Welcome to Dudes on Dudes.

I'm Julian Edelman, I'm Rob Gronkowski, and we're coming to you live from the house in San Francisco, brought to you by Liquid Ivy.

And this is the show where your favorite dudes get to talk about their favorite dudes.

And today it's time for a very special Super Bowl preview and we check in with the one and only Mike Reese.

Make sure to drop a like, subscribe, and hit the bell to be notified every time we drop a new episode.

Let's Go.

Dudes on Dudes is a production of iHeartRadio Alcatraz.

That's the Alcatraz Island, right, That's what it's called The Rock.

Have you ever been there the Rock?

Nope?

But the Rock?

You would actually enjoy it?

Yeah, I'm like, holy, there's no prisoners there anymore.

No, the prison has been out of for years.

But it's a fun tour.

Oh man.

I got it on Phones and Ship.

That was one of my favorite, if not my favorite action movie growing up as a kid who.

Doesn't love the Brock.

Yeah.

I got learned about the city.

I don't know too much.

I just actually learned about the Bay Bridge, the bridge I went over because I land in Oakland.

That was really cool.

How long is that might give me some history.

The Bay Bridge goes to Treasure Island, then it goes to Oakland.

So what's Treasure Island?

Because down in Saint Petersburg there's an island called Treasure Island as well.

That's the island we went to in high school with our baseball team.

Treasure Island, I believe.

If it is Treasure Island that goes through the Bay Bridge, that's where all the federal military people lived back in the day, and to this day, it's all like government issued families.

Okay, so I think it's anyone to do with the military or anything to work with the government.

They all live on Treasure Island.

And then it goes to Oakland.

There's like two bridges in the Bay Bridge.

The Bay Bridge is the big one.

Then you have the San Mateo Bridge, which is over where I grew up, which is seven miles long, okay, so you're near there.

And then there's the Golden Gate Bridge.

Yeah, that's the bridge.

That's the shorter bridge.

That's the Red Bridge.

Yeah, that's the beautiful bridge.

It's the longest suspension bridge in the world.

So it's hanging.

It's hanging.

And the crazy thing is, in nineteen eighty nine when we had the huge earthquakes, the Newer Bay Bridge that had like the state of the art stuff collapsed, while the older bridge, the Golden Gate, which was like the longest suspension bridge, nothing happened.

Wow.

And then where does the Golden Gate bridge go to?

That goes to like Tiberon Marin, but that goes to the North Bay.

Okay, Wow, my sister lives on the other side, like on right on the other side of the Golden Gate, there's Tiberon, and that's where like Napa Valley is and you keep going up there.

That's where you go to Napa.

You can get really drunk off of wine, or you can just go and wine tasting.

You can actually take a ferry from the city and then you take a bus to Napa and it's like a whole like poor thing.

I should probably go there Sunday night because I'm gonna probably be so ready to get out of the city with all the Super Bowl stuff.

I'm gonna probably just need to get hammer, like bring me to the wine toil, let me just taste all the wines.

Well, it's not just it's not just wine.

They have some of the greatest food there too.

Really wine.

You can sit down.

Cheese, cheat a lot of cheese.

Grapes, French crapes, No grapes, Oh, grapes, grapes.

This is great, man, and happy super Bowl Week.

Yeah, Pats are back, Yes they are, and we are coming to you from the nuthouse in San Francisco, brought to you by Liquid IV.

They hydrated my friends.

Let's get into it.

Let's do it.

Seahawks versus Patriots.

High level review.

Guys, We're getting there.

We're actually in the sixes.

So I got nine more years ago for my favorite super Bowl of all times.

We're getting closer that That is like the feeling of like, oh my gosh, we're in the right decade of super Bowls, super Bowl sixty.

So in nine more years, Yes, what are you going to be?

I mean, I'll probably be calling the game.

I'll probably host the game that year.

And what super Bowl be?

What's what number of super Bowl will be?

The last number super Bowl in the sixties, right before seventy sixty.

All right, come on, let's get into this.

Come on, Joe's here.

We're getting off track.

Now, what do the Patriots need to do to win this game?

Oh?

Really, all right, we're hitting it right from the beginning.

We're hitting it right off the bat.

That's what I'm talking about, big pitcher.

I think they need to stop Kenneth Walker at the running back position.

Seattle has a great run game, Kenneth Walker.

You know they're out a running back.

Was pretty solid chardon Nay, he went down, So it's all on Walker, Kenneth Walker's shoulders.

And has he, you know, stepped up and took on this challenge.

He's been playing great in the playoffs.

He had like three touchdowns and over one hundred yards for San fran and their first playoff game this year.

You know, he has stepped up to to challenge.

It was his best game of his career.

But he is running like he is angry out there, and it's hard to tackle someone that's running angry, and that's what Kenneth Walker is doing.

And if the Patriots run stopping defense can stop Kenth Walker, I think it's going to put it into perspective like to have a real, real, real chance to win this game.

And on top of that, Christian Gonzales versus js on Jackson Smith and Jigba.

I mean best wide receiver in the game.

Pookin the cool there is as well, so I would say top three wide receiver in the game.

Young Buck put it this way.

This guy on the big stage.

He went for three hundred and forty seven yards in the Rolls Bowl when he was on Ohio State.

That was his last game as a college athlete, so he was never he has never played on.

The big stage.

I'm talking big stage, championship game, playoff game since then, because last year I don't think Seattle did they make the playoffs.

They didn't make the playoffs.

Was he a rookie last year too, last year rookie, Yeah, he didn't make the playoffs, so he hasn't been He hasn't played in a big game since then.

The game versus Sam Fran, they didn't They ran the ball the whole time, they didn't need a pass.

But then the big stage versus the Rams last week, did he amp it up.

This guy is born for the big stage and he has just shown it once again.

So if you could, if Christian Gonzalez can stop and shut down.

Or at least contain them, that's going to be very huge.

As well for the New England Patriots.

You know, I agree with you with the stopping the run, but instead of just talking about the end, this that that you have to get Sam Darnold uncomfortable.

Well that that's but also this is how we'll get right back to you, Jews.

This is how you stop the run.

You cannot let Kenneth Walker get going like you gotta hit him in the backfield.

And I think that's what Patriots are really good at is you know, find like just your strategy like hitting the gap and hitting the guy in the backfield.

They got to hit him in the backfield and not let that engine go because once he gets going it he's kind of like beast mood.

You're not going to tackle him then because he just runs, so you know, he's just a fierce runner like that.

And now back to you, Jules.

Yeah, and I but I was just gonna get I was going to agree with you that you know, stopping the run is part of what makes Sam Donald uncomfortable, because yes, Sam Donald played his best game last week in the NFC Championship, had an incredible game three hundred and sixty four yards, three touchdowns.

We've only seen that once and and the last other two big stage games that he played he didn't play very well.

So he didn't shut you up because he shut up a lot of He shut up a lot of doughters out there.

I'm not I'm not doubting though.

I'm just saying, you.

Gotta do it again.

You have to be a champion.

You have to do it again.

I know what you're saying.

But so if you can get him uncomfortable with Milton Williams and Barmore in the middle of the pocket and you Sam Donald has always struggled when there's stuff in his face.

That's when he starts seeing ghosts.

What kind of stuff are we talking?

We're not talking mono talking.

I had mono in college.

He did toomber.

Yes, you don't remember that when you're playing.

I think that was just an excuse.

No, remember he he got what was he doing?

Just kissy stuff in his face.

But I'm just anytime he struggled, it's always been the pressure in the middle of the pocket and he gets a little happy with it.

And that's what you have to do to win this game.

Because if if they can play the game, they want to run the ball with Kenneth Walker set up their play action stay ahead of the sticks, being third and manageables.

They'll eat you up and they could blow you out.

But if you get Sam Donald take away his run game, you make them uncomfortable.

You make them have to play in the drop back pass game, not these little play action wide open dudes.

The drop back pass game where you got to go through your progressions and then you get a little pressure in his face.

I mean, that's I think that's your best shot.

You got to take the ball away from Sam Darnold.

That's how you have to win this game.

It's gonna be that.

I like it.

And then let's talk about the Patriots offense.

I don't think we're here to dissect what they gotta do because this let's.

Just let's I think we're gonna jump into the Patriots offense.

All right, I'm jumping the gun jels.

I'm jumping the gun tunes too soon, That's what I do.

I mean, I get excited, you know.

And there's one thing though, if I got too excited, you know, on the football field, I still didn't give away the play.

No.

No, I somehow just held that.

I don't know how contagious.

You can tell of excitement, Yeah, you could tell inside and and you know.

But okay, well, what do the Seahawks need to do to win this game?

What do the Seahawks need to do to win this game?

They have to establish their run game and stop the run game for the Patriots.

I think that's what it is because the Patriots, you know, you stop the Patriots run game, that's what they live and die off of.

Too.

These teams are very similar.

They gotta do somehow make Drake uncomfortable with the thing with Drake is he could take off and run, which Sam Donald can too.

He's hit twenty miles an hour, but he hasn't showed it as of late that he likes to do that.

Sam Donald hit twenty miles per hour before, years ago, years ago.

I thought you were talking about this season.

No, I think he was twenty for racking when he was a jet I remember that long so so he's still he's still.

