I just don't, I don't think that would ever happen with
20:55Drake, Drake does not have a good situation, but he's always the same.
20:59And I just think that at the end of the day, I'd rather have him running
21:05my program than Caleb Williams.
21:09There's absolutely this vibe from Drake that, you know, he takes
21:12accountability for everything.
21:14He takes the responsibility and puts it on himself.
21:19And, and I don't know if you get that from Caleb at all times.
21:23Uh, Caleb's ceiling is, is pretty crazy because of his just natural
21:26ability, as you said, is his talent.
21:28Uh, but yeah, I mean, you look at, you look at this bears offense and we might
21:33as well just get into it now, you know, this bears offense versus
21:36the Patriots defense on Sunday.
21:38The bears don't do a whole lot.
21:40That's like, wow, look at this.
21:42They're not very exotic offensively.
21:44Waldron, uh, of course had history here for a little bit, went out and coached
21:48with Sean McVay, uh, he's somebody that, you know, I think a lot of people
21:52thought, Hey, you know, he's going to take some of those things that you see
21:56from McVay that the pre-snap motion, the snap at motion, I mean, the motion
22:00at snap, all those things and cook up some, some fun stuff.
22:05And you don't really see that from this bears offense in Greg, you
22:09know, you talked about Williams and right now he's been super streaky.
22:14You know, he got off to a bad start.
22:15Then he had like three games where he was super hot and statistically
22:20and analytically one of the best quarterbacks in the league.
22:22The last two weeks haven't been great, but overall, I mean, 25th
22:26and passer rating 27th and QBR.
22:29Uh, they don't, they don't have a lot of explosive plays.
22:32Evan Lazar, our friend said, you know, he wrote that they're
22:3427th and explosive play rate.
22:37So, I mean, you've got a dunes, a you've got Keenan Allen, you've got.
22:43Swift in Williams.
22:45You've got Cole commit who, by the way, my freaking goodness, Cole
22:49commit is on the back of a milk cart.
22:51And that dude was not, he wasn't even seen against Arizona.
22:54He's just out there standing.
22:56I mean, he's, he's literally standing around one, like trying to figure
23:01out what the hell he's supposed to do.
23:02And as a fan of Notre Dame, I'm a little perplexed by that because
23:06Cole commits a good football player, but they have, they have all of
23:09these weapons, Greg, and they've got a quarterback who has that ceiling.
23:13So you just kind of mentioned it, you hinted at it with those numbers
23:17from the quarterback, with the struggles from this offense, what is
23:20wrong with this operation in Chicago?
23:23Um, a couple of different things.
23:26Um, you know what I see?
23:29Um, I think that the S the scheme is a mess.
23:33I think you're right.
23:34Shane Waldron is a guy who, you know, came up under McVay, but I
23:38think he's an example of one of these guys that, um, for whatever
23:44reason, because other guys have had success that have been with McVay.
23:48But for whatever reason, like he never understood the secret sauce, like
23:53you can have, you can, and this, this also goes to what's going on with
23:57the Patriots defense, like, you know, with DeMarcus Covington and Gerard Mayo.
24:01Like you can have the manual in front of you in terms of this is what we've done.
24:07This is how you do it, but to, to understand the how and the why and the
24:11timing and in matchups and things like that, like it doesn't, it doesn't do any
24:16good, like it's not going to come together.
24:18Right.
24:18And, um, you know, I, I, the scheme's bad.
24:22I would say their offensive line is it's terrible.
24:27It's, it's very unathletic.
24:29They had a, they had a play.
24:31They had a play on the goal line where, uh, the bears were coming out.
24:37This is the game was basically largely over.
24:39They were on like the one foot line, their own one foot line.
24:42And they went to run a ball to the right and they completely, no one
24:47blocked the left end and came in and he almost got, he almost got a safety.
24:51Like there are some things that you see that you're just like,
24:54Oh my God, this is horrendous.
24:56I actually think that their, their scheme and execution might
25:01be worse than the Patriots.
25:02It, it, it might be.
