So he's just

like a 30-year-old receiver, right? It's not like you have a young explosive.

But here's what the crazy part is.

The one thing that you do notice.

He's 33, Matt Collin.

33? I was retired.

I was retired.

How is that possible that he was unaware of the quarterback's shoulder injury?

Huge.

Yeah, I think if y- I mean, obviously it's early in the season, but from the trajectory of an, a division game, you're playing Buffalo in Buffalo, potentially the, the toughest team that you're gonna face in your division.

Um, it, I, I right now think it's probably the biggest challenge for the Patriots to date, and this game's gonna be the biggest one for their season moving forward.

Um, just the way it looks.

I would say the, the optics of how the game looks, and are they sloppy? Are they having some penalties? Are they, you know, competitive, right? Last week we were not competitive, so it, it's tough when you watch a game, um, that's not competitive, and then you have multiple penalties, uncharacteristic penalties.

I mean, you can't have taunting penalties when you're down 23 points.

I was shocked.

That seems to happen.

So he's just

like a 30-year-old receiver, right? It's not like you have a young explosive.

But here's what the crazy part is.

The one thing that you do notice.

He's 33, Matt Collin.

33? I was retired.

I was retired.

How is that possible that he was unaware of the quarterback's shoulder injury?

Huge.

Yeah, I think if y- I mean, obviously it's early in the season, but from the trajectory of an, a division game, you're playing Buffalo in Buffalo, potentially the, the toughest team that you're gonna face in your division.

Um, I, I, I right now think it's probably the biggest challenge for the Patriots to date, and this game's gonna be the biggest one for their season moving forward.

Um, just the way it looks.

I would say that the optics of how the game looks, and are they sloppy? Are they having some penalties? Are they, you know, competitive? Right? Last week we were not competitive, so it, it's tough when you watch a game, um, that's not competitive, and then you have multiple penalties, uncharacteristic penalties.

I mean, you can't have taunting penalties when you're down 23 points.

I was shocked.

That seems to happen.

Huge.

Yeah, I think if y- I mean, obviously it's early in the season, but from the trajectory of an, a division game, you're playing Buffalo in Buffalo, potentially the, the toughest team that you're gonna face in your division.

Um, it, I, I right now think it's probably the biggest challenge for the Patriots to date, and this game's gonna be the biggest one for their season moving forward.

Um, just the way it looks.

I would say the, the optics of how the game looks, and are they sloppy? Are they having some penalties? Are they, you know, competitive? Right? Last week we were not competitive, so it, it's tough when you watch a game, um, that's not competitive, and then you have multiple penalties, uncharacteristic penalties.

I mean, you can't have taunting penalties when you're down 23 points.

I was shocked.

That seems to happen.

So he's just

like a 30-year-old receiver, right? It's not like you have a young explosive.

But here's what the crazy part is.

The one thing that you do notice.

He's 33, Matt Collin.

33.

I was retired.

How is that possible that he was unaware of the quarterback's shoulder injury?

... with Drake and just the whole thing?

Are we the, we're the overreaction New England fan base, right, with everything.

I, I...

You know, Drake, obviously, you have to understand, you're coming off the highs of a great season.

Um, this year we have these m- expectations, these massive expectations.

"Oh, they go get AJ.

They get a number one receiver." Um, you know, when you lose a guy like that in the game, it could rattle you a little bit mentally as well, and you're starting to think, "All right, our offensive line, our receivers, who's our new number one now? Who's my number two go-to guy? Who am I gonna feel comfortable with moving forward?" So I'm not hitting the panic button at one and one.

The guy that was playing, one of the few veterans, was Mack Hollins, and now he's your number one receiver and he had to take a, a bonus pay cut.

get sick immediately.

Well, you guys are in this.

I mean, this one, at least this studio, is a little cleaner than the other one.

You called it.

Yeah, I called it.

I mean, listen, I'm not trying to be this Debbie Downer over here.

I just thought going on the road.

So Wiggy's been, and Curtis, others, been asking if they have a confidence issue when it comes to Drake May.

Every time Wiggy's sick, I get sick immediately.

Well, you guys are in this.

I mean, this one, at least this studio, is a little cleaner than the other one.

You called it.

Yeah, I called it.

I mean, listen, I'm not trying to be this Debbie Downer over here.

I just thought going on the road Playing in Seattle, they had the hoopla.

So Wiggy's been, and Curtis, others, been asking if they have a confidence issue when it comes to Drake May.

So Winky's been, and Curtis, others, been asking if they have a confidence issue when it comes to Drake May.

I see you listen.

I think that our offense in general, when you watch – Tom Brady run this offense.

We've seen other quarterbacks run this offense.

It is set up through running the play action pass.

