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Now, on with the show. This is the Rich Eisen Show. This is a LeBron appreciation segment. There are 82 individuals on NBA rosters who started living after LeBron started playing. The Rich Eisen Show.
Today's guests. NBC Sports Boston Patriots Insider Tom Curran. Host and Creative Director of MSNBC Live, Luke Russert. Four-time Emmy winner Vince Gilligan. And now, it's Rich Eisen.
Well, hey, everybody, welcome to this edition of the Rich Hisen Show: Disney Plus, the ESPN at the ESPN Radio, presented by Progressive Insurance SiriusXM Channel 80. Hello to all of you taking us in, watching us, listening to us live. There's our podcast listeners later on. Hello to you. You care.
So we care. And so, hello. 844-204-Rich, number to Donald. We want to have a conversation with us. We're here for you.
Tommy C., Tommy Curran. I guess we figured the Patriots went nine of their first 11. We got to check in with Tommy and see how he's doing up there in New England as they get set to. Become, wait for it, potentially, the first 10-win team in the National Football League this year. As the Patriots go ahead and go into Cincinnati earlier on in the early window on Sunday, Patriots could wind up being the first double-digit win team because neither team that's taking on each other tonight, Bills and Texans to kick off week dozen.
A win tonight does not put them in such a category. Anyway, Tom's going to join us in about 18 minutes' time. And then this is what we love. about doing this show. Yeah.
We've got what could be more Further apart, pop culture. Then Um A hallmark movie on the Buffalo Bills and Vince Gilligan's Pluribus. I don't know what there is. It's a large, sort of grand canyon-like chasm of pop culture, but Luke Russert. Longtime Buffalo Bills fan is going to be joining us in hour number two in advance of the Bills Texans tonight in support of Holiday Touchdown: a Bills love story, which premieres this Saturday on Hallmark about them apples.
I love it. Huh? Love amongst the folding tables. At any rate, he's going to be joining us in our number two of the show. And then, truly, one of the best of the best of the best in the business in terms of creating, writing, directing, putting in front of you something so compelling on your television set.
so thought-provoking than Vince Gilligan, the creator of Breaking Bad. And also, better call Saul, Pluribus is on Apple TV. The first three episodes are out there, and so is the show. It is out there, and he's in here. He was the first ever in studio guest in the history of this show over 11 years ago last month.
He will be the latest in our number three of the program. Good to see you over there, Christopher Brockman. How are you the team? I'm great. And also, the nicest guy in Hollywood.
I know. He's so sweet. He's amazing. I know. I fanboyed him in an airport.
He had no idea who I was at all. He's not that die-hard of an NFL fan. But I fanboyed him, and he's just like, sure, I'll do your podcast. And then he did the Rich Eisen podcast after Breaking Bad finished a week after it was done. We had sort of like a two-hour exit interview with him for all.
It was supposed to be 30 minutes. It was over 90. It was incredible. Right. And then the first.
Episode of the history of this show, he left the writer's room for his new show, Better Call Saul, to come here. Uh awesome. And so is Plaribus. Good to see you, Mike Deltufo. Hey, Rich.
How are you? TJ Jefferson, candles lit.
So is No Contest Wrestling's latest episode, wherever you get your podcasts. How are you, sir? I can't complain. Look up, fellas. Let's foot up, TJ.
Let's start. In the um State of Pennsylvania. I like that state. Two quarterbacks speaking yesterday in different parts of their career and different. Statuses as well.
Both of them Super Bowl MVPs. And um We'll start. East. We'll go from east to west. We'll go from right to left.
I am Jewish.
So let's start reading that way. And it also starts with the defending Super Bowl champs. And I just want to say this, and this is no offense to you, because we've had your ex laugh at your expense, TJ, being there from the center of the state in Altoona, Pennsylvania, right? Pretty much? East Coast.
East Coast, you call it East Coast. Pittsburgh's not the East Coast. It is not. It is the western part of an eastern state. Philadelphia is the East Coast, okay?
And in that respect, I'm seeing a nodding of the head from somebody from New Jersey and Mike Del Tufo, and somebody from all around the map, but hails mostly from New England and Chris Brockman. You're both nodding your head in agreement.