25:03And then you, then you factor into that, that Caleb plays hero ball all the time.
25:09He doesn't take easy money.
25:11I think, I think the story in this game, if the Patriots are to win this game,
25:15I think the Drake is going to, and this, this goes to, to, to attest to Drake's
25:23how he learns, how he's humble, how he says, you know, you know, on the game
25:27winning touchdown, he's, he rightfully pointed out I had Hunter Henry earlier.
25:31I, I didn't need to make it that hard on myself and, and you know, other things.
25:35I, and he's, he'll look at the film and he'll be like, I need to take the easy
25:40money more and Caleb William rarely takes the easy money.
25:44And if Drake can take the easy money more than Caleb Williams does in this
25:49game, I think the Patriots stand a good chance of winning this game.
25:53But you see, Drake tries to play hero ball.
25:56He's late with things.
25:57Um, you know, they do put a lot on his plate at the line of scrimmage, as far
26:01as you'll see him up there, changing things, moving people around.
26:05I mean, it's astounding for a rookie to be able to do that, um, at this point in
26:09time, but, um, I, I would say, you know, watching the bears, you know, we heard
26:15from a lot of people, Nick in the ramp up to this and Drake may like, all right,
26:19you got the quarterback now go get them a bunch of weapons.
26:22Well, the bears have a bunch of weapons.
26:25They have, they went and got Keenan Allen.
26:27They drafted Roma doomsday.
26:29They have DJ Moore.
26:31They have Cole commit.
26:32They have Deandre Swift.
26:34And what the hell is that getting them?
26:36Not much.
26:36I mean, they might be able to win a shootout against, you know, some teams
26:39and put up some stats in one game where the Patriots won't really do that.
26:44But it just shows you, like, if you don't have the scheme and you
26:49don't have the offensive line, it doesn't matter what you surround the
26:52quarterback with, because you're really not going to get anywhere at the end of
26:55the day.
26:56Yeah.
26:57And Greg said, uh, that Drake plays hero ball.
27:00He meant Caleb plays hero ball.
27:02Oh, sorry.
27:03Yeah.
27:03I just want to correct it.
27:04So people aren't, you know, losing their minds.
27:06Um, yeah, but he, he does hold onto the football.
27:09He takes sacks.
27:11Uh, you know, I, I watched that Arizona game over again.
27:13I watched some of it live and then I watched over again this week, uh, off
27:17the nfl.com plus deal that I got.
27:20And, uh, yeah, he, he holds onto the football.
27:22He takes sacks, uh, I think too often.
27:25And that's a problem.
27:27He tries to do too much too often.
27:29That's a problem.
27:29As you said, uh, to go back, to go back to that, uh, fourth offensive possession,
27:36I pulled up my notes from the game and it was a perfect Arizona punt.
27:39So Chicago's at its own one yard line.
27:42First and 10 under center run stuff.
27:46Then second and 10 Caleb Williams in the gun.
27:49Deandre Swift gets called for a chop block in the end zone safety.
27:55That's, that's, that's pretty much the bears offense in a nutshell right now.
27:58Um,
27:59oh, by the way, another thing, just two more things on, I saw two things in that
28:04film that I've never seen in my life covering the NFL, Nick number one was the
28:08DJ more play.
28:10I saw your, I saw your, I posted it on Twitter.
28:14Uh, he's Greg, Greg posts the video on Twitter.
28:17It's hilarious.
28:18He circles DJ more and he draws a line to the sidelines as, as
28:22if DJ Moore's running a play.
28:24Yeah.
28:25So Caleb, Caleb, the balls in the middle of the field, Caleb rolls to his left.
28:29DJ Moore's coming back.
28:30Now he did say that he rolled his ankle a little bit.
28:33Okay, fine.
28:34It wasn't like his ankle was, his foot was dangling off his, his leg and he
28:38needed immediate attention.
28:40Um, he, he was out there like two plays later, but he, so Caleb
28:45goes all the way to the left.
28:46DJ Moore doesn't get the ball.
28:47His ankle hurts.
