TRANSCRIPT: NBC Sports Boston’s Tom Curran on Jones & Keefe 11/12
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Here’s what NBC Sports Boston’s Tom E. Curran had to say during his appearance on Jones and Keefe on WEEI earlier this week:
Adam Jones: Tom E. Curran, what’s up?
Tom Curran: “Good afternoon.”
Adam Jones: It’s a wonderful afternoon.
Rich Keefe: It’s the best.
Adam Jones: The Patriots having their victory Monday, yesterday. Tom E., Tuesday, today. We played a clip from you on NBC Sports, Boston on Sunday discussing the juxtaposition between Caleb Williams and Drake Maye. I don’t know if you want to elaborate on that at all, but it was striking on Sunday.
Tom Curran: “It was, and I’m not sure exactly what the clip was, but my biggest impression is that Caleb Williams is being so poorly managed that they’re going to be below scratch by the time they start to get him organized. When you look at the Patriots for all their faults and missteps at numerous levels, personnel, head coaching, coordinators, et cetera, Robert Kraft said to me, and I think he said it publicly as well, the only thing that matters is coaching quarterback. And when you look at the quarterback development that they’ve done, whether it’s from Alex Van Pelt and the on field stuff with a slow playing of putting him out there or the way that Maye himself has ascended to the leadership role that he did in a very diplomatic way where he wasn’t overstepping.”
“You can contrast that with Caleb Williams. The footwork of Williams, the timing of Williams are abhorrent. He is holding the ball too long. His footwork and his just spray misses are unbelievable. He’s got 19 % of his throws, period, are wild. I have the stats on my computer. I’m doing it right now for quick glance, but it’s just jaw-dropping how inaccurate he is. And the lack of development that he has experienced since getting to the league is going to put him probably back worse than he was when he got there in April. So it’s just a real contrast in the way the two players were developed.”
Rich Keefe: We’ve talked a lot about the report that Drake Maye kind of pulled the offense aside and spoke to him because they were having a bad practice and showing some leadership there. Are we making too big a deal out of that? Because Jones and I think that is fantastic, like what a step forward. Or is that just something that, hey, every once in a while, quarterbacks kind of just have to do that?
Tom Curran: “No, I think it’s a huge deal because was he going to do that in April, May, June, July, or August? No, he was not wandering in here saying, I have it all figured out,’ the way Caleb Williams, for instance, was texting the punter that they drafted in the fourth round, said, ‘We’re not going to need you much this year.’ Maye did not come in and act as if he had it figured out. We watched him during rookie minicamp, and he was glacial in his detail-oriented approach to learning what they wanted him to do. So it’s been a very gradual, I think, assumption of the leadership mantle. He never big-footed Jacoby Brissett. But when it finally came time for people to get on the quality control, and everybody had probably said something, for the fast-talking, somewhat awkward but kind of lovable, Drake Maye, standing up in front of a bunch of adults at the age of 22 and saying, ‘We need better,’ is kind of impressive, I think. And it shows that the Patriots got the right guy. One thing that Mayo said during the owner’s meeting is, ‘He’s all football. He’s all football all the time.’ And notice that, have we seen any social media stuff? Have we seen any Instagram? Have we seen any branding? Have we seen any ‘No Bull’ or whatever it else we see players embrace? He’s all football.”
Adam Jones: Yeah, I think I’ve seen one auto dealership commercial that he does, but it’s minimal. He had the moment that I know you didn’t like. I didn’t love either with Aaron Rodgers after the Jets game, but no, that’s been very minimal. And just to juxtapose it with, you mentioned ‘No Bull,’ to juxtapose it with Mac Jones. I don’t know, would Mac call stuff like that? Would he address the whole team? Would he run it by the offensive coordinator? Or would he just go behind the offensive coordinator and head coach’s back? It feels very different not to pile on Mac, but I’ll go ahead and pile on Mac. It feels very different than him.
Tom Curran: “I think that he probably would, and I think that he would have the respect somewhat of his teammates. But in that dynamic, Bill was already actively peeing on his forehead on a regular basis. So it’s very difficult for you to, if you’re not empowered by the people above you, to show that you have the ability to lead.”
Adam Jones: That’s tough with pee on your forehead. I agree. That’s not easy.
Tom Curran: “It is. It’s hard to stand there and be a compelling figure, I would imagine.”
