Patriots Week in Review: Locker room questions, quiet deadline and a trip to Germany

A.J. Brown and Rhamondre Stevenson are questionable, Greg Van Roten could fill the last roster spot, and the Lions are waiting in Munich. From the Green Bay fallout to the locker-room debate, here are the week's top Patriots videos from WEEI and everything you need for Sunday morning.

The Patriots will face the Detroit Lions in Munich on Sunday with two of their biggest offensive pieces listed as questionable. A.J. Brown (ankle/knee) was limited in all three practices this week, his first week back on the field after missing the last two games, and Rhamondre Stevenson (knee) was limited Thursday and Friday after sitting out Wednesday, according to the Patriots' final injury report. TreVeyon Henderson (illness), center/guard Ben Brown (knee) and cornerback Carlton Davis III (knee) are out. Mike Vrabel said Friday that Brown and Stevenson looked "pretty good" based on Thursday's work, per The Associated Press.

The Patriots have until 4 p.m. ET Saturday to make roster moves and practice-squad elevations. As of Saturday morning, none had been posted on the Patriots transactions page. ESPN's Mike Reiss reported Saturday morning that left guard Greg Van Roten is expected to fill the open roster spot, with cornerback Kindle Vildor and running back Terrell Jennings among the elevation options.

Sunday's game closes out a week that started with a 45-27 home loss to Green Bay and turned into a debate about accountability, the trade deadline and what's really going on in the Patriots' locker room. Here are the week's top Patriots videos from the Greg Hill Show, Rich & Ken w/ Ted Johnson, Jones & Keefe and 6 Rings, followed by a preview of Patriots-Lions, Sunday at 9:30 a.m. ET on FOX.

The Packers fallout: Maye, Gonzalez and 45 points

Green Bay's 45 points were the most an opponent has ever scored at Gillette Stadium. Drake Maye threw three first-half interceptions and finished 21-of-38 for 299 yards, three touchdowns and three picks. Christian Gonzalez had the toughest day of his career: according to PFF's initial charting, the Packers completed 10 of 11 targets for 187 yards and a touchdown with him in coverage. Justin Turpin laid it all out in Patriots have a lot of work to do after blowout loss to Packers. The Greg Hill Show opened Monday with the same questions: was this regression, and why has Maye struggled against good teams?

▶ REGRESSION? What happened with Gonzalez and Maye? Maye trouble against good competition? | The Greg Hill Show (YouTube)

The 6 Rings Postgame Show with Dan Bahl and Jon Lyons went to work right after the final whistle, and Lyons didn't hold back: "That was the WORST game of Christian Gonzalez's career. College or pros."

▶ REACTION: Christian Gonzalez has worst game in Patriots blowout loss to Packers | 6 Rings Postgame (YouTube)

On Tuesday, Hall of Famer Ty Law joined the Greg Hill Show and had his own harsh review of the secondary.

▶ Ty Law on Christian Gonzalez: "I have never been a part of a situation... that a secondary played that bad" | The Greg Hill Show (X)

Boomer Esiason joined the Greg Hill Show Monday and dug into Maye's consistency and whether the Patriots needed to add before the deadline. Maye joined Rich & Ken w/ Ted Johnson on Monday and had a message for an offensive line that gave up four sacks: "Keep battling," as Meghan Ottolini wrote in Drake Maye has a message for embattled offensive line.

▶ Maye lacking consistency? Do the Patriots need to add? Boomer Esiason joins | The Greg Hill Show (YouTube)

Vrabel's message and the locker-room questions

Vrabel joined the Greg Hill Show for Patriots Monday and didn't sugarcoat it. "If you play like that, you have no chance to win," he said, adding that "preparation can always be better. Performance can always be better." He also said the loss wouldn't change the Patriots' approach to the deadline: "We want a bunch of guys that want to be here," as Turpin wrote in Mike Vrabel says Packers blowout won't change Patriots' trade deadline approach.

▶ Concern with Drake Maye when he goes up against elite talent? (Mike Vrabel on Patriots Monday) | The Greg Hill Show (YouTube Short)

That message, along with Mack Hollins' postgame line that "you are what you put on tape" and that any teammate OK with the result could find one of "31 other teams," became the story of the week. On Wednesday, linebacker Robert Spillane joined the Greg Hill Show and pushed back: "Those are words that came from them. I don't agree with those words." Vrabel later said his comments weren't an accusation, per Boston.com.

▶ Robert Spillane on the Hollins and Vrabel comments: "I don't agree with those words" | The Greg Hill Show (X)

Milton Williams joined Rich & Ken w/ Ted Johnson that afternoon to address the comments about the team's vibe and attitude, and he also answered Maye's Patriots Monday pick for the last man standing in a locker-room brawl. Marcus Jones talked about the sideline vibe with the show on Monday.

▶ Milton Williams addresses comments about the vibe and attitude in the locker room | Rich & Ken w/ Ted Johnson (X)

On Thursday, Patriots insider Tom E. Curran told Rich & Ken w/ Ted Johnson that it isn't a sick locker room, the players are "just immature." By Friday, Vrabel's line about wanting "guys that are looking for ways in as opposed to ways out" had the station guessing who he meant.

