1. NO BYE WEEK ON PRESSURE - Just because the team got the week off from playing doesn’t mean the pressure cooker of commentary, expectations and scrutiny simmered down by any stretch while Jerod Mayo and the New England Patriots were on the bye. This is Pats Nation. Chill is not an option.
Since the Boston Sports Journal’s click-bomb saying Mayo could be coaching for his job over the final four games, it seems cooler heads are prevailing (even the post’s author went on the radio this week and said Mayo’s chance of returning is at 85%). Mayo himself made sure to spend some of his time off addressing what a bumpy ride his first season has been, speaking with Tom Curran from NBC Sports Boston last week, offering that it has been quite a learning curve, and that he fully expects to make the leap from Year 1 to Year 2 in coaching. As a former player himself Mayo understands how that leap works and believes the same will apply for him as a coach. Insert a flying Elvis version of “Trust the process” here.
Many Pats fans remain skeptical as to Mayo’s ability to turn things around, that they’ve seen what he is and will be as a coach, preferring the organization move on. Some took issue with Mayo saying in the same interview with Curran that he has postmortem conversations with ownership after games, seeing this as a weakness in his ability to operate as his own man/coach, that he is more of an on-field football proxy for the Krafts and company. While we don’t have an exact number, there are many other coaches who meet with their owners and go over games, offering the people who pay their checks some insight as to decisions, gameplans, outcomes and more. It just so happens that this insight into Mayo’s day to day comes at a time when confidence in his coaching potential seems to be at an all-time low regionally. It didn’t help matters when during his weekly appearance on The Greg Hill Show last Monday he deflected when asked a question as to whether or not Mr. Kraft guaranteed a second year for his rookie coach.
The weight of a franchise in need of a spark has been on Mayo’s shoulders for quite some time now. It’s likely wearing on him, and we bet he’d be the first to admit the job is more intense than he, an eight year NFL veteran, could have imagined. But ask yourself, do you REALLY think the organization that has surrounded Mayo with several other rookie coaches and coordinators and a bottom tier roster is going to scapegoat him for another disappointing season and move on so quickly? There’s plenty of blame to be passed around, but to drop it all on the doorstep of the head coach would be unfair.
Everyone coaching and organizing this squad has a share in their difficulties. Offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt’s stock seems to be trending up, largely thanks to the otherworldly progress and advanced development of QB Drake Maye, who eight starts in seems like a home run of a pick (just ask Dan Orlovsky, again.) Van Pelt, who this week said Drake Maye is coming off his best game to date, could turn things up for the offense and be a little less conservative. Defensive Coordinator DeMarcus Covington, who has a star on defense in Christian Gonzalez, has his work cut out for him over the final four games, trying to contain Kyler Murray Josh Allen (twice) and Justin Herbert. Injuries have certainly impacted the defense’s ability to play at a level of expectations from last year, but nobody is really interested in excuses at this point. Stop if you’ve heard the whole “results oriented business” speech before.
Aside from other coaches whose position groups need a tune-up over this home stretch, Eliot Wolf might be sweating a little bit himself. In addition to his free agency class not exactly taking the AFC by storm, the 2024 draft class, outside of “Drizzy Drake”, looks to be a lump sum fail. The Ja’Lynn Polks and Caedan Wallaces and Javon Bakers and Leyden Robinsons and Jaheim Bells of the world have a month’s worth of NFL action to take the field, show some progress, play some plus-level ball and validate the faith that the Patriots Executive VP of Player Personnel put in them. Otherwise confidence will continue to swoon in Wolf’s ability to recruit the next free agent class let alone guide another draft that could well see the Pats picking in the top five again.
So yeah, there needs to be a sense of urgency about this team, to not just phone it in or write the season off as a loss leader. Don’t believe me? Ask the rookie QB how he feels!
