Good morning. Here are your Patriots news and notes for December 8. The Patriots are on their bye week, and it was a needed break. The team has been banged up, and after another close loss, they mentally needed a break.
The last four games are going to be very tough ones. They travel to Arizona next week, then play home games against the Bills and Chargers before finishing the season against the Bills in Buffalo. The Bills are on a roll right now and have a real shot at being the #1 seed in the AFC. They will be a very tough out if the playoffs go through Buffalo.
The team will watch the Seattle and Arizona game closely this weekend, as the Cardinals are their opponent next week. The Cards are favored at home this week, but Seattle beat them rather handily just two weeks ago.
Quick Hitters For the Patriots and NFL News:
Bill Belichick: The former Patriots coach turned media star has interviewed twice for the head coaching vacancy at the University of North Carolina. It is a big surprise that Belichick will be opting for the college ranks, with Don Shula’s record within reach. But perhaps if he can get a lot of success at UNC it would cement a claim that he is the best coach ever.
The only college I ever thought he’d be interested in was the Naval Academy, where his father coached for over 30 years. UNC recently fired long-time coach Mack Brown after a loss to Boston College.
I would love to be a fly on the wall when Bill visits the parents of a prized prospect, trying to convince them that UNC is the place to go.
Jerod Mayo: The Patriots’ head coach sat down with Tom Curran of NBC Sports Boston on TC’s “Patriots Talk Podcast.” Mayo spent a few years on Curran’s “Quick Slants” television show before he went back to the Patriots and coaching. The two are friends and Mayo appeared relaxed going one-on-one with Curran in the interview.
There was some interesting tidbits in the podcast. Curran asked him point blank if the job was harder than he expected.
“I don’t think so. You know, every day has been a different day, Mayo said. You know, when I first accepted this position, I knew we were going to take our bumps and lumps along the way. And that’s what we’re in. And, you know, I would say oftentimes it’s hard for people to see the vision or the direction that you’re trying to take an organization, you know, through the clouds. We’re going through clouds right now. But as long as our focus is on setting a foundation and getting better every week, I feel pretty good about it.”
Curran asked Mayo about moving the culture forward while respecting the past that he was a part of and Mayo’s answer was a good one.
“ I learned a lot from Bill and those staffs of the past. In saying that, you know, wanting to push forward, you know, it’s a different player, it’s a different coach.
“And for me, it’s about, look, we have very competent coaches. We have competent players. They’re able to understand the X’s and O’s, but you also have to figure out what lever to pull to get these guys going. And look, we do look in the past, and we respect the past. But at the same time, we have to be where our feet are.
“And in saying that, the hard part is with Eliot [Wolf] and myself is also kind of looking out of the front windshield on what we have. And I’ve been very open too like, we can’t get to the end of the year and not know what we have. And that can be first-year or second-year players. But as we continue to build out the roster and continually trying to improve the roster, those are the thoughts that we have.”
Thanks to Ian Logue for transcribing the interview, there is more of Mayo’s talk with Curran is below.
Patriots 4th & 2 Podcast: Mike D’Abate invited Derek Havens and me to his podcast, “Locked On Patriots,” we all had a great conversation about the team’s state. Derek and I also recorded our 4th and 2 podcast and predicted TNF and other games. Please check us out and give us a listen on YouTube, Apple, or wherever you listen to your podcasts.
Russ Francis/Chuck Fairbanks: The former Patriot tight end and head coach should be in the Patriots team Hall of Fame, and the fact that Francis isn’t is an absolute travesty. Francis and the Raiders’ Dave Casper changed how teams used the tight end position. This will be discussed in our Sunday posts until it happens. Casper is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Francis’ numbers stand up well against Casper’s, yet he isn’t even in the team’s HOF.
Area 51 News: Where Are The Patriots At During the Bye Week?
This week with the Patriots on their bye week and it is a good idea to take a look at where they are at presently and what the future may hold moving forward. We’ll look at the good, the bad, and some fixes that are needed.
The Good —
Quarterback: The Patriots 2024 draft may have a lot more questions than answers right now, but with their first pick, it certainly appears that they got the selection of Drake Maye right. He’s been everything we expected and more.
Maye has taken to the coaching, learned the offense and sees the field extremely well. Maye has corrected many of the flaws that were pointed out during the draft season and his future looks very bright. His running ability has added another dimension for the Patriots offense and has given opposing defensive coordinators something to think about. Especially when they play man coverage. Maye has flipped the script when it comes to how opponents defend the Patriots offense. And let’s not forget Joe Milton.
The Patriots selected two QBs this spring and Milton (for now) has been the 3rd QB on the roster and running the scout team offense, where he’s been lauded by the coaching staff. We don’t know what his future holds but judging by the coaching staff’s comments, they’re very pleased with his development. Jacoby Brissett was brought in to be the starter until Maye was ready and then be a mentor for him. And he has done an admirable job considering the circumstances surrounding the roster.
Running Backs: The Patriots trio of Rhamondre Stevenson, Antonio Gibson, and JaMycal Hasty are good. They’ve been hampered by poor offensive line play, which we’ll get into below.
