Patriots Pregame Show 11/23: Patriots at Bengals Preview

Tune-in as we preview the Patriots road game in Cincinnati against the 3-7 Bengals. We cover the top storylines, keys and matchups to watch as the Patriots look to improve to 10-2 and maintain their win streak. Plus, we go behind enemy lines with old friend Mike Petraglia with CLNS Cincinnati to hear the game from the Bengals' perspective!

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:08):
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Speaker 2 (00:27):
It left us through the left side the episode.

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That's two for Travion Henderson.

Speaker 1 (00:33):
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Speaker 4 (00:38):
He throws Fulton to.

Speaker 5 (00:39):
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Speaker 1 (00:47):
Welcome to the Patriots Pregame Show fueled by Duncan.

Speaker 2 (00:51):
It's Week twelve of the NFL season. The Patriots are
in Cincinnati facing on the Bengals. Welcome into the Patriots
Pregame Show fueled by Duncan, Paparillo, Mike do So, Kwannie Lunas,
Thank you for being with us. Are you all feeling
this morning?

Speaker 5 (01:04):
I feel pretty good. Excited to get back out there.
It's been a long break since the Jets game. Feels
like and you know, a lot of talk about the
Patriots good and bad. So I'm excited to get back
out there and see what these guys can do against
the Bengals team that, let's face it, probably there to
be had today.

Speaker 6 (01:17):
Hope feeling refreshed, Yeah, little mini bye. Yeah, we needed
a charging in the batteries, ready to go. Should be
a lot of points today. Should be a fun absolutely.

Speaker 2 (01:26):
Biggest story in this one, Jamar Chase not in this
one spitting on Jalen Ramsey. Obviously that will affect their offense,
the little offense that they do have. So we've talked
every week about making bad teams look bad. This is
one where I think it's very obvious that they should be.

Speaker 3 (01:42):
Well you to do that, Yeah, especially on the defensive
side of all.

Speaker 5 (01:44):
We had a little Joe Burrow scare this weekly practice
full practice Wednesday Thursday, that was more limited on Friday
and was not activated yesterday.

Speaker 3 (01:52):
So they catch a little bit of break there for sure.

Speaker 5 (01:55):
I talked to Carlton Davis in the locker room on Friday,
you know, said a little bit Flaka wants to get
the ball out quick. Burrow may be willing to hold
it a little bit more when he's healthy able to
scramble a little bit more. But you know, Joe Flacco,
if you can get to him quick and you can
take him kind of off the spot and make him
move around a little bit, good things will happen. So
I put that on the Patriots pass rush. You know,
without Williams, I think some guys are gonna have to

(02:16):
step up a little bit.

Speaker 2 (02:17):
Yeah, but to your point about Joe Burrow, they lost
seven of the eight of their last games without him.
Clearly he's the one that they needed.

Speaker 5 (02:24):
Yeah, they put some points up with Joe Flacco, but
you know last week he got hit pretty hard. I
know he's been on the injury report, and it seems
like diminishing returns with the backup quarterback and now without
Jamar Chase. Certainly t Higgins still a factor. You can
throw him, throw it up to him. He makes a
lot of contest to catch his great size, great athleticism.
So still some things to be concerned about, no question
on that Bengals offense. But on the other side of

(02:45):
the ball, there's really no excuse for this Patriots offense
that's getting healthy not to go out there and lay
some points on.

Speaker 6 (02:50):
That, and you mentioned they're getting healthy. You know, a
couple of guys that have missed some time. Ormondre Stevenson
is back up. The enactors are out and Stevenson's good
to go, Hooper good to go. So my to you
a point offense about as healthy as it's been really.
Kayshawn Boody, you know, back in probably should have let
off with Kashawan Boody the most impactful of those three guys.

Speaker 4 (03:13):
So you're getting all three of those back for Drake.

Speaker 6 (03:15):
May. Couple that with going against the single worst defense
in football in a variety of categories. And I mentioned
this during the week, kwany some people that have spoken
to have not only called this the worst defense in
football this year, but the worst that they've.

Speaker 4 (03:29):
Seen, you know, in watching the NFL.

Speaker 6 (03:32):
So I know, Mike, you have your your nerd stats
that tell you that this is like the worst worst
when they've tracked this stuff. So this is a team
that the Patriots. I think this is going to be
a Drake May MVP resume building kind of game.

Speaker 3 (03:50):
I like the sound of that, Paul, for sure.

Speaker 5 (03:53):
Uh, this is just a defense that you know, with
Josh McDaniel's back. You feel pretty confident that he's going
to be able to put these guys in a pretzel
more often than not, really challenge their communication.

Speaker 7 (04:03):
You know.

Speaker 5 (04:03):
That was something we talked about during the week on
Patriots Unfiltered, Evan Lazzar pointing out that, you know, you
see a lot of the times you're getting close to
the snap and these guys are all looking around trying
to figure out what to do. So no one's better
than Josh McDaniels and in exploiting those things and really
forcing guys to have to communicate late and make late adjustments,
and if they don't get it done, you're going to
see some open receivers, hopefully. So I agree with Paul,

(04:25):
and as we get into the Keys, I can further
expand upon that.

Speaker 2 (04:28):
I'm looking forward to hear that before we get into
the keys quickly, I will go through the inactives jelani
to Vi, Kiden Wallace, CJ Dupree, Eftin Chisholm of course,
and Joshua Farmer and in the usual Tommy DeVito on
that list as well.

Speaker 3 (04:41):
Yeah, to buy a little bit of a surprise.

Speaker 5 (04:42):
Mike Raabele said it was a personal off the field issue,
so we don't know exactly what that is, but we hope,
you know, everything's okay with Jilani Tovie. But you know,
to get Christian Ellis back, who'd been out for a
couple of games, that helps offset that. And Jack Gibbins
has really been a really good player for them. He's
played solid, really seems to have a nose for screen
passes and I think that might be a factory day
with with Chase Brown.

Speaker 2 (05:03):
Yeah, and then on the Bengals inactive the one that
most likely stands out the most Trey Hendrickson, Cam Grandy
also on that list, Jermaine Burton, and again we know
that they have a suspension with their number one receiver.

Speaker 5 (05:15):
But yeah, and Mikeasicki's back to Ohatriots fans will know,
you know, not on the inactive list. Was just activated
off IR this week and he's going to jump right
in play. But tight ends, that's something that the Patriots
have had their issues with at times, and the Bengals
aren't afraid to, you know, roll a few tight ends
out there. So with getting Kisiki back, he's a big
athletic receiver, it's going to be a challenge for these

(05:36):
linebackers and safeties from the Patriots to cover our old
friend Mike.

Speaker 3 (05:39):
Kasiki, who was was great while he was here.

Speaker 5 (05:41):
Glad to see him having success for the last couple
of years there in Cincinnati. But hopefully not today.

Speaker 4 (05:45):
Not today, were you going to say not just that
the Bengals.

Speaker 6 (05:50):
You know, the Patriots are probably as healthy as they've
been in the last few weeks, whereas the Bengals are
legitimately missing the three best players. You're missing Burrow, Chase
and Henrickson, like right off.

Speaker 2 (06:03):
The top, and on top of that, they have a
short week playing on Thingsgiving Day.

Speaker 6 (06:06):
Yeah, and this is why I really feel like this
could be. You know, Mike talked about sort of the
confusion that you see when you watch the Bengals defense
on tape. What really stood out to me last week
watching a little red zone was just how poorly they
tackle in space or otherwise. They just bounce off guys.
And we remember the big play that Colston Loveland had
for the Bears, say two or three weeks ago, another

(06:28):
one of my red zone for Race during the postgame show,
just guys bouncing off of him. Well, that was not
a Fluke, bad play. I saw that four or five
times last week against Pittsburgh, same kind of things, third
and longs throws underneath to Darnell Washington is a Darnel
Washington three tight end. But I saw the same stuff

(06:50):
with little Kenneth Gainwell, just like it's just a it's
a bad defense.

Speaker 3 (06:55):
You know where else you might have saw, Paul flashback
last year to Week one.

Speaker 5 (06:57):
We'll remember about that Week one against the Bengals last
your Lemondre Stevenson. I think that was one of the
big talking points we had coming out of that game
with point not every week is Remonder Stevens are going
to break three tackles in the backfield and be able
to get You know, it was a great game for Remondre,
but I remember that being a key thing.