Adam Jones: No, no, no, no, no, play it out…
Tom Curran: “Again, we can make a comparison without making a one-to-one. He is the guy. But Brady in 2001, excuse me, 2000, was the leader as the sixth-round pick of a fleet of draft picks, and he assumed the leadership role. And I remember listening to guys say that when he got in the huddle, even during practices, when he was the starter, they’d be like, ‘Oh, God, he was so over the top in terms of, let’s get enough to this.’ And it’s like two hours into the practice, and they’re like, ‘Well, okay.’ But he’s genuine, Brady was. And I think that Drake Maye is extremely genuine, almost in a way that there’s nothing calculated the way I can see. I think Brady could be a little calculated, but I don’t think that Drake Maye is a calculated guy. The only thing that he wants to get is better.”
Rich Keefe: What do you make of both Kendrick Bourne being inactive last week with the idea of playing younger guys, but then also K.J. Osborne getting the second most wide receiver snaps?
Tom Curran: “I think it’s two different things that are at play here. One, they want to get younger guys the ball more often. And I think we saw that with Kayshon Boutte and Demario Douglas, but the guys who are not on their details. And I think that we’ve seen over the course of time, as lovable as Kendrick Bourne is, he’s not a detail-oriented fella. I think it’s the general perception within the organization. He’s well-meaning, happy, and productive as he can sometimes be. He just is prone to mistakes. So on one hand, you don’t see Javon baker. Tyquan Thornton is completely in mothballs now.”
“But they’re moving… You have to have somebody out there in terms of you have to have three wideouts. So they have the two tight ends. So DeMario Douglas, Kayshon Boutte, and K.J. Osborne are your three that you’re going to put up, and you’re going to more or less pound the ball to the two tight ends, Hooper and Henry, and then to Demario Douglas and Kayshon Boutte, because they’re your best players. Excuse me, Ja’Lynn Polk, I left him out of that conversation, too. But I really think Kayshon Boutte is their best wide receiver, and he’ll probably still be the best wide receiver even when Ja’Lynn Polk improves. I just think he’s a better player.”
Adam Jones: No, we were talking about this yesterday. I think that’s a shift for Keefe and myself as well. We both take him as the number one guy over Pop Douglas at this point. It’s time now for Tom E. Currans’ Flex of the Game. It’s presented by Flexcar, Ditch the Dealership, and Save Thousands with Flexcar. What is your flex of the game from Pats/Bears, Tom?
Tom Curran: “Flex of the Game with the Patriots after the heinous turnover in the second half on the interception, coming back and bowing up. I’m not sure. Was that the second half? Did I misspeak there? I should have been more prepared in my flex of the game.”
Adam Jones: The pick was the first half.
Tom Curran: “Okay, first half. Let’s also then go with the bow up after that, where they did not allow points, and also the bow up in the second half after they had a, kind of a sketchy first drive. And there was an opportunity for maybe the Bears to gain a little bit of momentum coming into the second half and the Patriots forced yet another three and out. So flex of the game from DeMarcus Covington for understanding he had a sitting duck back there who was ready for the taking at an offensive line that was pockmarked and attacking it. We spent a lot of time on the defense, but DeMarcus Covington, who’s been lit up several times. He saw a ball on the tee in front of him, and he hammered it with the Chicago Bears’ offense.”
Rich Keefe: What do you think of the outlook for the rest of the season for the Pats? Three and seven, obviously not a very good record, but there’s a lot of bad teams in the AFC, a lot of bad teams in the NFL. We saw the Rams last night not look great. Miami also, even in a win, didn’t look great. Then you have the Colts as your next three opponents who, none of them are really playing great football. So how do you see the Patriots the next month or so?
Tom Curran: “It’s interesting because if you look at each team, they’re probably all more talented than the Patriots, one by one by one. All of them have better players than the Patriots. But I think Sunday is generally oftentimes just a snapshot of where your team is that week relative to injuries, overall mood, game plan. And the Jets and the Bears were able to be beaten by the Patriots because they had basically quit on their seasons. They had quit on their situations. And the Patriots were able to make, hay. They weren’t able to do that with Tennessee because they’re not that good, the Patriots. So it depends on who they get when they see the Rams. It depends on who they get when they see the Dolphins and the Colts. All those teams are going to look at the Patriots and go, ‘We should beat these friggin guys,’ every single team. So I don’t think that they’re going to go on a run. I still think that if they get to five wins, that’s expected. Four wouldn’t stun me, and six would kind of open my eyes. Don’t you guys think? If they get to six wins, I’d say, ‘Wow.'”
Rich Keefe: “Yeah, no. I’m taking the under on that. I just think it’s how I feel now compared to three weeks ago, it’s completely changed. And I feel like I have a lot of interest in these games as far as, I don’t know how the outcome is going to go. I think they’re probably going to lose Sunday to the Rams, but I think it’s more of a toss-up than it was a month ago. Same with the Miami and Indy game. So I’m definitely intrigued that they’re in this spot, but yeah, I mean, they still end the year with four or five wins. That wouldn’t shock me.”