28:48Caleb rolls all the way back to the other side of the field.
28:51At this point in time, DJ Moore walks off the field and goes and sits on the
28:55bench while Caleb's still running around.
28:58So he's down a receiver.
28:59Now he only has four receiver.
29:00I've never seen that.
29:01The other thing I've never seen before, and this just shows you where the scheme
29:06is and the understanding of what everybody's doing.
29:09So Buda Baker, um, everybody knows on the Cardinals, he's their best player.
29:14He's the guy that you have to, you have to game plan for, but just like the
29:17Patriots didn't do with Jeffrey Simmons, the Bears obviously didn't with Buda
29:21Baker, Buda Baker runs, walks down into the box and the back is there.
29:28I think it was swift and Caleb Williams gets the snap.
29:33Um, holds the ball in his right hand and points at Buda Baker, like as he's
29:38dropping back to basically tell DeAndre Swift block that guy and DeAndre Swift
29:44goes, F you, I'm going out for a pass and Buda Baker comes in and gets Caleb Williams.
29:50I mean, it is dysfunctional.
29:52That doesn't even get into, you know, DJ Moore's dog and routes down the field.
29:56These guys are a freaking hot mess and it could boil over if they lose this
30:02game to the Patriots on Sunday, uh, a lot of people are going to get fired.
30:07Now, listen, you know, Shane Waldron was a popular name.
30:10I was interested in Waldron, uh, because of his background.
30:13I said, you know, maybe he'd be a good hire for the Patriots to be the OC here.
30:17He hasn't done a good job.
30:19Luke Getsy was somebody who I was not a fan of because I saw Getsy
30:23coordinate the Chicago Patriots.
30:24I saw Getsy coordinate the Chicago offense.
30:28Imagine I got a friend who was in Virginia, my buddy, Tim big bears fan.
30:32He's originally from the Chicago area.
30:34And I can't imagine him watching.
30:36Like he, he had to sit through the Luke Getsy couple of years.
30:40Uh, he had to sit through it.
30:41Wasn't Adam Gase out there for like a year has sit through Getsy and
30:46now he's watching this with Waldron.
30:48He probably wants to punch somebody in the neck and Matt Nagy before that.
30:52Like, oh my God.
30:55And, uh, Clint Kubiak, by the way, uh, got off to a great start in
30:58new Orleans and he hasn't been good the last like seven, eight weeks.
31:01So play calling ain't easy.
31:04Kyle Duggar, Christian Ellis, bolt DMPs today, Greg, at this point, I
31:09wouldn't expect either guy to play.
31:11Uh, how much of a difference of course Duggar has been out the last couple of
31:15weeks, but how much of a difference does it make with Ellis now you're looking
31:17at McMillan and maybe talkie talkie.
31:20Yeah, we saw talkie talkie, you know, a limited amount in the last game.
31:24He did have a nice hard pass tackle over the middle.
31:27Um, you know, what, what's puzzling to me is we heard from DeMarcus Covington
31:31today and he was asked about talkie talkie and he talked about something along
31:35the lines of, um, you know, uh, getting him up to speed with the, the playbook.
31:42Um, I'm trying to look for the, um, for the exact quote.
31:47Um, yeah, DeMarcus Covington, this is from Mark Daniels on C on talkie talkie.
31:52He's doing a good job of learning the playbook.
31:54We need to get him rolling.
31:55Um, week 10 it's week 10 he's been here since the off season.
32:02How freaking complicated is the playbook?
32:04Like, what do you do go on vacation when he was hurt?
32:07Like, how doesn't he know what the playbook like?
32:12Oh God, this is, this is, this is, this is, this is, this is, this is
32:17this season, like I thought it was bad.
32:20You expect somebody to have eight months of time to figure out the playbook.
32:23You're being unreasonable.
32:24I think you're being unreasonable.
32:26Eight months, give them a year and a half.
32:27Maybe, maybe he'll figure it out after 18 months.
32:30All right.
32:31Before we get the Patriots offense versus bears defense, let's
32:34talk about game time, Greg.
