The Patriots are at the bye week with a 3-0 record as maybe the best team in the NFL. But Bill Belichick doesn't know much about throttling back or settling for the status quo.
That's clear both in his approach to the early bye week and the work his team needs to get done to prepare for what will be a long, 13-game stretch to close out the season.
It's also obvious in the long list of trades New England has made this year looking to add to the roster that's defending the Super Bowl title.
The Boston Globe brings comments from the latest trade addition, linebacker Jonathan Bostic, who met with the media at his new New England locker on Tuesday. The Globe looks at Jordan Richards' positive first impressions after the second-round pick's increased role at safety against the Jaguars.
The Globe passes along the court schedule for the NFL’s appeal in the never-ending Deflategate scandal, which won't be concluded until next February at the earliest. The paper's NFL notebook notes that Wes Welker had a free agent workout with the Giants.
Boston Herald columnist Steve Buckley is all for blowout wins, but says the Patriots might want to consider some “earlier hooks” to protect Tom Brady in the end of such routs. The Herald looks at Bostic’s fresh start with the Patriots, a team that scouted the former Florida star heavily prior to the 2013 draft. Karen Guregian looks at how the Patriots have covered up their weak spots early in the season.
The Herald's Patriots notebook leads with a look at Dominique Easley’s healthy return to action against the Jags. The paper also breaks down the rotation New England has used on the offensive line through three games.
The Providence Journal says that Brady has backed off a bit from his so-called “endorsement” of Donald Trump. The ProJo looks at the role Keshawn Martin carved out for himself quickly in New England, while the paper notes that Bradley Fletcher holds on to his tenuous roster spot as Travaris Cadet was cut to make room for Bostic.
ESPNBoston.com has Bostic settling in to life in New England while recalling a very intense pre-draft workout that Belichick put him through back in 2013. The site also looks at the offensive line rotation, with a focus on impressive run-blocking rookie Shaq Mason. ESPNBoston.com also wonders about how much Brady should play late in blowout wins, while noting that running back Montee Ball was among the players working out in New England this week. The site also looks at the Cadet for Bostic roster swap.
ESPN says Brady can thrive past the age of 40, while also ironically looking back on the "day we buried Brady” after last September's Patriots blowout loss to the Chiefs.
WEEI.com has Belichick noting that with no team to game plan for the work in New England this week is all about the Patriots. A year later, WEEI.com also looks back the horrific loss in Kansas City that seemingly springboarded the eventual Super Bowl champions. The site points out that Julian Edelman is the second-most-targeted receiver in the NFL through three games.
CSNNE.com recaps Devin McCourty's “momentum-changing” interception in the win over Jacksonville while also looking at Belichick’s praise of undrafted rookie center David Andrews.
NFL.com ranks the league's top 10 receivers, with Edelman getting an honorable mention nod. The site also ponders whether the Patriots, Packers or Cardinals are the NFL’s most complete team. And while the rest of the world is all about comparing this New England offense to the team's record-setting 2007 unit, Brady “can’t understand” such talk.
FoxSports.com says the Jaguars are rethinking some defensive strategy after giving up 51 points against the Patriots. You don't say?
The Sporting News says the Patriots “didn’t get shafted” by the early bye week.
