Bill Belichick talks up all that is good about the Indianapolis Colts.
On to Indianapolis here, I think there are certainly a lot of things that are familiar with this team: their schemes and a lot of the players that we saw from last year. Of course there are few new faces in there too, some guys that we usually see a lot of that aren't in there as much for injury reasons or they're not on the team anymore. It's still a very familiar scheme and they do a good job.
They're well coached. I think their coaching staff does a good job of creating the same problems that they always create offensively with their no huddle and their check-with-me program. They have a lot of hard guys to defend there, of course starting with [Reggie] Wayne, they do a good job each game of spreading the ball around, getting it to their receivers, their tight ends, the backs as well, changing the tempo on you. Defensively, of course, the ends, [Antoine] Bethea, I think their young linebackers have done a good job too. [Pat] Angerer has really come on and he's done a real nice job for them.
They're an active, aggressive front that is quick and fast, very athletic – different from what we've seen from some other teams that are bigger, stronger type guys. These guys have real good movement and the linebackers run well. Those are some of the things that we'll have to be ready for. Of course, they have an outstanding field goal and clutch kicker. Those things we have to be ready for here this week.
Bill O'Brien touches on the third wide receiver position and the development of Taylor Price.
Yeah, it's basically definitely a week-to-week deal. It's based on a lot of different things. It's based on practice, it's based on the game plan, it's based on the health of each position. We'll have to see how it goes because, to be honest with you, it's real early in the week and we're still game planning this game right now and we'll see how it goes starting tomorrow.
I just believe that not one person can fill exactly one role. I think it adds to the diversity of the offense when a lot of different guys contribute to different roles.
We're moving onto Indy. We'll see who's ready to go on Wednesday when we go into practice tomorrow and start entering the game plan. It's a week-to-week deal and this week it could be somebody different. It could be Taylor, it could be Ocho [Chad Ochocinco], it could be Tiquan [Underwood], it could be somebody you've never heard of. That's kind of the beauty of what we do. At some point in time, hopefully every one of those guys will contribute to what we're trying to get done.
All those guys at that position, it's how you practice, it's how you study, the opponent, the game plan and being able to go out there on the practice field and do it consistently every day. I think all those guys try to do that and try to be consistent and that's why it's been a pretty good position for us this year. Taylor is trying to fit into that position and he's working at it and hopefully he'll get there.
TEAM TALK
- Game Preview: New England Patriots vs. Indianapolis Colts. Broadcast info, series history, team connections and more.
- Andy Hart notes Julian Edelman showed his athleticism with a red zone stop of a scrambling Vince Young that kept the Eagles off the scoreboard.
- Ask PFW: Many fans are still unsure about New England's defense.
- The New England Patriots announced today that they have released DB Phillip Adams.
- The Patriots-Eagles CBS featured 4:15 game, shown locally on WBZ, was the highest-rated Patriots game of the season.
- Tom Brady nominated for FedEx Air Player of the Week.
- Conference Calls: Bill Belichick (7.47 min. audio), Bill O'Brien (9.16 min. audio) and Nick Caserio (12.12 min. audio)
- PFW In Progress - 11/29/11: Recap of the Patriots 38-20 win over the Eagles and preview of this week's match-up with the Colts. (2 hour program.)
- Patriots Today - Belichick, Wilfork on WEEI. (4.03 min. video)
- Patriots Today - State of the O-line and more. (3.27 min. video)
LOCAL LINKS
- Greg A. Bedard points out that despite Philly's poor showing, the Pats should feel good about how they executed their game plan in all three phases.
- Jeff Howe reports Bill Belichick talks up Curtis Painter and the Colts defense minutes before the QB and coordinator lose their jobs.
- Greg A. Bedard takes a closer look at the Colts at each position.
- Tim Britton reports the Colts still matter, according to Bill Belichick.
- Chad Finn knows that there's a lot to like about the 2011 Patriots, despite the local radio programs that habitually emphasize the negative.
- Chris Forsberg serves up some leftover nuggets from Tuesday's conference calls with the media.
- Chris Forsberg notes the Patriots are shedding no tears for the Manning-less Colts.
- Karen Guregian reports Troy Brown is a big fan of Julian Edelman.
- Christopher Price lists the best multiple threats of the Belichick era.
- Mike Reiss charts the hits on Tom Brady.
- Mike Reiss gives us a weekly look at where the Patriots rank in key statistical categories, with the Colts' key stats included for comparison.
- Christopher Price tells us which New England defenders have done the best job of getting to the QB through 11 games.
- Mike Reiss answers his weekly Patriots mailbag, with readers wondering if the defensive improvement is for real.
- Karen Guregian reports rookies Nate Solder and Malcolm Williams served dinner to about 100 cancer patients and their families at the AstraZeneca Hope Lodge Center in Boston.
- Tim Britton finds Deion Branch and the wide receivers in Providence greeting fans and signing autographs as part of Branch's work with nonprofit group, Project Undercover.
- Monique Walker Patriots Notebook: Colts will start QB Dan Orlovsky over Curtis Painter Sunday; Patriots released CB Phillip Adams yesterday; Bill O'Brien says the 3rd WR could be someone different each week and that's how he likes it; Colts fired defensive coordinator Larry Coyer but Nick Caserio says the Pats will prepare the same way.
- Karen Guregian Patriots Notebook: Belichick wasn't offering any sympathy for a Colts team without Peyton Manning; CB Phillip Adams was released and is not practice squad eligible; Indy made several moves yesterday, but Belichick was preparing for Orlovsky as much as for Painter.
NATIONAL NEWS
- Kevin Fishbain (Pro Football Weekly) Patriots-Colts matchup of the day: DEs Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis vs. OTs Sebastian Vollmer, Matt Light and Nate Solder.
- James Walker (ESPN) AFC East Stock Watch.
- Kevin Fishbain (Pro Football Weekly) Patriots rookie report: Week 12.
- Jarrett Bell (USA Today) NFL Replay: Learning curve is X-factor for Patriots defense.
- Kevin Fishbain (Pro Football Weekly) Patriots 60-second rant: Room for improvement in ground game.
- Mike Pereira (Fox Sports) Transcript of NFL rules analyst Mike Pereira's Week 12 online chat.
VIEW FROM INDIANAPOLIS
- Phil Richards (Indy Star) Housecleaning begins for Colts.
- Bob Kravitz (Indy Star) Moves won't help much, but Colts have to make them.
- Craig Kelley (Colts.com) Orlovsky to take reins.
- Phillip B. Wilson (Indy Star) So much for half-joking about Colts QB situation.