Speaker 6 (07:11):
He had like one hundred he had like one after
it was like one hundred and eighteen came after contact.

Speaker 3 (07:18):
So yeah, definitely something to watch today for sure.

Speaker 2 (07:21):
Who's gonna have a breakout game? All right? That being said,
let's just get into the keys of this game.

Speaker 8 (07:27):
You waited all week for the whole teams in the
locker room right now just listening to this waiting to
hear what you're gonna say.

Speaker 3 (07:33):
Here are this week's keys to the game.

Speaker 2 (07:36):
I hope they are listening to the keys today. And
do you want to tell them what yours is?

Speaker 3 (07:41):
I do.

Speaker 5 (07:42):
It's a it's score, score and score some more. Fun
to say, score, score and score some more, you know,
to Paul's point.

Speaker 3 (07:49):
And and you know, I connect this to.

Speaker 5 (07:50):
A little bit to some of the old Patriots teams
and what what were the two thousand and three, two
thousand and four Patriots great at Now this was a
Patriots team that had won a Super Bowl a couple
years ago. Everyone against us, nobody believes. And you know
this week there was a little bit of controversy of
of you know, Cam Newton calling the Patriots you know
it was a fool's goal. Yeah, you know, And look
it's fine. You know, you can talk about their schedule
and and it's true, they haven't played you know, a

(08:12):
lot of great teams this year.

Speaker 3 (08:13):
They've they've but they've beaten up on the ones that
they have.

Speaker 5 (08:15):
And I'd like to see this Patriots team start to
take on a little bit of that identity from the
early two thousands. And I think it should be a
little bit easier than when you're you're removed from a
super Bowl. But you know, I think when you see
teams start to sell themselves on that belief of it's
us against the world and that kind of thing, good
things can tend to happen. And you know, Drake may
kind of got caught in the crossfire a little bit
this week, and I think that this team in the
locker room loves that kid, and I would expect that

(08:38):
they want to step up and play.

Speaker 3 (08:39):
For him and also play for themselves with a full
school thing.

Speaker 5 (08:42):
So you're playing one of the worst defenses of all
time today, nobody's saying, Hey, you're going to go out
there and struggle with this team. You're expected to go
out there and win today, and anything less than that
is going to be really bad. So go out there,
take care of business. Score points early, score points often,
you know, continue to send that message it. Yeah, maybe
we're not playing any buddy, but we're going to continue
to dismantle anybody you put in front of us and

(09:04):
continue to buy yourself time atop the division and a
top the conference.

Speaker 3 (09:07):
So score score and score some more on their shoulders.

Speaker 6 (09:11):
Yeah, I mean, I agree with Mike this is a
game that you should be able to score a lot
of points. But I do feel like the Bengals offensively,
even without Borrow, since Flacco has taken over, have generally
lit up the scoreboards, so they're more than capable of
doing it. You catch a huge break with no Jamar Chase,
and I'm not diminishing that. So who's the guy that's left, Mike.

(09:34):
It's not it's not really all that much of a challenge.
T Higgins, you know, I think is one of the
most underrated receivers. I know a lot of people don't
put him in the category of the Jeffersons and the Chases,
you know, even like the kind of you know, attention
that Aman Ross Saint Brown would a get because he's
a much different kind of player.

Speaker 4 (09:54):
I think T Higgins is terrific.

Speaker 6 (09:56):
I think he has a great combination of size in athleticism,
contested catch guy, but also can get open and make plays.

Speaker 4 (10:04):
Catches the ball, good catch.

Speaker 6 (10:05):
Radius away from his body, strong hands, he can he
can wreck a game, you know, if you allow him
to get going. He can sort of keep the Bengals
offense in this game. And I'm just going to rattle
off a couple of scores in the Joe Flacco era
thirty nine, thirty eight, forty seven, forty two. These are
games that the Bengals have lost. Don't get in one

(10:27):
of those games today. The Bengals are going to make
some plays, they're going to move the ball, and they're
going to score some points. Don't let them score thirty
five plus and getting a real shootout and have to
win that way. If you can, limit I'm not saying
completely eliminate, but limit T Higgins. Make it be Andre Josavash,
make it be Chase Brown out of the backfield, make
it be all the tight ends that Mike talked about.

Speaker 4 (10:48):
Don't let it be T Higgins.

Speaker 3 (10:49):
Yeah, I like it. I mean take away T you know.

Speaker 5 (10:51):
I mean there was a long time we were talking about, Hey,
Petri's got get T Higgins when his contract was a
little bit in question.

Speaker 3 (10:56):
And I just think him and.

Speaker 5 (10:58):
Chase are such the perfect model for a duo of
Chase being a guy that you can pretty much move
anywhere and you know is a mismatch, but Higgins just
always gives you that outside and deep presence that you
know is always going to be there. You know, watching
the Bills play the other night. It was like, man,
this is the kind of guy that you know that
they're missing. I think that they hope Keyon Coleman would
be who unfortunately, you know, hasn't really worked out to

(11:19):
this point, but that was what was in their mind
to be able to you know, maybe their version was
Shaki moving around and having him on the outside. But
you know, even without Chase, I love what what Paul
had to say. And you know, admittedly I'm not always
over the moon about those kind of guys, but he's
a special player, no question. I mean, and just look
at what Joe Flacco did with this too.

Speaker 6 (11:35):
Because he's not just like a key On Coleman throwing
up for a jump ball guy. He can run too.
He's not a blazer. That's why he was a second
round pick. He doesn't have that straight line like four
to three forty type speed, but he can move and he.

Speaker 3 (11:47):
Didn't look slow, and I mean not.

Speaker 4 (11:48):
You don't see him get caught from behind a lot.

Speaker 5 (11:51):
I mean, I forget which of the past few games
it was with the Bengals, but there was one off
the left sideline with Joe Flacco that it just you know,
throws it.

Speaker 3 (11:57):
Up and crass and jumps over the guy and keeps going.

Speaker 5 (12:00):
So it just goes back to the Those two are
such a perfect compliment to each other, and I think
that's why their offense put up those amount of points
even with Joe Flacco, because they can do it all.
You can create mismatches, you can just throw it up
to them and he comes down with it. So no question,
huge matchup today. Carlton Davis another guy I'd expect to.

Speaker 3 (12:17):
See on him.

Speaker 2 (12:18):
Yeah, so stringing along your key into mine minus squeeze
the short game. We know Jamar chases out. T. Higgins
is obviously the next man up when you talk about
the deep ball, but if they're able to stifle him
like Paul's key is, then they're gonna rely on that
run game in that short game. So if they don't
score points, they can't win, to your point, right, So
I think shutting down the short game as early as possible,

(12:39):
no slow starts. We talk about this every week, and
not letting t anything as well. I think that hopefully
he could give them away.

Speaker 5 (12:46):
I love it, Qrannye, I really do, because I think
this is, like I said, Joe Flacca wants to get
the ball out quick. And you know, we've seen at
times where the Patriots, especially in early downs, are willing
to play a little soft zone and allow the underneath stuff.
I think today might be a day where you look
more to press those guys, not you know, maybe take
a little bit of a risk. And I mean, to
Paul's point, it's a little bit scary to think about
that of you know, really trying to play tough at

(13:06):
the line of scrimmage and take away those short throws
because you might open yourself up to some of those
downfield shots to Tee Higgins. But at the same time,
I think that's a way to take Joe Flacco out
of the rhythm. I mean, you know, going back to
like the twenty twelve AFC Championship game here, when Joe
Flacco found a rhythm with his tight ends up the seam,
I mean, it was it was a long day for
the Patriots against him. It's not Joe Flacco of thirteen
years ago, of course, but still I think he's a

(13:29):
you know, he's a terrific all.

Speaker 3 (13:30):
Time NFL player.

Speaker 5 (13:31):
I don't if he's a Hall of Famer, Paul, but
it's just one of those guys that knows how to play.

Speaker 4 (13:35):
He's a really really good passer.

Speaker 6 (13:37):
I don't know if he's a great quarterback, and certainly
not a Hall of Famer, but he's a really good passer.

Speaker 4 (13:43):
When he We've seen it. Yeah, when he gets hot,
he gets in a rhythm.