32:36It's NBA time.
32:38We saw the Celtics last night.
32:40Jason Tatum's revenge game.
32:41Yeah, it didn't go that well, but you know, it was a good game.
32:44It was fun to watch.
32:45It was playoffs.
32:46I'm sure, you know, little Nicky cattle's was all excited to watch that great game.
32:50And I would like to mention, I would like to mention, uh, that was without
32:54stuff, Celtics, second and third best players.
32:56So let's remember that.
32:58True.
32:58Totally valid.
32:59And I got to say that was probably the most of an NBA game that I've watched
33:04probably since the playoffs last year.
33:06Like I watched most of the first half, then I had it on a separate TV, but I was,
33:11you know, it was, it was a good game and, uh, I would have loved to have been there.
33:15Uh, I will say if you want to be there, you got some good opportunities
33:21through game time, coming up, uh, game time picks filters out the fluff to show
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33:34See views, get, get a panoramic view from your seat in the app.
33:38Before you buy, I was checking out the app, see what was going
33:41on for the Celtics games coming up.
33:43Uh, there's one, I think Friday night, they play somebody don't they?
33:47Um, but I will say that game was a little bit expensive, but November
33:53second, the Hawks they're hosting them in the NBA cup.
33:57I looked on game time right now.
33:59You can get in for 85 bucks.
34:01And that's, that's not going to happen very often with Celtics games.
34:05So if you want to go get there, check it out, download the game time app,
34:09create an account and use code CLNS for $20 off your first purchase.
34:12Terms apply again, create an account and redeem code CLNS for $20 off.
34:17Download game time today.
34:18What time is it game time?
34:20And yes, they, uh, they host the nets on Friday night, tomorrow night, seven 30.
34:24So, uh, that might be a game that's somewhat affordable
34:27because the nets absolutely suck.
34:29All right.
34:29Patriots offense versus bears defense.
34:33Uh, Greg, I, I, I almost hesitate to ask you this question.
34:38Mm-hmm.
34:39If you were Alex van Pelt, what would you do?
34:45How are you attacking this bears defense?
34:48Uh, well, you know, if, if I was Alex van Pelt, um, which we all know that is not
34:56true, this would be a game where, yeah, I revealed the Drake may plan where we use
35:02I would, this, this would be a game where I would RPO quarterback
35:09design, run the shit out of the bears.
35:11Um, this is a defense.
35:14I, I like a lot of what they do.
35:16I've always thought Eber Flus is a good defensive coordinator.
35:20Yeah.
35:20Um, interesting fun fact.
35:22He was McDaniels picked him to be his defensive coordinator in Indianapolis.
35:28And, uh, of course McDaniels decided not to take it.
35:31He had already hired him.
35:32And so the Colts followed through and hired him.
35:34He was really good in Indy.
35:35And that led to the, the bear's job.
35:37Um, you know, he's really good.
35:40The, the bears defense is 11th in DVOA overall.
35:44Their past defense is fourth in DVOA.
35:48Um, their rush defense is 30th in DVOA.
35:52And we know the Patriots just can't line up even with their secret
35:55weapon, Michael winning with left guard.
35:57They just can't line up and block people in the run game.
36:01So that's why I would incorporate some of Drake may into that, to, you
36:06know, give them something to think about, make them defend an extra gap.
36:09Like that all of a sudden might open up some space for, for Ramon Dre, because
36:14I do think he has a potential to, to, to, to have a good game, a couple
36:19others relevant stats that I was looking at, um, the bears pressure
36:24is, is 30th in the league, 31.2%.
36:27And some perspective, um, the Patriots are 23rd and they
36:33don't have a great pass for us.
36:34So the, the bears and plus they lost Andrew billing sort of their big run
36:37stuffing, uh, defensive tackle for the year.
36:41Yeah.
36:42So the Patriots should be able to run the ball in this game.
36:46They only blitz 22% of the time.
36:49Uh, they only play man defense 19% of the time, but that goes up to 34% on third down.
