Oddsmakers really hate the Miami Dolphins.
The New England Patriots are favored by between -10.5 and -11.5 points points this week, according to OddsShark.com, and they’ll be without tight end Rob Gronkowski, who’s suspended for Week 14. It also appears offensive tackle Marcus Cannon, linebacker Kyle Van Noy and defensive end Deatrich Wise won’t play. We don’t know if wide receiver Chris Hogan or defensive end Trey Flowers will be on the field at Hard Rock Stadium.
And the Patriots still are favored by double-digit points!
The Patriots definitely have been rolling, but that’s a lot of points by which to be favored.
Let’s get into this week’s mailbag.
Wil hogan play this week
— @CheyenneSulli14
I don’t know if Hogan — or the Patriots — even knows if he is going to play yet. Hogan said Wednesday that he’s day to day. We’ll try to catch back up with him Friday or Saturday to see if his status has changed, but whether or not he plays likely will be decided based on how he reacts to a week’s worth of practice.
It’s not unusual for a player to be limited in his first week back at practice and miss the game. Hogan almost certainly will be listed as questionable for Monday night’s game if he does indeed practice all week. We’ll find out Sunday night if he traveled to Miami.
It would be great to have Hogan back as a red zone option with Gronkowski suspended this week. The Patriots need a bigger, dependable player to target near the goal line. But it would be dumb to rush Hogan back before the Patriots play the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 15. That game is exponentially more important than this week’s matchup against the Dolphins, since the Patriots can lose Monday and still be in line for the No. 1 seed if they beat the Steelers.
Is Jonathan Jones the next Malcolm Butler? As in, is he the reason they may be okay in letting him walk? I hyped up JJ to my wife on a date last year. I’d like to see him succeed. Also, I’m a boring date.
— @HeyCoachBart
I think he very well could be. And if he’s not, then he’s at least the next Kyle Arrington or Logan Ryan, meaning he can man the slot in the Patriots’ defense for years to come. Jones has been an extremely dependable option while playing inside in the Patriots’ secondary, taking on receivers like Jarvis Landry and Jordan Matthews.
I think he has the ability to play outside too, but his lack of height does limit him a bit. Based on pre-draft measurements, Jones is a little over half an inch shorter than Malcolm Butler, and Butler already is short for an outside cornerback.
I think the Patriots would be fine at cornerback next season if their depth chart is Stephon Gilmore, Jonathan Jones, Eric Rowe, Cyrus Jones and someone else, whether that be Johnson Bademosi (a free agent after the season), Ryan Lewis, Jomal Wiltz, a free agent or a draft pick.
Obviously the Patriots would be in better shape if they elect to bring back Malcolm Butler.
Also, I’m sorry to hear that.
Is Kyle Van Noy the Patriots 2017 non QB MVP?
— @qualitysmoke
Eh, I don’t think so. I would probably give that to Gronkowski, and I suspect Monday night’s game against the Dolphins will show that. Though quarterback Tom Brady had a solid statistical performance, the Patriots only got in the end zone once in Week 5 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers without Gronkowski.
While the Patriots’ defense can somehow perform better while losing its best players, that typically has not been the case with the offense, though it has played well without Julian Edelman this season.
Who do you think the top 3 over and under achievers are based on preseason hype? #maildoug
— @quanneh
Overachievers have been linebacker Kyle Van Noy, running back Dion Lewis and cornerback Jonathan Jones. Center David Andrews and running back Rex Burkhead are honorable mentions.
Underachiever candidates would be running back Mike Gillislee, tight end Dwayne Allen and maybe rookie defensive end Deatrich Wise, who hasn’t made much of an impact since early in the season after he shined over the summer.
You have three minutes to live. You’re in a room with one boombox and a greatest Christmas hits CD that includes every holiday song ever made. Which one are you playing as you take your last breath?
— @EmersonLotzia
OK, so the answer is Darlene Love’s “Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home)” because it’s the greatest Christmas song ever written.
But how about a Top 10 list of Christmas songs?
1. Darlene Love – “Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home)
2. Mel Torme – “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”
3. The Beach Boys – “Merry Christmas, Baby”
4. Jimmy Eat World – “Last Christmas”
5. The Ronettes – “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus”
6. Elvis Presley – “If I Get Home on Christmas Day”
7. Darlene Love – “All Alone on Christmas”
8. The Pogues – “Fairytale of New York”
9. Mariah Carey – “All I Want For Christmas Is You”
10. Bruce Springsteen – “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town”
Here are some lesser known Christmas songs I dig too.