Speaker 2 (13:46):
He's tough, and we're gonna go behind behind enemy lines.
We have a special guest right on cue as we're
talking about this Bengals team. Mike. Nice to see you.

Speaker 3 (13:55):
It's been forever.

Speaker 7 (13:57):
Good to see you, guys, it's been forever.

Speaker 4 (13:59):
I would say the same.

Speaker 7 (14:01):
Ah, thanks, Paul. You know what makes me feel at
home That Duncan box.

Speaker 2 (14:10):
We got to send you one. We have to send
you yet.

Speaker 7 (14:13):
I love the look of that. That is quintessential New England.

Speaker 6 (14:18):
Do they have that skyline Chile at the dunkin Donuts
in Cincinnati?

Speaker 7 (14:22):
They have actually, surprisingly Paul, a good number of Duncans here,
uh in Cincinnati. But no, they don't mix the Duncan.
But we get skyline at halftime. It's what I look
forward to.

Speaker 4 (14:34):
I remember that. I remember that from the last time
I was there.

Speaker 3 (14:37):
Yes, yes, indeed, tracks you know, great to see you.
Just we're expecting with Joe Flaca to day.

Speaker 5 (14:42):
I know there was some you know concern, you know,
maybe that Burrow was going to come back, but Flacco
was banged up. To how do you feel like he's uh,
you know, feeling for this game today?

Speaker 7 (14:50):
Well, I want to see how Joe Flacco is throwing
the ball in the first I don't know, five to
six minutes of this game, because against the Steelers last week,
he was throwing three quarters. He was throwing sidearm on
that pick six to Kyle Duggar. He said after the
game that he tried to throw around the defensive lineman
like a slider or a curveball, and that's when Dugger

(15:13):
jumped the route on a ball intended for t Higgins
and returned it for the touchdown. I don't know how
healthy Joe Flacco's shoulder really is. Well again, we'll find
out pretty early on. I loved your point about the
seam route and how the Bengals might attack the Patriots

(15:33):
defense because Mike Kasicki, and you remember Mike Kasicki, he
returns from the pectoral injury today, they love to run
him on seam routes in the Bengals offense, and so
that's somebody who could have I think, a substantial day today. Again,
he's coming off injury, but they liked what they saw
from him in practice this week.

Speaker 2 (15:54):
In tracks the very obvious story Jamar Chase being out
due to the suspension spitting on jail. But I do
want to flash back earlier in the off the camp.

Speaker 4 (16:04):
You go viral for that video.

Speaker 2 (16:06):
You were a bananaha and the banana churt. But the
interaction with Jamar Chase is what really stands out to
me when you think about what happened last week. So
do you feel as well, this was out of character
for him?

Speaker 7 (16:16):
I do, And I also think that it was a
bubbling over of frustration because without Joe Burrow this year,
obviously one of the team captains, Jamar Chase was elected
a team captain for the first time this year, and
I think early on it was an adjustment, but one
he really embraced. But then the loss has started. The
hideous loss to the Jets when they had a thirty

(16:38):
eight to twenty four lead, lost thirty nine thirty eight.
The loss to the Bears, they come from behind from
fourteen points in the last two minutes and then give
up a fifty five yard touchdown. He tried his best
to be a get a good guy, a captain after
the game and say it's not the defense's fault, it's
not the defense's fault. But I think that wore him

(17:00):
down a little bit psychologically. And I think last week
in Pittsburgh, for better or worse, with Jalen Ramsey going
all over the places he is wont to do, taking
shots at t Higgins, taking shots at Andre Josibash, and
of course at Jamar Chase. Chase had had enough, so
he ripped his mouth guard out and then you saw

(17:21):
what escalated after them and the mouthing and then obviously
the unfortunate spitting incident. I think it was just, you know,
he had reached his limit of frustration and I think
was very much out of character. And it was one
thing guys that Zach Taylor, head coach of the Bengals,
set on Monday in defense of Jamar Chase. Jamar Chase

(17:42):
is a leader that when I retire and I want
to bring in somebody in my experience in football as
a speaker on leadership, Jamar Chase is the first guy
I would bring in.

Speaker 6 (17:53):
Traxx, I caught you on Friday. You know, in regards
to the Joe Burrow situation, and you know, I listened
to you on your old stopping grounds and Ei and
you were the one that told me that he wasn't
going to play. I'm just a I'm curious. Do you
think that that was something that was sort of predetermined
or do you think that they sort of decided after

(18:14):
the fact.

Speaker 7 (18:15):
No, I think it was predetermined. I think a lot
of this was a smoke screen. And you guys know
what a smoke screen looks like in Clarksborough, don't.

Speaker 4 (18:22):
Well, not anymore. Belichick's not here anymore.

Speaker 6 (18:24):
So now we can be Atdelts and just talk about
stuff now that we have Mike Brable as the coach.

Speaker 7 (18:29):
Yes, and that is never ever a bad thing. But look,
with Joe Burrow, they didn't want him coming off injury
and rehab and then playing two NFL games in five games.
That's point number one. Point number two. With the Bengals
playing on a short week this week, as you also know,
they don't really have practice. They have a couple of walkthroughs,
get the body stretched out, try to get everybody's physically

(18:52):
recouped from the game. On Sunday and get them ready
to take the field on Thursday. They wanted Joe Burrow
to go through full eleven on eleven's and that's what
he did. He was a full participant on Wednesday and Thursday.
They scaled it back. He split the reps on Friday
with Joe Placko. And when they when Zach Taylor said
that they split the first team reps on Friday, that

(19:14):
was an indication to me, Paul, that they were not
ready to throw Joe Burrow out there. They were definitely
gonna wait until Thanksgiving Night against Baltimore.

Speaker 3 (19:24):
Thanks Trags.

Speaker 5 (19:25):
We spent a lot of week this week talking about
the Bengals defense and not a lot of great stuff
to say. But why are they that bad? Are there
any silver linings? Are there any young players that you
think maybe could be part of the future here as
they move forward.

Speaker 7 (19:37):
DJ Hill and DJ Hill, DJ Turner and Dax Hill.
Those are two Michiganders, two Wolverines who have really stood
out in the secondary, two guys that I think project
in their future plans as starters or certainly nickel corners
in the future. The rest of it not good. They

(19:58):
put Barrett Carter the rookie atic I'm sent at middle
linebacker instead of Logan Wilson, who they eventually traded to Dallas,
of course, and they put Demetrius Knight at weak side linebacker.
Both of those players have had trouble getting in the
right Let them forget playing the game. Getting in the
right spot pre snap on defense, that's problematic. He's put

(20:19):
the rookie player out there and he's got enough to
deal with on his own. But if he can't even
line up in the right spot, you're going to have
a disastrous time depending players over the middle. And that's
why the running game has been so bad. A run
defense has been so bad. And that's why you saw
the play against Darnell Washington. You could see Hunter Henry
have over three digits today, one hundred yards eight to

(20:43):
tag cactions. I would expect him to have a big game.
But the bright spots to me are DJ Turner and
Dax Hill, two cornerbacks tags.

Speaker 4 (20:53):
I'm curious what the man.

Speaker 6 (20:54):
I know that you have a close eye on what's
going on here and with Drake May, I'm just curious
what the the analysis has been, you know, out of
market on on Drake May.

Speaker 4 (21:05):
What's it been like in Cincinnati.

Speaker 7 (21:07):
When talking about May, Well, I'll tell you what Zach
Taylor told us on Monday when we asked him. He said,
the two things that stick out about Drake May four
to one touchdown to interception ratio twenty tds I believe
it is, and five interceptions and a seventy two percent
completion ratio for a guy that's in his first full
year of starting in the NFL. Those are remarkable numbers

(21:28):
and that is what stood out to me. The other
thing that I think has really helped Drake May is
the emergence of Traveon Henderson. And maybe I'm reading too
much into the jet game and what he's been able
to do in some other games, but he gives them
an explosive weapon on the edge. I love watching Trayvon Henderson.
I really, you know, I followed his career here at

(21:49):
Ohio State in Ohio, and what he's been able to
do is really keep defenses honest. And I think, you
know that's, by the way, something you should look at
with the Bengals today is well, Chase Brown has been
very very good the last five games or so. So
back to Drake May, I think it's his ability to
come back from bad passes. End of the Tampa Bay game.

