This week on The Gridiron and Beyond, the voice of the New England Patriots, Bob Socci sits down with three-time Super Bowl champion and Sports Hub personality, Ted Johnson.

Ted explains why comparisons between the current Patriots defense and the unit he played on in the mid-2000s  -- as well as some of the modern greats in other NFL cities -- are valid; reacts to Michael Bennett's comments coming off his team-imposed suspension and describes the impact he Mohamed Sanu should have on New England's offense.  Plus, Ted tells us about the nickname Pats linebackers in his day gave themselves!

This week on The Gridiron and Beyond, the voice of the New England Patriots, Bob Socci sits down with Andrew Callahan of the The Boston Herald about the acquisition of Benjamin Watson as well as Eric Tomlinson, and some of the factors that have contributed to the diminished playing time of defensive lineman Michael Bennett, who was suspended this week for conduct detrimental to the team.

This week on The Gridiron and Beyond, the voice of the New England Patriots, Bob Socci sits down with Doug Farrar of USA Today and author of “The Genius of Desperation: The Schematic Innovations That Made the Modern NFL.”

They discuss the Patriots defense and how it compares with the greatest defenses of the last 30 years; why Devin McCourty is playing at an All-Pro level that rivals; and who is most likely to challenge them the rest of the season.

This week on The Gridiron and Beyond, the voice of the New England Patriots, Bob Socci sits down with Jim McBride of the Boston Globe.

Bob and Jim discuss the Patriots' kicking situation, they review last week's win over the Buffalo Bills, and look ahead to what's in store for New England in the upcoming weeks.

This week on The Gridiron and Beyond, the voice of the New England Patriots, Bob Socci sits down with former NFL player and current 98.5 The Sports Hub host, Mike Flynn.

Mike discusses the dominance of the Patriots defense and, as a former NFL center, tells us how the combination of talent and scheme(s) challenge opponents.  He also explains the common denominators shared by great defenses of the recent past, including his own Baltimore Ravens teammates in 2000.

They also explore the potential effects of injuries on the Pats' offense, the early-season problems they've experienced in their running game and league-wide rash of penalties thus far this season.

This week on The Gridiron and Beyond, the voice of the New England Patriots, Bob Socci sits down with former New England Patriots linebacker and current 98.5 The Sports Hub personality, Ted Johnson.

They discuss the Patriots' Week 2 thrashing of the Miami Dolphins, and how impressive the defense has been so far. Socci & Johnson also air their concerns about the offensive line, and their impressions of Antonio Brown's on-field debut for New England.

Plus, they touch on the injuries to quarterbacks Drew Brees and Ben Roethlistberger, the empowerment of the players, and much more.

This week on The Gridiron and Beyond, the voice of the New England Patriots, Bob Socci sits down with Matt Dolloff, writer & columnist for 985thesportshub.com to talk about the Antonio Brown saga as it stands so far. Matt also previews the upcoming Week 2 game against the Miami Dolphins at home in South Florida.

Bob is also joined by Joe Schad, from the Palm Beach Post for an in-depth look at the Dolphins organization, his thoughts on head coach Brian Flores, and how the Patriots' struggles down south may not be indicative of the result of the upcoming matchup at Hard Rock Stadium this weekend.

This week on The Gridiron and Beyond, the voice of the New England Patriots, Bob Socci sits down with Aditi Kinkhabwala (@AKinkhabwala) of the NFL Network for a preview of the New England Patriots' season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night.

+ Addition by subtraction?  Following a drama-free filled 2018 featuring a late-season collapse, a healthy Steelers team devoid of distractions opens the new season focused on a return to the playoffs... 

+ Ben Roethlisberger isn't so big anymore, thanks to an emphasis on offseason conditioning; nor is he weighed down by the need to force-feed his once-favorite target now playing in Oakland...

+ Pittsburgh expects the money and draft capital it invested on defense to yield a big return in what could be a crossroads season for longtime head coach Mike Tomlin...

+ While trying to kick her way onto a future NFL roster would be a longshot for soccer star Cari Lloyd; it wouldn't necessarily be out of her range...  

+ How Devin McCourty gained an edge while watching twin brother Jason and awaiting his own turn at Rutgers.

This week on The Gridiron and Beyond, the voice of the New England Patriots, Bob Socci sits down with Devin McCourty.

McCourty discusses the recent retirement of Andrew Luck, Rob Gronkowski's emotional press conference and the health scare for David Andrews and explains how players -- long seen as "gladiators" -- are now being better understood as people.

Devin also describes his inspiration and motivation to use his football platform for important causes outside the game, as well as his ability to balance his evolving off-field role with his demand on-field job.

Plus, he tells us why the Patriots defense was able to pick up where it left off at the end of last season and explains how it can meet high expectations this year. 

Preseason Week 2 is here, and the voice of your New England Patriots, Bob Socci joins us for another episode of The Gridiron and Beyond from Nashville. This episode features Patriots running back Brandon Bolden and center David Andrews, as well as Evan Lazar of CLNS Media and @ezlazar.