Some notes and nuggets such as the media availability of Wednesday’s New England Patriots:
– The Patriots practiced on Wednesday.
Normally, this fact would not be of journalistic interest, but the last two weeks have been still general for Bill Belichick’s troops.
During an unprecedented two-week era in which a total of 8 New England players landed on the reserve/COVID-19 list, the Patriots were limited to just two practices overall: a seriously limited Saturday consultation before their game opposed to the Denver Broncos. postponed and normal practice last Thursday.
The Patriots were going to play their game opposite the Broncos on Sunday, however, they lacked workers on both lines and seemed offensively out of sync in an 18-12 defeat.
The coronavirus crisis in New England is over: lineman James Ferentz and broker Sony Michel remain on the reserve list / COVID-19, and the risk of additional positive testing is still provided, but players enjoyed returning to the general this Wednesday always.
“We did our best in any situation,” security veteran and co-captain Devin McCourty said in a video conference. “But as Kevin Faulk taught me, as athletes and as professional athletes in football, the most productive thing we do is enter our regime and stick to our regime and creatures of nature. Whatever we do, we keep doing it over and over again.
“So I’m not going to lie, it’s wonderful to have a general Wednesday today. It will help us as a team, and it is wonderful individually. This is my eleventh year, so I didn’t know Wednesday would be Wednesday. So it’s smart to go back to our show today.
The practice, the Patriots’ first on Wednesday since September 30, also featured the return of several key players: the David Andrews Center, rookie supporter Josh Uche and Beau Allen’s defensive take-off practiced for the first time since they reached the injured reserve, and 3 players (guard Shaq Mason, by-by-by-cowart’s defensive version and outside supporter Derek Rivers) were removed from the COVID list.
Andrews, Uche and Allen have not yet been added to the 53-man list, but all six may be active for Sunday’s game against the San Francisco 49ers at Gillette Stadium.
“I think it brought a lot of enthusiasm to the team and also a sense of urgency about everything we want to do in education after a defeat, after consecutive defeats and also opposed to a very smart football team. , face the protective nfc champions,” McCourty said. So I think there’s a sense of enthusiasm and a sense of urgency and lack of being there and lack of desire to improve. I think it’s a wonderful environment in education.
– With Andrews, Mason and Ferentz unavailable, goalkeeper/sophomore Hjalte Froholdt played the first offensive shots of his NFL career against Denver, entering the right guard after Jermaine Eluemunor left the game with an ankle injury.
The Patriots’ O-line as a total suffered its worst functionality of the season, however, Froholdt lasted, allowing 0 effort in 31 pass lockdown shots, according to Pro Football Focus.
“On the offensive line, you never know what’s going to happen,” Froholdt said Wednesday. “Every position in football is as follows. I’ve made sure I’m ready. Every time (it came) my turn or it was my turn. “time to go, I made sure I fully released the full playbook and prepared myself as if I were the headline.
“It’s smart to pass out and play football, however, it would be great to regain the total offensive line. The concept is next and it’s football for you.
The Patriots selected Froholdt in the fourth circular last spring. He missed his entire rookie year due to injury and then played in special groups in his first four appearances this season.
“It’s wonderful to come in, however, it’s been a procedure for a long time,” the Arkansas product said. “I’ve been here a little or a year, so I’m excited to participate. He’s still on the move. You may not look too much at what just happened. We’ve got San Francisco on the way, so that’s the main purpose now. “
– Arguably the Patriots will face the NFL’s tight finale this week with Niners star George Kittle.
McCourty shared the appeal of how Kittle compares to former patriot Rob Gronkowski, the former owner of the award.
Both players have assets, security explained, however, the way San Francisco uses Kittle is very different from how New England would use Gronkowski.
“I mean, I think they’re wonderful players, but the offenses are a little different,” McCourty said. “Kittle makes many moves, many other things in his attack. I mean, he’s finishing his attack. “
But I’ll say he’s a guy who, where they’re similar, blocks. Or they’ll come for you. And I think one of the most important things is that when you look at Kittle, if he loses a blockage or if he doesn’t leave it the way he needs to, you can see he’s angry, as if he had to be out there blocking.
“And I will say that the other similarity is the struggle. Trying to take on those two guys, watching Gronk over the years, the guys looking to fight him and he uses his hand not only to turn him into a stiff arm, but also to reject him. I’d say they’re either very good. They catch the ball on a higher level.
“But I’d say the way they use their game is a little different. Often, you look at the Gronk, there were many descents, vertical paths. Kittle makes a lot of quick tilts, things like that in the middle. run diagonal routes, catch racing games. But I would say that any of them, the hardest thing to do canopy at the end of the tight race is that they can do anything. They will be blocked so that you can execute them, but then they will also play and take them to a secure defense that will hurt you, and they will be able to transit roads to the highest level. “
Kittle has 30 receptions in 38 goals for 380 yards and two touchdowns in four games this season. Belichick said this week that he’s “as smart as anyone he’s ever trained or as smart as everyone we’ve ever played against. “