(22:11):
He throws that interception, but it doesn't it's not soul
crushing to him. He made a mistake and he's able
to come back from it.

Speaker 3 (22:18):
Tracks Just one more from me for you.

Speaker 5 (22:20):
All this stuff going wrong with the team, going on
with the team, what do you just feel like the
mental placement is right now for this Bengals team?

Speaker 3 (22:27):
Are they in a good spot?

Speaker 5 (22:28):
Do you think they have it in them today to
come out and put up a big fight against his
Patriots team?

Speaker 7 (22:33):
They do. If they generate a turnover or two early
in this game, and if Joe Flacco can drive the
team down for an early touchdown on the opening drive,
that's the way, you know, That's a path I see
to a competitive game, giving the Bengals a chance of
an upset. Short of that, guys, this team, this Bengal
team has allowed twenty seven or more points in nine

(22:55):
straight games. That ties to twenty twenty Chargers for the
Super Bowl era. It's not a very good defensive stack,
but that is just the way it is here in Cincinnati.
Teams have been rolling out of bed scoring thirty points,
and I would expect the Patriots again, barring self inflicted mistakes,
to be able to do the same today.

Speaker 2 (23:16):
Well, I hate to make you do this, but what's
your prediction for this one those lines?

Speaker 7 (23:19):
Well, it's up on our website seal on s since
with a y dot com thirty five twenty Patriots.

Speaker 2 (23:25):
Okay, Well, thank you so much for your time.

Speaker 3 (23:28):
Gate to see you, Mike.

Speaker 2 (23:29):
Yeah, it's been a pleasure. Great to with you. Catch
up sin absolutely in that segment, by the way, Behind
Enemy Lines was brought to you by Pepsi. Game Day
is here, so stock them now. Grab a refreshing Pepsi
zero sugar twelve pack now because Tailgating deserves better.

Speaker 3 (23:46):
Yeah, we go way back with Trags. Yeah, yeah, he
was here forever. I mean for a long time. He
was like the kickoff question guy. Remember he would kick
off a lot of the questions to Bill. I don't
know back in the day.

Speaker 4 (23:58):
It's a true job and take your word for it.

Speaker 3 (24:01):
Good to see him though. I know he's doing a
good job down there.

Speaker 6 (24:03):
And man, it's just like so people that listen to
the show, they listen to PU, they know that I
a lot of times I have fun because I've been
working with a lot of these people for a lot
of years, so I have a lot of sort of
sometimes friendly, sometimes not so friendly critiques and criticisms. Tracks
is one of the best. I mean, seriously, he's one

(24:23):
of the one of the best guys that's been in that.
And there's a lot, you know, like Mike Reese, Phil Perry,
those guys I've been working with for a long time,
Tom Curran, you know, Mike Petrolia did it right for
a long time here and I'm happy for him.

Speaker 8 (24:38):
He's back.

Speaker 6 (24:38):
That's he's from Cincinnati originally. He's back in his uh
in his home area. Oh you see the Patriots with
the whites, you know, for today, you.

Speaker 4 (24:48):
Know what I mean, like hard pressed to find.

Speaker 5 (24:51):
I don't like them, but what I do, what I
do appreciate. It's in these particular uniform combination of the
Patriots in.

Speaker 4 (24:56):
The pants match they match like last year the dirty pants.

Speaker 5 (25:01):
It's nice in balanced, so I like that, but I mean,
maybe nothing but just interesting. He's taking some snaps there.

Speaker 4 (25:07):
Run DMC in the background. There you go, good job,
Michael camera man.

Speaker 3 (25:10):
But it looks like a gorgeous day there and in Sinci.
So that's always a good thing.

Speaker 4 (25:14):
But Tracks basically backed up a lot of the stuff.

Speaker 6 (25:17):
Yeah, that we talked about with the linebacker play is
what really stood out to me watching that Steelers game.
Just these little third and sixteen dump off to Kenneth
Gainwell and like really they don't come close to stopping
them before the first down, and like he makes a
guy miss, he breaks a tackle, scorched through it, he
gets like twenty two, you know, like Washington's are enormous.
So once a guy like that with that size gets

(25:40):
ahead of steam, yeah he's going to be a handful
to get down. But it doesn't matter who the ball
that the guy with the ball is, they have.

Speaker 4 (25:45):
A hard time tackling.

Speaker 5 (25:47):
Yeah, that's that guy just walked out of frame Josh McDaniel.
So I think you're gonna be putting those linebackers in
conflict a lot. I like Tracks mentioned Chase Brown too.
I just think, you know, I don't know if it's
enough for the Bengals to win this game, but I
do think they can move the ball a little bit with.

Speaker 3 (26:02):
Chase Brown underneath, you know, targeting the Patriots linebackers.

Speaker 6 (26:05):
That I'm not gonna lie if if Jamar Chase was
playing in this game, I would say, you know, there's
a very good chance that both teams are in the thirties.
But I don't see enough like you need. I mean,
if Andre Joseavash has sort of a career game, or
like I think Trags sort of opened the door for Mikasicki,
or you know, one of those tight ends, if something

(26:26):
out of the ordinary were to happen with the secondary receiver,
then maybe. But because I do respect the Bengals ability
Chase Brown, I respect Flacco's ability to throw if he's
healthy enough to do it. T Higgins, these guys can
make plays. I just don't know if there's enough without
without Chasing.

Speaker 3 (26:44):
Barrow along those signs.

Speaker 5 (26:45):
One thing to talk about with the Patriots defense was
Harold Landry popping up his questionable at the end of
this week. I mean, he's a player hasn't quite had
the same production last handful of games that he had
early in the season.

Speaker 3 (26:56):
He pointed to, I think New Orleans was a New Orleans.

Speaker 4 (26:59):
New Orleans.

Speaker 3 (27:00):
Look, you got hurt. That was an ankle.

Speaker 6 (27:02):
This is a knee now, so which kind of makes
me wonder if it's a knee all along yeah, kind
of it looked like ink at the time, but he is.

Speaker 5 (27:10):
He is active, but you know, just something to watch.
And and Braden Swinston will be active for his first game.
Not sure if that means he's going to play on
defense at all. Might just be kind of a special
team thing. Yeah, with Jilani Tova, but you know, point
to Elijah Ponder too, who's playing a little bit more recently.
Had a sack in the last two games. So, uh,
it'd be great if you can get to that point.
I mean, I hate talking about this kind of stuff,

(27:32):
but to get a little bit of a lead, and
you'll be able to protect Harold Landry.

Speaker 3 (27:35):
You don't have to lean on him.

Speaker 5 (27:36):
I mean, I think they'll probably do that to some
extent anyway, But being able to wrestle those guys a
little bit and get some snaps for your younger players,
you know, even allow guys like Corey Durtin, who's probably
going to have to step up for Milton Williams, get
some some additional snaps. So and Jeremiah Farms, the guy
who got elevated from the practice squad. He's been around
here for a few years. He's played in you know,

(27:57):
all the different systems that have been here. But I've
always thought he's at his best kind of doing what
mil Williams does, get up field, penetrate hard working kids.

Speaker 3 (28:04):
So see him get some opportunities maybe today as well.

Speaker 2 (28:07):
Yeah, like you said, this is definitely the game to
do that. All right, Well let's take it out to
the phone lines. We have our usuals on the docket
right now. We'll start with Nate, who's in Connecticut.

Speaker 9 (28:18):
Hey, guys, can you guys me?

Speaker 5 (28:19):
Will Ate?

Speaker 3 (28:21):
Not much.

Speaker 9 (28:22):
I got a couple of questions for you guys today.

Speaker 2 (28:25):
First off, are you good?

Speaker 9 (28:30):
Are very very very loud?

Speaker 10 (28:32):
Motorcycle?

Speaker 3 (28:33):
Allright?

Speaker 2 (28:34):
Was concerned.

Speaker 9 (28:36):
But so to start off where I left off, Uh,
Traveon Henderson. You know, with Ramandre back in the game today,
how many touches do you think Travian is gonna get?
You know, coming off a big game against the Jets.

Speaker 10 (28:51):
No, she showed a lot in that game.

