Latest / The Big O Podcast / The Big O Podcast - Bonus Pod: Pats @ Bills Instant Recap
Transcript
- Glenn Ordway: Bonus pod. Here we are after the Patriots and the Buffalo Bills, alongside my son Sam. Wow, Sam. Two and two. I don't think we ever expected that. Going into the day, I think you and I both had the same impression. So Drake May is completely lost. They have these two big injuries on the defensive side of the ball with Gonzo and with Barmore. And yeah, Buffalo is looking for revenge for the time that Drake May had his outcome. his coming out party up in Buffalo a year ago and the Patriots ended up third division. So I don't see how anybody, even though there were some issues today with the Patriots, I don't know how anybody in New England could be upset with this one. Sam Ordway: Yeah, and I I think I made a horrendous take last week talking about benching Drake May, and I saw some others come out and say it. So Glenn Ordway: Stupid. Sam Ordway: people in the comments call me a jackass, call me an idiot, call me stupid. I'm I'm all here for it. this was this was what you wanted to see from Drake May coming into coming into this week against Buffalo after last week. He looked confident today, and his receivers I thought looked more in sync today compared to last week. I know Romeo Dobbs. Probably should have caught that ball where Drake May gets the credit for the interception. Glenn Ordway: Should have caught Sam Ordway: I wasn't as you know, pissed off about the throw. I actually thought it was a a solid throw. I think that's a ball that Dobbs Glenn Ordway: okay. Sam Ordway: has to catch. and another throw down the field. Dobbs probably should have caught that one too. But I I don't, you know, Drake May played pretty great today. I know he still has that recurring fumbling issue, but I think you gotta feel pretty good about Drake May after this one. Glenn Ordway: So you're gonna be called a lot of things when you see you can have all of these hot takes when you're doing it with your friends. When you have to do it now over a camera and a microphone and the public sees it, you're exposed. I've been exposed for fifty years. Trust me, you'll get used to it. Here's the thing I would say about Drake May. Yes, he was much better today, far more in control. I thought the decision making of, should I throw the ball or should I run? was very good today. He had some big runs, especially in key situations in third down. So I would say a lot of positives. Here are the negatives with him. Obviously the one drop he had, but there were two others in which he was fumbling with the with the snap in which there were issues in which he was able to get back on the ball. Ball security is the difference of winning and losing most of these tight games. And he still has to really get to a higher level. But you're right, the receivers. I didn't think the receivers were really on target early on with him. As the game progressed on, they did. Dobbs got on contact with him. How about Chisholm with those last two catches, which were the two biggest catches in the game? Sam, that one handed catch he got in the end zone for the game winning touchdown. This is a kid that was barely on the roster. And now Hollins goes down, Mac Hollins goes down. You need him at a pinch on the road. in a very difficult place to play. And man, Elton Chisholm came up with two gigantic plays in this game. Sam Ordway: Yeah, I mean he was he that's again, when you got a guy like AJ Brown who goes down in the first game, you you want to see a little bit of other action from these other receivers and Afton Chisholm played played his ass off today, and that was a huge play. Also just a a perfect throw from Drake May. I I agree with what you said, you know, the decision making of, you know, do I run it? I thought his his pocket presence was shaky at times. his O line was getting a lot of pressure today. Didn't think they played as great as as they did last week. But yeah, I I mean just just great decision making from Drake May. Obviously, yeah, there were a couple of plays where he he mishandled the snap. That needs to be fixed. I'm not sure what really goes with that. but I would say overall it looks like the Patriots had a had a pretty successful week of practice. Cause this this was a this was a performance they needed after these first three games. Glenn Ordway: Yeah. They there's no question they needed it. Being down one and three and having to play the Raiders, who suddenly are a pretty good football team with Kirk Cousins as their quarterback, not making an awful lot of mistakes, and they're pretty good defensively. So going forward, this was going to be really difficult. Whole different ball game when you can sit back and take a breath and say, Okay, we're two and two, we're even now. Now let's take one at a at a time. Efton Chisholm, when the game was over. He was like a kid in a candy store. He was so excited talking about, you know, so it's you know, it's one thing to make the National Football League. And then last year, you know, dealing with the practice squad or whatever, getting suddenly getting an opportunity to actually be on an NFL roster. But to go to Buffalo, make two gigantic plays down the stretch. And the kid was just amazed at like he couldn't believe where he was i in in this position. I would agree we with you s somewhat with the offensive line. I think they had their moments. There were times in this game where I thought they did a good job of protecting from the front four from from Buffalo. I do. I think there were