Okay. And you both know, as I do, born in Brooklyn, raised in Staten Island. That East Coast sports fans in many ways are just Not happy unless they're unhappy. You're not truly at your happiest until you're at your most unhappy. And we talk in a certain way.
We're out here in California. People will sometimes look at me and say, you're angry. And I'm like, no, this is just the way I'm emoting. I'm fine. I'm okay.
Look at this. This is the way we talk.
So, when you've got a defending champion Philadelphia Eagles team entering this week at 8-2, 100%. In line. To be the first repeat champion of the NFC East since the Eagles did it from 01-04. Did you know that? It's been different.
winners of this division over and over and over again, Up until even in the Eagles Super Bowl window that we've seen. over the last few years. The Eagles, unless they completely fall apart starting this weekend in Dallas. They're not losing this division. They're going to repeat as champs, and they have a great shot.
because they've beaten the Rams, the team that I think is the best in the NFC right now entering week twelve. They have a great shot at being the onesie. They have a great shot at sitting at home and only only two home wins to get back to the Super Bowl. as it currently stands. And it's a full-on grease fire.
Media-wise right now in that town, the latest being Eighty Report, I guess one would say. Um for a reporter from the athletic His name is Derek Gunn. He's a reporter. I believe he said this on the podcast of my old NFL network first show, speaking of first shows, on NFL Total Access, Seth Joyner's podcast. And Seth, I heard you're upset with me on my take of like, I'm done with the tush-push.
That's what I heard, Seth. And the one person I never want angry at me is Seth Joyner, who I could never tell if he liked me or not, even when he was smiling and laughing with me. It's up to you. But Derek says that There are people within the organization and offensive rooms that are upset with Jalen Hurts. Because of his hesitancy to occasionally throw the ball into tight windows against zone coverage, or generally, playing his game Whenever he wants, despite his game not being part of the game plan that's been practiced by everyone else leading up to the game.
Sort of saying, if I can read between the lines. The quarterback, the Super Bowl MVP quarterback of the Eagles is going rogue.
So it's his time in the barrel now. It's been A.J. Brown's time in the barrel thanks to. tweets and posts and janky Rondo Twitch feeds and all of that stuff. And Jalen Hurts has got to be like.
Okay. I guess it's my time in the barrel, even though we just beat the Lions. But it is because The defense has been balling out. The offensive numbers are what they are, and they aren't like last year. 25th in total yards, just a hair over 300 yards per game.
28th in passing, 29th in third-down conversion. They're averaging a buck fifteen. Rushing yards per game, nothing like last year. That's middle of the pack. As we all know, last year they pretty much damn let it.
They were second overall in that department last year. They are 75% in red zone. conversion rates, that's good.
So is just a season low four giveaways. That's good. With a defense, that's how you're better than good at 8-2. All right, Carolyn Hurts. Answer the questions, sir.
I guess I get a lot of attention when things are going.
Well, and when things are not going so well, and so I never run away from holding myself accountable, and I think. You know. I think that's exactly what I've taken the approach of doing. You know, even when I look at this last game, I take. I take great pride in what we do on offense.
I take great pride in I would go out there and uh play as a team and How surprising is it that there are these reported frustrations. I don't I don't um I'm not surprised. I'm not surprised by anything. I mean, you know, this is kind of the nature of the position, like I said, but you know, I put my energy and I put my focus on trying to go out there and do my best and trying to learn um Trying to build trying to take in the things that I can to improve.
Okay. Okay. Yeah. Go ahead, hit my kid, hit it. What were they really thinking?
I don't dare to dive into Jalen Hurts' head because he never lets you know what's in there, right? I mean, that's why I said his superpower being a Philadelphia quarterback, is he never adds any grease to the fire of any media fire that's there. And there's one that's burning right now, despite the team being 8-2. You know. So, excuse me if I'm thinking he's got to be thinking.
Are you all kidding me, please? I know you saw A.J. Brown. You know, apparently not being part of the huddle while I'm trying to. Rally the troops in a pregame Rah-Rah speech, and he's on the periphery laughing and not paying attention.
You ascribe that, along with Brandon Graham's comments that need to be put back in the bottle, that there's something personal growing between me and A.J. Brown. And sure. You want me to admit it? What am I going to do here?