The final four games of the season represent a chance for Mayo to not entirely turn things around organizationally but to show that he is learning and can adjust his coaching style. Adam Schefter, who knows a thing or two about the NFL, said recently Mayo isn’t getting fired, so he’s got some leash. How much? We don’t know. The Krafts will want this to work and the expectations are that they’ll do what they can to rectify their needs and surround Mayo with the best people on and off the field next season. That doesn’t mean it’s pack it in and get ‘em next year time. It’s “Let's go and give the fans a show!” time. Lose ‘em all but leave it all out on the field, no playing or coaching scared. Do that four more times between now and January 5th and a lot of faith can be bought back from the media and Foxboro fanatics alike.
2. CHAPEL BILL - If the heat was getting turned up during the Pats bye on Jerod Mayo and his team as they struggle to live up to the great expectations set by the success of his former coach and mentor, then he definitely owes one to that same man for stealing the spotlight outta the Carolina Blue this week.
Still feels surreal, doesn’t it? Bill Belichick, head coach, the University of North Carolina Tar Heels. Imagine going back and telling yourself that 10 years ago. That instead of coaching in the NFL. If asked, most Pats fans would have answered yes to the question as to whether or not they believed their beloved gridiron guru would be coaching again in 2025. Chances are they would have said lacrosse at Nantucket High before college football in the ACC.
However you feel about it…”I’m just glad he’s coaching again!” / “This is beneath him!” / “He’s gonna dominate in college!” / “This is gonna be a mess!”...there’s no denying the American football landscape is a more interesting place with Bill Belichick involved.
How and why we got here will take some time to unpack and fully understand (give Seth Wickersham’s ESPN piece a read to see how quickly it all unfolded.) Long and short of it seems that the control and structure he would covet in the NFL just wasn’t going to come his way, whether it’s because the landscape changed or owners are fearful of ceding that much power to one man, regardless of his resumé. How things ended in New England seems to have put a damper on his pro prospects, which is unfortunate. Thus, Bill and the FOBs (Friends of Belichick) surveyed the landscape of opportunity, and wouldn’t you know it, there was an opening at the school where his dad was an assistant some 70-plus years ago. In full Castiglione voice, “Can you believe it?”
If the league where Belichick was a part of eight Super Bowl wins, not to mention several other appearances, didn’t want him anymore, then he’d find a different way to do what he was put on this Earth to do; coach football.
If the NFL landscape changed so much there was no country for old coaches like Bill, what about the evolving dynamics of college football with NIL deals and a transfer portal that basically drove Bill’s BFF Nick Saban outta the game? Belichick and his consigliere Mike Lombardi, now the new GM of UNC football, see this as a challenge that their pro experience suits them perfectly for. Balancing a salary cap, wooing players in free agency, drafting talent (except at the WR position), managing a large and changing roster; these are the things they did at the pro level for years. Now they get a chance to shape and mold the NIL game in college the way they made salary cap and roster fulfillment a sport in the NFL. And make no mistake, UNC is committed to pursuing top tier talent, even if they are not considered an elite football school by any stretch, upping their NIL commitment from $4 million to $20 million. We’ll see if he can now recruit players to Chapel Hill, which Saban believes will be his biggest challenge, the way the allure of excellence and title hopes brought players to Foxboro for so long. It will be a challenge, but Belichick loves a challenge and this should bring some great new energy out of him, the school, the conference and all college football. Just ask Cam Newton.
It is what it is, and it is going to be fun (Gameday at Chapel Hill will be a scene!). No denying this will put some juice in the school and college football next fall. You have to believe UNC becomes a very popular football school in New England now, too. And while Belichick walks away potentially from the pro game (his deal is only guaranteed for three years out of the five in the contract) just 15 wins shy of overtaking Don Shula for the most wins all-time as a head coach, perhaps he now can join the elite company of only three other coaches - Barry Switzer, Jimmy Johnson and Pete Carroll - to win a Super Bowl and a national championship. All while setting his son Steve up to be the next coach after he’s done at UNC, a great legacy gesture and something that certainly would have made his dad proud as well. Count us in as believers that UNC will be heard from in the ACC and NCAA playoffs soon and often. Hey, who were the Patriots before the Belichick Era?
Too bad UNC and BC coached by Bill O’Brien don’t play football again for a few years. If both Bills are still there that will make for great theater. And maybe Belichick can thank O’Brien for beating UNC so badly a few weeks back it got Mack Brown fired and opened the door for this next wild stage of the career of one of the greatest coaches of all-time.