times they did it. But there were times when there were breakdowns in that offensive line. And I think they're gonna have to clean this up. I want to get to the defensive side of the ball because we said no Christian Gonzalez, no Barmore. I thought Carlton Davis was absolutely magnificent in in this game. And you know, also they shut down Dalton Kincaid today. Dalton Kincaid had been the the safety valve, if you want, for Josh Allen throwing the football the last couple of weeks. He had one catch on two targets today. The other thing I think the defense did exceptionally well today is nobody better when a play breaks down and he's on the loose than Josh Allen. They kept him in the pocket, Sam. They r basically said, okay, you're gonna throw the football and we're gonna cover up your receivers. A lot of zone defense today, which is the way you want to play, I think, against Josh Allen. But they kept him in the pocket. And so you didn't get those twelve, seventeen yard running bursts from Josh Allen just when you think you've contained the Buffalo Bills, you've contained James Cook, and then in a third and long situation. Josh Allen gets eighteen yards and a first down. They didn't get those today. Sam Ordway: Yeah, they had some soft coverages with the zone earlier in the game. And then, you know, but I think that's something that you have to do against Josh Allen, because as you said, he's great with his legs. He's, you know, he's very efficient with his legs. I I thought they did a good job tonight overall playing that zone defense w when they needed to. obviously the Bills made a couple of good plays. Josh Allen had a great throw to Coleman down the field, but you know, I thought they did a great job restraining Allen and making sure he he had to stay inside the pocket tonight. Glenn Ordway: Yeah. And even down the end, that's when Josh Allen is great. I don't know about you. I didn't feel comfortable. We got a five point lead. I'm I'm not comfortable when Josh Allen's got you know, anywhere near a minute remaining in the game. He can be extremely deadly. But I think Buffalo, as the game progressed on, notice they started dropping corners left and right. So injuries started coming up. They brought in a corner who was on the practice squad this past week. So now they're getting hurt. Plus, I thought Buffalo committed a lot of dumb penalties in in big, huge plays. But the Patriots went into Buffalo and didn't play conservative. They were aggressive. They went for it in fourth and short twice early in the game. They converted on both of them. They obviously had the mentality, you know what? Screw it. We're going into Buffalo. We're not going to play conservative, not going to play laid back. You know, if they beat the crap out of us, so be it. We're just going right at them. And I think that type of approach seemed to play well in that locker room with the players because they were playing with an awful lot of confidence when I think most all of us thought this was a game they could really get blown out in. And that did not happen, obviously. Sam Ordway: Yeah, I mean they looked like a a better coached football team this week compared to last week, all around. And and I think you used a good word, they're creative. I think, you know, obviously Drake May got a lot of flack for his performance the past couple of weeks, but I think Josh McDaniels also probably deserved some of that flack as well. I I think, you know, first three games there just wasn't much of a creative game plan. when you look today, the the Patriots took chances, especially with Drake May. Like they, you know, they And I again I said something down by saying benching him and and they did the opposite. They gave him the ropes today and and he performed well. And and I hope going forward that this is how this offense looks and it takes a little more chances. You know, they went for it a couple times in this game, and I thought that was the excellent play call because you can't beat the Buffalo Bills by just kicking field goals. You just can't. You need to score touchdowns and and I'm glad that the Patriots offense took those chances, even with all of the criticism going against them on the their offensive play. Glenn Ordway: Yeah, don't worry about it. You'll say a lot more dumb shit on this podcast. You know, don't don't don't even don't e don't even apologize for it. Okay? Don't Sam Ordway: No, it's not an apologies. I I just said something I I said something dumb and I'm gonna I'm gonna own up to it. It was stupid. Glenn Ordway: So you n so you're happy that they did not bench Drake Mae. That's what you're telling me. Cause I'm not sure Sam Ordway: yeah. yeah. Glenn Ordway: I'm not sure Tommy DeVito could do what Drake Mae did in that game today. Okay. Yeah. Sam Ordway: No. No, and and let me be clear. I never thought they were going to do it. And me personally, I just thought maybe it would help out his confidence. I was wrong. I was wrong because today he he showed Glenn Ordway: Sam, you you weren't you weren't you weren't alone. Boomer as Syason, who I respect Sam Ordway: Yeah. Glenn Ordway: as much as any football mine in the country, said exactly what what you said. But the thing is, I I disagree with you with Josh McDaniels. And I don't, I don't, we we're not there, so we're not seeing exactly what they're working on. But they're probably trying to get Drake May's confidence back. And they're probably trying to push this button and push this button and push this button. And everybody's different. You know, you don't know how Drake