Just give more fuel to this fire? When I am a Super Bowl MVP, do I need to remind you of the last two times we've made it to the Super Bowl? Oh, by the way, in the last three seasons. Do I need to remind you who's had some of the best games in the history of this sport in the sport's biggest game? Are we not?
Eight and two. Are we not going to be repeat champions in this division? Are we not? In the middle of the season? Have you not seen?
This movie play out before? He won't say that. And again, I don't know if he's feeling it. Did you not see me target A.J. Brown 11 times?
What do you want from me? Did you not see The football needing to be held on kickoffs. Did you see all that stuff? Because I saw Jared Goff struggle worse than I did. And I know that's our defense because I love those guys.
Come on now. Everybody, chill out. And I will say this. Say what you will about Nick Siriani. We always say here that there's an iceberg.
We only see the tip. That's one hell of an iceberg. He's got 56 career wins in his first. Less than five seasons being the head coach there. Yeah, he's on a Hall of Fame pack.
It's unbelievable. You know, he said, I don't believe everything that you read. Again, this wasn't written this was said on a pod Going into Dallas. You're not sitting there feeling confident because there's an argument and there's conversation that's led up after, by the way, consecutive wins against the two teams atop the division that we all thought was one of the toughest in the. Give me League coming in.
And by the way, the Bears should send a nice. Maybe they should bring it into Thanksgiving, you know, a nice gift basket. 'Cause Philadelphia's helped them with their wins get into first place over the last two weeks. You're not sitting there overconfident, right? Because of the arguing in Philadelphia for the Cowboys.
Me? Yes, sir. I think around hour three, you're going to find your answer.
Okay, that's a high register. Oh, very good.
Well done. Thank you. Um and before Tom Curran joins us. Tommy Let's go to the western part of the state. Let's go out there.
Yeah. West? Where, you know, uh there's a little bit of the east coast there. But I understand the frustration that fans have You know. Hearing about how they at least you finish above 500, those banners don't get raised in Western PA.
No. They also aren't like, hey, at least you made the playoffs. Those don't get raised there. They want to raise a banner, or they want to at least see some. connective tissue on a roster That they can believe in with a coaching staff that coaches it up in such a way that they finish strong.
Not Lose team after starting strong. I get it. And We just saw a Steelers team. Beat the Colts. Crash against the Chargers.
And then survive, one would say, the the Bengals? Who are We were spittin' angry? You know? And Louise Rogers. Aaron Rodgers to a wrist injury that might knock him out.
of this game against a Bears team. That could be kind of like the Steelers. of the previous years. We'll see how they finish. I mean, 7-3 is a pretty damn good start to the Ben Johnson era.
Every Bears fan would have signed for it. In August, when we're hearing about how Ben Johnson is throwing so much at. Caleb Williams, it's like Having him drink through a fire hose to get him ready for a season that is now, again, four games above 500 in first place, all by themselves in the NFC North. Here comes the AFC North leading Steelers with the Ravens rampaging from one and five back to 500. One game right behind him, and Rodgers.
Let's talk about his readiness for this game first up. His Wrist injury. Last we heard from Mike Tomlin, no surgery required. Friday would be the day by which we would know if he could potentially play in this game. Rogers himself spoke about what needs to happen for him to get out there with this left.
wrist injury. Would it be a pain tolerance thing for you? If you play on Sunday, is that something you'd have to do? No, it'd be a safety thing. Did it aggravate anything or is this like a brand whole new injury?
What has to happen before you have to play on Sunday? Uh gotta get the okay and gotta feel like I can uh protect myself.
Okay. It's kind of what Tomlin had to say. Kurt Warner was on the air yesterday saying that. It would require him to Maybe have a cast on it that would potentially wrap around his hand, which would create snap potential issues handling the football, handling it off. As well as you know, you've got to be able to hand it off with both hands, Kurt.
mentioned how he had the injury that Jaden Daniels suffered, dislocated, left arm, played later on that week. We know Daniels has missed the last two days, last two games, pardon me. And he had a handoff. Right-handed each time.
Sometimes backhanding it into the, I remember when he did that, as a matter of fact. If there's anybody who could do it, Rogers can. And then the issue is, how is he going to sit against the Chicago Bears? Kyle Brandt, good morning football die-hard Bears fan yesterday, said, Freezing Colt, take me all you want. He's playing this game.
