New England Patriots Links 11/24/09 - Marching Onward To The Saints

Bill Belichick talks about the New Orleans Saints' offense...

It's everything. It's wherever you want to start - running backs, quarterback, tight ends, receivers, offensive line, the scheme, all the different things that they do [and] that Sean [Payton] does offensively. You've got to defend a lot of scheme, a lot of players. They score a lot on defense. They've got a whole bunch of turnovers. It seems like every game you watch they are running one or two interceptions back for a touchdown. I bet they've had two or three of them called back that they've run back for touchdowns. I don't know how many they've had, but it's a lot. Usually, you've seen one or two of those a year from a team and these guys got one every week. They are pretty dangerous. Kickoff returns for touchdowns, interception returns for touchdowns, strip sacks, and pick up and run them in for touchdowns. You've got to try not to let them score when we have the ball.

...and the Patriots defensive line.

I think those guys have been very competitive. I think they play well. And we've been able, with Vince [Wilfork], moving him from inside to outside, he certainly gives us a level of flexibility that is valuable. Myron [Pryor] can play inside as well, he gives us some snaps in there at the nose and so has Mike [Wright]. I think we've gone up against some good offensive lines, we are going up against another one this week. So we've got challenges every week, but I think those guys are working hard. They are competitive. They work well together. They have pretty good continuity. Jerod [Mayo] missed a couple games there early in the season. We've had pretty good continuity at linebacker with Gary [Guyton] and Jerod, and I think that's helped our overall run defense and the consistency of the same guys, playing behind those defensive linemen. So they get a feel for them and the defensive system with their reads and so forth. The Jets are a good running team. They lead the league in rushing. I thought we did a competitive job against them. They got some yards there at the end of the game in their two-minute drive on some hand offs, but up to that point I thought we were competitive in the running game.

TEAM TALK

• Erik Scalavino saw a gritty performance by the banged-up O-Line as crucial to fending off the Jets aggressive defense.
• Leigh Bodden addressed the media at his locker Monday.
• Patriots Today: Pats rebound to topple the Jets.  (12:53 min. video)
• WEEI Patriots Monday: Tom Brady (24:20 min.), Chris Baker (9:30 min.), Leigh Bodden (8:56 min.), Vince Wilfork (13:40 min.), Ty Warren (9:55 min.), and Bill Belichick (31:10 min.).
  

LOCAL LINKS

• Christopher Price lists his Ten Things we learned Sunday, including a team meeting that took place on the players' day off with no coaches present.  Brady was impressed with the leadership displayed by the younger players who want to make themselves, and the team, better.
• Jeff Howe notes the Patriots' mental stamina is the unspoken hero in their win over the Jets.
• Gerry Callahan asserts the Pats have much to prove in New Orleans Monday night, and the biggest question mark is on the defense.
• Karen Guregian reports Pats CB Leigh Bodden feels the Patriots D has their respect riding on the Saints game.
• Shalise Manza Young says the Patriots eyes are on the Saints, not the playoffs.
• Albert Breer follows Bill Belichick as he traces Wes Welker's journey to the New England Patriots and tells why he wasn't drafted.
• Michael Hurley reports that when needed, Laurence Maroney is a workhorse in the Patriots backfield.
• Christopher Price offers some highlights from Belichick's appearance on WEEI's Big Show.
• Adam Kilgore notes Leigh Bodden is only focused on his play right now, not his contract situation.
• Albert Breer looks at who's up (Welker, Bodden, Wilfork) and who's down (Connolly, Moss, Lockett) after the Patriots' big home win.
• Mike Reiss looks at where the Patriots rank in key statistical categories through Week 11, with the big jump coming on third down defense after holding the Jets to 2 of 10.
• Mike Reiss looks at the snaps played by Patriots defenders in the team’s 31-14 win over the Jets.
• Ron Borges grades the Patriots on their week 11 effort.  Let's just say their grades improved from last week.
  
• Mike Reiss notes Saints QB Drew Brees says Monday night's game 'doesn't get any bigger than this.'
• Mike Reiss reports practice squad member WR Terrence Nunn is set to sign with the Bucs.
• Adam Kilgore notes Bill Belichick is 1 for 5 in winning his challenges.

NATIONAL NEWS

• Mark Cannizzaro (NY Post) Ryan curses out Pats for rubbing it in.  The Jets head coach felt disrespected after Brady's long ball to Moss late in the game.
• George Willis (NY Post) It's about time for Rex to get four-letter furious at his own team.  Rex needs to hold his own team accountable for the one-sided score.
• NFL.com Deion Sanders counts down the top 10 performances from a wild Week 11. Leigh Bodden number 6, and "I love me some Wes Welker" number 2.
• Mike Triplett (Times-Picayune) New Orleans Saints shift focus to New England Patriots after 38-7 win over Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
• Peter Finney (Times-Picayune) New England Patriots will provide New Orleans Saints supreme test.
• Michael Lombardi (Nat'l Football Post) Races for the playoffs begin now so buckle up.
• Tim Graham (ESPN) Cowher tells Bills no thanks for now.
• Tim Graham (ESPN) Braylon Edwards still glad he's a Jet.
• Don Banks (SI) Inside the NFL: Chargers leaving Broncos behind.
• Jerome Bettis (SI) Bus Stops: Lions worth watching; time to bench Jay Cutler.