Stevenson and Gibson are a very good 1-2 punch with Hasty providing backup when they need a break or are banged up. Stevenson remains the #1 back and is fine. Gibson has been (IMO) under utilized this season. He’s rushed for 1000 yards in 2021, and is a proven good receiver out of the backfield.
Tight Ends: The pair of veterans, Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper have better than good this year. They are in the Top 5 of Tight End production this year. They have been the most reliable and consistent of Drake Maye’s targets in 2024.
Henry is just a three catches and 42 yards from setting new career highs. He could do that in just the Arizona game next week. He has 58 catches for 610 yards thus far in 2024. Hooper has 31 receptions for 337 yards and three touchdowns this season.
Could they get better and younger next year? Possibly; Jaheim Bell is rookie and hasn’t really scratched the surface of what his potential could be. But with Henry and Hooper it has been hard for him to crack the lineup yet.
Special Teams: The Patriots STs units were uncharacteristically at the bottom of the league the past two years. But they’ve turned a corner this season and while not all the way back, have been much better.
Marcus Jones is a dynamic returner who was terrific in 2022 but missed all of last year with an injury. He’s back and providing good return yardage. Brendan Schooler has been a potential Pro Bowl gunner and has even stepped up to play some defense, in the Patriots “Longhorn” package.
Bryce Barringer has a tremendous leg and has been very good at pinning opponents inside the 20-yard line. Joey Slye has provided much better kicking stats than they had a year ago. However, both Slye, Barringer, and the kick coverage units could be more consistent.
The Bad —
Wide Receivers: The Patriots wide receivers have been disappointing to say the least. The team finally cut Tyquan Thornton who failed to generate any production in his time with the team. Free agent K.J. Osborn has just seven catches for 57 yards and a score after averaging about 53 catches and 600+ yards for the Vikings the past three seasons.
Kendrick Bourne is just rounding back into shape after his knee injury last year. Pop Douglas has been inconsistent in 2024. While his production (52-497-1) isn’t bad, it isn’t what was expected this year. Kayshon Boutte is showing signs that his production needle is pointing upward. He and Maye are developing some good chemistry.
The rookie WRs Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker have been disappointing, especially Polk. Polk’s reputation coming out of college was that he had great hands. But he’s had issues with drops and running the wrong routes. He has only 12 catches for 87 yards and two TDs thus far. Baker is still looking for his first catch as a pro.
The Patriots should pay (overpay) a veteran wide receiver in free agency and add a young player in the draft.
Offensive Line: The Patriots’ offensive line has been dismal this year. Injuries, poor play, penalties, miscommunication… take your pick. It has been a major disappointment, and why the offense has struggled to score points.
A big part of the reason they’ve struggled in the red zone can be pointed towards the OL and lack of WR separation/production
Rather than repeating (ad nauseam) the stats showing how badly they’ve struggled, suffice it to say that the OL needs some serious attention in the offseason. With the exception of Mike Onwenu, the offensive could conceivably have all new starters next season.
Again, if they can find a good veteran free agent in the offseason, that would ease their pressure to draft a tackle in the first round. But they need a pair of tackles next year.
Edge Rusher: The Patriots’ defense was expected to be the strength of the team in 2024. But they’ve been disappointing. They desperately need an impact edge rusher in 2025. It doesn’t change the need whether that player is via free agency or the draft. They’ve really struggled to get consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks this season.
Keion White has gotten good pressure from his position but has had issues getting home for sacks. Deatrich Wise has been good but is showing some signs of age on the field. The Patriots have been forced to blitz more and more to get QB pressure, and they have still not gotten the sacks that they need.
The run defense has gone from a top unit to one of the worst ones in the league. But with Ja’Whaun Bentley gone for the year with an injury, Christian Barmore missing most of the season due to blood clots, and Jabrill Peppers on the shelf, it has taken a considerable toll down the middle. But look for the team to address ILB as well this offseason.
Cornerback: Let me preface this by saying Christian Gonzalez is playing at an All-Pro level. He has been fantastic, and considering he just finished playing in his 17th career game, it is essentially just the end of his rookie season.
But the team needs another boundary corner to match with Gonzalez. They’ve relied on Marcus Jones to do this. But because of his size (5’8), he’s been at a severe height disadvantage against bigger WRs. He’s best as the slot corner. The solution may be with Alex Austin/Isaiah Bolden, but if there is a good corner in the draft available, then they need to take him.
Coaching Staff: We’ve been critical of the staff many times this year, and deservedly so. But we must all remember that Jerod Mayo is replacing arguably the best coach in the NFL’s history. The question of whether firing Bill Belichick was a good move has been rendered moot now.
Mayo is forging his own path and has made plenty of mistakes along the way. But he’s a rookie head coach with rookie coordinators as well. He’s not going anywhere. If he doesn’t show considerable improvement in 2025, then all bets are off.
Demarcus Covington was highly considered this year in getting his first defensive coordinator chance. But the defense has taken a huge step back and the lack of adjustments he and Mayo have made are surprising to say the least. He really needs to step up his game in Year 2. Perhaps Steve Belichick, who was always saddled with the dreaded “nepotism” moniker, was much better than he was credited for.