May is going to react to certain stuff. I think we were all shocked with what we saw in the first three weeks of this season because of what we saw last year during the entire 2025 season. He was terrific. Granted, you know, he had some some some you know bumps in the in the playoffs, but he was going against really good defensive teams. So now the first three games was sitting here. What the hell happened to him? So I think they were working on trying to get a lot of this stuff. And I do think there's a fine line when you have a running quarterback. You know, you saw it in Baltimore for years here with Lamar Jackson. There's a fine line. When do you throw the football and when do you run the the football if you have the ability to run the football? And I think Drake May. Is still learning that decision making. When do I flick the switch up here and use my legs? I thought he did a great job of it today. Thought he did a terrible job of it in the first three games and last year in the playoffs. And I think that's the key to getting Drake May back together again. Okay. I think there's been a disruption with the receivers. I think it has taken him time to get on the same page with Romeo Dubbs. They have they've had some good moments. They've had some bad moments, okay? Chisholm apparently is a kid who said, Drake May said this after the game. He said, he stays really late, and I've been working with him. Well, I think it paid off in the game today. So they're spending all of that extra time getting on the same page and it worked today. Dobbs has not been on on the same page with him. Matt Collins is the one guy who was here last year. He feels comfortable with him. I don't know about Henry. Henry doesn't seem to have that same connection this year. We'll see how that plays out. And you've gone without AJ Brown, and it seemed during the summer like May had been on the same page with A.J. Brown. We'll find out when he comes back. But I I again I think all of this is still back on Drake May. So I am encouraged with what I saw in this game. And let's see if it translates, because a lot of times It doesn't translate into the next game. Let's see if it does. He's gotta feel a little bit more confident in himself, don't you think? Based on he had success. He went to Buffalo when everybody in the country thought he was going to lose and thought he was gonna, you know, shit his pants once again. He had a a very good game tonight. Sam Ordway: Yeah, and I think it's very encouraging for him that, you know, the really good moments came in the in the situational football moments, you know, down the end, three minutes left. He made some pretty big throws. And obviously Efton Chisholm, you know, steps up by making that catch. But that was a perfectly thrown ball. And, you know, when you when you look at and compare it to the Seattle game at the end where they they just they made some poor decision making at the at the end of the football game. Drake May obviously cost you that game at the end with that pick, that was the complete opposite of this game. And that's very encouraging to to see that in the situational moments Drake May and the offense as a whole stepped up in that moment. Glenn Ordway: Yeah, we talk all the time about, you know, when guys go down, it's next man up. And I know it's a cute little phrase, but in reality, if the guys that are on your depth chart, and that's I think one of the big questions we had going into the season, how much depth does this team really have? Even Mike Vrabel was questioning how much depth was on his own roster. I think we saw some of that in this game here today, where guys did step up. You know, we talk about the defense and and no Christian Barmore. James Cook had seventy-five seventy-five yards. That was it. He was not a big factor Sam Ordway: Yeah, did not have a yeah. No. Glenn Ordway: in this game. Matter of fact, he struggled early on. And out of the 75, he had one big long run that was 17 or 19 yards, something like that. So even that 75 yards is a little bit deceiving. But if he's not running the ball efficiently, Josh Allen has trouble opening up the passing game. Okay, they they really do. They they need to be able to control and run the football for Josh Allen to do his thing. Again, that's the interior defense of the Patriots that didn't allow Cook to get going in this game. Sam Ordway: Yeah, and I again that's that's another thing that's encouraging because, you know, you just talked about it. You have you have notable players in your defense that are down. I thought the defense could have came into this game playing way worse. I think that was only the s in the the start of the game for the Bills. They had possession first. That was only the second three and out for the Bills to start the season. So that was pretty impressive for the defense. At times I thought they were shaky, but again, you're playing in zone defense, so you're kind of you're taking on the nail that, you know, you don't want you want to keep Josh Allen inside the pocket, not you know, going crazy, running everywhere. I thought they did a good job of that tonight. And yeah, the Bills made some good plays here and there. But overall the the Patriots defense played great today. but I I think Drake May really him stepping up in this game, he d he won you this football game, I think, with some of the plays he made. And it's just a very encouraging game overall. Glenn Ordway: Yeah, and he had a and he had Chisholm, you know, take two two in, including that one-handed staff. It was kind of a weird