FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – New England's special teams are getting some extra attention from the media this Friday.
In the Boston Globe, you'll find a lengthy feature on the emphasis the Patriots place on their special teams units.
Newcomer Justin Bethel, a midseason addition to the Patriots via the Baltimore Ravens, is one of the players quoted.
"When you get to play for teams that really put an emphasis on special teams players and how important it is," he remarks, "it's nice because it really makes what you do feel very important."
The Boston Herald gets more focused with a profile of kicker Nick Folk and his progress following emergency surgery on Thanksgiving Day.
"I just try to worry about the next kick and that's all I can worry about," Folk commented as part of the story. "I can't worry about other things and if I am worried about other things then I'm not worried about the next kick."
Meanwhile, on offense, is there a light at the end of the tunnel? A Providence Journal story appears to suggest so.
"I think everybody sees light at the end of the tunnel," RB James White says in part of this piece. "We still have our opportunity to play our best football, which we haven't done yet."
NBC Sports Boston's website gives a specific answer to the above question: rookie WR N'Keal Harry. A detailed analysis of how to get Harry more involved is the particular focus of this article.
A story on NESN's website advocates for another rookie, RB Damien Harris, to help give the offense a boost.
Finally today, an interesting anecdote from the MetroWest Daily News about last weekend's game versus Kansas City. A Massachusetts high school football team nearly had to come to the Chiefs' rescue after much of K.C.'s equipment almost didn't arrive in time for the game. But why did this particular school get the call to help the Chiefs? The story explains.
