00:00So I promised this on the Big Dog Show on Saturday, but we are officially at Wednesday.
00:06So I have officially shifted to the New England Patriots because our other two sports, our winter sports teams are
00:13dead.
00:14And the Red Sox may as well be dead in the water in some instances as well.
00:18So here's a little thing for you here.
00:21The New England Patriots right now.
00:23Remember how we talked about shortly after the Super Bowl, how this next season was going to be so much
00:29more difficult because they were going to be playing such a more difficult schedule?
00:33Well, Warren Sharp has come out with the 2026 NFL strength of schedule, and this is based on Vegas' projected
00:40win totals for teams.
00:42The Patriots are still only 12th.
00:44Like, their schedule's still not that hard.
00:46They're in the upper half of easier schedules in the NFL this year.
00:51And the only team in the division that has an easier schedule is the Jets, who sucks, so they're really
00:56not going to be relevant to you in that regard.
00:58The Patriots' win total right now is only sitting at 9.5.
01:02I would just, you know, maybe throw a couple shekels on the over already here.
01:06I think 10 games is still a really good spot for this team.
01:0910-12 seems right.
01:12I think this team is still going to be good.
01:14Drake May is going to be great.
01:15And no need to worry about this whole Mike Vrabel, Diana Rossini drama.
01:20Yeah, looking at their schedule, they'll definitely be a playoff.
01:23But it is harder.
01:25I don't, you know, play harder than last year.
01:27Last year they were, what, like a top five easiest?
01:29Yeah, I think they were top five.
01:30Now they're number 12.
01:31So, I mean, yeah, it's gotten harder, but it's still not all that hard.
01:35So, Shine, you're basically setting this up as the schedule cannot be an excuse this year for a major regression.
01:41Yeah, exactly.
01:43100%.
01:43You can't just say, like, oh, they played a way harder schedule.
01:46You can't be, like, 8 and 9 now.
01:48Yeah, because the way, I got to say, I saw this Warren Sharp stuff yesterday, too.
01:53And I was thinking about the way that we talked about it in really the immediate aftermath of the Super
01:57Bowl loss was as if they were going to have, like, one of the three hardest schedules in the NFL.
02:03But really, it's just going to be, like, an average schedule.
02:07Well, yeah, because you're going to get the Dolphins and the Jets twice.
02:10Both of those teams are horrendously bad.
02:12You should walk out of there with four wins, no problem.
02:15You split with the Bills again, and look, you're already at 5 and 1.
02:18Like, you're already halfway to 10 wins just from playing division games.
02:21But that doesn't take into account, like, the travel stuff, too, because that was a major part of last season
02:25that their travel schedule was so easy.
02:28Based on how they did last season, what's a reasonable expectation?
02:32They just have to make the playoffs.
02:34They have to get to AFC Championship.
02:36Like, what's your expectation?
02:37Yeah, I mean, expectations will change depending on injuries and all that stuff.
02:42But I would say right now, at this very moment, like, you have to be in the playoffs without a
02:46doubt.
02:47And I would like to see you win a round.
02:49I think that is kind of – I think if you don't win a round, it's kind of a disappointment.
02:53If you win a round in the playoffs next year, I think you're great.
02:56Like, you're in great shape.
02:57But I look at they should be competing to win the division again.
03:01Mm-hmm.
03:01You know.
03:02It's a great way to look at it.
03:03Well, the Bills got better than you in the offseason on paper.
03:05They did on paper.
03:06They definitely did.
03:07But I think you're still getting better as a team because some of those guys that were younger players last
03:13year,
03:14you would think that they would – the trajectory would be heading in the right direction to get better this
03:20year.
03:21Like a Drake May, a Will Campbell, Jared Wilson.
03:24These are guys that we expect to take that next step and get better this year.
03:28Shyam, did you see the video of Caleb Lomu singing in his car?
03:33I sent it to you early this morning, Greg.
03:36I saw it yesterday.
03:37Oh, no.
03:37What is –
03:38He was singing goodbye to his wife or his girlfriend, whatever she is.
03:42That was cute.
03:43His – the eye – I can't do it.
03:45Between the dancing and this, I'm getting way too much cringe.
03:48The eye contact that he makes with the camera is so intense.
03:51It made me very unsettled.
03:53Does your expectation change if you get A.J. Brown?
03:57100%.
03:58That's one of the reasons why I think you should jump on this now.
04:00You look at the – the strength of schedule isn't nearly as tough as people thought it would be post
04:05-Super Bowl.
04:05And you're only at nine and a half wins right now prior to getting A.J. Brown.
04:09I think that number increases once you acquire A.J. Brown.
04:12I would – that's why I would bet that number now before it goes up.
04:15Now, we talked about this a lot, first hour, but Steph Diggs found innocent on both charges.
04:24A, we talked earlier about whether that means that he could theoretically be back with the New England Patriots or
04:33what happens there.
04:34Wiggy believes that the Patriots situation is less about the charges, more about the money, and more about the age,
04:44I guess, of the player, right?
04:45Mm-hmm.
04:45From your perspective.
04:46Yeah.
04:47I think that ship is sealed with Steph Diggs.
04:49Yeah.
04:49But the trial was a very interesting one.
04:54I would argue perhaps, unfortunately, one of the worst witnesses in the history of televised trials, the chef.
05:03The star witness, too.
05:04The star witness.
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