game, though, at times. I mean, how about the last minute of the first half? You have five possessions. I mean, I don't think I've Sam Ordway: Yeah, I'll say that Glenn Ordway: ever seen that many in in sixty seconds where you can't convert and you're handing over the ball to the other team and they still have time. Now both teams had Plenty of timeouts, I believe. Three and two, right? Or but that was pretty bizarre that last minute. Sam Ordway: Yeah, the Patriots got the ball back with one minute. And I think if you get the ball back with one minute and you're playing against Josh Allen, I think you need to do a better job of making sure that you're the last team to hold possession of the ball going into the half. because the Bills ended up s you know, getting three points out of that. So I I that's just one pl one little coaching mistake that I saw in that game with clock management. Like you should not be able to give the ball back to Josh Allen with a minute left in the half. That was just to me, that was a a iffy moment, but Glenn Ordway: Well, I thought it was an unusual set of circ circumstances too. And you know, they're turning the ball over. And when you do that, Sam Ordway: yeah. Glenn Ordway: it it always, you know, runs into trouble. the Matt Collins injury concerns me. he did not come back into the game. They said it was a calf injury. And non Sam Ordway: Non contact too. Glenn Ordway: contact. And anytime you see non contact injuries, That usually means IR. That usually means the guy's down for a while. And they're already down with AJ Brown. Now, I know we're looking at Chisholm and saying, Wow, you know, we got Fdon, F on Chisholm. We're all set. We're well, let's let's calm down a little bit. Hollins has been important for Drake May. I I just said it a few minutes ago. He seems to have a really good connection with him. So I think that was troublesome in in losing Hollins in this game and what that means. Going forward. They can't lose they can't afford to lose many more guys here. They just can't. Sam Ordway: No, and if if Hollins is is down for some time here, I'm sure they'll be on the trade market looking for some guys because you can't you just Mac Collins was your number one guy. He was your headliner, with AJ Brown out. He shouldn't be, but but he has been. He stepped up Glenn Ordway: Yeah, but he shouldn't be though. You said this last week. Yeah. Sam Ordway: to the plate and he again today he made some pretty big plays. I didn't like the the penalty but last week, but he he he still stepped up today until he got hurt. now you're gonna need another guy to come in and fill those shoes. It was encouraging to see Romeo Dobbs here at least make some some pretty good snags. obviously that one drop was catastrophic, but yeah, I I wouldn't be surprised to see them look around the trade market for for a guy now. Glenn Ordway: Yeah, I just once the season starts, it is so difficult when you're talking about key positions. Receivers are very hard to find. You're you're you're you're you're getting somebody else's trash at this point, Sam. They're not you're not getting good players. Nobody's giving up good players. Nobody has given up on the season yet. So nobody's looking at it saying, Well, screw this, let's just get rid of this guy 'cause he's You know, we're not going anywhere. That doesn't happen in the NFL. It's like offensive linemen. We were talking about this I last week. Offensive linemen are very difficult to find in in the season. And you're desperate right now. You need help in your in your offensive line. You're just not finding You're finding old veterans who probably are, you know, well beyond their their good playing days. And they're available 'cause another team cut because they were making too much money. That's probably your best shot at offensive lineman. But I think wide receiver, I don't think you're gonna find anybody out there that's better. I think what it what it's done, it's moved Chisholm up in the in the depth chart. So he's now s going to see a more significant playing time and a more significant role. And they you know, at least the schedule, even though it I'm not saying it's a it's a pushover schedule over the next few weeks. But it's a little bit easier than what they've faced to this point. So maybe you can get by here until you get AJ Brown back. But the the thing I keep on questioning with AJ Brown is what is he gonna be like when you get him back? It's not like you're gonna get the guy before their injury. It's still going to take him, you know, time just to get the timing back and get back into the groove of playing again on top. Of making sure that he rehabs 100% from the injury. So the next few weeks are going to be very, very interesting. Next week is not an easy game. It certainly did look like one. It was a guaranteed W when we got the schedule, right? It is not a guaranteed W right now, even though the game is in Foxborough. Sam Ordway: Yeah, Raiders beating the Chiefs right now, ten seven. So look Glenn Ordway: There you go. Sam Ordway: at that game. Glenn Ordway: All right, bud. thank you once again. I Sam Ordway: All right. Glenn Ordway: don't think you said anything as dumb as you said last week, this week, so I think you're in good, good shape this week. We'll see what happens next week. Join us all week long for the big old podcast. We got some great guests coming up, including Pete, and more conversation about the Patriots coming up this week. Thanks for watching. Thanks for listening. Make sure you subscribe and make sure you like.