Speaker 9 (28:54):
And you know, with Remandre coming back, I think some
of those reps might go stolen the bed. So I
just want you guys from that. And uh, secondly, Milton
william you know, one of one of our best uh
past uh well, one of our best b linemen. You know,
out how does this affect the run game? Considering that
New England's D line has been probably really really up

(29:17):
there and uh, you know stop in the run. But
you know, how does it affect them?

Speaker 2 (29:23):
Yeah, thinks me.

Speaker 5 (29:24):
I mean, it definitely affects them. I just mill Williams
has been a tone setter. He's NonStop effort. He runs
to the ball down the field. I mean, so it's
the production. It's also just that kind of leadership and
that energy that he plays with. And that's why I
brought up Jeremy Farms because you know, a lot of
times you get young guys in there and they play
with that energy.

Speaker 3 (29:41):
I mean, mill Williams is kind of a superstar that
plays with that energy. But uh, they'll have to figure
out a way.

Speaker 5 (29:47):
And this is what Look, every other team has probably
had more injuries than the Patriots had. This is the
first starter to go on IR, So it's not unexpected territory.
You've got to deal with it. But at the same time,
maybe it gives you an opportunity to have some of
these other players step out, round out your depth a
little bit. Give a guy like I said Corey dirtin
a little bit more opportunity to play and then see
what you got there, and then maybe we'd get in

(30:07):
the playoffs.

Speaker 3 (30:08):
You feel really good about your rotation.

Speaker 5 (30:10):
But overall, I would say going back to the running backs,
I mean you're seeing them right there. Terrell Jennings also
is back in the mix, So you not only have
romondro Stevenson back, but you have Terrell Jennings in there
as well.

Speaker 3 (30:20):
So I think I'd like to balance it out today.

Speaker 5 (30:23):
I mean, I don't think you're ready to throw Remandre
in there and give him the bulk of the carries
and let him get beat up and you know all that.
I would really I mean I might almost lean into
the side of Henderson kind of continues to be the
lead back at least until you have a chance to
really work Jennings, work Stevenson. And again, you'd love to
get to that point today where you're not feeling like
we got to chase scores or anything like that.

Speaker 3 (30:44):
We can allow our guys to get some snaps.

Speaker 4 (30:46):
But not have to push it with any Yeah, I
mean ten to fifteen.

Speaker 6 (30:48):
Yeah, I would like to see Henderson go back down
to ten to fifteen, not the twenty to twenty five
that he had last week. I think that's asking a
lot of a you know, a smaller guy. Orn' I'm small,
but he's smaller. I think as long as Stevenson is healthy,
and by all accounts he is, I would put him
back in that lead role. Now he doesn't have to

(31:09):
get twenty or twenty five carries either, just to you know,
back to that split that they sort of had, you know,
in September and into the first part of October Beforemandre
got hurt. I think that if you keep Henderson in
that kind of role, I think you keep the opportunity
for his explosiveness. You saw how much more explosive he
was in Tampa than he was with the Jet. I

(31:30):
know everybody thinks he had a great game against the
Jets because he had three touchdowns, and he did he
had three, Like three touchdowns are a lot of time,
Like I'm not a moron, Like touchdowns are important, and
he had three of them. But he didn't have those
plays that he had against Tampa, you know, something like
in my view, sometimes the touchdown part of it. And

(31:53):
I know this is kind of the Fantasy era. It's
like all about who scores the touchdown. I don't think
teams care who scores the touchdown as much as individual
fans care who scores the touchdown. For obvious reasons. You're
going to score x amount of touchdowns and you're going
to get three, four or five touchdowns whatever it is,
every game. I don't think Josh McDaniels cares who gets them.

(32:13):
His game against Tampa was much more effect even though
he was bottled up. But the explosive plays that he
made against Tampa, to me, even though he only had
two touchdowns as opposed to the three touchdowns and he
had against the Jets, you know, when he wasn't scoring
touchdowns in both of those games, he was kind of ineffective.
He averaged three point three yards to carry against the Jets.

Speaker 4 (32:33):
So that's why I.

Speaker 6 (32:34):
Want to limit his touches, because I want to increase
the opportunity and the odds that he does what he
gets against Tampa and breaks one. Because I think those
those plays, especially the first one coming out of the
second half, that set the whole tone for the second half,
that made it a two scool lead and made Tampa
Bay chase the rest of the game. That was a really,
really big play in that game. I want to see

(32:55):
that explosiveness. He absolutely brings that home run ability that
Stevenson doesn't hope to see it.

Speaker 2 (33:00):
All right, there's still more to come here on the
Patriots pregame Show. I feel by Duncan. We're taking your
calls or reading some emails, so stick around the show.
We'll be right back.

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Join the show by calling in at eight five five
AT's five hundred or email at podcasts at patriots dot com.
Now back to the Patriots pregame Show fueled by Dunkin.

Speaker 2 (35:37):
Welcome back into the show, Paul Parillo, Mike d so
Kwantie Lunis. We're all here and we're excited. See he's
rolling up right now. Well, yeah, the Patriots obviously in
Cincinnati right now, getting ready for this one o'clock tip off.

Speaker 4 (35:54):
I guess better not let him run by you.

Speaker 2 (35:57):
Oh I like it. I like it.

Speaker 5 (36:00):
I always get confused which was the who day? And
it's like a who who? Dad is in the state,
So it's just day and that. Oh yeah, that's the difference.

Speaker 4 (36:12):
The Oilers and the Dolphins. They kind of stole each
other's things sports.

Speaker 2 (36:16):
They get very creative.

Speaker 3 (36:18):
Could we be.

Speaker 4 (36:20):
New phone?

Speaker 7 (36:22):
I like this.

Speaker 2 (36:25):
Know we see the team modeling up, wrapping for this one.
But yeah, the pretty big speech. Yeah, I wish we
had a mic in there, like we could hear in
real time.

Speaker 3 (36:34):
We will, it won't be in really eventually. Don't worry.

Speaker 2 (36:37):
Make you follow Patriots up. You'll get all the information
you need.

Speaker 4 (36:41):
I didn't see digs.

Speaker 7 (36:42):
Yeah, we.

Speaker 5 (36:48):
Yeah, got wrapped up in a digs Patriots blankets got
there and I got some tuddies today.

Speaker 3 (36:54):
Digs do it for the baby.

Speaker 2 (36:57):
All right, we can head back out to the phone lines.
We see Patty and agam Hi, Patty.

Speaker 10 (37:04):
Finding Michael, Mikey, Polly.

Speaker 3 (37:06):
How you doing, Hey, Patty? What's going on?

Speaker 10 (37:10):
Too much?

Speaker 6 (37:10):
Man?

Speaker 10 (37:11):
I got a few things, so I'll make it quick.
I'll try and make it as quick as possible. First thing, tracks.
He is a class act and he was great when
he was on the beat here. Good to hear him,
Good to hear that he's doing well. Number two Polleague.
I tried to get this in when I called in
on to you, but it did break my heart a
little bit when Jacoby broke Drew's completion record most passes

(37:34):
completed in the game record this past week. That's true.
I was gonna say that too. I just found this game.
I'll just say this at this point in the season.
What what's really impressed me most about this team is
I brought this up in a post game show. They
just find ways to win, and they win them and

(37:56):
maybe like three other teams, the Eagles, the Rams, and
I'll even throw the Broncos and there they're just you
said it earlier this week. They're just a pro team
of professional team that and they're playing like they're in
year three of the system that year one, which is impressive.
And this is how I think the game is going
to play out. Here's my prediction. Bengals were probably gonna

(38:17):
go down the field to score in the first drive.

Speaker 3 (38:20):
What makes you say that?

Speaker 2 (38:21):
Enough?

Speaker 10 (38:22):
The pass will put up like a three score lead
after that, and I had them when it's forty one
to twenty seven, I don't think it's you know, a
couple of garbage a couple of garbage time touchdowns for
the Bengals, but clean easy when a professional win, let's
get it done.

Speaker 2 (38:36):
Guys like that prediction, Patty.

Speaker 5 (38:39):
There are quite a few predictions with the Bengals having
you know, like a breakout twenty points. I mean, but
I mean respectable, showing that there's not like thirty five
to three.

Speaker 4 (38:48):
There's not funny. I picked, and you know, I know
we do our picks.