There's no way he's not. And Rogers, when it was brought up, hey, you're going to Chicago, you know. You're definitely going to want to play in this game. That's got to factor. And he tried to downplay it for a brief bit.
There's an incentive for every opponent, he said. But then got into the meat of the this whole concept. Aaron, do you sort of thrive off of being the villain there a little bit?
Sort of enjoy that. I'd rather not be. I mean, I'm not in Green Bay anymore. I feel like. Uh we can uh let bygones be bygones.
Maybe I can, I guess. Uh it's been uh it's a great rivalry. I mean in the history of all sports uh you talk about the Lakers and the Celtics and the Red Sox and the Yankees. You gotta talk about the Packers and the Bears. And there's been some uh Great memories there.
When I first got to Green Bay, the Bears had the all-time series lead. When I left, Packers did since J Love has taken over. It's even gotten better. But I hope those fans can put that. Put that behind them.
I'm sure they can't. Don't expect them to, but I really enjoy the city. They got great sports for me. I grew up watching WGN on my five. five channel T V back in the day, so I was a Cubs fan and a Bulls fan.
How can you not be a Bulls fan unless you don't like Michael Jordan? I did, I loved him.
So it was a lot of fun memories over the years playing that. Yeah, I didn't know they. I guess he had WGN back in the old the Chico area. And here in California. Um yeah, I can pretty much Say on behalf of all Bears fans, there's There's no bygones.
I don't think there ever will be. 24 and 5 all time against a fan base who he once upon a time, very recently, screamed, I still own you. There you go. Thank you, sir. Yes.
Yeah. I think he's going to play. How does that sound? How does that sound? I think he's going to play.
I think he wants to play. I think he wants to play. I think he's going to play. I'm with Kyle. I'm with Kyle right now.
I'm going to call it right now. Obviously, I'm not a doctor. I don't see the X-rays. I just know. He's definitely of the mindset right now.
Hey, I love that city. What's not to love? That city is truly one of the greatest in the world. Um And him going, he's not going. I mean, this is it.
Even if he stays another year. Um The Bears aren't on the Steelers schedule next year. I could pretty much say that with a. It would have to be a 17th game where they'd have to play the Bears. They'd have to finish in the same spot.
It would have to be in NFC North, AFC North. off year like that. And I don't think they would follow up a 17th game in division when they're already playing the full division the year before. I don't think that's going to happen. You could even look it up.
I'll just even save you the time to say it would be highly unlikely. This is it. This is it for Rogers there. I think he's going to do it. It's just amazing.
Two MVP quarterbacks, one six and four. And you know Where the fan base is all in on him, all the hopes are in on him. With all due respect to Mason Rudolph, they need him. And the Eagles fan base, there are some people saying, Do we really even need Jalen Hurts at some point? I'm even reading like he's headlines of some blogs out there that he's Carson Wentz 2.0.
That's the other thing. Like, do you want him back? I mean, you want him back? You really want him back? I'm sure Hertz can play better, but come on, man.
Come on, man. You just look up the turnpike at another team wearing green where they're like, let's try Justin Fields. Oh, let's bench him. For a two-win team that can't beat anybody out of the state of Ohio. for Tarab Taylor before we go into Baltimore.
Let's go do that. You want that? Yeah. 844-204 Rich number to DAO. Or just keep looking even further up.
Maybe they're the the New England Patriots. Who are finally coming out of a five-year window in which the Eagles went to the Super Bowl twice? Tom Curran is going to join us to tell us the state of affairs of the New England Patriots when we come back. 844-204-Rich is the number to tell. Avoiding your unfinished home projects because you're not sure where to start?
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Good to see you, Tommy. How are you? Tom Currin. Hey, what's going on? You know, if your name is Skip Yeah.
Your ability To Bigfoot, another man is significantly reduced. I always need to check in with New England for a little bit of an ego boost, except in my own house. Listen, Tom. Nine and two is way above anybody's expectation level, correct? Nine and two?
Yeah, Cam actually has a point. And I'm not positive what he's worth either. I'm sure it's ESPN, but I don't know what show. It is first take. But here, I saw it earlier in the week.