Adam Jones: Let me ask you in a different way, Tom. We were saying, ‘Hey, there are two games out of a playoff spot.’ They’re only two games back at Denver. There’s a lot of teams in that mix. Is that a foolish discussion? It sounds like you think that’s probably a foolish discussion to look at the Patriots as a playoff.
Tom Curran: “It’s not, but it’s foolish, I think, to look at them and say, ‘Well, that’s a playoff level team.’ Because they are, Jonesy, two plays, three plays away from six and four. They are literally three plays from six and four. Say they got the two-point conversion against the Titans. Ja’Lynn Polk got his foot down, and they didn’t butcher it against the Seahawks. This could be playoff-calibera six and four football team. And they’re not a playoff caliber roster. And had those breaks gone their way, would we look at them and say, ‘Well, these guys are going to be a tough out?’ Well, maybe. But I just don’t think that… I think that would be a premature playoff appearance relative to the skill level of the team. For instance, the Patriots in 1994 went to the playoffs in Drew Bledsoe’s second year. And the next year, they went 5-11 in 1995. They were horrendous. Then they went to the Super Bowl the next year. I think the Patriots, it’s going to totally track the exact same way the early ’90s Patriots did, I believe, if they get it right.”
Rich Keefe: A Super Bowl appearance. I’ll take that. I’ll take that, Tom.
Adam Jones: Who’s the Brett Favre running around with his helmet off when they lose? I couldn’t sleep for weeks after that.
Rich Keefe: Yeah, that was a tough image. Tom-
Tom Curran: “That’s going to be Caleb Williams.”
Rich Keefe: Yeah, that’s right. I don’t know if you saw Bill Belichick on Pat McAfee yesterday. Maybe the most surprising part of it was that A.J. Hawke asked the question, but Hawke asked him about, specifically the Patriots and Drake Maye. And as you can imagine, Belichick took it to, ‘Yeah, he looks good outside the pocket, and Rhamondre Stevenson is a great back, but really, it’s all about Chicago.’ I don’t know what your take is on Bill, once again, sidestepping any positive statements about the Patriots?
Tom Curran: “He’s got some bad takes. I mean, you should at some point acknowledge the fact that Drake Maye is better than you thought he would be when you looked at him in April at the draft. You have compelling information, Bill. People want to hear it. We respect your opinion, but be able to say, well, ‘That’s a lot better player than he is now.’ Don’t make it sound like he’s running around like a chicken with his head cut off and not being decisive as to when to run. He’s not laundering around back there. That’s one of the best things about his game. But I think sometimes Bill is so reluctant to laud praise or admit that, ‘Hey, I got that wrong,’ that he’s going to stick with it. You notice he also managed to meander over to a Jacksonville sideswipe in that answer, the double benefit of that being, ‘Hey, Shad, I’m still here and your team still sucks, and you shouldn’t have had Mac out there. He’s already…’ The guy was 6-18 in his last 24 games here. Yikes. One of the worst offenses on record, and they’re still digging out on Patriot’s record, not national football. But it’s funny when you really hold his takes up to the light how just laden with agenda they are.”
Adam Jones: Well, it’s a good thing they had Rhamondre Stevenson draw on the defense last last year when they won their four games, because obviously that was a big thing that helped them out.
Tom Curran: “Who was his best back last year? Who was Bill’s best back last year?”
Adam Jones: That would be …
Tom Curran: “Ezekiel Elliott.”
Adam Jones: You’re arguing Ezekiel Elliott? You’re arguing Ezekiel Elliott over Rhamondre, okay, I see where you’re going.
Tom Curran: “Oh, my God. He was much better than Rhamondre Stevenson because they couldn’t block … Anyway…”
Adam Jones: It’s a knock on Bill, some bad takes from Bill Belichick. I’m certainly familiar with one. Tom E. Curran, always with good takes. You can watch him on Quick Slants tonight. You can read his latest at NBC Sports, Boston. Drake Maye has risen to the occasion for the Patriots on and off the field. Check that out there. He joins us every Tuesday here on Jones & Keith. You can also catch him Thursday at 3:30 on WEEI Afternoons. Tom E. Curran, we appreciate the time. Thanks so much.
Tom Curran: “Thanks, guys. Good fun. Thank you.”
(Editor’s Note: This transcript is done via the available footage/audio and is subject to typos. If you spot something, please take a moment to let me know in the comments below.)
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