Speaker 6 (38:52):
Later, I picked thirty eight twenty four, and I you know,
I repeated it on the Sports Hub and they were
like twenty four for the Bengals like that that you're
giving him that many.

Speaker 2 (39:01):
I mean, you would hope they have pride enough to
not I didn't think.

Speaker 4 (39:04):
That was out of the ordinary, you know.

Speaker 6 (39:06):
And that's when I said, if Chase was pointed, it
probably would have been like thirty eight thirty four. You know,
I still would have had the Patriots winning the game,
but I think it would have had a higher degree
of probability of it being a true shootout.

Speaker 3 (39:19):
Sure, And it stretches the Patriots cornerbacks a little bit.

Speaker 5 (39:22):
Like you mentioned Yoshi Vas like all of a sudden
when he's the number three, now you've got size matchup
concerns with him, and I mean they do. They mean, look,
as Paul said, they've they scored the ball that they
scored some points, they've moved the ball.

Speaker 6 (39:33):
So and you made the point about Yoshi Vas too
during the week. He's a bigger slot receiver and that
may have caused some problems for Marcus Jones, who, as
good as he's been this year, I mean, let's face it,
he's still a little small for a matchup like that. Now,
you don't have to necessarily worry about that because you
could put Carlton Davis on Yoshi vas In, Christian Gonzales,

(39:56):
Paul the best cornerback, and about him on t Higgins.
If you want, you could switch those guys, you could
have Davis on what you could double team. I'm sure
they'll do different things, and I'm sure they're gonna irritate
Mike and Evan again and play too much zone, you know,
which will get under your skin. But you know that
matchup that was sort of under the radar, that could

(40:17):
have potentially been a problem with with Marcus Jones is
probably mitigated.

Speaker 5 (40:20):
Yeah, well I think that just to me, well, well,
I don't really care what they play. It's just if
you see Flacco get into that hike one two balls out,
hike one two out, you know, those kind of little
underneath passes, you know, to your point, Paul, I think
you always, you know, make the point.

Speaker 3 (40:35):
It's hard to keep pacing a big game.

Speaker 5 (40:38):
Like that, and that's really I think what the Patriots
tried to do with with Mac Jones is to just
get the ball out quick, get to the open guy.
You know, we don't have anything down the field, but
we can complete some passes. I don't know if those
plays are enough to keep the Bengals in the game.
But I do think on the opening drive that they've
got a couple of things up there up their sleeve,
targeting Chase Brown underneath those third down got to have

(40:58):
a kind of moments.

Speaker 3 (40:59):
Yeah, that's that's that's what concerns me.

Speaker 5 (41:00):
If you see Flacco, you'll know it throwing in rhythm,
bump bup, bup, balls out.

Speaker 3 (41:04):
You know, if it's dropped back, holds it, holds it.
Pass rush got to get there.

Speaker 5 (41:08):
And so if they can get that timing up on
the defense, with the marrying of the rush and the coverage,
I think the Patriots will be okay today.

Speaker 2 (41:14):
And we actually got an email from Todd in Garder,
North Carolina. He asked, talking on the same subject, can
we say that our d it really hasn't been tested
and that this game could expose some of the wars.

Speaker 4 (41:24):
Todd's worried about this game. Yeah, you guys, you might
have missed that.

Speaker 6 (41:28):
Yeah, Todd's a little worried about this game with the
Bengals offense sort of exposing the Patriots secondary a little bit.

Speaker 4 (41:34):
I don't remember. I don't know if that might have
been before the Chase news came down.

Speaker 6 (41:38):
Though I'm not the positive, but yeah, Todd, and Todd's
a longtime fan Fawnny.

Speaker 4 (41:43):
Yeah, he picks, he picks Cincinnati one.

Speaker 6 (41:47):
That one stood out to me because he, like I said,
he's been he's been calling the show for a long time,
and I don't really remember him calling for too many
losses when the Patriots have been good. I mean, I'm
not talking about the last two years when everybody was
doing it.

Speaker 2 (41:59):
And right now, eyes on Christian Gonzalez, we were just
talking about him. How do you see him performing in
this one?

Speaker 5 (42:05):
Well, I mean I think, to Paul's point, how do
they how do they use him? I mean, that's what's
interesting to me. Do they, you know, have him traveling?
Do they just kind of play sides and let Higgins
go where he may. I mean, I don't feel terrible
about Higgins on Davis or Gonzalez, so I agree, you know,
maybe you just kind of play sides and let the
Bengals do what they want as far as dictating matchups.

(42:26):
But still I think it's just for me, it's it's
it's about that pass rush today and you know, not
giving him too much time in the pocket, and you know,
you look at the individual players. I think the Patriots,
you know, you like, oh, pressure rates and all these things.
For you know, Christian Barmar looks really good pressure wise,
and Jayson's got a bunch of sacks and pressures, and
mill Williams did. But you know, when you look at

(42:47):
collectively how affected they've been, they're kind of a middle
of the road pass rush team. And that's something to
the point of when you're playing better quarterbacks, it could
come back to haunt you. We've seen plenty of young
first year starting quarterbacks, rookie or you know, second year
like Spencer Ratler have a lot.

Speaker 3 (43:03):
Of completions against this defense.

Speaker 5 (43:05):
And again it goes back to isn't enough to score
touchdowns or is it Yeah, you're gonna move the ball
and maybe you get a field goal, maybe you get
a turnover.

Speaker 3 (43:12):
That that's not good enough.

Speaker 5 (43:14):
But if you're looking for things on this Patriots defense
to maybe be a little bit concerned about, as you
go down the road, you gotta place Lamar, you gotta
face Josh Allen again, those are things that you can't do.

Speaker 3 (43:24):
You got to get that pass rush back up and running.

Speaker 5 (43:26):
And that's why to me, the Harold Landry popping up
with kind of a new injury this week.

Speaker 3 (43:31):
That that's concerning to me. They need the hm. He's
a really valuable part of this front.

Speaker 2 (43:36):
Was an agreat. All right, we're gonna head out to
Sean and Vancouver.

Speaker 12 (43:42):
Yeah, Paul, I feel stronger if Flacco wasn't starting that quarterback.
If you say I had Burrow at quarterback for four
touchdowns than three hundred yards, just because with this deficiency
in Cincinnati's offense, they might turn the ball over more
and might be shorter field later in the game, that

(44:04):
the Patriots might go more to a clock control type
of approach. So I hope for it, but I'm not
as confident as was earlier in the week. I'll let
you go on that.

Speaker 4 (44:16):
No, thanks, Sean.

Speaker 3 (44:17):
Yeah, I mean, I just I just say they haven't
had a turnover in three games.

Speaker 2 (44:19):
You know.

Speaker 5 (44:19):
It's not for all the things that we crushed them for.
I'm sorry, I'm looking at the defensive side. So they
got five in the last two weeks. Sorry, the defense
doesn't have any turnovers. Sorry, I looked at the wrong
thing there for a second. So no, that's that's huge.
They are kind of sporadic though, I mean it's you know,
no turnovers or three plus. It seems like this season
they've they've had turnovers in five games, so they're kind

(44:42):
of hot and cold.

Speaker 3 (44:43):
But yeah, get pressure on Flacco. I think the rust
will take care of itself well.

Speaker 4 (44:47):
And I also thought Trag's point about the way Flacco
was throwing. I know he was.

Speaker 6 (44:52):
He was highly questionable heading into that Steelers game, and
all of a sudden, the offense is, you know, held
to twelve points after scoring thirty five plus a few
weeks in a row.

Speaker 4 (45:05):
I don't think he's healthy. And that's one of the reasons.

Speaker 6 (45:07):
Why I thought the whole way they handled the Borrow
thing was odd to me because I felt like they
kind of needed Burrow to play.

Speaker 4 (45:16):
And again, I.

Speaker 6 (45:17):
Feel like if the Bengals are going to make a run,
they have to win out pretty much. You know, ten
and seven is what you need to do probably to
win that division. Maybe nine and eight wins the division,
but probably ten and seven at minimum. You can't afford
to say, well, we're gonna wait in this game, because
I think they had a low chance of winning the

(45:39):
game with Burrow. I give him less of a chance
with Flacco, especially a Flacco, who's clearly under one hundred percent.