Listen to this: Strength of Victory, Rich.
So the win-loss percentage of the teams that you've beaten. The Broncos is actually the lowest at 354. Patriots are at 359. Colts at 366. On and on.
Most of the teams at the top have beaten teams that have collectively not done great. But the win-loss percentage of opponents. The Patriots is 369.
So the teams that they have played have collectively at this juncture Only won 37% of the games. Broncos is at 423, Colts is at 431. Generally speaking, if you're at the top of the conference, the teams that you have played will have lower collective records because you beat them.
So they're worse. But he's not wrong. Except for this fact, though, Tom, and I appreciate you pointing out those facts. The Patriots over the last two three years We're in no position to beat the The teams that they're supposed to be. No, they earn the teams 100%.
In the last few years, They were not in any position of, oh, we're better here, we're better there. Just watch us go ahead and execute and go win the games. Not at all. And then you've got, I don't care how many times. Mike Vrabel, his previously won Coach of the Year, he's a new coach.
And there's a new system, and there's new terminologies, and there's new cultures, and there's new receivers, and there's new rookies. And maybe the Patriots have taken advantage of being able to get on the same page and get some momentum going. in a way that if they played teams with better records They wouldn't have been, but when they went into Western New York, the bills were still. you know, Super Bowl worthy bills, which they are as of just this week, again. Uh, you know what I mean?
Like, you can't discount it. You can't. I'm defending Cam's take from a 30,000-foot view. Sure. If you're going to be a national pundit, which he is, you might not know the Patriots.
Um Season story inside and out. You might not be aware that. They've dispatched everybody with relative ease. And even in the games in which they were challenged, they showed great resilience to win those games. They play efficiently.
They have some Achilles' heels, but it's the nature of these wins. They're not dumbing into 9-2. They're not seeing doink field goals by the opponents and myriad turnovers and just. vast ineptitude. They're not seeing good teams, but they're beating them.
They're not lucking into them.
So that's the fine print. about these Patriots right now. I Rich, I've said this. I keep waiting for the egg to get laid. And it's just not popping out.
I just, none of these weeks, I said, Jets, they're going to lay an egg. Tampa, there's got to be an egg. No eggs. Eglas.
Well, I mean, I guess the eggs were the two losses. Losing to a Vegas team that, as we know, has not been able to shoot straight since. And then a Steelers team that they easily could have beaten had they held on to the football. And then Carolina's only gotten better since you've seen them. New Orleans popped Carolina in Carolina in a division contest where you throw records out, similar to the one that, in all honesty, I don't care that the Jets have only two wins.
You usually do that sometimes in a short week game.
So, what is it? You know, obviously coach quarterback and top notch. Coordinator together will work out. Let's take it one at a time here. Sure.
Um is Vrabel different, you think, a 2.0 version of him in a way that Belichick was more 2.0 when he showed up in New England? He just seems to be, again, you know, a little bit more um he's throwing arms around people, or is that just di because it's so such an a different Way of seeing a patriot coach handle business after Belichick for 20 years. I think that every coach on a second time around, Rich, and I'm not telling you anything you don't know because you've covered as longer, if not longer, than me, but um. I think they're all different because they have. Said, okay, these are the things I need to stay away from.
These are the things that I can do. And they had a year. That was important, I think, for Mike to be in Cleveland for a year to kind of self-audit and watch how somebody else did it at the NFL level. You know, he saw it in Houston. He did it at the NFL level.
He did it in Tennessee. You saw where the Potholes, Pratt Falls, and landmines might exist, watched it in Cleveland. And then when he got here, one other aspect I think that is extremely important to what he's instilling. And installing is He knows the area. He knows the media.
He knows how to approach us, which is to give us a bunch, but we're thirsty little. You know, Robin, baby Robins out here, just give us anything.
So, giving us just enough. to satiate us. will be great. Treating us pretty well. But be good.
And if you're not good, and this was always the way it was with Bill Rich, believe it or not, if the team wasn't good, all we wanted was a candidate. Reflection on reasons why. And if he wasn't going to give it at the podium, could you have a conversation on the side and you can explain some of this stuff to me? And he didn't do that in the last few years. It was just, I don't need them.