3. OSBORN IDENTITY - Speaking of eras…no, not the multi-billion dollar Taylor Swift tour that just came to a close…the KJ Osborn Era in New England, which sadly came to an end this week. And by sadly we mean thankfully.
By all accounts Osborn is a good fellow. There’s the story of him rescuing a person from a burning roadside vehicle…hyping up teammates even when he was a healthy scratch...and he said he was grateful to the Patriots for the opportunity after being claimed by the Washington Commanders and meeting with the media this week. He arrived with veteran hype and potential, yet on a team STARVING for a wide receiver to do anything, how did he only get into seven games, catch seven passes for 57 yards and a lone touchdown?
And while we’re asking…how did he not get released after his social media nonsense after the Jags game, where he had someone leak out an IG story about only learning he’d start the night before after thinking he’d be a scratch? And how did the Pats not get a single offer for him at the trade deadline? Looking back on the deadline now it seems silly to not have moved Osborn for anything since now they got nothing for the player.
Osborn’s folly, if you will, is the Patriots wide receiver troubles in a nutshell this year; full of potential yet next to zero ROI. Be it a newcomer, rookie or team veteran, nobody in the receiver room can truly get going this year. And it’s not on the QB, who has been absurdly accurate since taking over Week 6. And it can’t be all blamed on the offensive line, even if they can’t pass block very well. Are they all not talented? Are they being poorly coached? Bad scheme? Asking for several friends.
This very well might be the room or positional grouping that undergoes the most change this offseason. Something has to be done to help fix what’s arguably the team’s worst positional grouping. The rookies in Polk and Baker have been…you know (Baker has a Bye Week concussion, which is a new one!) The opportunity is there to be Drake’s favorite target and nobody seems to want it. Expect possible coordinator change and several new faces, possibly led by a high priced free agent from Cincinnati, who The Athletic reported the Pats will be very aggressive in their pursuit of. That’s great, but are they sure even with Drake Maye slinging it Tee Higgins will want to come to a place that has been a receiver graveyard in recent years? The Pats are going to have to, as the saying goes, “get uncomfortable” with their pursuit of a true top receiver to hopefully turn the position around.
As for the rest? Again, four games to showcase themselves, be aggressive and prove they belong as part of the solution and not the problem in 2025.
4. NEW FACES, SIMILAR PLACES - It wouldn’t be a week in the 2024 Foxboro football season without a flurry of comings and goings. Seriously feels like we could see an all-time high in Patriots single season roster moves. Anyhoo, for those keeping score at home, here are your transactional maneuverings that don’t involve a farewell to Osborn…
**Third year veteran offensive lineman Cole Strange has officially been activated to the 53-man roster. Strange, who’s been out for over a year since injuring his knee in November 2023, could provide a boost at his natural spot of guard or at center, where the team has gone through three players (David Andrews, Nick Leverett and Ben Brown.)
**Rookie offensive lineman Caedan Wallace returned to practice this week after a 10-week absence. Wallace, a right tackle out of Penn State taken in the third round, could challenge for time and hopefully kick down his spot where waiver wire pickup Demontrey Jacobs has been struggling to hold down the fort (for the record Wallace has been ruled out for Sunday’s game in Arizona.). Strange and Wallace locking spots down could be a needed boost for the stretch run, 2025 and beyond.
**Second year defensive lineman Jaquelin Roy had his pleasantly surprising season come to an end when he was placed on IR this week with a knee injury. A fifth round pick for the Minnesota Vikings in 2023, Roy latched on with the Pats practice squad on Sept. 10, signed to the 53 on Oct. 5 and had 17 tackles and two sacks in six contests. Roy, if healthy, could factor into the D-line competition for 2025.
**Though he almost set an all-time record for field goal distance, coming up just short in his 68-yard attempt as time expired vs the Colts, veteran Joey Slye has struggled a bit of late as evidenced by the missed 25 yarder at half’s end in that same Colts loss. Thus, to provide some competition and security, the Pats signed veteran kicker John Parker Romo to the practice squad this week.
