- 5 months ago
Zolak and Bertrand explore what's at stake for the Patriots in Minnesota, including their concerns about their offense.
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00:00Because if they show up at 1 p.m. on Saturday, weird kick time, right,
00:03for a preseason game, and they smack Minnesota in the mouth,
00:07we're going to be getting on Monday then, right?
00:08We're going to flip that.
00:09Yes.
00:10So if it's doom and gloom and they can get embarrassed here Saturday,
00:14if they show up and look representable
00:15and pull off what they did, like, last Friday night,
00:19then we're off and running, man.
00:20And we're talking 11, 12, maybe 13.
00:24Just to be fair here, right?
00:26Because I'm not – it's the second preseason game.
00:29I don't care about the score.
00:31I just care about can you not fumble the ball in the pocket?
00:34Can you play pitch and catch?
00:36Can you throw the ball?
00:37Can you run?
00:38Can you not miss a block?
00:39Can you handle a T-T twist?
00:41And if you do all that and you play defense and you tackle and you cover,
00:45let's get the hell out of Minnesota, stay healthy, and get ready for Vegas
00:48because you're not playing anybody next week.
00:50Next week's preseason game is going to be not a disaster,
00:52but it's run it, get out in two hours and 35 minutes.
00:55Yeah, mail it in and let's go.
00:56Yeah, not going to see any of the starters.
00:57Except to try and move that.
00:58Can you flex that game to like 12 p.m.?
01:01Can you do that?
01:02Can the league do that to help people out?
01:04All right, so what you're saying I think is fair, but I would also say this, right?
01:08I look at this Vikings joint practice with the Patriots.
01:11We get the first one today.
01:12By the way, we'll hear from Mike Vrabel coming up at 1230 here prior to practice.
01:15I think that'll be more telling as to what they're going to do Saturday,
01:18how they practice these two days.
01:19But I think there's reason for excitement if you're a Patriots fan, Zoe,
01:22because for these two days and this matchup with the Vikings,
01:26it's the first time since 2022 where there's real expectations in terms of like,
01:32all right, let's see how you measure up against this franchise that you're going up against
01:35in terms of what should be one of the best teams in the NFL and the Minnesota Vikings.
01:41They were the best team last year, obviously new quarterbacks.
01:43We'll see.
01:43But there's a lot of respect there for not only Kevin O'Connell, but obviously for Brian Flores as well.
01:48And, you know, I go back to whether it was last year and that Eagles joint practice.
01:54We weren't trying to measure the Patriots up against the Eagles at that point, right?
01:58It was just kind of going in and all right, here we go.
02:01There's no excitement.
02:01There's no buzz around that team.
02:03Third year of Mac Jones, there was no excitement or buzz around that team.
02:07You kind of knew what it was.
02:08You have to go back to that second year with Mac Jones and the excitement around,
02:13coming off of that playoff push with him, getting blown out in Buffalo.
02:18But that excitement went out the door pretty fast when the offense with Matt Patricia
02:21looked like it couldn't function.
02:23And David Andrews is pulling everybody aside and yelling and freaking out.
02:27And this is the first preseason, though, where not only is there excitement around the team,
02:31but so far it's kind of lived up to what people's expectations have been
02:35for this new Mike Rabel-led Patriots team.
02:37I just want to see the same energy two weeks in a row.
02:40Like I said last week, the key is to build off that, to stack it.
02:44Last week was not perfect.
02:46And take it into context, they didn't play anybody.
02:48Supposedly, Melissa is going to play everybody.
02:50So we'll see.
02:51But you're going to get two days of joints.
02:52Are you really going to play everybody?
02:54Or is it going to be brief?
02:55I think it's really going to be brief.
02:56I think they're going to play everybody, but you're going to get them for two series.
02:59And you're going to shut it down.
03:01Pats might do that, too.
03:03What did Drake play the other day?
03:0414 snaps?
03:06If that.
03:07If that.
03:08If that, right?
03:09Yeah.
03:09Last year was, what, seven?
03:11Yeah.
03:11The first game.
03:12Like, he's always going to get them hit, get them out.
03:14That's right.
03:14Yeah.
03:14Yeah.
03:14And then we're not going to play him for the first.
03:16He's going to have a good week.
03:16I think it's more like, I think the running backs will be fine.
03:20I think the line is going to be fine.
03:21So.
03:21He's got to play better.
03:24Quarterback's got to play better.
03:25All of them.
03:25All the quarterbacks got to play better.