And that's okay. It's the media. I'm not trying to oversell us, but I think Mike's comfort level coming in here. with a variety of things, fan base, ownership, media. The way he wanted to message and having a very strict plan.
Has all helped him a lot.
So, if you want to hit three things, I cannot talk for four minutes about the next two. Aha!
Well, then, let's talk about Drake May. Give me your favorite story you've heard about him. this year that can potentially encapsulate uh his ascension his professionalism His otherworldly ability to throw a deep ball, or say that ball to Kyle Williams that he threw for a touchdown against Tampa. What story have you heard that can potentially shed some light, Tom? I can only give.
Anecdotally, what I observed was. Last year, a guy who actually performed poorly at the ends of games put the ball into harm's way. He came into training camp. He didn't throw a pick for like 160 passes. I mentioned it.
I mentioned it to him. He immediately went out and threw a pick to begin. An inter-squad stadium scrimmage and to end it. Then he goes out in the first preseason game. And he has a moronic strip sack fumble on the first drop back.
Then he comes into the Raiders' game in the opener, and he gets picked down the middle of the field when they have the lead at the beginning of the second half. Then he plays good against Miami. He goes to Pittsburgh. They turn it over five times. He was again befuddled.
And then it's gone. All of it. The stupidity. Um The lack of poise and being too amped up at the beginning of games, that to me is. One of the most remarkable things, and I've been lucky enough to have seen some remarkable things from the quarterback position.
That to me is one of the most remarkable things I've ever seen to go from. A guy shooting 83s to shooting 68s. Like I said, the coin dropped in the machine after week three into week four. The coin just dropped into an MVP machine, Tom? It's unbelievable.
It really is. Look at the downfield throws. Look at the yards per attempt. Look at the guys he's throwing to, not to be smirch. Look at the offensive line.
Again, not to besmirch, but they're not loaded with experience and high-level talent. It's remarkable.
So, is that McDaniels getting through? I mean, what is it?
Okay. I think it has a ton to do with it. And it's again not to besmirch Alex Van Pelt, who did diagnose. A lot of the fundamental problems that May had at North Carolina and stripped it back down to zero and started to fix them so that, you know. His privates were not pointing completely down the field on every throw.
You know, stay a little bit closed and then open up, I think, was one big thing. Because when he was opening up, he was dropping down and he was losing. A lot of accuracy. And again, that's from watching Brady: how long he would stay closed on his throws, and how much he would just make it hip-oriented.
So He improved it. And But McDaniels, I think, met him more than halfway across the aisle to say: all right, well, you're not like Jimmy Garoppolo or Jacoby Brissette or even Tom Brady. I'm going to need to do things a little different with you because you do things differently than them. And it's been a mutually beneficial relationship, I think, in that way. Has it ever, man?
Who are some of the other guys we're not talking about? Because obviously, team game here, defensively, other guys on offense, we're not talking about. Bill Williams has been great. Robert Spillane, he gave me the green light to call him Bobby. Bobby Spillane.
Bobby Spillane has been a lot of fun. That sounds better up in New England. You know what I mean? Bobby Spillane is much more of a New England than Robert Spillane. Who were you out with last night?
It was just me and Bobby Spillane. Right. It just rolls. It rolls off. It rolls off.
Yeah. Okay. Robin Foy has been really good. Right. Gonzalez is smooth as hell.
Oh, Marcus Jones, slot corner. He had the two return touchdowns in one game. Um A few weeks back, but he's played tremendously well at Slock Corner. The one thing about him, Rich, that is different is the number of young players they're getting contributions from. Will Campbell has been everything you'd want in a left tackle after so much scrutiny.
Jared Wilson, taken in the third round, has been the starting left guard. We thought that was going to be a disaster. You got two rookies next to each other. He's been more than fine. Greg Woodson's been a starting safety.
Their kicker is Andy Borgalis. He's been fine. Iowa Williams had a touchdown catch. He should be okay. Of missing other people.
I mean, Pop Douglas has really come to the fore for sure. You know, and obviously Mac Collins. Listen, this, this. All right, screw it. I'll go here.
There's a lot of... Connective tissue between this and 2003, Tom. I mean, honestly. I mean, 2001. 01.
