Karen Guregian | New England Patriots Insider, MassLive Sports

We are pleased to welcome longtime Patriots insider Karen Grigian, who is now with Mass Live Sports.

And Karen, one of our favorites. What is the latest on Isaiah Bolden in terms of his health and also his status with the team? Coach Belichick basically has let the media know he's in concussion protocol. You know, that's basically where he's going to be until he passes all the necessary tests.

We've talked to different players who've seen him talk to him, and they all reflect that he's doing well. But again, you know, it's such a scary and frightening incident. And as I said, he still has a little ways to go to get through the leaks concussion protocol. What was your reaction to how the Patriots and the Packers handled the situation on Saturday night?

Well, obviously, you know, the game goes on, the game goes on. But, you know, maybe perhaps they've learned some lessons over the years and they've learned a lesson from the DeMar Hamlin situation. You know, obviously, this is a preseason game. It wasn't a regular season game. But even more so, it's a preseason game. And I like the fact that Coach Belichick brought in Matthew Slater and asked him for, you know, try to get a feeling for, you know, the vibe with the players and how they were doing. Coach LaFleur from the Packers was totally on board with, you know, whatever direction Coach Belichick wanted to go. They checked in with the league and it was 10 minutes into the 10 minutes gone in the fourth quarter. So I think, you know, again, it was a very wise and prudent thing to do.

It almost lets you think like they're evolved or something. It is important, I think, even though it's a completely different situation than DeMar Hamlin, just seeing a teammate in that situation and understanding how much it rattles guys who are on the field. I loved how Matthew raved about Bill Belichick, even though he's played for him a long time, felt like this was one instance in which his leadership really shone through. We've got one preseason game left, cuts obviously to come. What would you say is the biggest question mark about the Patriots as they head toward the season opener?

Oh, like this is an easy question. And everyone, everyone you ask in New England will say the same thing. It's the offensive line. They haven't even played with the group that anyone has projected to be their starting offensive line. They've had, you know, several of several of the starters have been out. They've been out for a couple of weeks and who hasn't participated in training camp at all. He suffered an ankle injury the last game of the season. He had off season ankle surgery and just hasn't yet been ready to come back. Although he was in Green Bay, a spectator watching the joint practices, Cole Strange, their starting left guard, got injured a week or two into training camp and hasn't been able to come back. Trent Brown has sort of been in and out and injured and not playing and he's just back. And basically they have a revolving door at right tackle. All the improvements to the offense, whether it's with Bill O'Brien now as the offensive coordinator, a renewed and confident Mac Jones, all of that goes out the window and you can't protect them.

Good point. You said a renewed and confident Mac Jones. What does that mean in how he plays? Well, I think, you know, we've seen even from the early camps and the OTAs, and there's just a different feel around him.

There's not this gloom and doom. And, you know, he was really, I don't know, set back last year, let's say. You know, by having, again, a couple of coaches take over for Josh McDaniels, who led him to one of the best rookie seasons, you know, in the history in the NFL. And then Josh leaves and Coach Belichick, besides Matt, Patricia and Joe Judge, two coaches who haven't really ever led an offense, are going to take back to the next level year two. None of us thought that that was going to be a good move. But, you know, you always give Bill Belichick the benefit of the doubt. Unfortunately, us idiots were right.

And it was a disaster. Maybe players on the offense, maybe Mac, they were all thinking like us and really didn't give it a chance. But the offense was so vanilla, so pedestrian.

There was no complexity to it at all. They were so easy to defend. And now, especially, it's like you watch the practices now. Oh, my God, they run motion.

I mean, oh, my God, Mac can audible. I mean, the changes are glaring. And I think to a man, the players who had to go through all that last year, it's almost like they've been liberated and gotten this new freedom. And there's a confidence they have now with each other and a trust in Bill O'Brien. And just that alone is going to improve them. But as they said, they just might be derailed by a bad offensive.

We'll see. Karen Garigian is with us here on After Hours. CBS Sports Radio covers the Patriots from Mass Live Sports. And even as you mentioned Bill O'Brien and the change, the shift, what's it like to have him back?

Oh, it's great. You know, it's funny, his nickname is Teapot, and we haven't quite seen him erupt yet on the field. He's so hands on. He's so involved. And that's not to say he doesn't ream some players out. But, you know, some of his his blowouts have been legendary. There's one with Tom Brady he had during a game.

I think they had to separate the two. So he brings a fire and a passion. The important thing here, Amy, is that the players on offense have all bought in. They've bought into him what he's preaching, the offense that he wants to run.

And, you know, as I said, in that in that respect, it's like night and day from last year. What does the addition of Ezekiel Elliott mean for the offense? He's actually very important and not as a lead back, but as the number two back.

I mean, Ramondre Stevenson is the guy. And, you know, last year it was pretty obvious he wore down toward the end of the season because he was like their every down every minute back. He was the first and second down back running the ball. He was the third down back catching the ball.

It's hard. It wears on your body. And you could tell in the last part last quarter of the season, you know, he lost his legs. They basically got another back who essentially does what he does.

Runs like he does. At least Ezekiel in his prime. Ezekiel can catch the ball coming out of the backfield just like Ramondre.

So they basically got a clone of him. You know, obviously, Ezekiel's older, but I still think there's something left in the tank. And, you know, the Patriots, you know, maybe because their offensive line isn't as good and they don't want to have Mack pass 50 times a game. They're going to run. They're going to lead with the run. So it's important to have a couple of competent backs carrying the rock and doing damage. The last couple years there have been some questions about the receiving corps, whether it be the wide outs or whether it be the tight ends and a lot of these moves that Bill Belichick made did not panned out.