03:26I mean, my takeaway from this is that I think it's all eyes on Drake May for this joint practice
03:30at the Vikings, right?
03:31Sure.
03:31I mean, I kind of look at what Mike Rabel has tried to establish here so far, and it
03:35feels like this thing, again, is trending in the right direction where you feel like
03:38this team actually has an identity.
03:40You can see kind of what he's building towards.
03:43There's a foundation there.
03:45Certainly, you still need to upgrade some of the talent around the rest of the roster.
03:48But in terms of what they're trying to do with this coaching staff and the direction
03:52that it's going and the operation that we've seen so far, they're checking all those boxes.
03:56I think the big question is, you know, what's Drake May going to look like in year two?
04:00Because that's ultimately going to determine your ceiling.
04:02This is great.
04:03Two weeks in a row where it's about the two quarterbacks.
04:05Jaden Daniels versus Drake May where they are in their development.
04:07It's going to be Drake versus Drake May versus J.J. McCarthy.
04:10Because you had a guy in Sam Darnold a year ago that had them playing, meaning the Minnesota
04:14Vikings, playing for the number one seed in the last game of the year against Detroit.
04:17Yeah.
04:17You're either going to be the number one or the number five seed.
04:19And obviously, they lost that game, went to five, and then Detroit got popped by Jaden
04:23Daniels and Washington.
04:25But you could even say there's more pressure on McCarthy going into this week because they
04:30said, thanks, Sam Darnold.
04:31Nice year, but we're going with the kid.
04:34And he hasn't done anything.
04:34Were you a J.J. McCarthy guy coming out of Michigan?
04:37Yeah.
04:37You liked him?
04:38Yep.
04:38I thought he had a great workout.
04:40I just think he's a competitor, a winner.
04:42Yeah.
04:42Yeah.
04:43Not high-end talent type guy, but put together well.
04:47Right.
04:48Not the ceiling of a Drake Mayer.
04:50I came on to him late.
04:52Yeah.
04:52Yeah.
04:53And I wasn't at first, but then I became that because I think the kid's a winner.
04:56And I thought he attacked his offseason and his build to the draft really well and had
05:01a great workout.
05:01Drake Mayer, to me, again, all eyes on him because for me, you look at it and what's
05:09gone on so far this preseason, first week, no turnovers whatsoever, coming off of the
05:14spring where he struggled and threw those interceptions, trending in the right direction,
05:17and then you have the two turnovers in the Friday scrimmage.
05:20Then you have the turnover and the ill-advised play against Washington.
05:23You follow that with the touchdown.
05:24We all know what the ceiling looks like for Drake Mayer.
05:26We all know the physical tools there, but if you're actually going to win 11 games like
05:31some people hand up on this show, think that they're going to, it's going to have to be
05:35Drake May leading the way, and it's going to have to be Drake May not turning the ball
05:38over on a consistent basis and cleaning that stuff up.
05:41And I think this, with Brian Flores and what he's capable of on the defensive side,
05:45though, that's going to be a huge tell in terms of what you're kind of looking at
05:49this year, I think.
05:51Who's the third chair today?
05:53Nobody, huh?
05:54Nobody.
05:54The ghost is going to do, oh, my God, speaking of ghosts, 9.54 last night.
06:01I fell asleep, I think, around 9.30 in bed.
06:04Time of death, 10.10.
06:059.54.
06:07I wake up screaming for my mother.
06:09I had sleep paralysis last night.
06:12You called your shot like Babe Ruth, by the way.
06:14This is my subconscious from two days ago.
06:16Called your shot.
06:17You said, this is going to happen to me.
06:18My son came running.
06:20Dad, what's going on?
06:21I'm like, I just had it again.
06:23I'm like, you got to be effing kidding me.
06:24Does he know what the deal is with it?
06:26Not really.
06:26My daughter, my oldest daughter gets it every once in a while.
06:30Yeah.
06:30So this is a more common thing than people think.
06:34Here we go again.
06:34I'm like, I don't need this.
06:35I could go to bed for a while again.
06:37Now I'm tired today.
06:39Because I slept with the lights on again.
06:40Not lights on, but the TV on.
06:43Because you usually have to have it black.
06:44Did you put the departed on to fall asleep since you're not into the departed?
06:46Oh, no.
06:47Put your red out?
06:48Put the Red Sox game on.
06:51We'll get to that.
06:52Yeah.
06:54Oof.
06:55That was a fun one to watch, huh?
06:57Millican, your boys.
06:58Red was ready, though.
06:59Yeah?