Speaker 5 (45:47):
But it changed your opinion or all, or or change
how you look at it all if you kind of
knew Aaron Rodgers wasn't gonna play today as that, you
know what I mean, as you're seeing like, well, geez,
Pittsburgh might be No.

Speaker 4 (45:57):
That's why I think ten and seven can win the division.
That's what I don't think.

Speaker 6 (46:00):
I think if you if you're Cincinnati at three and seven,
normally you'd be like, wait, done, Yeah, but the team
you're chasing is highly flawed, Like there's a good chance
that the team you're chasing is going to come back
to you a little bit, so I'd roll the dice.
And I understand if if Zach Taylor in the back
of his mind, I don't think he'd ever admit this publicly.

(46:22):
If he said to himself, she's I think we could
make a run here, and I think he's ready to play.
But if I bring him back and he gets hurt,
I'm out of the job. I could understand him thinking
that way.

Speaker 2 (46:36):
I can do that too.

Speaker 6 (46:37):
All right, He's probably going to be out of a
job anyway if they end up going you know, seven
and ten or six and eleven, you know whatever.

Speaker 3 (46:44):
Well, this is it salvagible, you know, I mean not
like what does it look like?

Speaker 4 (46:47):
I don't think, but that defense it's salvageable.

Speaker 6 (46:49):
But I would take a run until I'm eliminated, you know,
like if they would have what if it went the
other way and he and they won.

Speaker 4 (46:56):
Two games in five days with brow Yeah, you know,
I mean like all of a sudden.

Speaker 2 (47:03):
Yeah, anyway, yeah, exactly, all right. Time now for over
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(47:27):
the New England Patriots. Visit www Dot Aarons dot com
to find your Aarons. How did we do last week?

Speaker 6 (47:35):
Well, I can number for the first time in the season,
hold my head up high up in the food line.
Five and one for me, Mike four and two and
Kwane my legendary run at a hiccup, I know, but
Quannie still maintains their season lead at forty two and
twenty four, Mike one game behind five followed by the

(47:58):
loser boy thirty four.

Speaker 5 (48:01):
I'm just happy to not be embarrassing in one of
these hey things that we keep tracking.

Speaker 2 (48:05):
Exactly because of the stinks.

Speaker 3 (48:07):
Of course.

Speaker 2 (48:08):
All right, let's look at this week exactly Drake May.
We'll start with him passing yards right now, two hundred
and fifty eight and a half.

Speaker 3 (48:17):
Oh man, I gotta do it. I gotta go over
on this one. That's the big talking point this week.

Speaker 5 (48:22):
And Drake over three hundred yards against Now, maybe they
maybe get some touchdowns and they close to shut him down,
but I'm gonna be optimistic.

Speaker 3 (48:28):
I'm gonna say he goes over.

Speaker 2 (48:29):
I could be with you on that one. This could
be the game to do it.

Speaker 6 (48:32):
Yeah, I'm taking over over that number two. And I
do think I'm telling you this is a Drake May
resume game. Oh yeah, MVP resume. I think it's he's
gonna he's gonna get his first three under yard game.

Speaker 3 (48:45):
Tip Josh's gonna put it on a silver platform, right
so too.

Speaker 2 (48:48):
Next up, we have on the other end, Joe Flacco
his passing yards two hundred and forty two and a half.

Speaker 5 (48:55):
Uh, it was only a one nine last week, but
you know, four forty nine against the Bears to seventeen.

Speaker 2 (49:03):
Considering the speech defense, you.

Speaker 6 (49:05):
Know what, I don't know why I'm going to take
the over. I'm going to bank on him being healthy
enough to be.

Speaker 4 (49:11):
Over that I'm gonna worried about. I'm worried about tracks
shoulder too.

Speaker 2 (49:16):
That's why I'm gonna take. I was gonna take the under.

Speaker 3 (49:18):
We'll see, though, I'm with Cownnie and I'll go under.

Speaker 4 (49:20):
And I think, I mean, I'm sure he'll blowout.

Speaker 3 (49:23):
Then I think when I see Jake Browning today, brown.

Speaker 6 (49:28):
Time, we'll see the Bengals ain't getting out of single digits.
Then if Drake Browning plays barely, he stink.

Speaker 2 (49:34):
Well, they call the mercy rule. If that's the case,
I would.

Speaker 3 (49:37):
Like running clock like hockey. We're like, let's just run
it exactly. This isn't good for anybody. No one's watching
this before the fights break out.

Speaker 2 (49:43):
Seriously, no spitting today. Hopefully Drake may up next again.
With past attempts. That's at twenty nine and a half yeah,
I will take I'm gonna take the over on.

Speaker 5 (49:56):
That, right, Yeah, a lot of throwing, I'm gonna go on.
I think he does enough. Couple of big plays, runners,
have some runners.

Speaker 6 (50:03):
Yeah, I'm gonna take the under as well because the
Bengals are really bad against the run.

Speaker 2 (50:07):
But yeah, that's a good one, all right. Up next
to Flacco in his past attempts thirty eight and a half.

Speaker 3 (50:14):
That's a high number. I'm gonna go see like I'm
gonna go below that.

Speaker 2 (50:18):
I think that would be reasonable.

Speaker 6 (50:20):
Yeah, I mean, I'm gonna be consistent with how I
think the game is gonna go. I'm gonna take the over.
He's got to I mean, they got to throw to
keep in stay in the game. You guys have him
on the bench in the first that happens, lose, all.

Speaker 2 (50:34):
Depends on the one guy, all right, Drake may longest completion,
especially with this being a resume bowler, thirty seven and
a half.

Speaker 6 (50:43):
So I almost always take the under on these, and
Drake May has made that look bad. So I'm gonna
take the over on it toay.

Speaker 2 (50:51):
Yeah, I'll take the over as well. If he's gonna
have a resume game, you have to do everything.

Speaker 3 (50:56):
I mean not.

Speaker 5 (50:57):
I don't know if it's his only superpower, but it
is definitely one of his super pounds. It's just his
ability to throw the ball down the field with accuracy.
I think there'll be some busted coverags just today. I
think he hits a long one and.

Speaker 2 (51:07):
Maybe that one's the stuff on Diggs. That'll be Maconllins
for you. Okay, we'll see. I'm over all right last
without least total score fifty and a half.

Speaker 3 (51:19):
Who's up?

Speaker 13 (51:20):
Uh?

Speaker 3 (51:21):
Guess that you want me?

Speaker 2 (51:22):
I will take for the and a half. I'm gonna
take the under on that one.

Speaker 7 (51:27):
Under.

Speaker 3 (51:27):
Yeah, yeah, I'm gonna go under too.

Speaker 5 (51:29):
I think Patriots break thirty, but I got the I
got the Bengals around ten thirteen.

Speaker 3 (51:35):
What are you doing over? Oh man?

Speaker 2 (51:38):
This might be the way you take the lead.

Speaker 3 (51:40):
Paul's being consistent.

Speaker 6 (51:41):
You know again, if Joe Flacco can't play and it's
Jake Browning, then I'm gonna lose a lot of four
under base. But I'm basing this on Joe Flacco playing.

Speaker 3 (51:51):
The game as you should, which is fairness.

Speaker 5 (51:52):
We should say Paul has a lot of respect for
Joe Flacco. He's got some great stories about Joe Flacco.
There's one thing Paul doesn't like about Joe Flacco. Don't
have to get into but otherwise one time he wronged
you back in around.

Speaker 3 (52:03):
I don't know.

Speaker 4 (52:06):
Joe Flacco.

Speaker 3 (52:07):
He is the championship game in fact, that that wasn't.

Speaker 4 (52:10):
Joe Flack's fault, that was Li Evans's fault.

Speaker 3 (52:12):
Well he threw the ball to him. But anyway, Uh
but no, but a great guy. Paul's got a great
story talking with Joe Flacco.

Speaker 5 (52:18):
And I mean, I i mean I hated Joe Flacco
like oh Niner as well, but I mean you got
to respect the guy and the careers.

Speaker 6 (52:24):
The first ever game that I took my son to,
first ever football game, he was a little little I mean,
he couldn't have been more than like two or three.
It was a Northeastern game against Delaware and Joe Flacco
was the quarterback early on. Yeah, So after the AC
Championship game, I caught up.

Speaker 3 (52:40):
With going to the super Bowl.