That shows that he's a threat in the run.

He can, dude.

Sam Donald is athletic, Yeah he is.

He's athletic.

Twenty miles per hour though my fastest was like eighteen point No, no way, you were you hit twenty, all right, maybe like twice, all right, so you hit twenty.

But the Seahawks they gotta they gotta somehow stop the Patriots run.

And I think the same thing.

They gotta take the ball away.

Whoever gets the takeaways is gonna win this game.

I was literally just thinking the same thing.

I think Seattle wins if they go down and have a clean game, complete game and they don't turn the ball over at all.

I mean, the three losses, I'm pretty sure that the Seattle Seahawks had they actually lost a turnover battle and they still only This is how good the Seattle Seahawks team is.

They still only lost those three games by combined nine points.

Yeah, like the Jets lost a gain just one game by like forty points this year.

The Seahawks lost three of their games only this year by nine points.

I mean, it's just incredible.

Just shows how strong this roster is.

And they just if they just don't make the mistakes, they're gonna win the game.

So if the Patriots do need a somehow for Sam Dinald to throw an interception or two or somehow knock the ball out of the running back, you know, and get a fumble recovery, you know, in order to win this game.

But if the Seattle Seahawks play a complete, clean.

Game, I think they take this game Home's I agree one thousand percent.

Now let's jump in and dive a little deeper into the Patriots.

Okay, let's do it.

What are you confident with the Patriots right now?

You know, I'm confident that their offense.

Might not show up the way you want them to show up, but they're still going to find a way to get the job done.

Adjustments, Yes, make the adjustments.

I mean, do what they got to do it.

They don't win games because their offense is just absolutely clicking on all points.

But they're winning games because their offense gets it done when they need to get it done.

Got to have it situational football, and that's what makes them great.

They just want to win games and they're gonna do whatever it takes to win games.

And they're not selfish about it at all.

You know, if it's handing the ball off every single play, if it's Drake running as well, if he needs to run because the pass game isn't there.

Just for an example in Denver with the second half, just how terrible the conditions were, and that boot leg that he that they ran to seal the deal versus them was unbelievable call.

It just shows that they can just get it done in all different ways.

So the Patriots don't need a specific game plan.

They will have a specific game plan going in, but they might make crazy adjustments throughout and they just got to figure out just how to move the ball down the field.

Yeah.

I'm confident, my confident with the.

I'm not even saying they got to score points all the time.

They just got to learn.

They just got to know how to move the ball down the field.

Yeah, and that then they figure it out from there.

I'm confident that the defense is going to come out with something to prove.

I mean, for the last five weeks, all I hear about is the opposing team's defense and how great they are, and this defense sneakily has been shutting teams down.

I really like, is that a real word?

Because I just made great words like that all the time and everyone's like, yo, that's not a word.

I'm like, yeah, it is, Like, sneakily is definitely a word.

It's you know, I don't know.

And I'm also confident I'm also I'm confident in the Patriots coaches.

Oh, same Rabel.

He has not coached in this game, but he has played in this game multiple times.

I mean, but but he always I know it's a Super Bowl game, but still coaching a freaking football game.

He's coached I don't know hundreds of them by now.

But so also having Josh McDaniels, who has coached in nine of these games, so this is his tenth one or is it nine or ten?

One of the two he is coaching nine of them.

I think this is his tenth.

This will be his ten super Bowl.

So I think, you know, rave's a guy who's played in it, Josh, a guy who's coached in it.

Them together game planning using their experience of how crazy this actual game is, how non the rhythmatic this game is, how long this game is, how to prepare the athlete for the marathon, not the sprint of what this game is.

I think that's I'm confident with their preparation from their coaches.

Yes, it's not too big for these guys.

And I'm not trying to say like, oh they get they're better coaches.

I just think they know this situation a lot better than Seattle than Seattle right now.

Yes, And and.

Another thing for the Patriots, if they're gonna win this game, it's gonna be like a no namer that has to make a big, big play.

And I'm not saying a no namer.

I'm just saying a name that isn't so familiar with fans, for example, like Pop Douglas, Like we know who he is, but like he's not very popular.

He came on our podcast actually, But like a guy like Pop Douglas is gonna have to make a tremendous play throughout this game to get them going.

And I'm talking like at least like a forty yard bomb or a touchdown that that's a big explosive play, that's a chunk play as well.

That's what's gonna win the game for the Patriots.

I feel like, what are you worried about for this Patriots team?

Oh?

Man?

Oh, I want to start with you.

What are you worried about?

I'm a little worried.

I'm a little worried about Drake.

Why is that?

Because of his performances the last two games.

But you gotta look at I mean just a little facing it and the conditions one.

But he's still twenty three years old.

That's true.

I mean, you know what I mean, Like he's twenty two years old, twenty three years old.

He's a he's a young guy.

And this is not like this is a Yeah, he hasn't played his best football.

You know, in the second half of that Houston game, he made some big plays.

He made a couple big plays when his team needed it in the Denver game.

But like they he has to play his best game for them to win.

He's got to play his best game for the Patriots to go out and beat this juggernaut of a Seattle team, which I'm confident he can, but I still have a little worry, Like, how's this young kid who over the year has showed he's been able to fix mistakes from games, you know, in in in the games from the week before or whatever.

He's gone, he's gotten better and he showed that he's been able to fix mistakes.

But this is this is a different game, you know, the rhythm of this game is different.

How how is he going to do if they go three and out?

Three and out?

You know, And he showed in the past, but like this is still his second year playing he's playing in the Super Bowl, and this guy's an MVP candidate, But can can he We haven't seen it in a while.

We haven't seen that perfect game in a while.

You know, he's going to need that perfect game to beat this Seattle team.

And also, Drake may is gonna need a performance where a performance that.

I'm thinking of right now.

You know, when they were playing the Baltimore Ravens earlier this year and they were down and he threw that touchdown pass in the corner.

It was a pretty deep ball.

I don't know exactly who it was too, but it was.

It was such a great pass where only the receiver could make the play.

Like, those are the throws that he's gonna have to make, Like where the guy is guarded and covered, but he throws the ball to where only the receiver can make the play.

Those are the great throws that he's gonna need to make.

We haven't seen that yet really in the playoffs, just I would say because of the situations and the weather and all that that affects, you know, the game, But we're gonna need to see those types of throws by Drake Man.

I did see him be a little gun shy at the beginning part of last week, because I feel he was thinking about the turnovers the week before.

Really, you know what I mean?

Did you see that in the first the first four drives of that Denver game, there was dead There was there was no energy for me.

They were just trying to feel each other out.

I mean, granted, you know, Nick Benito and Cooper on the edge.

We got young defensive tackle, we got young linemen.

Let them feel the speed out for a second, I understand, but it looked a little like and then he turned it on.

He made the plays when he had to.

But you know, he can't be gun shy.

Okay, you can't be afraid to turn the ball over because they need him to go out and rip it.

If he needs to put it in there, he got to be able to rip it, you know.

And if there is a turnover, don't worry, it's not over.

You know.

I've just if anything that makes me worry a little, you know, Drake, we just got to settle him down.

I also think he could have his best game of his.

Career, definitely, and I think he's I think he can go either way, to tell you the truth, because he's so young, but he's also such a veteran for being so young as well that he can step up to the challenge.

But what we've been seeing a little bit, he hasn't been playing his bass at Is he going to stay at that level or is he going to take it to the next level.

With the extra week of preparation as well, and with the conditions as well out here, I think it's going to be friendly conditions for a solid football game.

Forty percent of precipitation we'll see hopefully we get no rain.

We seen enough snow.

We've seen enough rain.

We've seen enough bad weather affect these football games over the last you know, course of the month.

So I want to see a good, clean game without weather.

That's going to play Kurt Warner on us.

Everything should be playing at own.

No, no, no, don't don't get it.

I'm just saying we've seen enough.

Sure, we've seen enough games so far in the playoffs where the weather and where the weather has affected the.

Outcome of Kurt.

No.

But at the same time, you want to see a super Bowl.

You don't want to see forty mile proor win a super Bowl game, or just downpouring of Rain, but also Drake May if he's not going to have a great game, there's another reason why, you know, because of the studs on the defensive line for the Seattle Yeah, I mean they got Leonard Williams.

I just love telling the story.

Man Leonard Williams.

I put my hand down.

I mean, he goes way back.

This guy is a season vet.

I put my hand down when I was on the New England Patriots.

This was eight seasons ago, which is freaking absurd.

Time flies, dude, My last game was twenty eighteen on the Patriots.

Was it for twenty nineteen?

Teenh February?

Was that twenty nineteen, right, So that's what seven freaking years ago was my last game on the New Engham Patriots.

It feels like it was just the other month still, which is pretty wild.

It just crazy to me.

But I remember he was on the Jets.

I put my handout and like he's playing defense event and I'm like, oh, dude, like this is unfair.

Like this guy is so athletic.

He's so big, he's like six five six six over three hundred pounds.

He's ad tackle, but he's so athletic and fast and explosive that he can go out and play defensive end as well, and that just shows how big of a nightmare he is on the defensive line.

And then also that's a guy I won't want to tick off either.

I just try to get in his way because I'm not going to blow him up or anything.