▶ Tom E. Curran: Not a sick locker room, "they're just immature" | Rich & Ken w/ Ted Johnson (YouTube)

Standing pat at the deadline

The Patriots made no moves before Tuesday's 4 p.m. ET trade deadline. ESPN's Adam Schefter talked about the quiet deadline on Rich & Ken w/ Ted Johnson Wednesday and shared an injury update on Stevenson. Adam Jones summed up one side of the debate: "They should have bought, and I'm disappointed they didn't. But I'm happy they didn't sell."

▶ Adam Schefter on the Patriots standing pat at the deadline, plus a Rhamondre Stevenson update | Rich & Ken w/ Ted Johnson (X)

Munich week: Who's in, who's out

Brown practiced all week, traveled with the team, and is listed as questionable. Early reports suggested Stevenson would miss time with the knee injury he suffered against Green Bay, but he was back at practice, limited, in Munich. On Friday morning, the Greg Hill Show tried to read between the lines of Vrabel's comments on who will play. Patriots.com noted that, with the bye week coming after Munich, the team could choose to hold Brown out for two more weeks of rest. Its read, though, was that his practice participation and the fact that he made the trip point toward him playing.

▶ In or out? Who is playing in Munich, and what did Mike Vrabel say? | The Greg Hill Show (X)

From Mego and Justin Turpin on WEEI.com

Justin Turpin: Patriots have a lot of work to do after blowout loss to Packers
Justin Turpin: Mike Vrabel says Packers blowout won't change Patriots' trade deadline approach
Justin Turpin: 3 things to watch in Patriots vs. Lions
Meghan Ottolini: Drake Maye has a message for embattled offensive line

Also on WEEI.com this week: Brian Ferzoco on why Munich is another season-defining moment after the Packers debacle, and Scott McLaughlin's Sunday-morning Patriots Week in Review: Gronk enters Pats Hall, Brady returns to Gillette in FOX booth.

Turpin and Mego also host 6 Rings. This week's episodes include Patriots vs. Lions Week 10 Preview with Jeff Riger, ANALYSIS: Drake Maye looks bad in Patriots loss to the Packers, Justin Turpin joins to break down the ugly Patriots loss to Green Bay and Mike Vrabel says the Patriots are contenders. Are they?.

Preview: Patriots vs. Lions in Munich

When and where: Sunday, Nov. 15, 9:30 a.m. ET (3:30 p.m. in Munich), FC Bayern Munich Stadium. Detroit is the designated home team. TV: FOX (WFXT Channel 25 in Boston), with Joe Davis on play-by-play, Greg Olsen as the analyst and Pam Oliver on the sideline. Radio: 98.5 The Sports Hub with Bob Socci and Scott Zolak; Westwood One nationally. Here's how to watch and stream the game.

Records: The Patriots are 5-4 and coming off the 45-27 loss to Green Bay. The Lions are 6-2, winners of four straight, most recently 19-9 at Miami. This is the Patriots' sixth regular-season international game and their second in Germany, after hosting the Colts in Frankfurt in 2023. NFL Week 10 capsules · ESPN matchup page.

Line: As of Saturday morning, the Lions were 2.5-point favorites with a total of 49.5 at DraftKings and FanDuel. Detroit is about -150 on the moneyline, and a few books show Lions -3 or a total of 51 or higher. The line opened around Lions -1.5. FanDuel Research odds. Re-check closer to kickoff.

Injuries: For New England, Henderson, Ben Brown and Davis are out. A.J. Brown, Stevenson, Kevin Byard III, Cameron Latu, Walter Rouse, Brenden Schooler, Charles Woods, Reggie Gilliam and Greg Van Roten are questionable; Gilliam and Van Roten must be activated from injured reserve to play. Hunter Henry, Morgan Moses and Maye have no game status. For Detroit, safety Kerby Joseph (knee), center Cade Mays (ankle) and cornerback D.J. Reed (hip) are out, and Amon-Ra St. Brown (rib) and running back Sione Vaki (ankle) are questionable. Patriots injury analysis · Lions injury report.

Keys to the game

Start fast. The Patriots have fallen behind by double digits early in each of their last three games. Detroit has averaged 2.9 first-quarter points per game (28th), and Jared Goff's first-quarter sack rate is the NFL's highest, per Next Gen Stats. Turpin's 3 things to watch.
Slow down Gibbs. Jahmyr Gibbs leads the NFL with 1,132 scrimmage yards and is tied for the league lead with 11 touchdowns, per the NFL's Week 10 capsules. Brian Ferzoco argues the Patriots have to make Detroit one-dimensional.
Take shots if Maye has time. Detroit's pass defense ranks last in the league at 260.9 yards per game, but its front has 27 sacks (third-most). Alim McNeill, Aidan Hutchinson and D.J. Wonnum each have at least five.
Win the turnover battle. The Patriots have 19 giveaways and a minus-11 turnover margin. Goff has two interceptions, and the Lions have just five giveaways (second-fewest).
History and milestones. New England leads the regular-season series 8-5 and has won five of the past six, including a 29-0 home win in the last meeting on Oct. 9, 2022. Maye has accounted for at least three touchdowns in six straight games, the second-longest streak in team history behind Tom Brady. Henry needs one touchdown to pass Russ Francis for third among Patriots tight ends. Sunday is also the first coaching matchup between Vrabel and Dan Campbell.

Greg Hill is hosting a WEEI watch party with Jameson Irish Whiskey at Mick Morgan's in Sharon on Sunday, starting at 9:30 a.m. Find WEEI podcasts, including 6 Rings, at audacy.com/weei/podcasts.

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