Speaker 13 (52:41):
By the way, was going to the Super Bowl his career,
Paul as pres Commas, I'm like, hey, he just had
and I didn't seek him out like I happened to
be turning the corner and he walks into me and
I was like, oh time he worked out, And I.

Speaker 4 (52:55):
Said, a real quick story for it. I told him
like literally took me five seconds to tell him. And
he goes, that's so cool. He goes, we lost that.

Speaker 2 (53:04):
Wow, go on the super Bowl way to remind him
right before that too. Okay, Now my favorite part this
Sunday six pack.

Speaker 3 (53:14):
This is the Sunday six pack. So kick back and
listen to my position. I'm getting to get the bits back.
You better bring a big stack, get a mixtuack. I
came to win again.

Speaker 2 (53:23):
This is the Sunday six bad alrighty, all right.

Speaker 6 (53:27):
So I did not do as well in this portion
of the program. Kwannye four and two. Mike and Paul
both two and four. So season standings Kwanye thirty four
and twenty eight, thank you. Mike drops a little further
behind at twenty eight and thirty four, and Loser Boy
is way behind at twenty five and thirty seven.

Speaker 2 (53:46):
Now you see why six pack is my favorite.

Speaker 3 (53:48):
Loser man.

Speaker 2 (53:49):
By the way, Loser Boy and.

Speaker 4 (53:51):
I can't you can't at least go five hundred. You're
a loser boy.

Speaker 2 (53:54):
Oh my goodness. By the way, this Sunday six pack
is brought to you by the Massachusetts two fifty campaign,
commemorating a history of possibility. You can plan in your
revolutionary weekend at Massachusetts two fifty dot org. All right,
let's get into the one o'clock games. First, the New
York Jets at the Baltimore Ravens Baltimore with thirteen and

(54:15):
a half.

Speaker 3 (54:16):
Oh boy, that's a lot of points. But I'm gonna
go with the Baltimore Real Ravens.

Speaker 14 (54:22):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (54:22):
I think that's the wise decision.

Speaker 4 (54:24):
Yeah, I'm gonna take the Ravens too. It's more points
than I like to to give, but I will do
it still.

Speaker 2 (54:29):
The Jets up next, New York Giants in Detroit. Detroit,
same spread with that one, thirteen and a half points.

Speaker 6 (54:37):
Yeah, yeah, this one, I'm I'm less reluctant because Detroit
tends to especially at home, they run it up a
little bit, and they're coming off a loss.

Speaker 4 (54:47):
They don't lose two in a row, so I'll lay
the points in this one.

Speaker 14 (54:51):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (54:51):
I'm taking Detroit in this one as well.

Speaker 3 (54:53):
Yeah, me too. I think they're gonna run all over
the Giants.

Speaker 2 (54:56):
They haven't been able to do anything this season. Up
next the Steelers at Chicago Chicago two and a half.

Speaker 3 (55:05):
No Aron Rager inactive, which I thought he would be.
All weak. I don't know why. It's not just a
broken root for us. He's fine. I'm like, you got
a broken arm, that's you, corny.

Speaker 2 (55:16):
I'm taking the home team again, Chicago in this one.
No a Ron will see how they look Pittsburgh.

Speaker 3 (55:21):
But yeah, I'm gonna go with you with uh with
the Bears.

Speaker 6 (55:25):
This is probably more of a Patriots unfit. I'm gonna
take Chicago as well. This is probably more of a
Patriots unfiltered topic. But I think there's something to that
inactive thing. I think they don't want him to play
like this week, saving face a little bit.

Speaker 4 (55:42):
He's in active. He tried, he couldn't go. I think
they want Mason.

Speaker 2 (55:46):
Maybe that would be their saving grades. Who knows, grit
as all right? Up next, Indianapolis Colts. They are at
the Kansas City Chiefs today, Kansas City with three and
a half.

Speaker 3 (55:58):
That's back to me.

Speaker 5 (56:00):
Yeah, I gotta I gotta go Kansas City. And I
think we're as Patriots fans rooting for Kansas City.

Speaker 3 (56:06):
Is that right, Paul.

Speaker 6 (56:07):
Oh yeah, technically, if you're looking for the boy, if
you're looking for the buye yeah, boy.

Speaker 4 (56:11):
I mean you want the teams that are at the
top of the standings with you to lose.

Speaker 3 (56:15):
Not why I'm doing it.

Speaker 5 (56:16):
I just think Kansas City they're like Jason boardi'es they
gotta be put down. You gotta kill him seven different times.
And you know, I do think within the his run
game that that should be able to travel. Jonathan Taylor
could be a good challenge for them, But I just
I can't buy it yet with Daniel Jones.

Speaker 3 (56:30):
I'm gonna go Patrick Mahomes.

Speaker 6 (56:31):
How can you buy it with Daniel Jones? He had
a good half a season. You know, I think Kansas
City is gonna win the game, but I am going
to take the hook. I'm going to take the Colts
to make it close, maybe get a back door cover late,
but yeah, how can you trust Daniel Jones based on
one half of a season that he's played well in. No,
you gotta you gotta go with Kansas City to win

(56:52):
this game.

Speaker 2 (56:52):
I'm gonna take the twenty fourteen AFC finalists as well
with one good yeah, yeah, we'll see how that ends
they hung I think, right, I think so, Okay, up
next four o'clock games Jacksonville Jaguars. They are in Arizona
for this one, Jacksonville with two and a half.

Speaker 3 (57:11):
Uh, that's you probably.

Speaker 6 (57:13):
Yeah, I hate this game, but I'm gonna take Jacksonville.
I do not trust Jacksonville for the life of me,
especially Trevor Lawrence. But I will take Jacksonville on the road.

Speaker 2 (57:23):
I'll take Jacksonville too.

Speaker 3 (57:26):
Yeah, I don't know.

Speaker 5 (57:27):
I was trying to think of maybe I take a
shot at Arizona here, trying to make up some ground.

Speaker 3 (57:30):
Why not, let's get crazy. I'm gonna take Arizona.

Speaker 2 (57:32):
Yeah, okay, we'll see their home. Last, but not least
the game of the hour, The New England Patriots are
in Cincinnati, New England. Seven and a half. I think
I'm first.

Speaker 3 (57:44):
Yeah, yeah, seven and a half. I will take New England,
New England.

Speaker 4 (57:48):
But yeah, yeah, this is an interesting game.

Speaker 6 (57:53):
When it looked like Borrow was playing, it sort of
creeped down a little bit to six six and a half.
Then it was learned that he definitely was out, and
so to creep back up to seven seven and a half.
I saw it as high as eighth this morning on
ESPN SO seven and a half. Clearly people think the
Patriots are going to score a lot of points in
this one. I am one of those people. Thirty eight

(58:15):
twenty four New England twenty four in.

Speaker 3 (58:18):
A similar spot, little less points for Cincinnati, but.

Speaker 6 (58:21):
Just you know, well, you guys have Jake Brown, So
now I don't even know if defensive players are going
to suit.

Speaker 3 (58:26):
Up, right, It's one day, but no excuses today.

Speaker 5 (58:30):
This Patriots team, you know you want to be a
playoff team, You got to you gotta hammer this terrible
defense by Cincinnati, make them look like one of the
worst defenses in NFL history. And that's what I think
is going to happen to day. I think Josh McDaniels
is going to see what they're doing and have a
good beat on it.

Speaker 3 (58:42):
Make it easy for Drake May.

Speaker 5 (58:44):
Everybody's back, Booty Hooper, Stevenson, Let's get everybody involved, Let's
have a day.

Speaker 3 (58:49):
I want to say, Patriots thirty four to thirteen.

Speaker 6 (58:51):
I like that.

Speaker 2 (58:52):
Well, that does it for this week's edition of the
Patriots Pregame Show. Stick around until after to see what
we have to say. Win our last thank you for
tuning in. Hey this is Alex.

Speaker 14 (59:06):
Thanks for tuning into the show. If you really want
to help us, make sure you like us on Apple Podcasts,
Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Speaker 4 (59:13):
Also, make sure you.

Speaker 14 (59:14):
Follow us on the New England Patriots YouTube channel to
see this show and everything else we do here at
the Patriots.

Speaker 8 (59:20):
Thanks a lot,