Patriots feeling upbeat after Ravens loss: ‘We’ve been pretty decent’

FOXBORO — Less than 48 hours after suffering their first loss of the season, the Patriots broke from their final meetings at Gillette Stadium on Tuesday and … smiled.

One by one, players entered the locker room, grinning and chatting with one another. Most grabbed a few personal belongings and headed home. The mood was palpably positive, in no way reflective of the physical, 37-20 defeat they took in Baltimore on Sunday.

Patriots special teamer Matthew Slater stopped for a few moments to explain why.

“We’ve got a lot to be thankful for,” he said. “We’ve been pretty decent, above average, I think, over the course of the season thus far. So there’s no reason for anyone in here to be in the tank.”

Steps down from Slater’s locker, linebacker Kyle Van Noy echoed his captain’s comments.

“It’s pretty good. We’re 8-1. Of course you want to be 9-0. It’s always tough, but facts are facts,” Van Noy said. “We’re 8-1. That deserves a smile, right?”

The Patriots will practice on Wednesday afternoon, the final time they’ll convene as a team before leaving for a four-day break. Once players return on Monday, all eyes will be on preparing for the Eagles, with the Ravens loss firmly in their rear view.

“You’ve got to be able to turn the page,” Slater said. “You’ve gotta try to learn from your mistakes and realize that we’re still in good position to be competitive down the stretch. But we’re going to have to do a lot of things better starting tomorrow.”

Slater agreed the team’s bye week has come at a good time. The break almost halves their regular-season schedule, with nine games played and seven still to go. Of course, the most important football lies ahead, which places added importance on maximizing rest and recovery in the coming days.

“I think coach (Belichick) said we’ve been going about 15 weeks straight dating back to training camp. That’s a grind, physically and mentally, emotionally,” Slater said. “So it’ll be a nice time for guys to step away and clear their minds and get ready to make a push here.”

Talib: I hate covering Edelman

Aqib Talib had a front-row seat to Julian Edelman’s MVP performance in Super Bowl LIII.

Then with the Los Angeles Rams, Talib was in coverage for several of Edelman’s 10 catches for 141 yards. While he’s regarded as one of the better cornerbacks in the league, Talib still couldn’t slow the 33-year-old wide receiver. Suffice to say, Talib, now with the Dolphins, isn’t looking forward to a scheduled reunion when the Pats host Miami in Week 17.

Appearing on Fox Sports’ The Herd with Colin Cowherd on Tuesday, Talib named Edelman the No. 1 receiver who gives him the most trouble in coverage.

“He cuts off his inside foot. He’ll go this way, and it’s supposed to be a left-foot stick and go this way, but he goes (with) a right-foot stick. His feet are so weird,” Talib said. “He changes directions. And then, to put the icing on the cake, he got Tom Brady. And they’re like joined at the hip or something – joined at the head.

“(Brady) knows when to throw him the ball. He knows when to wait a little bit longer and let him get to the second window. It’s just weird. He runs his routes – he’s not the fastest guy, he’s not the quickest guy, but he’s super strong. You have to tackle him once he catches it. Just knowing which way he’s going to break is super weird.”

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/2rhr8C0