01. My bad. There's a lot of connective tissue between here and 2001. Second year quarterback. Second year quarterback, you know, coach second time around, a bunch of guys he's throwing to that, you know, obviously fantasy football wasn't going down back then, but a lot of guys that weren't the bold-faced names, no offensive players of the year on this team, right?
The ironic offensively, a bunch of guys that collectively, the collective is just kicking your ass, and everybody's thinking fool's gold, to be honest with you. And then boom. Look what happened. No, there's Yeah. Again, it's the Kim Newton tick.
and I'm not being a dink. It's from 30,000 feet. You're exactly right. When you really get into it, which I love because it's been my job. And I should have a doctorate in this stuff because I've been doing it.
The reason it's different is When the Patriots were by far the 30th best team in the league, were they 30? No, 31st best team in the league because Houston came in the next year. They were the 31st best team in the league by a fair amount. The reason When Bledsoe got hurt. You're going to a sixth-round quarterback.
You're already dealing with a coach who was a disaster in Cleveland. who went 5-11.
Now you're 0-2. Um They were horrendous in free agency previously. They were not expected to do anything. They were five and five at the midpoint after just hanging around with the St. Louis Rams.
I was enthused by the team because they were watchable, and you could see that there was some traction there. And I knew that. Believe it or not, because I was not a big Blood Cell guy by that point, I knew that Brady was going to be their quarterback once he started playing. Um Because he was just that friggin' good. What?
That team overachieved in a bizarre way. They didn't have the third overall pick. They didn't have a guy who was a former Do you know? Coach of the year. But that team did have some real talent on defense.
They have Ma, they have Malloy, they have Guinness. Will Fork, all of them. He was not there yet. Oh, Will Fork wasn't there yet. I'm a doctorate.
I told you. My bad. I should let you talk. My bad. I've done enough.
No, no, no, no. But so.
So, where does this wind up? I mean, is there reason to believe that the gold is real? At the end of the day, there is. There's reason. There's reason this year right now.
I mean, right now, you and I are talking. They are ahead of the Buffalo Bills. They're ready to break that streak in the division. And they are threatening for the conference. They're threatening to put the road to the playoffs through Gillette again.
This is happening right now, Tom. You can find. Look, the Achilles heel for Denver is they don't have a really strong. Offense. They're just sputtery, as we know.
The Colts, I still don't know if I'm a Daniel Jones guy. Bills cannot stop people on the ground. All those other teams, they have an Achilles heel. The Patriots' Achilles heel is red zone, offense, and defense. They suck.
They're like worse than the league defensively. You get inside the 20, you're scoring touchdowns. You get inside the 10, 100% of the time. You have first in goal, you're scoring a touchdown.
So if you get behind, and they fall behind in games early on every time, the first drive is usually a touchdown or field goal for the opposition. If you get behind, Kansas City or Buffalo, even if you're home and you give that first touchdown up. And then they get down the red zone again after you had to go three and out. You're not 14, nothing. They haven't been there.
So, those are things I'm concerned about for them. But other than that, I just haven't seen the ineptitude in terms of fundamentals. They're not making stupid mistakes. They're not missing tackles. They're healthy as hell.
You know, this injury to Milton Williams is the first one. And that's the main reason they won in 2018. It wasn't Sony Michelle and Brady and Edelman and Mc and Grunk. I mean, they helped, obviously, more than helped. They were the drivers.
But that car does not get over the finish line if the engine wasn't intact. And they lost like two guys the entire year to IR. I think it was Jeremy, who was that running back from the Bengals? Jeremy Hill? Yeah.
And Jawan Bentley, who had never even played. That's it. They had everybody else. It's in the minute I have left. Is this Trevion Henderson's gig now?
Because he's a hot hand, man. And I know there were a lot of New Englanders, including the one that just across the way just got in my ear and saying, why'd it take so long? You know, what are we talking about? Because I mean, he is really another difference maker in the last six, seven weeks. When we're getting cold, you roll the buckeye downhill and look out, man.
I can have it. It'll be Ramondre. It will be.
Okay. Chris, check it out. If you look at it, it's and then not again, not to give a hard time to the little fella. But His explosive runs are really buoying his yards per attempt. Those two long totally agree.