So my technique is to get in his way so if the running back does come, he has to go around me, which takes longer to do, so it's kind of me playing smart football.

And then you got de Marcus Lawrence.

Dude.

I remember the other defensive end on the Seattle Sea X.

I remember going versus him my last year in the NFL when I was on the Tampa Bay Bucks.

This guy has a high motor.

He has a great IQ for the game of football.

And he actually had me in one on one coverage and it was a ted call and it was great, and he almost got me.

He almost got me.

You don't get me on tech calls.

It means when I'm one on one, I'm gonna pass block and the guy in the defensive end I know is covering me, so he thinks I'm pass blocking, so he starts rushing the passer.

But This guy was so smart.

He didn't even rush the back.

He just rushed me.

But I still put a guy who's like, I don't care, it's a defensive end, like I gotta make a good move.

I made a solid move on him.

I caught the ball and he's so athletic and quick still that he caught up to me.

I only had five yard.

I had like a yard on him.

He got me after five yard mark.

IM my five yards.

He swatted my legs and I fell into the end zone.

So I did score a touchdown.

But for him to actually recognize the ted call and the and the make the play, I mean, smart player, also super athletic.

And these two they want a championship.

They're veterans, they don't have a championship under their belt.

They've been losing their whole career.

So I think those two are going to be very, very hungry this game.

That would worry me too.

That defensive line for the Seattle Seahawks.

We'll be right back after this quick break.

You know, I'm not worried for Drake.

I'm just thinking about Drake.

No, we're just there.

You think I'm just thinking about it?

Good energy?

Yeah, all right, so you're ex girlfriend.

You just you're thinking about it because you want her to be happy.

I guess, Julia, I just wanted to be happy.

I'm talking for you.

I'm not talking for me now.

I want you to be happy.

Yeah, you're that good of a guy.

Yeah.

I don't know if that made sense, But I was speaking for Julian who needs to be And I learned from Coach Belichick never to speak for someone, and I just spoke for you.

Was I right or wrong?

I must be.

I must speak for you when you're right next to me.

Who needs to be a dude for the Patriots to win?

Oh a dude, A dude ade I know a play?

Oh okay, let's hear it.

Who I think Milt Williams.

Gotta you gotta ay your highest paid guy when he'd you go be what you did last year in the Super Bowl?

Go make him plays big dog?

Oh my gosh, he might win two super Bowls in a row.

Might do the reverse Lagett blunt?

Oh my, the reverse Chris Long, whoa go from Philly?

Do reverse blunt?

Oh?

Reverse?

So that's what this is he's doing.

He's trying to do reverse blunt.

But if he I'm just telling you, if Milt Williams becomes a fucking problem that you can't block that, that that's gonna help them, that they're that they're gonna win, They're gonna win.

Who do you think has got to be a dude?

I might say Will Campbell.

That's a that's a that is a fucking Campbell.

He needs a step of up.

He needs to be the dude.

I mean left tackle.

Left tackle Drake May's blind side, blindside struggle in his first game back in the playoffs versus the Chargers.

What I love about him is that he recognized he struggled.

He didn't make excuses.

He blamed himself and told the team and the to the media, Hey, I got to play about it.

I didn't play my best game.

You gotta love guys like that.

I hate when guys, you know, blame other players for their mistakes.

It drives me absolutely nuts, exactly.

And he's not a guy that pointing fingers.

He's thumbs and he has been playing great football.

Now you know, he's went versus unbelievable talent, and he needs to step up and make sure Drake May is clean in the pocket.

In his defense, my guy took a month off.

He did get his knee right here exactly.

You come as a rookie from injury and you jump back up in the playoffs.

It's a different speed.

Yes, so you know, he he's had some time.

I think I think he could have the game of his life because because of what you just says, because he recognized he needs to step up his play.

Which that's maturity right there.

It is, man.

I mean, Rabel did a great job.

Or whoever drafts these guys, because they're like like all veteran rookies, they're they're very mature.

They really are, man, they really are.

Elliott Wolf, right, Elliott Wolf, French guy.

Yeah, you don't know, there's a million who's who's making I don't know who's making the calls.

You don't know.

Mike Rabel's are at coach, That's all I don't know.

And and Josh mcdonels just calling the plays of office other.

Than cap to people who are making the calls.

Yes, that are behind the scenes and they're not getting credit.

And whoever built this roster for the New England Patriots's.

Elliott, we think it freaking great job.

They hit on all their free agents they've They've got eleven rookies on the roster.

That's insane.

They got the two boys cow Boys at safety.

Two rookies, right, or one's Hawkins.

Woodson's a rookie.

I don't think Hawkins is, but he's he's from cal I mean, they got a they gotta they've hit Man, the chasing guy.

He was a monster.

Milton's been awesome, Landry's been on, Blaine's been awesome.

I mean, oh Laine.

Oh, he's like a great green doc guy, gets everyone in the right spot.

This is his first year on the Patriots, right, and he came from Raiders.

The Raiders, like, but he was with he was with Rabel in Tennessee.

Okay, so that makes sense.

Hey, so that puts two and two together.

But like this guy is like probably the year that he's having this year, he probably was like in a diminishing role.

I don't I have no clue, but my guess is, like on the Raiders, he probably didn't have that big of a role.

There comes Didty he was a monster?

Was he he was a monster?

Was a monster.

He was a monster with the Raiders.

You're on the Raiders.

Yet no one knows that's why.

That's why I'm saying, don't talk about the Raiders because I'm the Raiders game.

So he's a monster dude.

And I'm like, but that's what I'm saying that because I didn't know who he was, and then he goes on the Patriots, I'm like, how is this veteran just so dominant?

And I never heard of him before?

Because he's in the right situation, on the right team now, in the right market, and now he played for vrabel before, so we understand what he wants, you know, and what he needs to do to be a great player in his system.

So that makes sense.

It's all about where you are as well.

You know, in the NFL, you can be at one place and it's it could be a terrible situation for you.

You might mentally not even want to be there, which hurts your game, and then you go to another place and you.

Blossom, which is the perfect segue into getting into the Seattle Seahawks led by Sam Darnold, the journeyman quarterbacks.

He's on his fourteen Yeah, now he's what we just talked about.

Wait, is he on his fourteen or like fifth or sixteam?

Let's name them all.

I mean, he started with the Jets Carolina, he went to cad he to the San Francisco forty nine ers and Fran then he went to Minnesota.

Minnesota.

Now he's here, all right, So this is his fifth team.

And when he was on Sam Fran, what was his role there?

He was the backup?

Yeah, and he credits Kyle Shanahan for kind of getting his career back on track because he said he learned.

So I remember seeing this in like an article orus well, that he learned so much from Kyle Shanahan and it was so great that he went there even though he was the backup and didn't get it, didn't get a chance at all to be a starter.

But he also got to jump right into Kevin O'Connell's system, which has probably got some similarities to Shanahan's system.

So, you know, back to your point, like we were talking about, with splaying, sometimes you got to be in the right spot.

Sammy clearly in the right spot.

What are you confident in with the Seahawks.

That they're a badass team, man, They really are.

I was just in Seattle for the NFC Championship game.

They're a different style team than the New England Patriots, and that's why this game is going to be, you know, a great game.

They're gonn it's going to clash very well, you know, two different styles of play, but they both play the game of football like how the game of football should be played.

And that's what we're going to get, you know, with the Super Bowl.

But Seattle just overall is just you know, strong from the offensive side of the ball all the way to defensive side of the ball and their special teams.

I think the game changer is ros Sheeed Shaheed.

I mean this guy.

I mean I just thought he was a special teamers, you know, and then when I looked more into it when he was on the Saints, you know, and then when he got to the Seattle Sea He's making an impact as well on the offensive side of the ball.

And you look at that deep ball Sam Donald threw him last week or two weeks ago versus Rams to start the game.

I mean that just led right into a touchdown.

But also he's been a game changer, absolute game changer.

And that's why this game is going to be so great too, because the Patriots have a game changer on the special side as well, with Marcus Jones.

How many touchdowns does he have this year too?

That's still a lot of touchdowns, yes, And Rashid Shaheed has three touchdowns insane, returning the ball on special teams already since he got traded over to the Seattle Seahawks from the Saints.

And this is how good of a general manager.

This is a well put together football team and they're just snider.

John Snyder is one of the best general managers in the game, if not the best general manager in the game.

What's crazy is that he's been there for so long that he was a general manager when we played the Seattle Seahawks in the twenty fifteen Super Bowl Julie and we beat him, which is pretty nuts.

Man.

That's how good of a GM he is.

He's been there for that long, he's been through all the ups and downs, and he's back at the Super Bowl.

But his goal, he was trying to get Rashid Shaheed for four weeks prior to the trade deadline.

His eyes were set on him.

It was like, we need that guy to amp up on a team.

Why I believe Clint Kubiak had Rashid Shaheed in New Orleans, Okay, and Clint Kubiak saw that, Hey we have GSN.

This guy's he's a Transformer transformer out there.

I got Cooper Cups, He's a mini Transform mini Transformer.

I got Cooper cup who can eat in the short I need someone down the field, someone I worked with that I know that can stretch the field.

Hawks to Schneider, Schneider and him probably trying to get Rashid Shiat for eight weeks go into your story boom and that.

