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Mike Reiss, ESPN editor
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Quick thoughts and notes on the New England Patriots and NFL:
1. Belichick’s QB approach: By the time the Patriots finished the week of practice the day after Thanksgiving, coach Bill Belichick still had not informed his quarterbacks who would start Sunday’s road game against the Patriots. New York Giants (1 p.m. ET, Fox).
This was intentional – and unconventional, as is often the case with Belichick.
“I’m just waiting to find out,” one player said before leaving the locker room Friday. “People probably don’t believe it, but that’s how he does it.”
Sources said practice reps were split about 50-50 between MacJones And Bailey Zappe, with Jones usually getting the first nod. The complexity of the Giants’ blitz schemes under coordinator Wink Martindale and Jones’ ability to sort through them led some in the locker room to believe Jones had the advantage. A recent practice in which the defense recorded several interceptions against Zappe helped lead another player to believe that Jones would ultimately be the choice. Will Grier will not be an option on Sunday, since the Patriots waived third-string quarterback SATURDAY.
By hiding his decision from his quarterbacks and the rest of the team throughout the week, Belichick apparently made the calculation that the unknown would sharpen the concentration of each player more than the announcement at the beginning of the week of a player leaving could rally.
“Everyone has their own things to work on – just focus on what you have to do, be ready to go and don’t worry about what everyone else is doing. I think that’s good advice for all of us ” Belichick said. .
Players, such as offensive tackle Thirty Brownechoed this message.
“That’s what it’s going to be at the end of the day,” he said of the QB situation. “Personally, I just have to do my job. Everything else around me doesn’t matter.”
When Belichick met with reporters Tuesday and Friday after the Patriots’ Week 11, he kept repeating the same answer when asked about his QB plans, saying he told every player to ‘be ready to go.
Needless to say, any time a team has to choose between two quarterbacks, it’s usually not a good thing. Some might have viewed Belichick’s approach to the media as playing on the subject, and perhaps there was a bit of that – the next time Belichick announces a starter to reporters before telling his team, what would be a first.
But in reality, it was mostly part of a calculated approach, combined with intensive coaching behind the scenes in the hope of creating a spark.
Not much has worked for Belichick this season. Whether it works is a remaining layer of intrigue in a disappointing season 2-8.
2. Mac X-ray: When Jones went to get an x-ray after the team’s loss to the Colts in Week 10, they were checking his right shoulder/arm, according to a source close to the test. Game statisticians had credited the Colts with nine quarterback hits against Jones, with the final blow coming when the 291-pound defensive lineman Bryan Bryan drove him to the ground two passing plays before his badly overthrown interception. Jones acknowledged last week that he works through things like any NFL player, saying, “Every week it’s a car crash in its own way, so you try to get over it. I think the week off helped with the body’s recovery. . Looking forward to finishing strong.”
3. Draft position: When a 3-8 team (Giants) hosts a 2-8 team (Patriots) in late November, a notable longer-term subplot is how the game could impact draft position. According to data from ESPN Analytics, the Giants (85%) and Patriots (59%) have the third and fourth best odds to land a top-5 pick in the 2024 draft, behind the Bears (95%) and Cardinals (88%). %). ). This would be the Patriots’ first top-5 pick since arriving at defensive end/outside linebacker. Willie McGinest fourth overall in 1994.
4. Trent’s story: It seemed important to Brown, the starting left tackle, to share with reporters last week that he had sought a second opinion on his right ankle injury, saying the second exam revealed both high and low sprains. the ankle and that the injury was the main one. reason why he missed the last two games.
He pushed back against speculation that an off-field issue was the cause of his absence, speculation which was sparked in part by the club listing “ankle/personal” on the injury report. Brown said attending his uncle’s funeral was his personal problem and that he had hoped to spend more time with his family while the team was in Germany, but he had to be in New England for treatment. detoxification.
The injury occurred on October 22, and he attempted to ride it out the following week in Miami, before calling it quits.
“I tried my best to do it for the team, but I wasn’t at my best. I felt like I was doing more harm than good,” he said, sharing his view that he was arguably the team’s best offensive player all season long. first eight weeks of the season. “I want to be myself again. By fighting in situations like that, you overcompensate and also create problems on the other side.”
Brown, who is expected to become a free agent after the season, said the second opinion included X-rays of his knees and ankles.
“(The doctor) told me he didn’t expect any (long-term) problems, good genetics, no arthritis,” he said.
5. TD Drought: Points have been hard to come by for the Patriots, who rank 31st in the NFL with an average of 14.1 per game. Consider that they’ve gone three games this season without a touchdown, tied for most in the NFL (Titans and Giants) and tied for most in a season under Belichick (2020). The last time the Patriots went four games in a season without scoring a touchdown was 1991, when they went 6-10 under Dick MacPherson.
6. Barmore’s inspiration: Third-year defensive tackle Christian Barmore has been a bright spot in recent weeks, saying his improved game against the run is the result of moving his feet more consistently and reading his touches more effectively. He also highlighted his personal inspiration by spending the weekend off at his home in Philadelphia with his 4-month-old daughter, Shiloh. “That’s why I do it. Especially when things get tough, and there are days when it’s hard to keep going,” he said.
7. Tavai’s call: Linebacker Jahlani Tavai declared his appeal of a $10,463 fine for unnecessary roughness in Week 10 loss to the Colts – for a hit on the receiver in the third quarter Isaiah McKenzie — is scheduled for Tuesday. He believes in player safety, but also in preserving the integrity of what he sees as physical play by the rules that can energize a team. “I have no bad intentions towards other players,” Tavai said. “Big successes like this can be a turning point for us. They boost our morale.”
8. Slater saves $14,000: Every Saturday, the NFL reveals which players have been fined for rule violations, but it usually goes unnoticed when a player’s fine is overturned. Along the same lines, Patriots special teams captain Matthew Slater reported that its appeal of a $14,819 fine for the team’s Week 5 game against the Saints was successful.
Patriots safety Kyle Dugger was fined $20,266 for unnecessary roughness in last week’s game (1st quarter/11:58), while Matthew Slater was fined $14,819 for unnecessary roughness (3rd quarter/1:21).
No penalties were assessed on either play.
-Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) October 14, 2023
9. Did you know? — Part I: The Patriots are 16-7 after a bye week under Belichick.
10. Did you know? — Second part: Sunday will mark Belichick’s 423rd game as Patriots coach, tying Don Shula for third place for most games coached with a single team – behind only George Halas (506 with Chicago) and Tom Landry (454 with Dallas) .