36:57Um, this is a game where the Patriots have to find a way to run the ball and
37:03that might open some thought, some things up in the passing game.
37:06Uh, I will say that they're, they're pretty active up front.
37:10Uh, we'll see if sweat played.
37:11He did not play last week, but I like, you know, Montoya's
37:15sweat of course is, is good.
37:17They got a guy 52, uh, Daryl Taylor, 55, Jacob Martin, 99.
37:24Gervin Dexter in the middle, um, is really good and impactful.
37:30Um, DeMarcus Walker, uh, from Tennessee.
37:33So they have some guys that are active up front.
37:35They do a pretty good job of collapsing the pocket.
37:38Like I said, they limited Kyler, his running opportunities.
37:42They did a pretty good job with that.
37:43I will say Kyler's grown up a little bit where he's not looking to run as much as
37:48he did, whereas I do think Drake may still, there were opportunities, what I'm
37:52trying to say is there were opportunities for Kyler to run that Drake would take
37:56that Kyler didn't, uh, cause I do think he's matured a little bit.
38:00Um, but it's, they're going to have to run the ball.
38:03If they get behind by two scores and they got to throw against this
38:07defense, it's going to be a long day.
38:09Yeah.
38:10I mean, first and second down, we could say this every week, but
38:12especially this week against this defense, first and second down
38:16efficiency is absolutely huge.
38:19It's huge.
38:20Uh, so, you know, and they run the football.
38:24That's the, uh, that that's the biggest question.
38:27Can they run the ball?
38:29Because Chicago is the eighth best defense on third down the Patriots
38:34are 25th offensively on third down.
38:37And that's because they're constantly looking at second and nine and second
38:40because Alex van Pelt, the wizard is running the football for his one yard
38:45place.
38:45Um, so, uh, they need to be better on first and second down.
38:49Billings is a big, big loss.
38:50He he's actually sixth in the NFL and defensive tackle pass rush win rate.
38:55So he's literally been one of the best interior defensive line
39:00and pass rushers in football.
39:02Daryl Taylor is 13th and pass rush win rate.
39:05You mentioned this guy, Greg Gervin Dexter, he's 11th in defensive
39:09tackle pass rush win rate.
39:10So you got Billings and Dexter.
39:12Usually that's a nightmare.
39:14Um, I just, the Drake may design run thing.
39:19I just want to just underline this for a second.
39:22We're not going to design runs for Drake may because we're worried
39:26about Drake may taking hits, but we're going to put Michael Wenow at right
39:30tackle and Leighton Robinson at right guard against Jeffrey Simmons, which
39:35results in Drake may running a thousand times off schedule, like a chicken with
39:42his head cut off as if the hits he takes in those kinds of runs are different
39:46than the designed runs and the hits that he would take, it's my mind breaks.
39:52One other thing about, uh, Chicago's defense terrific in the red zone.
39:57They are the third best defense in football in the red area.
40:01So it, you know, you condense, it makes sense, right?
40:04You condense that field.
40:05We talk about their past defense gets even tougher, gets even tougher to pass
40:10against that defense and that condensed zone in that red area and Chicago has
40:15been really tough in the red zone this year.
40:18So, uh, even if you move the football a little bit, I don't know how
40:23many drives you're finishing on Sunday.
40:25Uh, it's a tough defense.
40:26They play a ton of zone.
40:27They play almost 80% zone.
40:31So, you know, the, the runs from may versus man coverage that we've seen
40:36probably not going to have as many opportunities this weekend
40:38because they play so much zone.
40:40It'll be a very interesting thing, uh, to watch play out on, on Sunday.
40:44All right.
40:44Before we get to our pick, check out BSJ 50 bucks for the year.
40:47Badar Giardi tag teaming on the Patriots.
40:49They do great work, as you know, already.
40:51And also the prize picks app code CLNS get 50 bucks instantly when you play $5.
40:58And we wrap it up with game time, take the guesswork out of
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41:08All right.
41:09This week's pick.
41:09So, uh, I am five and four against the spread.
41:13Um, four and five straight up.