Yeah, my confidence, my confidence is in that defense for the Seattle Seahawks.

What makes the Seattle Seahawks defense so great?

Because actually I didn't really watch the Seattle Seahawks much this year.

I mean, they're all the way up in the corner of the West Coast and like they're playing different time zones and different channels and so like I don't really get to catch all their games.

But like then I watched them play, and I know of like the guys I talked about, the Leonard Williams and DeMarcus Lawrence, But like, what really makes the Seattle Seahawks defense and stand out.

Well, I think it's a combination things.

You have really good players and then Mike McDonald He's very sharp at how he schemes up is like his third downs.

They have like a like if you compare this, if you compare this defense to like the old Legion of Boom, The Legion of Boom did the same thing.

Every time you knew exactly what they were gonna do exactly this defense.

They may rush five so you don't know which five are come in and then they drop out.

And they have like these really exotic fronts.

They have these exotic twist games.

They have all these crazy plays that are spin the dials, so they're not they're not giving you a lead of what they're gonna do.

They change it up every third down.

So like they just have so many different looks with ballplayers that are smart enough to have digested and not leave themselves vulnerable when they call these things and being in the right like coverage when you got a bunch of guys in the line of scrimmage and they they jump out like they just they're very well coached.

They have ballplayers on all levels.

The Thomas linebackers, Insane Mwori is a very good player that Snyder picked up this year.

I think rookie.

They got really great corners with Witherspoon and Job.

They got great safety play with Love and Bryant, and then they can get after you with their their four defensive linemen five defensive linemen depending on what fronts they're in, so like they have playmakers in all areas of the field.

But they're not a simple defense, so that's hard.

So that makes the offensive coordinator have to prepare for a whole lot of stuff.

So then you get mixed up on what you gotta get ready for and they hit you from the side with something they haven't shown you.

So they're very creative, creative.

They got strategy and they got the players to do it with.

And the players just aren't good football players.

They're also smart football players.

Smart football players, you've got to be a smart football team in order to run schemes like the way that you were just talking about the ball to pretend you're rushing six and then you drop, you know, you drop two of allmr you look like you got eight and like seven or eight in coverage and then all of a sudden you're blitzaying.

Like to do all that, man, it takes a lot of time and a lot of gelling together as a lot of Gell and a lot of smartness in the game of football.

A lot of great coach and a lot of great That's when position coach coaches come into play.

That's when coaches come into play time.

One thing that Hey, what worries you about the Seahawks.

I'll tell you Sam Donald worries me.

Yes, yeah, I love Sammy d.

But I was on the team when he was seeing ghosts back with the Jets, and I know it was the Jets.

We haven't seen him go out, you know, we saw last week in the NFC Championship he has the game of his life.

Can he do it again against the no name defense, no name Patriots defense that everyone thinks is just mid.

Can he do it because the pressures on him to it against the in quotes mid defense.

And to tell you truth, that's kind of what I know.

This defense is like the toughest defense in the playoffs.

Ye even though they've only played defense, well they haven't played they haven't played a great offense.

That's what everyone says.

That's the narrative.

Well, they've been finding a narrative all year along with the New England Patriots, and this game schedule determine what the narrative is what you were this game, it just takes away all the narratives and they are just shown once again that they are the elite team and the best team in the NFL.

And what I'm worried about Seattle is what you're talking about.

I really don't think Seattle has that many weaknesses.

The weakness is is the turnovers by Sam Darnold.

Why if they have if they haven't, why is that so important?

Is because he has had so many turnovers.

It's not just like one or two throughout the season, or or like or one there, you know, one in this game.

It was twenty eight turnovers this year, you know, second most in the NFL, and twenty turnovers by Sam Donald alone, which he led the league in.

And that's what you got to worry about.

When you have such a great team and you just turn the ball over any time, any team can beat you any given moment.

So that's truly the only weakness I truly see with the Seattle Seahawks, and that can definitely hurt them big time.

And that's rough weakness as well.

Yeah, I mean, if they take care of the football, they'll take care of the game.

Yes, So I mean, I don't really think there's that many other weaknesses.

This team plays hard, you know, they tackle, they play hardcore football, and that's why it's gonna be such a great game.

And I do think Seattle has the advantage.

They definitely do on paper.

On paper, they have the advantage.

But it all comes into play.

You know, when the game starts, who has the better strategy.

Who has a better strategy, who deals with distractions the best?

Yes?

And who prepared the best in the two weeks leading up to team Yes game.

There you go right on the nose.

Who's got to be a dude for the Seahawk to win?

Oh, I'm going to say Jay s n Jackson Smith and Jig, But he's got to be that dude.

I mean, he was that dude last week, you know versus Rams, and without him they want to have won that game.

He was an absolute stud out there that those those passes that that Sam was hitting him on and he was just going up.

Just how athletic he looks like he's one of the only players that can go up and make those types of catches.

But also what makes him such a dude and just his versatility is that that touchdown that corner that he ran versus Rams as well.

He started in the backfield as a running back.

He's versatile, he's very and that makes a defense very tough to unicate against.

Yeah, and communication exactly.

But then Jay sends coming out of the backfield that that doesn't make any sense.

That's going to throw off a defense.

So this guy is the juggernaut for the Seattle Seahawks.

You know, I think Kenneth Walker's got to be a dude for them to win because it goes to all the points that I've been talking about.

If Kenneth Walker is being a dude on the field, then everything else for the Seattle offense opens up.

Then you get JSN, Then you get Sam Darnold comfortable in the play action game.

Then you get to have the time of possession to keep the Patriots offense off the field.

Everything is around Kenneth Walker, and if he could be that dude, the Seahawks are gonna they'll win.

All right, that's the Patriots and that's the Seahawks.

Will give some predictions at the end of the show.

We'll be right back after this quick break.

And right now, Joe's I'm feeling a little thirsty.

You feel like I need to rehydrate a little bit.

I've been talking for you know, about thirty forty five minutes.

That's a lot of talking.

Man, I have something for you.

Oh thank you.

What's sys here?

Why don't you put one of these in?

What's that?

Are these electrolytes?

Liquid IV?

Drink up and lock it in.

Drink up and lock it in.

Because it's time for everyone's favorite game.

Do you know ball?

The game where we answer football questions so thought provoking.

You all need a Liquid IV by the end.

Let's get into it, all right.

I love this segment.

I love these questions.

This is what it's all about, Julian.

I love crazy things, and we got crazy questions right now.

Thank you to Liquid IV for hydrating us, because we're going to be re now.

We're going to be not we're going to be rehydrated at the end because of Liquid IV, but we're going to be dehydrated answering these tough questions.

Now, these are tough questions, like like, what's the craziest thing you would do for another ring?

Uh?

I think even just strapping up and playing football again?

That is actually crazy, thinking about that, thinking about that is crazy to me, so playing football.

Yeah, what's crazy is when I was twenty one to twenty six years old, I'm like, oh my gosh, Like, how can I not play football until the day?

I like, I can play till I'm eighty and now I'm thirty six.

So I'm like, that's the craziest thing to me is that I would actually put football pads on and go play the game of football.

What's the craziest thing you do?

The craziest thing I would do.

I would sit in the sauna and dehydrate myself and lose fifteen pounds in one sauna session.

Yeah, and then I would rehydrate real quick with liquid IV.

All right, I mean, but that's that's not too.

Crazy, though, I would say while sitting in the sauna, I would have to drink ten beers as well and get super super dehydrated.

I like it, and but also a little tipsy at the same time.

This is very dangerous.

This is like my life depending on you.

Honestly, I wouldn't do anything crazy for another ring.

I think three I'm satisfied.

Yeah, Well, playing football again, I think was the right answer.

That was a solid answer, because you got to play again in order to get another ring.

So yeah, good answer.

All right, it's the championship game.

Grass or turf?

Are you kidding me?

Is this even a question?

Like, I'm not getting dehydrated answering this question because this one's really easy.

But I'm very dehydrated from the last question.

But it's grass, dude.

Grass beats turf any day of the week.

It's softer, it feels great when you get tackling on it.

You know, it's like a cushion.

Like you get all the grassmarks on your shoulder pads.

You look like a warrior out there.

You look awesome.

When there's dirt on your face, dirt on your breaking you know whatever it was, your forearm, yeah, dirt all over your paths, your shins, your cleats.

You know.

The chicks dig dirt athletes they do, they do.

If you're not dirty, that means you didn't play in the game.

You didn't play you know, for real.

If you come out of a game clean, yeah, you're a loser.

Grass by fire.

Grass just feels great, and it's gotta be that smooth thing grass with Yeah.

Bermuda gar Bermuda, like bermuda the country down in the Caribbean.

I like, I'm a grass guy as well.

Well that was easy.

Yeah, Well which is better?

Well, here we go, this is a better question.

Which is a better way to win?

A blowout or a crazy comeback blowout?

It's better for my heart.

I'm so I'm so tired of crazy comeback games.

It's so much easier on your on your body and your heart and your soul if you blow someone out.

What about you?

I mean, if you're a fan of a game of football, you want to see a crazy comeback, Like it makes like you're right, like what you said, Like your heart sometimes cannot handle it, and a crazy comeback would make your heart just race all over the place.

