Wes Welker talks about the team's focus this week.
"I think the key thing is self-scouting and making sure that we're staying on top of everything and then getting better this week. And I think that's key for us [to] just go out and get better and do better this week."
"We take it very serious. We're in a great position right now, and you can't take these kind of opportunities for granted. [We need to] understand that we're in a good situation and we need to make sure that this is a time we need to rise above and make sure that we're staying on top of everything and hitting on all cylinders."
Vince Wilfork addresses what it's like to practice without a game on Sunday and what the team wants to accomplish.
With us not having a game this week, I think we're trying to stay in our regular routine - going out to practice and putting us in pads and everything - just so we don't lose a lot. [It's] understandable, understandable. I think we got some good work done yesterday. I really think we got better as a football team yesterday and we need to continue that today. I'm looking forward to another good practice today and hopefully that will be enough with the guys that are banged up. At this point in the year, you have a lot of guys with all types of injuries and bumps and bruises so we need to make sure that we can get those taken care of. [We're] looking for another good today, so hopefully we can get it done.
Our goal is to win. Everybody has a job to do. I don't care if you're a quarterback, receiver, defensive lineman, linebacker, whoever that may be, a kicker, you know what your job is. At the end of the day if you do your job, hopefully we can win.
TEAM TALK
- Erik Scalavino tells us what happened at Thursday's practice at Gillette.
- John Cockrell Friday Out-Takes: After further review.
- Thursday Press Conferences: Vince Wilfork (14.16 min. video) and Wes Welker plus Transcripts.
- Patriots Today - Profiling possible opponents: Baltimore (3.44 min. video)
- Patriots Today - Welker on Pro Bowl and more. (5.06 min. video)
- Patriots Today - Thursday update from practice. (1.47 min. video)
- Patriots Today - Storylines from 2010: Part 2. (3.20 min. video)
LOCAL LINKS
- Mike Reiss reports Bill Belichick, apparently pleased with the work the team conducted in demanding full-pads practices Wednesday and Thursday, has given players a long weekend.
- Christopher Price picks out the five most important things we need to know about the Patriots at Thursday's practice.
- Danny Picard offers some notes from Thursday's practice at Gillette Stadium.
- Ian Rapoport explains Belichick speaks, captains pass it on, players trust. What everyone believes is that there is something different inside Gillette Stadium than was present in 2009.
- Ian Rapoport lists at five factors that led to the Patriots to 14-2, with their eyes on Dallas.
- Dan Shaughnessy says if the Patriots find themselves hoisting the Lombardi Trophy, they are hereby prohibited from saying, "Nobody thought we could do it."
- Monique Walker reports Tom Brady has a receiving corp he can trust.
- Jeff Howe reports Danny Woodhead, medically cleared for practice, is doing everything he can to be prepared for the playoffs.
- Mike Reiss says Marques Murrell was surprised when New England called to bring him back, and saw it as a reward for his discipline of staying in shape and training as if he were on a team.
- Christopher Price says Shayne Graham and Matt Katula aim to make their own mark in the postseason with the Patriots.
- Mike Reiss says Vince Wilfork liked what he saw on the practice field Wednesday and was hopeful the team would put together another solid day Thursday.
- Mary Paoletti notes no Patriots team to win a Super Bowl ever did it sitting lower than 19th in the league in total defense. As recently as Week 14 the Pats were ranked 31st.
- Tom E. Curran offers his collection of 2010 Patriots moments that mattered.
- Mike Reiss talks to ESPN's First Take about how Bill Belichick is managing the Patriots during their bye week. (1 min. video)
- Ron Borges spotlights little known former Patriots employee, NFL trouble-shooter and problem-solver Jack Mula.
- Alan Siegel (SB Nation Boston) The Descent: a look at Randy Moss’ long, strange season.
- Mike Reiss offers the transcript of his weekly online chat.
- Shalise Manza Young answers her weekly reader mailbag.
- Steve Silva looks at 10 of the most beloved Patriots teams going back to 1974, and wants to know which one was your favorite of all time?
- The AP presents a pick 6 of amusing quotes from the 2010 NFL season.
- Ian Rapoport Patriots Notebook: Wes Welker is healthy and ready for the playoffs; Players had their second full-pads, intense practice in a row Thursday and then Belichick gave them Friday-Sunday off; Brady was named AFC Offensive player of the month for December.
- Michael Vega Patriots Notebook: Vince Wilfork hopes to avoid being fined for his hit on Chad Henne; Wes Welker said he didn't feel this was his greatest year but is happy about being added to the Pro Bowl squad; Injury updates; Myron Pryor returned after missing 7 games with a back injury; Playoff ticket info.
- Jim Lazar makes his Wild-Card Weekend picks. Saints, Colts, Chiefs and Eagles survive.
NATIONAL NEWS
- Jane McManus (ESPNNY) Jets' Rex Ryan disses Tom Brady while praising Peyton Manning.
- Tim Graham (ESPN) Rex Ryan says Tom Brady a propped up QB.
- Johnette Howard (ESPN) Tom Brady still wears the playoff pants.
- Gary Myers (NY Daily News) Jets have good shot to get past Peyton Manning and Colts, but road to Super Bowl ends vs. Tom Brady.
- Brian Baldinger (NFL.com) Wilfork a great example for young Pats.
- Greg Gabriel (Nat'l Football Post) 2010 NFP Offensive All-Rookie team. Rob Gronkowski gets the nod for best rookie TE.
- Matt Williamson (ESPN) Scouts Inc. ranks the top 10 rookies after Week 17 of the 2010 NFL season. McCourty and Gronkowski make the list.
- Michael Silver (Yahoo! Sports) 49ers' new GM gives victory to grinders. Silver discusses Belichick 'grinder' guys Thomas Dimitroff and Nick Caserio.
- Tim Graham and Paul Kuharsky (ESPN) Double coverage: Jets at Colts II.
- Tim Graham (ESPN) Dolphins humiliate Sparano, then keep him.
- David Fleming (ESPN) NFL playoff overtime scenarios.
- Tim Graham (ESPN) A look at new overtime rules for playoffs.
- Ross Tucker (ESPN) Whom coaching changes really affect.
- Peter King (SI) Weekend pickoff: NFL Wild-Card weekend.
- Sunday Countdown (ESPN) Wild-Card Weekend Picks from Ditka, Johnson, Carter and Jackson.