Totally. I would give the ball to Ramondre on first and second down. If somebody's going to get 18 carries, make sure it's Ramondre. But I do think that Henderson really built up a lot of confidence in the number of things he could. He was able to do in the last couple of weeks: say, all right, I got this now.
Tommy Curran, say hi to Bobby Spillane for me, okay? Bobby, I was talking to Richie, Richie Isen. Yep. That's it. Thanks, Tom.
Great to chat with everybody. Everybody, check them out. A New England Patriots insider on NBC Sports Boston is Podcasts and all the things that he writes. Check him out. 844-204-RICH.
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In need. All right, Chris. What'd you make of your Patriot update right there?
Well, I follow Tom on everything, so I'm seeing what he's saying throughout the season.
So, yeah, that kind of hit. It's real. Yeah, it's totally real. And again, I understand all the people coming at me in the comments. Who they really played?
Well, their two hardest games of this year were on the road, and they won them both, you know, pretty easily.
So, yes, while they have a low strength of victory, again, you can only play who you play. But again, in the years past, those are games that they don't win or maybe struggle to win. And those games that they should win this year, they are dominating and winning, you know, handedly.
So that's encouraging. It's fun to be a Pats fan again, and I apologize for the obnoxiousness that's surely coming in the next few years. Let me just ask you a question. Philadelphia, two losses this year, one of them at the Giants. Is that a game they should have won?
Right, of course.
Okay. Um, let me see. Let's keep going here. Denver's losses. At Indianapolis at the Chargers.
That makes sense. Um they won it Philadelphia. They've won games that they're not supposed to win. Were the Patriots supposed to win in Buffalo on a Sunday night? No.
That's where they were supposed to be like. Nice 500 start for the season. 500 starts to the season for you. That's when you just had against Carolina, scoring 40 after they shut out their previous opponent, which, by the way, is close to a record of scoring against a team that just shut somebody out with all due respect. Dallas.
Monday night are against Arizona at home. Should they won that one? You know what I mean? Like I'm everybody that We root for you who might be pointing out. Lieutenant Weinberg, you talking about Um your team should, you know, uh is better than New England because of who who have they beaten?
They're not one of those teams that came in the year 15 and 1 last year, where these are all games they're supposed to win, even though they're against teams. that are struggling. I mean, their Vegas win total this year was eight and a half. Like, it was the highest of high optimism that they were going to have over 500 record this year, and they got that. Mid-November?
Yeah, I mean, another one, the Chargers, were they supposed to be Jacksonville and Jacksonville? Yeah. How about getting wiped, having the floor wiped with them? These things happen. to everybody.
You know? Pretty much. And they haven't really happened in New England yet. No, that's what Tom kept saying. He kept waiting for the egg, which could have happened at any time.
You know, the Jets trap game, all these other games that pop up in the schedule, and you're like, oh, okay, they won't. They just keep, oh, Drake may have another big play. Mac Collins is making plays. You know, they're not doing it with the sexiest of names either. Stefan Diggs has really come on in the last month as he's gotten healthier.
And that's obviously been a huge, huge boost to the offense. But, you know, it's from Andre Stevenson and all his fumbling issues, and it's a rookie running back. They had Antonio Gibson got hurt and is out for the season. You know, that was a huge blow. How about this one?
I was saying that an earmark of the Patriots back in the day. Not just a head coach in his second year and a quarterback in his second year or a coach in his second time around as well in his second year with a quarterback in his second year. you know, and a lot of the connective tissue to the last time we've seen a movie like this. Um Used to be, you know, the Patriots are going to take on a tough opponent or a tough player, and that player is injured or suspended. And I'm like, oh, here comes Cincinnati without Jamar Chase.
Mm-hmm. How about Joe Barrow being a full participant in practice yesterday? Yeah, is he going to play on Sunday? I don't know. No.
I mean, I should say no, like I said, I mean, Flacco was listed as limited with an injury and. Burrow was full.
Okay. He's back.
So, Joe Burrows showing up against New England. That's a good season on the line. Oof. This game just got a little bit okay. You just sat upright in your chair a little bit, right?
All right. No roof.
Now that Would be an impressive win in Ohio if it's Joe Burrows saying, look who's back, everybody. Yeah, yeah. The Patriots could say, we are. The Rich Eisen Show Podcast. Mm-hmm.