But like it is very satisfying to have a blowout, Like it makes you so much more relax, like like you can still play a great game, but like you feel good about it.

Man, Like those nerves aren't there.

So I would go with a blowout as a player, because it just feels good knowing that.

You're going to win the game.

One.

So, is there a point in the game where hydration becomes a competitive edge?

Halftime?

Really?

I think I think at halftime, especially in these long games, dehydrating it's a long game.

There's it's hot in there because you got the fireworks, you got the smoke, you got the halftime show.

It's just it's a dry environment.

Halftime is a huge rehydration time.

I would say there's a competitive advantage, a competitive edge when you're playing in Florida, when you're playing in that heat with the humidity, you got to be hydrated.

If you're not, you're gonna start cramping, you're gonna be slow off the ball.

So very big competitive edge if you're hydrated in the Florida heat.

What's the most overrated stat in football?

That QBR rating?

Man?

It drives crazy, man, the QBR.

I mean they won the game.

People don't even understand.

I still don't even understand it.

I don't know how it's calculated, but it drives me nuts.

How about you?

What do you think I'm agreeing with you?

QBR?

I like that.

Still don't even know what it is.

I only what does it even meant?

Sometimes?

Quarterback rating?

Yeah, well it's like it should be out of one hundred.

It's like one sixty, like one sixty eight.

That doesn't make sense.

Everything zero to one hundred.

That's what you learn in school.

What's the point of school When the quarterback ratings out.

Of one sixty eight, that doesn't make sense to me.

They win standard on it.

You might as well not go to school because the quarterback rating has nothing to do with zero to one hundred.

That's how every thing's calculated.

All right, over under six and a half times you fell asleep during a team meeting, that's gotta be over.

Like it's like, God, I was undergoing and really you're I'm talking even like a ten second eyes closed, like whoa, and you caught yourself.

That counts.

Still that count All right, I'm you're over.

I'm over.

I knew it.

But it was always tough because I was right in the front.

You were in the ball.

Yeah, that's why I go in the back.

Yeah, I've been a back guy my old time.

I was right in the front so they could see now, but man, I would say over for me, definitely over, I mean definitely over after eleven years of plane like sometimes after practice.

That's just the eyes that Alge Crumpler called it.

You know, you're in the boxing ring right now, like you're always boom.

Your head's always going back and forth like you're getting punched because your your eyes are close boomed.

Then you try to wake up like that and you try to contain yourself so you're in the boxing ring.

It's like, yo, you're in the boxing ring right now.

Wake up.

The only times it would be hard would be like those training camps practiced, like the after meetings of like a long training camp day.

Those are the toughest ones, man, And I'm tired after that and thirsty.

Pass me some Liquid IV jeels.

That was really nice of you.

This is white peach.

I like the white peach, and I like peach.

Ooh, I'm hydrated now after those tough questions.

Those are tough.

Wow.

That was another addition of do you know Ball presented by Liquid IV Get hydrated, Get hydrated.

He's been covering the Patriots for twenty five years.

He's one of the best reporters in the business.

The man we like the goll Big Piece, Mike Reese, Actually it goes Mike Reaves, Big Peace, Mike Greas, big Piece.

Welcome to the show.

So great to be with you, guys.

I'm so flattered that you asked me to come here.

This is great.

Well, we you know, we were always very comfortable with you in the locker room.

The Beat reporters are always around the players.

They're always having to do the dirty work where they got to get a story out every single day, and we needed some Patriot insight, so we're like, we got to get a big piece on the show.

Yeah, definitely.

And before we get started, I just want to say I appreciate how you go about your business.

Man.

You're a complete pro man.

I love talking to you.

I loved all your stories throughout my time in New England as well, and that just shows why you've been covering the Patriots for twenty five years as well, because you're complete pro who does it at the highest level and does a great job.

So congratulations on all your success covering the Patriots for twenty five years.

Jim too, I appreciate you guys saying it.

I love the idea that I've I chronicled your guys whole journey.

Like I remember you first training camp.

I like to tell the story and tell me if if I've exaggerated.

It was struggling to catch a punt and the fans were booing, and I always like to tell that story from that.

They were in college that year, you know, and oh man, that was unbelievable.

Joy.

Well, that's when Teddy Bruski was walking with me and he heard them booing by me and he goes, Buddy, they're just saying my name, Bruce, don't that's so good?

That was the veto And then Rob coming in in twenty ten and just to watch you, like I mean, and then to follow you down to Tampa.

And I remember.

Interviewing you virtually at the Super Bowl because we had to do it with COVID, and you just popped up and you're like, Hey, what's up, Mic and talking to mom.

You know, it was just you guys, are like I got to watch you grow.

It's so fun.

It's been, it's been, it's been awesome.

And now we're in Now we're on your side of the bubble.

You we're kind of in the media world doing amazing different style.

Different style, yeah, but you we're overall big picture.

Big pitch.

Yeah.

Now, you've been with the Patriots for twenty five years, so you've been to a lot of Super Bowls covering the team.

What's your favorite thing about Super Bowl Week?

So I just love that you get to see a different side of the players.

So like I'll give you example.

Opening Night, I get I'm small, so I get wedged into the front row with Drake May and I'm like, I'm just locking in on Drake for an hour and ten minutes.

So you're kind of like a motorcycle.

When there's traffic, you can just weave in and to where you need to get to.

So you get front and you might appreciate it.

I was next to Guillermo from the Jimmy Kimmels.

We were bringing the high level down so everyone behind.

Us you can see over us.

It was perfect.

But I love that and like so like in Tom, like I would do the same thing with Tom.

And I remember that Super Bowl where he was asked who's your hero?

And his eyes started to like get a little weld up a little bit and he's like my dad, and.

I'm like, like, so moments, I love Super Bowls because we don't.

Get that in the locker room when we're coming up and there's all of us gathered around you guys.

There is a little light at the end of the tunnel.

Even with the Patriots at media day in the Super Bowl, even during our time, meaning during the year, there was a certain way to handle the media.

We all know it.

It's been documented, not much so, but this is probably your first time where you guys feel comfortable enough to ask the player or us the off topic question because everyone's doing it and this is probably when we were at our time, probably our loosest.

Yeah, Media's Day is made for that.

For the players, Hey, get to know a player, ask questions that you normally can't ask.

And that's the Super Bowl is kind of providing that, you know, the NFL is providing that.

That's what the Media Day and that's why it's also Monday as well, so then you can get all those silly questions out of the way, so then those aren't answered, you know, end of the week and get in the way of the game of football.

And it brings about new stories as well, because you have two weeks.

How many more stories can you possibly have?

That's what's great about Media Day.

Hey, let's ask questions that generally you can never ask.

And you were talking about, Hey, how you got from row and you got to see another side of Drake Maye.

What was the other side that you got to see of him compared to the regular season.

Rub He was so relaxed, really like and he was enjoying it.

You know, usually we get him during the week and it's eight minutes and you know, everyone's trying to get a question in there.

And he was having fun.

And Will Compton was, you know, asking him questions about his wife, and he was playing along with it, and you know, different sort of fun questions.

And so I saw his personality aside of him that we haven't seen.

That's cool.

So could you tell a different did you ask questions of the Seahawks guys too a little bit?

I mean I was came in at the end, but I don't know them as well.

Yeah, you know.

So you think there's a confident, calmness of this Patriots young Patriots team going into their first super Bowl.

Definitely.

And I think that Mike Rabel has told him, like, enjoy this, you know, like we're here to work and finish the job, but let's make sure that you enjoy it and your family is enjoy it too, And I sense that from them.

Wow.

Yeah, and Rabel's better so many super bowls, I mean, your first super Bowl, I mean things are more uptight.

I feel like you don't really know what to expect.

He's been there so much that you want to be relaxed, and that's how you play your best football.

As well.

I remember my very first Super Bowl, Man, I was so up tight.

It was one of the worst experiences of my life because I had that ankle injury.

Remember two thousand and eleven Pollard fell on it in the AFC Championship game, and it was one of the most miserable weeks.

I was so uptight, and I felt like it led to, you know, the outcome of the game.

I mean, I'm not saying the whole outcome, but it led to the experience and me being uptight, not playing my best game, even though I only played twenty plays because of my ankle.

But you got to be more relaxed.

It translates and going into Sunday as well.

You had ask me, like what I love about covering Super Bowls?

Can I tell you both my favorite story of each of you in the Super Bowls?

So we'll start with you.

It was the Ram Super Bowl and they're actually it's the same super Bowl, all right, And you caught that pass from Brady and I chart in the press box.

Was at a twenty eight yards left.

Yeah, yeah, unbelievable, great catch over Littleton.

Yes, the linebacker, athletic guy too, and I still got around, still got him.

Right, And I loved it.

And so I'm charting the personnel in the press box and for the first time, as I'm charting it, I'm like, oh, that's the first play that they ever ran one wide receiver, two tight ends, and two backs, twenty two personnel.

So I'm like, by charting it, I saw this was different.

So you guys win.

I'm down on the field after the game and I go to Josh McDaniels.

I go, what was that all about?

You know?

Twenty two personnel?

He goes, I had to get him in base defense.

That was the only way I could get.