Glasvegas – “Cruel Moon”
Phoenix – “Alone on Christmas Day”
Would you go as high as 4.5M per for 3 years for Dion? What is happening with Gillislee?
— @Captmike24
No, I would not, and I don’t think he’ll command that much, though he’s currently playing like he’s worth it. I can’t see Dion Lewis making more than $3.5 million per season based on his injury history. Lewis is only 27 years old, but based on how long he’s been in the league (2011) and all the injuries he’s accumulated, teams might view him as being more beat up than a normal 27-year-old running back.
And Gillislee? He’s not as good or versatile as the three running backs ahead of him on the depth chart. It’s as simple as that. I think the Patriots would trust him if Lewis, Burkhead or James White went down with an injury, but they just don’t need him right now.
Eric Lee budding star or product of gameplanning? Or mix of both?
— @billstanton1217
Let’s go with game-planning for now, but he’s definitely shown flashes.
Eric Lee reminds me of a former Patriots pass rusher with the same first name, Eric Moore, who was on the 2010 team. He had two sacks and a forced fumble in his first two games with the Patriots, though he was at a totally different point of his career, six seasons in.
He was released the next September and briefly caught back on in Dec. 2011. Let’s hope Lee has a better fate.
Brady… missing practice… need info… blah blah blah
— @PlanetWalter
He has a hurt Achilles, and he needs a few extra days each week for treatment. There’s not much more to it. He’s going to play Monday, and unless he suffers a more severe injury, he’s going to play every game moving forward, too.
Let’s go rapid fire.
What was the best question you ever asked to Belichick? #MailDoug
— @erickperdigao
It was probably asking him if the Patriots give players they acquire right before the season or at midseason a longer leash than those they grab during the offseason before training camp.
He seemed to like that one, at least.
Rank the flavors of Neapolitan ice cream
— @zlehan91101
1. Chocolate
2. Vanilla
3. Just throw away the carton
How’s Olivia?
— @jcmccaffrey
She’s the best.
Favorite albums of 2017?
— @JMetal_PhD
Do you think Pats-Steelers gets flexed to SNF? #maildoug
— @Marino______
It can’t, thankfully. That game will be played Dec. 17 at 4:25 p.m. EST.
How much better is it this year with no deflategate to cover?
— @greenleaf_chris
We don’t use that word anymore, Chris.
In your opinion, who would be the best guy to hire/promote to OC if Josh McDaniels leaves after this season ?
— @ThomasRbrt
I’d either try to poach Brian Daboll from Alabama or promote wide receivers coach Chad O’Shea.
I don’t think McDaniels leaves, though.
Does Will Tye get called up this week?
— @JustinMH90
Odds are on no.
What’s your social security number? #maildoug
— @DrChimRitchalds
696-96-9696
@DougKyed If you were an owner/GM hiring a HC, who would you rather have, Josh McD or Matty P?
— @carlmarcuslewin
McDaniels.
Why can’t players squirt the water bottle themselves? Drives me crazy
— @WWJackDo
Maybe they can’t aim the water through their facemasks.
Do the Patriots run the read option with Brady this year if they are in desperate straights? #mailDoug
— @MrQuindazzi
Maybe if a couple more receiving targets go down.
Buds or Bugs on the Gronk suspension? #MailDoug
— @coxcourtney
Bugs for the actual hit.
Buds for the suspension. He deserved it.
How has Marvin Lewis held onto his job for so long? #MailDoug
— @BradyToCooks
Because the Cincinnati Bengals are the most weirdly run organization in the NFL.
Who’s the next man up after Cam Fleming at RT?
— @PatriotsRiot
It would be Cole Croston.
How do Billionaires not understand that they can pay less than $40m for a punching bag?
— @AnthonyCurtis68
No, they do understand that, which is the problem. They love that punching bag and don’t want to lose him. They’d pay anything for him. Like $40 million .
Pats going to win the SB? Yay!! ????
— @gemcos12
It’s definitely possible!
If you put one slice of pizza on top of another, and eat them both while holding them together, does that mean it’s a sandwich? #maildoug
—Â @DirtyWaterBuzz
Is two slices of bread a sandwich? No, it’s just a weird thing to eat. I think you need something between the pizza, like a fried fish filet, to make it a sandwich.
That would be gross, though. Don’t do that.