Alex Van Pelt (AVP) has gotten a ton of flak from Patriots fans and media. But he’s the coach that has shown the most improvement this season. The work he’s done with Drake Maye deserves a lot of credit. And you’re starting to see the offense come together and churn up a lot of yardage. Some of his play calls may seem way off at times, but the roster issues may have something to do with that.
The team has a ton of work to do this offseason, but there are still four more games to play. So, what are we looking for down the last four-game stretch against some excellent opposition? Consistency and hanging in games to the very end. Look, they’ll be the underdogs in each game. But if they can play with these teams, then they can look forward to better things in 2025, regardless of whether they win or lose these games.
Parting Shots:
The Bills clinched the AFC East last week with their big win over the 49ers in Buffalo. The Chiefs are still the #1 seed (thanks to some creative officiating at the end of the game against the Raiders), but Buffalo remains only a game behind.
The Bills take on the Rams in LA this afternoon, while the Chiefs and Chargers play in KC tonight. Next week, Buffalo takes on Detroit which should be the game of the week.
The Jets and Dolphins play each other today, with neither team having any real shot at making the playoffs. The Jets will probably be without Sauce Gardner and Breece Hall today. Miami needs to win out and pray for a host of teams in front of them lose out for a slim chance at making the postseason.
The Jets are on the hunt for a new coach and GM. ESPN’s Rich Cimini has reported that Mike Vrabel is interested in the Jets job on one condition: that he approves the next GM. It is surprising that Vrabel would want to go to NY with that owner situation there.
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Week 14 Predictions:
Thursday Night Football:
Detroit over Green Bay 1-0
Sunday, December 8,
Tennessee over Jacksonville
Miami over NYJ
Minnesota over Atlanta
New Orleans over NYG
Philadelphia over Carolina
Pittsburgh over Cleveland
Seattle over Arizona
Buffalo over LAR
Tampa Bay over Las Vegas
San Francisco over Chicago
Sunday Night Football:
Kansas City over LAC
Monday Night Football:
Denver over Cleveland
Bye Week: New England, Baltimore, Denver, Houston, Indy, Washington
Last week: 15—1
2024 Season 143—52
2023 Season 178—94
2022 Season: 178—92—2
2021 Season: 183—88—1
2020 Season: 169—86—1
2019 Season: 162—93—1
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“I appreciate true journalism. I always have. As long as these are truthful or, you know, there’s some backing behind it, some reason – I’ve been very open with, like, if you have a question, I’ll answer it as much as I can. And in saying that, you know, this is what I tell my coaches.
“It’s a big difference between noise and signals, right? Noise and signals. Noise is just all the chatter. People trying to figure out different things. But there are times that you see signals in articles. And once again, I ignore it. So Bobby handles all this stuff. But there are certain times that, you know, there are signals that come through the players voices when they talk to you guys.
“And the same thing to me. For me, when I talk to you guys, I know for a fact that the players are reading all that stuff. So I use that platform as another mechanism really to get the message across. Or, you know, as a coach, you are pretty much, you’re a teacher and really you’re a professional reminder. And I just use that as another way of getting the message across.”
Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo, on the “Patriots Podcast” with Tom Curran, when asked if the things he and the players read in the media are hurtful.
“Like meteorologists. You know … but honestly, look, we got killed, and this is I understand media because once again, we won a couple of Emmys, I understand media and I understand the frustration of the fans.
“You know, even at the beginning of the season when we didn’t start Drake, everyone was up in arms. ‘Oh, they should have did this. They should have did that.’ ‘You know, Jayden Daniels is starting.’ ‘Caleb Williams is starting.’ ‘All these rookie quarterbacks first-round rookie quarterbacks are playing.’ And it would have been very easy if I heard all of the noise to really go against the plan that we talked about in a time of peace.
“And when I say in a time of peace, that’s when you don’t have all these people in your ear, you know, telling you what to do. And look, I think right now everyone’s like, ‘well, maybe that was the right move because he’s playing at a high level and saying that he still has a lot of room to grow. But at the same time, we felt like this is the developmental plan for the starting quarterback, the most important piece on the team, and we feel like we’re in a good place..”
Mayo, in a follow-up question, was asked by Curran if he noticed how often the media is right.
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“Talent sets the floor; Character sets the ceiling.” Bill Belichick
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A former US Army Special Forces NCO and Officer, Steve has been following the Patriots since their days at Fenway Park. Steve has worked in the film industry and wrote as an Military Editor at SpecialOperations.com, 1945.com as a reporter for the Millbury Daily Voice, Millbury-Sutton Chronicle, and the Grafton News. He's also a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA)
Thanks Steve for a good article….Nice to hear things like Milton doing well. Perhaps he could be a backup candidate next year. Maybe. He was a multi year project (said some). “A big part of the reason they’ve struggled in the red zone can be pointed towards the OL and lack of WR separation/production”. Yes. The pats odds of success on offense in must pass situations where the D knows what’s coming are low, and their odds are low and when you get into the shoe-box space that is the red zone…. the D tends to get more aggresive at… Read more »