It, Like, you don't get that, Julian in any other game.

So that was from your catch that play out of twenty two personnel.

Does that sound right too?

Remember that?

Yes, yes it does.

And then at the MVP press conference the next day, that was you right, yeah, right?

The next day, I thought the MVP press conference the next day the next day, you have to go there media.

Sorry, I never bet on a Super Bowl close.

Yeah, Tom, if I got tackling in Tampa, if that guy didn't cut my legs out.

I would I have to touchdowns and like you would have had it, I would have had it easily then because I made time in that game.

I could read a great v press conference, right you, Bill, Plumber, remember the whole and then and then we were talking about the story that you would tell Bill, like could be better, you know, working better than being a plumber during all that, Plumber, we bump into each other in the rest room afterwards, and you say to me, you might not even remember because I don't think you had slept that night.

Jewels and freaking in bathrooms.

He goes, I got tons of stories.

Yeah, keep going.

He goes, how about that first ever Jewish m v P.

And I'm Jewish?

And so I said, do you mind if I take my phone out and we do that one more time?

So we did it into the phone.

I sent it back to my rabbis back home, and they were going nuts.

Julian's big in the temples rob.

Many of us.

That's a hell of a story right there.

That beats the story you just told about me.

By the story, man, you're giving me some goosebumps there, man, I love that.

Man.

That's that's special right there, because you're not just talking football, you're bringing culture into it as well.

And that just shows how great the game of football is because it brings people together just all over the place, and it brought you to together even though you're in the bathroom in the same stall.

I bet too, playing swords.

Huge boy, summer camp.

No, how many?

How many super Bowls?

Is this?

Mike?

So for me, you from Patriots, it's nine of the ten.

I didn't I didn't do that first one.

In two thousand and one.

I was working at a small newspaper.

We had two reporters, and because we were small newspaper, we had small budget newspaper, Metro West Daily News.

Yeah, you're like, you know, well, they call it farming.

One of the locals call it over there like him.

We were just with some Yeah that's where Buddy Farnham was from there.

You go, oh yeah, didn't he go to Brown?

He did go to Brown.

Yeah, he was like he was on the they had a crazy team.

Yeah, he did it all.

You've been to nine.

Which one's your favorite?

That's what I would say.

You gotta have a favorite.

Yea, probably you know what, Probably that Seahawks one that you both unbelievable fourthqu both of you in the fourth quarter.

I mean that fourth quarter was special, and I think the way it ended, I thought that game too, like that was a really good game.

Where it's like the Falcons one was a great end, like a great comeback, but.

Seattle one was a great game from the start of the game to end of the game.

I know exactly what you mean.

It gets overshadowed because of the other one, but it was honestly, I mean, that was the biggest fourth quarter comeback in NFL history on the Super Bowl at the time, it just so happened.

We had to be well, you've been there's.

So many Super Bowls, not out of time for the Patriots, and then that means you've been to so many different stadiums in so many different cities as well.

What has been the best Super Bowl city that you have been a part of.

That's a good one.

So like i'd rule out like the Minnesota's and the Indianapolis is.

Right right right off that you should have even brought them up.

That's giving them extra credit.

By just even bringing them up.

You would say how terrible that those cities are.

That probably, I mean maybe and guess what I lost in both of those cities in Philadelphia, we lost in Minnesota and in Indianapolis.

Yeah, yeah, we don't.

We don't win in domes, yeah, and cold weather domes.

That's what it is.

If we were anywhere else, we would have won both to those super Bowls.

I'm sort of going through my mind what I would say, Like I was going to say New Orleans.

I wasn't at that first one, but just like the scene down there, it feels like a good super Bowl scene.

It's it's definitely a great hosting city.

It really is New Orleans.

Just not enough hotels, that's all.

Now.

Yeah, now that we're on the media side, is there any advice for kind of our first Super Bowl media week as the media?

Yeah, so I think I think what you have that no I don't have that others don't is you've lived this.

So anything you can share about the experience is really powerful.

And not only have you lived it, like you're a Super Bowl MVP.

You know you made plays that were remarkable that few have ever made before.

So the more stories you can share, you know, behind the scenes, that bring that to life, I think people would start.

I would probably say just throughout regular season as well experiences that we've been a part of.

That's the advantage that we have.

You know, just talk about what it's like being, you know, playing games before Thanksgiving, playing on things, game stuff like that.

Definitely, that's cool, man, that's really cool.

Now we all know about the food spread that you always share.

I never heard of it.

Yeah, I want to know.

So what he does?

He does.

He does a review for all the food at the stadium really that the media is given right like, so basically sometimes the food is really bad that they serve reporters.

So I like to actually bring my own so I can control what I'm eating.

So what Usually I would take a picture of my seat where I watched the game from, and I'd be like, this is my office view for the game, and I the first time I had like a couple of snacks next to it, and then I was like I might need a few more snacks.

And it sort of became like a little bit of a growing thing.

And so now like I actually have to go shopping the day before the games and I have a pretty big snacks set up before game.

Are you don't I don't.

I'm not really I don't really rate them.

I just have like certain things that I do, like a night game.

I need like jelly beans too, because I don't do as great at night.

I do remember you posting a picture on Twitter like you get your game day snacks out of the press boxes at stadium this year?

Holy crap, now jelly beans.

I think which press box has the best food?

It's not bad?

You know what?

You know what Gilett does.

It's a home Stacey right there.

No, but so like Jillette Stacey James, media relations director, clam chowder every game the New England field.

Well, you must be on his good side because he ain't ever given me clam chowder.

If you come like, how about this the last two weeks lobster rolls expensive?

Right expensive.

We'll be right back after this quick break.

I always thought the Fenway, the Fenway lobster roll is phenomenal.

Good.

Yeah, but what's crazy is a lobster roll is actually, to me, kind of over rated.

I think so too.

In order for it to taste good, you have to put eight pounds of butter on it, or you gotta put eight pounds of butter or mayonnaise on something.

You can do that to anything and it tastes great, gotcha?

Yeah yeah, I mean you put eight pounds of butter on me, I'll taste great.

Might be a little different.

So let's jump into this this matchup.

Yeah yeah, we've already talked about it, I know, Mike, Oh yeah, you're right, true inside information.

I got a question first before the match up.

When was there a point in this season when you were like, Okay, this Patriots team is the real deal?

Week five Buffalo that Sunday night, and you know what it was?

It was that one play for me second half when Drake rolled out to his right and hit Digs on the sideline.

Because I'm like, oh, I didn't know, you know that he can make those type of plays now anything, anything's possible, you know.

And then you're like, okay, can they keep it up?

And they just sort of kept stacking the wins after that.

But that was the game that for me changed changed my outlook.

That was play of the year as well Man and Diggs like tapped his two toes in and shrugged off big defensive lineman Drake.

That was like incredible that How what's the like, how is this building different than when the building when we were in what's the difference.

It's a vis it's so to me, it's really different.

And I would say, you know that I could only know so much about the building from where I stood, Like I was in the locker room for forty five minutes.

You were in there every day, So I think that's important, Like I don't know the coach's offices and stuff like that.

But it's just more relaxed to me, Like players are sort of like looser, and I think Mike Rabel like wants he's more willing to say like like John Striker stretch their game strategy guy, their Ernie Adams.

He's like, go interview him, like talk to him, Like you know, we would never talk to Ernie.

Did you ever talk to Ernie?

Yeah?

Ernie, but now we have yeah specialist.

Okay, I love Dernie, so you would talk to him.

But I mean I think more like it just feels like a little looser and just a little bit of like this is not like Bill Belichick had his style and it was effective.

I think Mike's style is like a lot different.

Yeah, well, what's similar would you say in the building the vibe of the building now compared to the vibe when we are playing, there has to be some similarities, like what are some of those things?

So maybe when he has his team identity, so hit the second point in the team identity is details, fundamentals and technique.

Yeah, and I felt that makes sense.

I felt like that was a big Is that fair?

That's very fair.

I mean, I believe that's why we won plenty of games because of that reason, especially details and fundamentals.

Bill was always harping on fundamentals, and that's a big reason I believe why the Patriots are even into Super Bowl and they win games like they won last week because they know how to play fundamental football and situational football as well.

Yeah.

I for me, it's it's the complementariness of the team.

They don't necessarily like Drake didn't throw for three hundred yards for like half the season, right, but the guy was still up there in yardage.

They don't go out to go out and get stats.

They like our teams.

It was about having one more point than the other team.

Strategically, how do we do that?

Is it running the football in the third quarter, keeping that other explosive offense off the field.

Is it somehow getting that one third down to extend, like they're doing a lot of those things that we used to do and those fundamentals that you talked about tackling, Like they're a really good tackling football team.

If they're going to run zone, they tackle and they swarm like there's never really a huge play beat up like they got beat on that.

There's not really a huge play or like a you know, some explosion play that you always see on the defense that gives up.

They're always kind of in the right area.

I just don't they don't beat themselves.

Yeah, from what I heard with Rabes, we got to be a good a good enough football team to execute against bad football.

Yes, it looks like they do that.

They do, And I love your point about the ego Liss, like they're really not there's not a lot of egos in there, which I felt like that was similar to you guys.

Definitely and you I feel that as well.

Just watching them on TV.