41:14Yeah, four and five straight up.
41:17Uh, Greg is three, four and two against the spread.
41:20He is five and four straight up.
41:22Uh, you had minus six.
41:24I checked FanDuel before this, uh, before this show, there's six and a half.
41:29So I saw six and a half.
41:30So we got bears minus six and a half over under is 38 and a half.
41:35What's going to happen on Sunday, Greg?
41:38This is a tough one.
41:39I mean, cause I could easily see the bears completely implode and quit on Matt
41:45Eber Fluss and the Patriots not only keep it close, but when the game.
41:49And, but I just think that the Patriots are a get right team.
41:55And I think that they, they just have too much talent on offense.
42:00I don't think the Patriots have enough to explode, exploit the flaws
42:04with the bears offensive line.
42:06Um, they're a very unathletic offensive line, but they're big.
42:09And I think that could cause issue for the Patriots.
42:13And I just think that they're, I think that their defense is, is
42:17as well this week, it's even tougher, um, being on the road.
42:21I don't think the Patriots have traveled very well.
42:24Um, that was really their first road game with Drake May last week.
42:28London doesn't really count.
42:29Um, and it did not go well with all the penalties, by the way, you'll see a ton
42:35of pre-snaps, stupid ass penalties from the bears too.
42:37It's like, it's like a mirror image other than the bears have talent at wide receiver.
42:41It's, it's a, it's a, it's a, it's a, it's a, it's a, it's a, it's a, it's a, it's a
42:46it's a freaking train wreck on offense for both of these teams.
42:50Um, but I just think this is going to be a get right game for the bears.
42:54So I'm going to go bears 23 Patriots, 16.
43:04That's exactly what I was going to say.
43:06Um, yeah, I was thinking first 2320, but I just, can the Patriots actually score
43:13two touchdowns against this defense with their red zone defense?
43:16I find it very difficult, you know?
43:19Um, but man, that, that half a point can get you right.
43:22It's one 23, 16, 23, 17, 23, 20, somewhere in that range.
43:29Uh, I'm going to go.
43:34I'll go 2316.
43:36Cause I don't think they're going to score two touchdowns
43:38against the Chicago defense.
43:40I'll go 2316, which means I'm taking Chicago minus six and a half.
43:45Uh, and I will say this, that this might sound like a cop out.
43:49I don't care.
43:50Uh, Greg and I last year, we were pretty much right around hovering like around,
43:55uh, eight and nine, nine and eight, somewhere in that area for predicting
43:59games for our picks the year before we smashed it, we were like 15
44:02and two or whatever we were.
44:04But honestly this year, I would not be betting any of these games.
44:08Like these games have been incredibly tough and it's because you just.
44:14You've you've had two bad teams play often.
44:17You've had backup quarterbacks and rookie quarterbacks and coaching
44:21staffs that are new and struggling.
44:23And it's just like, you know, you go back to the Jacksonville game.
44:25And what do we say?
44:26It could be a tight game.
44:27Jacksonville could go off the rails because Peterson might be done.
44:31Or, you know, they could blow them out because they're more talented
44:34and who knows what can happen.
44:36Miami game with Skylar Thompson.
44:37It's like, well, yeah, you could, you know, or, or sorry, Huntley.
44:41Yeah.
44:41You could see, you could see the Patriots, you know, win this game,
44:44keep it tight, so you pick the Patriots in a tight game and then
44:47Jalen Polk in that last play, it's just been a really, really difficult
44:52season week to week to predict.
44:54But yeah, I think, I think the bears went on Sunday.
44:59We're at the point now.
45:00I'm just, let's see Drake May and the young guys improve.
45:03And I think that's a win for all Patriots fans.
45:05If that happens.
45:06All right.
45:06He's Greg Omnic.
45:07Enjoy the game on Sunday.
45:09Try not to think too hard about what Alex Van Pelt's doing and why.
45:13It's, it's not going to help you at all.
45:15When you watch these games, just try to work through it, work through it.
45:19Enjoy the weekend.
45:20We'll be back early next week to recap.