Bill Belichick offers his thoughts about the upcoming Jets-Pats game to the media Monday.
We're back at it here. The Jets are really an impressive team to watch. It's easy to see why they have the best record in the league. They do a great job at everything. Their return game is good. Their kicking and coverage teams are good. Offensively, they can run it; they can throw it. They've got big-play receivers, production out of the tight ends, [LaDanian] Tomlinson is the leading receiver, a lot of production out of the backs. They're doing a good job with the offensive line, mixing some personnel groups in there.They give you a lot to get ready for, and of course defensively, they're a good coverage team, good pressure team, strong against the run, good situational team.
Rex [Ryan] has done a really good job of putting that team together. They're obviously well coached. They're solid in every phases of the game and in the games where they have had to make plays at the end of the game, whether it's to get the ball back or score or whatever they've had to do, they've done it. So they're really doing a good job in clutch situations playing good situational football. They have strengths in every area of the game. It's a very solid football team and a big challenge for us Monday night, so we've got a lot of work to do, but we're always looking forward to the matchup with the Jets.
Matt Patricia discusses Jerod Mayo's performance so far this season.
I think Jerod's production is a result of him just working really hard at doing what he's supposed to do on the football field for us. All of us don't really look at individual stats and are really more concerned with the team and how the team is doing. I know that's Jerod's focus every week. I don't think he really cares about who had what tackles, certainly on our team and definitely within the league. I think the only thing he wants to do is go out and win and I think that's the most important thing to the team and he'll do anything he can to help us.
TEAM TALK
- Monday Conference Calls: Bill Belichick (10.30 min.), Matt Patricia (5.57 min.) and Nick Caserio (7.59 min.)
- WEEI Patriots Monday: Tom Brady (17.55 min.), Vince Wilfork (15.40 min.) and Deion Branch (9.55 min.)
- Patriots Today - Business as usual for Branch. (2.58 min. video)
LOCAL LINKS
- Boston Globe Graphic on how the Patriots and Jets match up so far this season.
- Ian Rapoport reports the Patriots begin their key stretch with Monday night's game against the Jets.
- Mike Reiss offers a few picked-up pieces from Bill Belichick's Monday conference call with reporters.
- Paul Kenyon reports Rex Ryan and Bill Belichick have nothing but kind words for each other.
- Monique Walker focuses on the "rookie wall" and how the Patriots young players are dealing with it.
- Greg A. Bedard looks at how bad the Patriots' defense is and concludes the Patriots' offense better not stop scoring. Ever.
- Christopher Price explains why we should never doubt Danny Woodhead.
- Ian Rapoport notes this will be Darrelle Revis' first game against the Patriots without Randy Moss.
- WEEI Patriots Monday highlights: Tom Brady - Deion Branch - Vince WIlfork.
- WEEI highlights Bill Belichick's appearance on The Big Show yesterday afternoon.
- Boomer Esiason appeared as a guest on WEEI's Dennis & Callahan Show yeterday morning.
- Mike Reiss notes kicker Shayne Graham received a vote of confidence from the Patriots' brass yesterday.
- Kirk Minihane makes the case for Tom Brady as the uncontested MVP.
- Mike Reiss finds there have only been 4 games with teams that are 9-2 or better on Monday Night Football since 1990, and coach Belichick has coached in three of them.
- Mike Reiss tells us the Pats-Jets Monday Night Football game will be called by Mike Tirico with analysts Ron Jaworski and Jon Gruden.
- Mike Reiss looks at the breakdown of sub and base defenses used by the Patriots against the Lions and for the season so far.
- Mike Reiss notes the Patriots' road game against the Bears on Dec. 12 at Soldier Field has been flexed to 4:15 p.m.
- Shalise Manza Young Patriots Notebook: Bill Belichick "Really just focused on the Jets" wasn't even going to touch the Josh McDaniels' situation in Denver; Tom Brady's MVP candidacy is growing as his numbers rise; Shayne Graham has been solid on field goals and extra points, but relatively short on kickoffs; Fred Taylor and Jarrad Page might be activated against the Jets; Injury update.
NATIONAL NEWS
- Tim Graham (ESPN) Jets at Patriots: Is it next Monday yet?
- Tim Graham (ESPN) Bottom line on Jets-Patriots rematch.
- Andy Kent (NFL FanHouse) Jets, Patriots playing for high stakes in latest edition of bitter rivalry.
- Greg Bishop (NY Times) Jets and Patriots mind their manners.
- Tim Graham (ESPN) Select this week's High Energy player of the week: Tom Brady, Chad Henne, the Dolphins' run defense or Brad Smith.
- Vinnie Iyer (Sporting News) Patriots QB leads tight MVP race.
- Chris Chase (Yahoo! Sports) Ryan says he and Brady have looks, supermodel wives in common.
- Steve Wyche (NFL.com) Tight races should provide fitting cap to exciting season.
- Joe Fortenbaugh (Nat'l Football Post) Let's blast through Week 12.
- Jerome Bettis (SI) Inside the NFL: Chargers are hot, but don't overlook Chiefs in AFC West.
- Doug Farrar (Yahoo! Sports) The Shutdown Corner All-Underrated Team: The offense.
- Dan Shaughnessy (SI) Moss shows his true colors, wears out welcome with three teams.
- Shane Bacon (Yahoo! Sports) Is short the new trend in the NFL?
- Ed Bouchette (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) NFL rejects James Harrison's fine appeals.
VIEW FROM NEW YORK
- Steve Serby (NY Post) Gung-ho Green: We're gonna win.
- Mark Cannizzaro (NY Post) Jets underdogs on paper, but not in own minds.
- Manish Mehta (NY Daily News) Jets tone down the trash talk, but Rex Ryan continues with vocal ways, expects Jets to beat Patriots.
- Jenny Vrentas (NJ Star-Ledger) Ambitious Jets taking more subdued approach to Patriots showdown.
- Ian Begley (ESPNNY) Rex will use brother Rob as resource to prepare for Pats.
- Jane McManus (ESPNNY) Rex Ryan: Jets built team to top New England Patriots, win Super Bowl.
- Conor Orr (NJ Star-Ledger) From New England, Patriots not exactly adding to hype machine.
- Steve Serby (NY Post) Jets coach promises no fear vs. Patriots next Monday.
- Tim Bontemps (NY Post) Jets aim to stop ex-mate Danny Woodhead.
- Jane McManus (ESPNNY) Jets wishing Woodhead well -- to a point.
- Mark Cannizzaro (NY Post) Jets' Ryan 'models' self after Patriots' Brady.
- Mike Lupica (NY Daily News) Rex Ryan is a character in mold of Casey Stengel and Bill Parcells, but wants Bill Belichick's rings.
- Kevin Armstrong (NY Daily News) Rex playing his Patriots games.
- Justin Terranova (NY Post) Jets should take any 'ugly' wins they can get.
- Mark Cannizzaro (NY Post) Woody sits out Jets practice but plans to play vs. Patriots.
- Rich Cimini (ESPNNY) Jets to audition PK Kris Brown, could boot Folk.