You see that.

Yeah, now they they they seem looser there, but you can still feel an accountability factor.

How do they get that done?

From your eyes?

So it's like I think Rabel has got that nice mix of like he holds them to the standard alpha right holds them to the standard, but also isn't afraid to laugh at himself and like have some fun with it.

So I think that's that's that's the mix.

To me.

It's very rare that someone's like that, you know.

So I think the key is that he still he doesn't compromise on this is what the standard needs to be.

But we're gonna have fun doing it, and I'm gonna poke fun at myself even as I demand.

More of you.

Here's something that's really never talked about, not barely with any team actually, and I believe it's a crucial aspect to being a good football team.

How does this New England Patriots team practice?

You know?

I feel like that's why they're one of the better teams.

I feel like they practice like how they play, and they're ready, they're gamed ready as well for all situations.

How how does this team practice?

How did they practice throughout them?

I'm so happy that you asked the question, because this is actually a huge difference from when you guys were there so psyching, No, it was, so it's really because it's as fast.

This is something interests me.

Yeah, it's so different.

You were there twenty four years a Bill and Gerard was really an extension of Bill, so like they only practice with the shoulder pads, no thigh pads really, And so at the start of the year I had I'm like, what's going on here?

I think that's right?

Yeah, really, and I and I remember asking Mike and he you know, he likes to come at you a little bit.

I'm like, like, what's the deal with with no full pads?

And he's like, well, I don't think you need.

Thigh pads, Mike, you know, like, I mean, you can't cut in the game, so why would you wear thigh pads in practice?

And and it actually was interesting to me because he's right.

But at the same time, some players from your Guys era might say when you put the thigh pads on, there's a little bit of a mentality like hey.

Where I mean you tell me?

You guys think that I can tell you this.

If you have your thigh pads in, you wouldn't think it's full practice.

Yeah.

And also coach would you send you He would send you back in the locker room and say put your thigh.

That's the genius behind it practice.

But that's the genius thing behind it.

He's getting guys to actually practice in full pads doing the same shit.

But when you don't have the thigh pads, you feel like you're gidding rewarded somehow.

So these guys are like, this is a full paths were right, And that's always on Thursday.

I think you guys would be on Wednesday, right, So it's a totally different and he lightens the load.

I feel like on certain guys, like if it's a question, they don't practice, whereas I felt like you guys practicing because of the that's great, that was that's really interesting.

How is Drake's arm from what you've seen his shoulder right?

So yes, so I have not seen anything which makes me a little, you know, like uneasy, because usually we go to practice and see it when we went to practice last week.

By the way, another difference, Rabel uses the indoors.

He might have used the indoors more this year than you guys combined in your entire career.

Which is that just so he just use it twice then used it twice last week, rub so that's another difference.

But but but the arm he didn't throw when we were there, so they were resting him last week.

Was it Was it a prior injury or was it an ongoing injury?

Do we have any feel that combination?

Is my view.

It happened in the third quarter when he's thirteen yard run when the Broncos safety of tanga fell on him and you saw him come up a little bit and then but he also I think also the wear and tear of the season, you know, so combination of the two.

I asked him Monday night at the opening night, like, how's your arm?

He said, I took all my normal throws.

And this was in Wednesday's practice, and he said he felt like he turned the corner on the flight, like when they landed.

And I was laughing because I'm like, yeah, you get off the plane in California in sixty degree whether you guys.

Tell me you feel good?

Right?

Yes?

So, I mean it's it's been tough back home.

I don't know if you guys have been back in Massachusetts.

The last couple it's been following it cold, no way, but cold, yes, viciously cold.

And it's been kind of mild last few years.

Yes, it hasn't it.

It has.

I mean even the last couple of years I was there it was like a little it wasn't quite when you know in twenty fourteen where they had to when we had the parade, they had to postpone it because we had a dump.

I mean, the whole Northeast is so cold.

I'm from Buffalo and the Niagara Falls half of it's frozen.

Like it looks so cool.

I saw a picture the falls like it's frozen, like I was like, I didn't know that was possible.

That's how cold it's bad.

I've always wanted to see it in person, frozen, so I might take a trip back.

We got to go check it out.

I know, imagine like like ice skating over the falls and like you're safe, you're frozen.

You're not good?

All right, Mike, give us a little insight a key matchup that no one's talking about that we should be kind of weary about going out this game.

I love it.

I think you guys covered it.

So I was going to say the Rashid Shahed concerned about him in terms of just like you as a returner.

Team and his speed specialations.

Definitely he's to me, He's like what to them what Marcus Jones is to the Patriots.

So that's one of them.

And I think what I like the run defense because my my read on defensively how the Patriots are viewing this is a lot goes through Kenneth Walker.

So if you can limit what they do in the run game, it's sort of basic.

It allows you to hopefully get after Sam Donald and try to force him into mistakes.

And the one thing I heard you've been on this Jeerling, because I've been listening with Milton Williams.

He said, Sam Donald, he's was quoted saying this last week, is like c J.

Stroud that if you let him sit there in the pocket, he's going to pick you apart.

So he said, it's their job to do what they did to c J.

Stroud, pressure him, try to force him putting the ball into harms.

I don't know if anyone can be as bad as one playoff hey though, but hopefully they can.

They can, you know, rattle Sam Donald like that, I know what you mean.

I mean, if they get that's what I was talking about.

If they can stop Kenneth Walker and make it a drop back pass game, not a pass game, because if you play the game under Seattle's circumstances, they're going to run the ball with Kenneth Walker.

If you stop them on first and second down on that run and you get them into the third and seven or longer, that's when the game is going to become the game for the Patriots.

So you know, I think that's a huge key for the Patriots.

I've been talking Milton Williams and bar Moore, those two, those are your two dogs.

Yeah, you got to ride them dogs.

Yes, Vrabel says, the big dogs come out in January.

Did you see that?

Like, and hey, someone's got to eat.

That's that's right, someone's got to eat.

Like that matchup a lot.

Who's the potential unsung hero, potential unsung hero?

I thought Marcus Can I do Marcus Jones?

Even though I just mentioned them, I think Marcus Jones.

So they had asked, you know, us at ESPN to make a prediction with an m v P.

And I always try, you know, anyone can say Drake may you know, like, but how that's just right?

How cool would it have been in twenty eighteen if I was like Julian Edelman and I hit do you know what I mean?

I don't remember you, I don't I don't think I did, I know yeah at the championship game, championship I know m v P right came on me.

I don't know if I wasn't as bold back then.

So what is Mark So, Marcus Joey, what does he have to do?

Are you talking?

Also make some plays on defense as well?

What I was thinking was a was a pick six and even a return for a touchdown because so to me to get the m v P over like, it's weighted toward the quarterback, right, like, let's be on.

That's the only way.

Yeah, that's true, Miller.

Yeah, but what did von Miller do again?

A sack fumble to the touchdown?

There you go, So you gotta have a touchdown.

You got to be like very like, you got to be he hasn't pick any houses very well known because of the play that you're doing in that he has a pick any houses?

A kid that he can be m VP.

That's that's what's qualified for m VP if you're not a quarterback.

That's right.

Yeah, that was the first thought I had.

Marcus rob hit the last.

Yeah, well, if the Patriots do this, they will win the game.

What's this?

So we talked about stopping the run, so let me get away from that, let's say zero turnovers.

Okay, cliche, Yeah, but I was thinking that's more Seattle though.

Seattle has zero turners.

Because you were talking about because they haven't turned it over in their two playoff games, so they were they were minus I want to say they were minus one the regular See.

What if both teams don't have any turnovers?

I think the Patriots maybe still win it.

So there we go.

That would be Is that but that I feel like that was a little bit of a cliche answer.

Yeah, that's like saying Drake may is m VP.

You know what I mean, Like no turn I'm trying to think of something better.

You know.

Stefan Diggs catches six passes.

I was thinking that because he hasn't been talking about all week long.

Either.

There we go, There we go.

Okay, of my favorite Patriots receivers, yes, all right, competitiveness number one right here, Digs.

He's like, he's like close, Julian, he's because he's like, you know, he's like he's got juice, got juice.

You know when we signed him in the beginning of the year.

Well, on this show, I think I said I loved it because not because it's Digs because it's digs off an injury out of Buffalo.

In the narrative that he had he's got so much hunger right now.

I said his hunger could light up that room, which it has so great.

It's such a great thing.

And like like the your competitive spirit, like you you know, what you like wouldn't be denied, Like that's what he has and heat and he just like it ignites, like to your word.

Mac, you know, then you got Mac in there who's tallying along with is hungry too, always hungry.

Yeah, I mean you got Pop in there, so like they're all taking that identity.

But I think it comes from if you're the highest Paig guy in that room, it's got to come from him.

And he's done a great job this year of swallowing his pride, not not having the crazy numbers that he's used to having, but understanding that this is a team game.

If I get my couple in here, I do my stuff in the run game, Like that's huge when you got your highest paid guy doing that, and he's done it all year.

It's and for him, like you know, he only played fifty five percent of the offensive snaps.

And I think prior to this year, he was usually like seventy five to eighty percent or higher.

So like that he bought in.

And one of my favorite things was he said about Rabel, because Rabel, the culture that he set has been really impressive to watch.