So when you have to run those type of plays, you have to set it up through running the football because what you're trying to do is influence the linebackers to get up into the line of scrimmage.

Then you pull the ball out and you throw the intermediate routes.

Maybe you get a field goal before halftime.

So Wiggy's been, and Curtis, others, been asking if they have a confidence issue when it comes to Drake May.

I see.

Listen, I think that our offense in general, when you watch...

Tom Brady run this offense.

We've seen other quarterbacks run this offense.

It is set up through running the play action pass.

So when you have to run those type of plays, you have to set it up through running the football because what you're trying to do is influence the linebackers to get up into the line of scrimmage.

Pause.

I've never been a part of that, but...

I have personal experience with that, and it stinks.

So 2006, I blew my knee out, so that was my rookie year.

Come back the next year, the Saints are playing in Indianapolis, Thursday night football.

Do the whole rehab, I'm back.

I tore my other MCL, so I'm not back, but I practiced, I put the brace on.

Head coach says I'm good.

Gronk works the

I've never been a part of that, but...

I have personal experience with that, and it stinks.

Yeah, so 2006, I blew my knee out, so that was my rookie year.

Come back the next year, the Saints are playing in Indianapolis, Thursday night football.

Do the whole rehab, I'm back.

I tore my other MCL, so I'm not back, but I practiced, I put the brace on.

Head coach says I'm good.

Gronk works the

Every time Wiggy's sick, I get sick immediately.

Well, you guys are in this.

I mean, this one, at least this studio, is a little cleaner than the other one.

You called it.

Yeah, I called it.

I mean, listen, I'm not trying to be this Debbie Downer over here.

I just thought going on the road.

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Was there any point in your career that you're like, why didn't I just take the blue collar route? Why didn't I go hang beams?

So there were plenty of times like when I when I was a rookie, I tore my ACL, MCL, PCL.

My knee was completely gone.

Right.

And I had to have that fixed.

And I was like, all right, this is going to be a tough one to come back from.

Maybe it doesn't work for me.

it.

thing?

Probably his consistency.

Because if you watch just what he does now, it's how he prepares for television and then how he takes care of his body.

So literally to get in shape or to be fit, it's just discipline and consistency.

So for him to be so good for so long and then transition into the booth and be so good for so long, he has to be consistent and he has to be able to do that over and over and over again.

And I think that's why he was so successful in his professional career.

And then when he went to television, he's been even probably more successful, right? He stuck around for so long, and he's still doing it at such a high level.

And what's the moment that stands out the most to you in Troy Aikman's career?

You know, in 2007,

when we played the Giants, it was a similar, eerie, similar final minute of the game where they had a crazy last possession, sideline catch, just crazy, crazy stuff that they were doing.

And when I go back to the Seattle game, That last drive, I kept thinking to myself, okay, we just can't give up a touchdown here.

And then we had another crazy catch with a bobble catch, and then they run the ball.

We're on the one-yard line.

I'm thinking it's going to be a run, so I'm putting myself in the best position to stop the run.

And, you know, to their credit, I would definitely say – I was ramped up to stop the run.

I mean, come

How do you set an edge on him?

Good luck, you know, throw an anchor out there, but no, I mean, so they're going into a situation where the Patriots defensive front is playing a substantially better offensive line.

And Sean Payton is going to understand, like, listen, if we can dictate upfront how we run the ball, controlling the ball, the time of possession, the, Let's keep the offense, the Patriots offense off the field.

Let's have longer drives.

We have a quarterback in here that hasn't started a game in three years or played a game in three years, like a real game.

Like, let's keep the passes short.

Let's keep them to the open.

they got to be on the ball when it comes to that stuff this game um and then obviously the biggest matchup and i was going to ask you about this was will campbell against benito and the offensive line for the patriots because i thought last week and i think will campbell is going to be a very good pro man yeah and he already is a good player and you you you see him all the time i'm sure but um benito at home is going to be another level

(cheering) (clapping)

Something I remember to, to second what Gronk was saying, I always heard...

I remember the coaches preaching to us, "Get vertical.

They're a zone team.

They're, they swarm." And like Gronk said, they do what they do, and they were so good at what they did.

And everyone played such tight defense on a string, that like you had to get the ball, get vertical, not turn the ball over.

They're gonna try to strip you.

Yeah.

RIP.

Sparano.

Yup, Sparano.

So when I was in the weight room, I was working out and Parcells walks in and he puts his hand on my shoulder.

He goes, "Hey, you're that Nikovich kid, right?" And I was like, "Yeah." He's like, "You remind me of a guy I drafted in New England.

Teddy Bruschi." He's like, "You, you should be an inside linebacker." So instantly I'm like, "Shit, I'm not gonna be a pass rusher." 'Cause he thought I was too short.

Like, he was 6'2".

GM?