Romo was with the Vikings this season while kicker Will Reichard was on IR, going 11-of-12 on kicks including a game-winner in OT vs. the Bears. Special teams coordinator Jeremy Springer said this is a depth and evaluation move, and possibly someone who can help with the load management for Slye…but Slye being 27th in the NFL in FG% likely necessitated the move. Slye is on a one-year deal as is.
For those interested… Chad Ryland, who the Patriots will see this Sunday as he is the place kicker for the Arizona Cardinals, is 19-of-23 for the Cards this season after struggling mightily in his rookie year for the Patriots. And the man Ryland replaced, Nick Folk, is nearly perfect through two seasons in Tennessee. So there’s that.
5. NO GO PRO BOWL - We know the Patriots need an injection of elite/blue chip talent at just about every position on the team, save for QB and cornerback. The notion that the Pats lack recognizable talent is being reinforced again on a national level thanks to voting for the 2025 Pro Bowl.
Not a single Patriot registers in the top 10 at any of the positions listed on this chart (though punter Bryce Baringer did make the top 10 of punters receiving votes…we’ll give you a moment to uncork your champagne safely). This chart surveys voting from all over the NFL landscape (to see the current top vote getters league wide, none of whom are Patriots, click HERE.) While we hardly expected offensive linemen, receivers or backs to crack the list, the fact that Christian Gonzalez isn’t receiving national recognition is just tragic. While he might not be All-Pro level yet, he certainly is playing at a Pro Bowl level. And yes, he and a few other players like Brendan Schooler could ultimately be selected by the coaches or as alternates, but the dearth of playmakers on the team causing fans at large to overlook the Pats is a shame. Comes with the territory of being 3-10 I guess.
6. GET WELL, RANDY MOSS - The whole of Pats Nation and the NFL is keeping former Patriots receiver and NFL Hall of Famer Randy Moss in their thoughts and prayers this week after he revealed he is battling cancer.
Moss emerged from major surgery this week where a cancerous mass was removed from his bile duct between his pancreas and liver. The 14 year veteran and top five receiver of all-time appealed for prayers while on ESPN a few weeks back, wearing sunglasses, which Moss explained, due to his condition at the time. Love and support from all over the world has been pouring in for Moss, a dynamic personality and emotional soul who now is in a battle bigger than any receiver vs. cornerback matchup of his storied career.
Everyone at WEEI and beyond wishes a full and speedy recovery to a man who electrified Pats Nation and the NFL at large with his 2007 record-breaking season. His battle right now makes the reception he received from Patriots fans on Tom Brady Night last June at Gillette Stadium even more emotional now.
Shirts to support Moss with proceeds going to help fight cancer can be purchased HERE.
7 NTKs - Always last, never least, it’s our rally of odds, ends, factoids and such to make for the best viewing experience possible for you, the smartest fans in all the football lands: the NEED TO KNOWs.
ALL-TIME: The Pats and Cardinals have played a grand total of 16 times, with the Pats holding a 9-7 advantage. The first five matchups were when the Cards were located in St. Louis before moving to Arizona in 1988. The last matchup was a Monday night affair in December of 2022 remembered as the game in which Kyler Murray tore his ACL on a scramble. The Pats ultimately won a lopsided affair 27-13. Mac Jones also dropped a major naughty word on national TV (he did that a lot in 2022).
BROADCAST - Patriots at Cardinals kicks off at 4:25 p.m. from State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, sight of one of the greatest games in franchise history and also another, so I’m told, that was not so great. Hmm. Anyway…the game will be on CBS TV / Paramount+ for you streamers out there, with a new play-by-play team for the season (make sure to mark your Pats broadcast bingo board!) Tom McCarthy w.ill be on the call with Jay Feely and friend of WEEI and regular guest on the afternoon show Ross Tucker joining him in the booth. Amanda Balionis will provide sideline coverage.
WEATHER: State Farm Stadium is a retractable roof dome for inclement conditions. However, it will be rather nice on Sunday, a sunny 69 degrees (nice).