He goes, I don't know how he did it, but he got me to buy in, and I'm like, that's.

So, you know, you know, And I also feel that he's got that fine line Rabes where he's got that Bill shit, he's got that Bill knowledge, but he's been through it and he's he's been coached in it his style, and then he brings his style of freaking alpha figure that when he comes in the room, you feel him, you know what I mean, just because of a not just his size and stuff, but it's his knowledge of the game.

It's his little wittiness where he can he could he could slap you down with a joke, but he can show you in that joke, hey don't funk with you know what I mean.

That's just kind of how he is.

He's got that presence, that that aura, you know what I mean.

It's it's authentic.

There's like a real to him, right like you can tell when someone's feaking it.

It was like me going crazy my first couple of years.

You couldn't even get on me, Like.

We have to tell can we tell one more story?

Yes?

All right?

So you know I'm pretty serious, right, Like this guy, just being around him brought me so much joy.

So we're in Orchard Park and you know he got some record, you know he hit somebody with all right, and this was right and this this was like the record was the number?

What the number?

Catch?

You know?

This so so telling you so so I'm in there, mister siious, now right, I got ESPN.

I gotta be serious and asked the question, Rob, how do you feel about your you know, your record catch you what number is it?

And that well, that's exactly what he asked me.

He goes, well, Mike, and I don't know, I might be graduating.

He goes, Mike, but what what number are you talking about?

What?

What number of catch?

And I'm like, you know, your your record catching?

What number?

And just my face beat red, you know, because it was the number between sixty eight and seventy and we just we were just having a blast today.

Did you did you end up saying it was my sixty ninth catch?

I think I think I had to say it.

Yes, I got him jew in the face bright Stacey James, the media relations.

His face was pink.

It's just so fun.

But like I appreciated the joy, like do you know what I mean?

Like as we get older, like we.

All needed that joy.

Yes, because I was serious Sally over here and serious Sally and there was another you know what I mean, Andy, right, And that's right.

You needed a guy like Rob to like calm you down.

And he and that's how big his character was.

His character was so big that he made the reporters feel comfortable and happy.

You know when these guys came in shipping their pants because no one wanted to talk to them after mother f for twenty minutes about the practice that we just you know what I mean, it's it was a it was a tense environment and when Rob walks in, it starts a Mike.

What number was it?

You know what I mean?

Everything.

It was also that it was in buffal but there was another time.

I think it was in Pittsburgh.

I had the sixty nine touchdown of my career.

Yeah, I think no or I broke the record for most touchdowns receiving touchdowns or Patriot records.

There was another instance in Pittsburgh where number sixty nine had had to do with something or like just I mean just wild, just wild wild.

It's just meant to be.

But before we.

Get going, Mike, we appreciate you coming on, dude.

You've done so much for the fans of New England.

Also just so many great stories, and you've just been such a professional, like I said it began of the show and doing such a great job.

But where can people you know, find you?

Where can they hear you?

Where can they read your articles?

Because it was crazy all of a sudd did I call into a New England Patriots radio station?

Was it hub?

The Hub?

And all of a sudden, I mean, he's just asking me questions out of nowhere.

I'm like Mike Grace, big Piece asking me questions on nine eight point five, when did you start working on this nation?

So like, where can we find you?

Where can we find you?

Can't hear you?

It's the best Super Bowl Zoom Tampa Bay.

I'm next up to ask a question because I wanted to ask him about his mom because it's great story.

You know, he's down in Tampa's visiting mom and like in front of everyone like super Bowl media zoom, Hey Mike Reese, big piece, see you again, And.

I'm like, oh, man, Like he's going to get in trouble as well.

He said I have a big piece.

But he's like, all right, it's crack.

He's actually he can get away.

He can say in front of everyone, yeah, in front of all media members.

I'm dropping his name.

But I was creative last week when I got on, I go, it's Mike Reese, who loves recent piece.

Pieces changed up, We're changing off, We're going off.

I could throw everyone off every given time too.

We'll be right back after this quick break.

But where can we find you?

So on ESPN dot Com, sometimes on TV, reporting on Sports Center, NFL Live.

So I appreciate you guys having me on.

Man, you know how much respect that I have for you guys, and you flattered me like asking me to be here.

I'm just saying, like the highlight of my super Bowl week because it's so cool to just be on the other side of this with you guys.

I mean, that's a lot of years two thousand and nine we were together, from when you started in twenty ten, Like this is sort of cool that we're still connected and it means a lot to me.

I appreciate you guys.

We appreciate you coming on.

I mean your hard work and your dedication to getting the whatever the fan needs to hear about football associated with the Patriots.

I mean, it's it's very impressive and it's so incredible what you do each day because people don't realize.

Man, these guys got to get a story out every day and every job full time, and it really is.

I still give.

I feel so bad for the times that they had to get stories sometimes and we didn't want to give story.

We would give you guys, and these guys got a job, this is their job.

He would be just digging and clawing and we'd be like, we're gonna play hard.

But Mike would always give.

Mike would always read the room, and he knew try.

Mike knew knew when to ask the question, and knew how to ask the question without asking the question to piss us off.

Yes, So sometimes that's hard.

I gotta tell you one more story.

So I knew, like I knew with you like that.

I said, that looks different, like I don't know x's and OS like it couldn't draw up great plays.

But I'm like, I can look at a receiver and be like, oh, that guy cuts different, you know where, like he accelerates fast.

So I asked Bears at the time, I go, hey, can I just talk to Bill after practice?

I need to ask him a question about Edelman, you know, the seventh round pick.

This was two thousand and nine, and Bears as he hear, what often do let me check up?

Yep, you're good.

Just walk down the steps with Bill, you know, into the tunnel.

And so this was after a train it must have been a training camp practice, right, And I said, tell me about Edelman, like, I just I love the way he moves, he goes.

I'm not sure exactly how we're going to use him, but that guy's a football player.

And I'm like, you know, and I'm a reporter, like I got to sort of stay neutral.

But when you know Bill, like when he can deliver stuff like you know, like get a little like, I'm like, all.

Right, my read was right, you know, like and so and that was like cool.

Stories if you were talking to Bill about the actual game of football, he can go on all day about that.

He can explain how a player plays like fifteen paragraphs long on just how he can block.

I'm just one certain play.

It's incredible before we let you go?

Sorry, How how do you guys feel about Bill not getting in the first spell?

So disappointed?

I'm so disappointed for him, just because I you know, I feel like, one he deserves it, and two I know I think that would mean a lot to him.

And I actually feel like he should be more involved in the Hall of Fame to like get that Hall of Fame where it needs to be.

Like, I feel like something's off right now, right, like the fact Robert Kraft can't get in, Like like something's not right.

But it's a winningness program in a history do you know what I mean?

Doesn't make sense?

And I feel like if I was there, I'd be like, let me get Bill, Bill, what do we need to do to fix it?

And you know what I mean?

And he can't even get in, you know what I mean?

So, Hi, Law and Richard Seymour, those are the only two patriots in Yeah, oh yeah, they just don't like us.

They just don't like us.

Well, if you can't beat us, then vote us out, all right, Last.

But not least, we want to give our official dudes on dudes predictions, and we're not just talking about the final score of the game.

We gotta get some we gotta get some prop bets.

We got to get some a little what do they say, a little skin in the game, the inside of the skin in the game.

All right, fine, coin toss heads or tails jewels?

Tails always fails.

I'm going heads.

Head's never dead, all right.

Will the Seahawks attempt a pass on the one line?

This is getting deep down now, Yes or no?

No?

I believe no.

Also because there's way too much trauma.

Yes, they would hand off the ball.

They got a handle.

I think, just by principle, they're going to probably handle ball off every time they're on the one yard lege or what if they do a little reverse psycho on them, a little reverse psycho?

All right?

What's the next one?

What color of liquid will be poured on the winning coach?

Easy?

Orange?

Patriots love orange?

I know the Seahawks love orange.

What do you think I'm going blue?

Going blue?

Yeah, I mean blues mainstream.

All right.

The winner of this game, oh.

Winner, gotta go Patriots twenty eight to twenty four.

It's gonna be a repeat of Super Bowl forty nine, You're going twenty eight twenty four.

I'm going Patriots twenty four to twenty final score.

Gronk's domas Gronch Domas.

Who's the MVP?

Oh MVP.

I'm gonna go with because I just love Mike Reese so much and he gave me the hitting gem.

I'm gonna go with Marcus Jones.

He's gonna have a return for a touchdown and he's also going to have a pick six for a touchdown.

I got Booty.

I like Booty as an MVP.

I just I feel that this offense has been real condensed because of the conditions.

We're gonna have some nice fair weather out there.

To bring them up one time, just now on the hour and a half podcast about the Patriots, because I.

Wanted to say that for the Super Bowl MVY Booty.

Once Drake gets going, he's gonna have some long, explosive plays.

I know what it is.

It's like when you see that girl with that nice booty, you don't want to tell anyone about it because you want that booty?

What are you talking about?

So do you talk about me?

To talk about Booty?

Because he's gonna be the MVP.

That's what I'm talking about.

Well, you're onto my little secrets, Rob.

And that's another episode of Dudes on Dudes brought to you by Liquid Iv.

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