06:59Yeah.
07:00Yeah.
07:0014-1.
07:01Stop the bleeding.
07:02Yeah.
07:03So yeah, we'll talk to, or excuse me, we'll hear from Mike Rabel coming up at 12.30 as
07:08they get ready for the joint.
07:08Start taking it live?
07:09We're going to take that.
07:10Yeah, we're going to take Rabel live.
07:11We should.
07:12Capella's out there.
07:12Yeah.
07:13At 12.30, yeah.
07:14Yeah, we put Capella out there for this.
07:15Dad, when are you heading out there?
07:17Friday morning.
07:17All right.
07:18Friday morning, production meetings, Friday afternoon.
07:20So we've got to get there before this.
07:22All right, 617-779-0985 is your telephone number.
07:27A lot to get to when it comes to the Patriots.
07:30Storylines heading into these joint practices with the Vikings.
07:33Zo, what's the deal with Kyle Duggar?
07:35What are the expectations there?
07:36Is he going to be on this roster when it comes to week one?
07:39How's it shaping up when it comes to the receivers?
07:42Big week for Efton Chisholm.
07:43Big week for Javon Baker.
07:45I go Baker Chisholm on this one, yeah.
07:46Do you?
07:47Yeah, I think it's huge weeks for them as far as potential to make the roster.
07:51I'm not penciling the men yet.
07:53Not doing it.
07:53Zo, what's your level of concern for this offense?
07:56Is there any level of concern for this offense at this stage of the game?
07:59There always is, because it's a new offense for Drake.
08:02Obviously, the left side of the offensive line.
08:04Because you don't worry about two rookies going out there.
08:06You look at the pass rushers you're going to face.
08:08Start with Max Crosby week one.
08:09You've got Watt week three.
08:12Down in Miami, you're going to be hitting the heat.
08:14Probably be about 90, 95.
08:15Probably feel like 105 on the field.
08:18Carolina has gotten better towards the end of last year.
08:20So, you need to come out in the month of September and be good.
08:23This isn't a, hey, let's have a seven-week slow build to get us up and running.
08:28Right, and now all of a sudden it's clicking on my cylinder.
08:30We've got to be ready to go week one.
08:31Now, look, there should be development, obviously, with Drake May from the beginning of the season
08:34to the end of the season.
08:35I expect to see a big jump in terms of his play.
08:37But what's a successful offense look like in terms of putting up points in those first few weeks?
08:44It's probably going to start with the run.
08:46Like, right?
08:46Like, based off what we saw the other night, like, they're going to try and run the ball.
08:50And it's going to be run to set up the pass, I think.
08:52That's the way I feel it is right now.
08:55It's another thing watching Drake play that I go back to a year ago.
08:59Feels to me like he gets better as the game goes.
09:01Like, he'll come out and maybe start slow like he did the other night, but wakes him up,
09:05gets a quick rebound, let's go down the field.
09:07Like, and it looked effortless.
09:10But he's got to be a lot better.
09:11He will.
09:12I have confidence in that.
09:13I'm not that worried about the quarterback as much as people are.
09:16I don't know how worried people are about the—
09:19He's an even-killed kid, meaning I don't think he sits—
09:21You watch Caleb Williams, every bad throw he's cussing everything out,
09:24throwing his hands up in the air.
09:26Like, he's way too volatile, emotional.
09:28Yeah.
09:29Drake's a pretty even-killed, and he deals with the negativity, I think,
09:32about as good as he does with the positive stuff that he does.
09:35I don't know how concerned people are with—
09:37Because I think everyone sees the talent when it comes to Drake, man.
09:39I think the concern is that a lot of this sort of hinges on his development, right?
09:44And so if he's not the quarterback that a lot of people are projecting,
09:48and I think a lot of people hope that he winds up being the top half of the quarterback
09:51by the end of this year, you know, then all of a sudden I think there's realistic expectations
09:55based on, again, sort of what you've seen from Mike Rabel and company
09:59and what they've sort of established here in a short period of time.
10:03But, you know, if he doesn't live up to that, if he turns the ball over a fair amount,
10:07if the turnovers are an issue, if you're not scoring at a consistent level,
10:10all of a sudden now you're settling back into what could be potentially a disappointing year.
10:15We're talking about six, seven wins, something like that,
10:17and I don't think fans want to see it.
10:18I think a lot of that hinges on Drake, man.
10:19That cannot happen.
10:20That cannot happen.
10:21Can't happen.
10:21Nope.
10:21Nope.