What do you like about the group that Mack will be throwing to? One of the things I like is the chip they now have on their shoulders because all of us keep putting them down and saying they're not that good. One of the local reporters, Mike Giardi, in describing them, said they think, think and stunk. And that now seems to be the motto of the receivers. You know, how do we do? Oh, we think, think stunk.

Wow. And I think that they're out, as I said, nothing like a nice little chip on the shoulder. They're out to show that they're not as bad as we all think they are.

But you know what, Amy? They're not bad. They're a good to very good collection of receivers. The problem that we keep pointing out is they just don't have that one bonafide, true number one playmaking, causes fear and defenses type of weapon. And you know, that doesn't mean that their offense is going to stink. It just means that they're a little more limited in what they can do.

And they're also a little bit more predictable. Again, if a defense doesn't have to double cover anyone, again, that makes them a little easier to defend. Karen Gerigian is with us from Boston, Patriots columnist for Mass Live Sports. We're getting so close to the start of the NFL season and Patriots reside in what is, if not the toughest, one of the toughest divisions in football.

So Karen, Patriots flying under the radar, it sounds so odd, right? And yet it almost feels like that's what they could be doing this season. What are the expectations for them in the AFC East? A lot of people think that thanks to Aaron Rodgers' arrival in New York, you know, the Patriots are going to replace the Jets in the basement. Anything can happen. I mean, last year we were predicting everyone in the AFC West was going to be a playoff team and, oh, what a great division that could be. And look what happened there.

That was not a good division. So you have to see it play out. And again, I think the Patriots are a good team, a good to better than average team. They're very well coached. They're not going to beat themselves.

They will be in games. And again, who knows what Aaron Rodgers will or won't do in New York. Who knows if Tua can stay healthy in Miami. You know, maybe the Bills are more vulnerable than they've been.

I think the Patriots will be lurking. You know, a number of things are going to have to go their way for them to stay out of the bottom, let's say. When you look at their schedule, what's notable about it?

It's killer at the start and it's killer at the end. So, you know, the odd thing, Amy, is that in recent years, the Patriots, it's post Tom Brady, mostly. They haven't started out well and they haven't finished well. So if you believe in patterns, then they really aren't going to do well this year.

Oh, no. Yeah, they've been slow starting. But that's kind of been a typical thing.

What's been surprising is, you know, Bill Belichick has always preached, you know, you build and build and build so that you're peaking toward the end. I mean, for years and years and years, they were like unbeatable in December or after Thanksgiving. They'd go five and one, six and oh, always, year after year after year, like clockwork. And now, you know, they've been like two and three, two and four, one and five. And they just haven't closed out well, you know, which is, again, not what we're used to seeing. So they're going to have to fix some things. They're going to have to start out better in the rough half of the schedule. Clean up when they can in the middle of the schedule.

These teams are supposed to beat and then not fall flat in their face in the final month. Is the criticism of Bill Belichick warranted since Tom Brady retired, Karen? Well, I think, of course, some of it is. I mean, I mean, how do you put Matt Patricia and Joe Judge in charge of the office? I mean, as I said, because of Bill's reputation, some of us are willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. He's a firm believer that anyone can coach anything. If you're if you're a good coach, you should be able to coach everything.

His problem is not everyone is him. I mean, I mean, I think Bill Belichick can probably coach everything on the field. But, you know, especially now when the game revolves all around offense and it's so nuanced. And again, to have two guys in charge who are trying to not only figure out how to call plays, but also figure out a new offense that he wanted to have them go to, the Shanahan offense.

And then also change the whole offensive line scheme at the same time. And it just blew up in their face. So you have to question Bill a little bit on that, I would say. So, you know, sometimes great people make not so great decisions. Is this his version of admitting he messed up with that choice? You know, that's interesting, Amy, because some of us think that Robert Kraft, the Patriots owner, stepped in and basically insisted on them bringing in Bill O'Brien. So I don't know if that's totally the case, but I think it's tough for Bill to admit he messed up. Well, that is for sure.

We know that just based on who he's been for the last few decades. The McCordys were a major part of the Patriots defense for years. I know they bring back a lot of veterans. How strong will that unit be this season? Well, I'll tell you, you know, it's funny, it's like the Patriots are old school. You know, defense, a running game, a quarterback that kind of manages the game.

That's what it looks like to us, you know, what they're banking on. I think, I mean, the defense was a top ten defense last year. The problem was they got to, you know, play against a lot of backup and third string quarterbacks. This year it won't be the case, and they still have to prove it, you know, that they can match up well and defend well Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts and, you know, all the terrific quarterbacks and Justin Herbert and all these, you know, Aaron Rodgers that they're going to see this year. So, I mean, I think, you know, watching them in practice, it looks like their defense is going to be good. But, again, proving it on Sunday against these great quarterbacks, we'll see.

The AFC is certainly full of landmines, and the AFC East looks a whole lot different this season, too. All right, you can find Karen Gerigian on Twitter at K-G-U-R-E-G-I-A-N. Longtime Patriots columnist. The Boston Herald for 38 years, Amy. Oh, my gosh. Wow, how's that change? Yeah, it's like an out-of-body experience, but in a good way. Awesome. Same good coverage, though. And as I have discovered over the course of our connection on social media, we have the same birthday, April 7th. Are you serious?

I didn't know that. So now we're birthday twins, yes. I love it. Thank you so much for a couple of minutes. Happy football season. Same to you, Amy. Take care.